Max Verstappen claimed his first British Magnificent Prix victory on Sunday to bring a record-equalling eleventh consecutive win for his Pink Bull staff and his 6th in successive races. In a race of attrition, interrupted by way of protection vehicles and influenced by way of tyre-wear, the Dutchman got here house nearly 4 seconds forward of McLaren’s Lando Norris who held off Mercedes’ seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in an exciting finale. It was once Verstappen’s forty third occupation win and his 8th in 10 races this while as he greater his manage forward of team-mate Sergio Perez within the drivers’ championship to 99 issues.
Norris’s McLaren team-mate Australian rookie Oscar Piastri completed fourth forward of George Russell, Perez, two-time champion Fernand Alonso of Aston Martin and Williams’ Alex Albon.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz got here house 9th and tenth, a disappointing outcome for the Italian staff later that they had began from fourth and 5th at the grid.
For Norris, who led the hole laps later beating Verstappen at first, it was once his easiest outcome since completing 2d on the 2021 Italian Magnificent Prix moment for Hamilton, a checklist eight-time winner at his house race, it was once a 14th British podium.
“Yes, a good race,” stated Verstappen.
“The last stint was more difficult than I would have liked on these tyres, but a great job by the team again.
“11 in a row! That’s nice-looking lunatic. Smartly finished everybody.”
Hollywood twist
Red Bull drew level with McLaren who reeled off 11 wins in 1988.
The race began in warm and dry conditions, following light rain, as Norris, from second on the grid, took advantage of a sluggish start by Verstappen who held off Piastri to retain second.
The pre-event pomp and ceremony had been given a unique Hollywood twist with film star Brad Pitt joining the drivers for Damian Lewis’s rendition of the British anthem, standing close to Verstappen, who may have been distracted.
The Dutchman recovered his poise and when Drag Reduction System (DRS) was initiated, he swept past the Briton on lap five to lead while Hamilton, after a difficult start, climbed from ninth to seventh.
By lap 15, Verstappen’s lead was 3.1 seconds as light drizzle began. Further back, Perez was carving through the field from 15th, following his fifth consecutive qualifying flop.
Leclerc was the first leading contender to pit after 19 laps, switching from mediums to hards and re-joining 12th. Spotting this, on a trackside big screen, Verstappen quizzed his team for reaction only to be told it was of “incorrect fear”.
It was a clear signal of spare performance capacity. He responded with a series of fastest laps to stretch his lead to 6.5sec by half-distance on lap 26 when Sainz pitted for hards.
Ferrari’s strategy handed fourth and fifth to the Mercedes duo, behind the two McLarens, with Alonso sixth, six seconds adrift before Russell, Perez and Piastri came in, shaking up the top order.
Leclerc and Russell were soon engaged in an exciting scrap for seventh before Kevin Magnussen pulled up his Haas with an engine failure on Wellington Straight.
A virtual safety car was deployed, followed by a full one offering ‘cheap’ pit stops for Albon and Leclerc followed by Verstappen, Norris, Hamilton and Alonso.
In the confusion, it worked perfectly for Hamilton who came out third behind the top duo and ahead of Piastri, Russell and Alonso.
Intriguingly, Verstappen and Hamilton were on used softs while Norris and Piastri took hards, as did Ferrari, for the final 14 laps’ sprint.
Norris was unimpressed with his team’s cautious decision and reacted slowly when Verstappen darted clear. Hamilton attacked but his compatriot defended brilliantly before DRS was re-introduced.
With 10 laps to go, Verstappen led by 3.2 seconds while Perez climbed to seventh and, astonishingly Albon sliced past Sainz for sixth.
On the day Williams celebrated their 800th Grand Prix, it was a timely thrill and, with McLaren shining, a throwback to another era.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Subjects discussed on this article
