The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Verstappen beats Hamilton in dramatic Emilia-romagna GP
Max Verstappen won a dramatic Emilia-romagna Grand Prix on Sunday after world champion Lewis Hamilton hit a wall in a race that was also temporarily suspended following a separate incident involving Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Verstappen, 23, led the majority of the race on the wet Imola, Italy, track and the Red Bull driver beat Hamilton by 22 seconds for the 11th win of his career. Hamilton, who won the season-opening Bahrain GP last month, showed all his skills to make his way back up the field after falling as far back as ninth following an incident just before the halfway point of the race.
Hamilton is still ahead of Verstappen in the standings after picking up a bonus point for the fastest lap in Imola. Lando Norris was third, 23.702 behind Verstappen.
Verstappen started third, behind Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and pole-sitter Hamilton. The Dutch driver got off to a great start and jumped his teammate before touching wheels with Hamilton and forcing his way into the lead.
Hamilton damaged his front wing in that incident but was running second until he slid off the track, through the gravel and into the wall on lap 31. The British driver managed to return to the track eventually but had dropped to ninth.
A short time later, Bottas and Williams driver George Russell were involved in a crash and the race was red-flagged on lap 34 with debris from their cars scattered across the track. Both drivers were furious in the aftermath, with Bottas flicking his middle finger at Russell, who responded by swatting the Finnish driver with his hand.
Miami Grand Prix to join F1 calendar next year
There will be two U.S. F1 races next year, with the Miami Grand Prix added to the calendar. Next year’s race will be the first in a 10-year deal and is in addition to the grand prix in Austin, Texas. The date of the Miami race has yet to be confirmed but F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said it would be in the “second quarter” at a new circuit in the Hard Rock Stadium complex in Miami Gardens, home to the NFL’S Dolphins.
Alex Palou scores first career Indycar win in series opener
Alex Palou celebrated his move to Chip Ganassi Racing with his first career Indycar victory, beating a pair of series champions to win Sunday’s season-opening race at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala.
The Spaniard had to hold off hard-charging Will Power and Scott Dixon over the closing laps. The 24-year-old beat Power by .4016 seconds to claim his first win in his first race driving for the Ganassi team. Dixon, the six-time and reigning Indycar champ, finished third.
Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, in his first Indycar race, was 19th. Johnson had a developing blister on his hand after the race, avoided a first-lap crash and recovered from an early spin.