Verstappen ends Mercedes’ run

SILVERSTONE (England), Aug 9

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won Formula One’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix here today to end Mercedes’ run and become Lewis Hamilton’s closest challenger.

In a race dominated by tyres and strategy, Hamilton swept past Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas to take second place late in the race and stay 30 points clear in the standings.

Six-time world champion Hamilton, who gained an extra point for fastest lap, also equalled Ferrari great Michael Schumacher’s record of 155 career podium finishes.

“I didn’t see it coming, but after the first stint it seemed like we were really good on tyres,” said Verstappen as he celebrated his ninth win.

“Of course there was a question mark how Mercedes were going to go on the hard tyre. We had a lot of pace in the car and I didn’t really have a lot of tyre issues at all. We just kept pushing.”

Mercedes had won the four previous races, and taken every pole, but Verstappen was alone among the top 10 on the grid to start on the hard tyres and it paid off.

The champions were mindful that Hamilton and Bottas had both suffered late blowouts at the previous weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, when Hamilton won on three wheels, in trying to eke out a one-stopper. — Reuters