Lewis Hamilton wins 2021 British Grand Prix ahead of Leclerc, Max Verstappen crashes out in first lap

Lewis Hamilton wins 2021 British GP after colliding with Max Verstappen in the first lap and causing Max Verstappen to retire from the race.

Verstappen was put under pressure by Lewis from the lights-off, Hamilton’s aggressive intent forced contact between two championship rival at Copse and the slightest touch of wheels caused a high speed accident.

The sideways impact with the tyre barrier visibly shaken up the pole sitter, who was taken to local hospital for precautionary checks after cleared by medical team at the track.

The race was reflagged to recover damaged Red Bull and to repair the tyre barriers. The stop gave opportunity for Mercedes to change Lewis’s broken rim.

Race stewards handed 10 seconds time penalty to seven-time world champion for causing collision, but Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton’s speed handed them a victory at their home turf at the expense of Red Bull and Max Verstappen.

Ferrari man Charles Leclerc took lead of the race after Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen incident before the red flag, he drove exceptionally to lead the race until Lap 50 before resurgent Lewis overtook him for the race win in-front of 1,40,000 roaring British fans. Charles is not 100% happy with his second place finish. He said,

“It’s difficult to enjoy 100%. I gave all of me but it was not enough in the last two laps. Congrats to Lewis – he did an amazing job. The team is working incredibly well. I’m incredibly proud of them”

Lewis’s team mate Valtteri Bottas once again disappointed with lack of aggression, he comes home in P3 to complete the podium. The Fin played the team game by letting Hamilton in Lap 40. Bottas felt the race start cost him the race win,

“My weakest part today was the start – I was wheel-spinning a bit and that made things harder. “But we leave this weekend with a lot of positives for the team going forward. We go again in two weeks”.

McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo comes home in P4 & P5, the latter doing a sterling job to hold off the attack of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for much of the latter half of the race, with Sainz taking P6.

Following his heroics in the F1 Sprint, Alpine’s Fernando Alonso finished in the P7 he started in, ahead of the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in P8, as the second Alpine of Esteban Ocon collected his first points since Monaco for P9, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda in 10th.

Meanwhile, Sergio Perez – Red Bull’s only runner in the race following Verstappen’s crash – could only take P16, after making three pit stops across the Grand Prix.

More to follow…