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Formula 1: victory for Mercedes, debacle for Sebastian Vettel

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Victory for Mercedes, debacle for Vettel

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Sebastian Vettel has a completely used racing weekend behind him

Credit: AFP / LEONHARD FOEGER

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas wins ahead of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc at the Formula 1 start in Austria. Sebastian Vettel makes a gross mistake and is only tenth. He also receives a rejection.

Sebastian Vettel experienced a bitter flop when restarting the Formula 1 emergency season. With the victory of Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, the Ferrari driver was far behind in Austria on Sunday when he also slipped out of the points by a spin.

With 10th place at the ghost race in Spielberg, the farewell tour of Vettel, which was discarded at the Scuderia at the end of the year, started frustratingly. The fact that his misery had been in contact with his Ferrari successor Carlos Sainz in the McLaren made the debacle perfect.

A five-second penalty after a collision with Red Bull man Alex Albon left world champion Lewis Hamilton in fourth place behind McLaren man Lando Norris, who was 0.1 seconds ahead of the British world champion thanks to the fastest lap. Vettel’s stable rival Charles Leclerc was still in second place behind Bottas.

Formula One had to wait for its next Grand Prix seven months since the season finale in Abu Dhabi and four months after the canceled start of Australia. The restart after the Corona crisis then took place with a symbolic act.

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Austrian Grand Prix

14 of the 20 pilots got on one knee as a sign of protest against racism. In addition to Hamilton, the strongest supporter of this gesture, Vettel also joined the campaign. All drivers also wore black T-shirts, most of them with the words “End Racism”. Hamilton’s shirt had the message “Black lives matter”.

Time penalty for Hamilton

The Briton, who wants to equalize Michael Schumacher’s record of seven World Cup titles this season, suffered a setback shortly before the start. Hamilton had to start from fifth instead of second because he had violated yellow warning flags during the fastest lap in qualifying. The race stewards gave a protest by the Red Bull team. “You have to take it sporty,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

Hamilton’s team-mate Bottas, who had secured pole position ahead of the Englishman on Saturday, led the field into the first corner after the red lights went out. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, the winner of the two previous years, was already two seconds behind the Finns after the first lap.

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However, the Dutchman experienced a disaster. Due to technical problems, he still lugged his car into the pits on lap 13, but had to end the race early. “It would have been an easy podium, but what can I do?” He said.

Mercedes refuses to Vettel

Vettel tried to make up for eleven places in the rear field after his qualifying debacle. Hesse in Spielberg had been annoyed by his retirement from Ferrari at the end of the year. He had received clear signals that the racing team actually wanted to continue with him. Vettel then named Mercedes as an option for 2021. “We’ll stay with our two boys,” said Daimler CEO Ola Källenius, but rejected a change of German on Sky.

In emergency operation with a strict hygiene concept, the racing series still wants to save its World Cup year. At the top, however, the picture of past years did not change. The silver arrows, painted black as a sign of discrimination, led. And even after the first stop during a safety car phase on lap 26, Bottas and Hamilton came back on the track as the first duo.

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The field contracted, the Grand Prix was released four rounds later. Then there was a crash at Vettel, who wanted to pass inside his Ferrari successor Sainz in turn three. The German made a spin in a duel with the Spanish McLaren man and fell back to position 15 by seven ranks.

Bottas and Hamilton then had to worry. Because of problems with the transmission sensors, both drivers were instructed to stay away from the curbs. The Mercedes duo survived these tremors just like a second safety car phase from the 52nd lap. When Alex Albon tried to overtake, Hamilton stayed cool despite the touch, while Max Verstappen’s stable rival had to take a trip to the gravel bed. The Brit got a five-second penalty that made him fall back.

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