Formula 1: Hamilton wins 100th race with Russian Grand Prix victory

By winning the British Grand Prix on July 18, did Lewis Hamilton suspect he would have to wait so long to win the 100?e race of his career? In recent weeks, the Briton had been unsuccessful and even had to give up at Monza, a first for three years.

Read also Formula 1: Monza, new theater of tensions between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton

Sunday September 26, on the occasion of the Russian Grand Prix, Hamilton, seven-time world champion, set the record straight and officially became “centenary”. “It took a long time to win this 100e Victoire “, conceded Lewis Hamilton at the end of the race. However, his victory was not obvious on the starting grid and this hundredth success, the Briton obtained at the end of a memorable Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver, who started in the second row after crashing into the wall during qualifying, found himself 7e at the end of the first lap, left behind by the new generation of pilots formed by Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz and George Russell.

The only good news at the start of the race for Hamilton: the position of his rival Max Verstappen, who started last on the grid due to a penalty for changing the engine. In front, Norris took back first place from Sainz after taking his very first pole position on Saturday.

But as often this season, the rain played the spoiler. Seven laps from the checkered flag, the drivers went to the pits one by one to put on intermediate tires, which were much more grippy than slicks.

The Norris disaster

Norris, on the other hand, made the unfortunate choice to stay on track, hoping to be able to finish the last two laps of the race with his slick tires. Except that the rain redoubled in intensity and made the track impassable for his car. Cruel for the young Briton, who saw Hamilton steal first place from him while he was spinning. Norris finally finishes at the 7e square.

“I’m not sure I could have passed Lando. But the rain came and we had to be opportunistic ”, explained the Briton at the end of the race. On the podium, “King Lewis” lifted the 100e trophy of his career and doused himself in champagne, with a Max Verstappen satisfied with his race to his right.

Starting dead last on the starting grid, the Dutchman managed to grab second place after a magnificent race and beat Carlos Sainz (3e). But Verstappen lost the lead in the drivers’ standings, taken over by Hamilton for two small points. The duel between the two drivers from the Mercedes and Red Bull teams is far from over and will resume on October 10 at the Turkish Grand Prix.



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