A week after his transfer, Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton won the race in Spielberg. In the second race in Styria, the Briton secured victory of the day in front of his team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) within seven days. Hamilton defended his lead from pole position to the finish, the win was never endangered. At the season opener a week ago, Hamilton had finished second, but subsequently dropped to fourth place with a five-second penalty.
For Ferrari, the race was over in the early stages. Sebastian Vettel retired after a collision with his colleague Charles Leclerc after the first few meters. Vettel’s car was hit on the side, he had to park the car directly in the pits. Leclerc apparently damaged his car so much in the incident that it was over after five laps.
“I didn’t expect Charles to try anything. I don’t think there was room,” Vettel said in the TV interview immediately after the end. Leclerc also blamed the incident. “I didn’t do the job I should have done. I ruined my chances, those of Seb and the whole team,” said Leclerc. “It’s a tough time for the team, we don’t need that.”
Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, was satisfied after the first win in the second race of the season. “The team did a fantastic job,” he said. His team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who won the opening race in an identical spot a week ago, successfully defended his World Cup lead, with Hamilton six points behind.
Already next week, Formula 1 will continue with the next Grand Prix in Europe. Then the next race will take place in Hungary near Budapest.
