Hamilton denies Verstappen in thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix

HUNGARORING, Hungary: Lewis Hamilton regained the momentum in the world championship with a memorable strategic victory on Sunday when he overcame young rival Max Verstappen with three laps to go in a tense Hungarian Grand Prix.

The 34-year-old defending five-time world champion started third on the grid in his Mercedes and, after stalking the 21-year-old Dutch tyro for most of a fascinating tactical contest swept into the lead on lap 67 of a stirring 70-lap contest.

It was Hamilton’s record seventh win in Hungary, wrecking Red Bull’s hopes of turning Verstappen’s maiden pole position into victory, and increased his lead in the title race to 62 points before the sport’s European summer break.

Verstappen, who led most of the race before his tyres faded, had no time to match Hamilton’s tactics when the Briton made his second stop, came home 17.796 seconds behind in second and clocked a record race fastest lap for the Hungaroring after a late pit-stop.

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel was third for Ferrari ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz of McLaren and Pierre Gasly in the second Red Bull.

Kimi Raikkonen was seventh for Alfa Romeo ahead of Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas who had been forced into an early pit-stop after a first lap incident. British rookie Lando Norris was ninth in the second Mercedes and Alex Albon 10th for Toro Rosso.

“What a drive, what a strategy,” said Hamilton’s race engineer Peter Bonnington. “Only you could make that work today.” Mercedes matched Red Bull’s strategy until gambling with a late additional pit-stop that left Hamilton with 20 laps to make up a 20-second deficit on fresh tyres — a move that worked as Verstappen’s tyres faded away.

A crestfallen Verstappen admitted: “We just weren’t fast enough. I tried everything I could to keep the tyres alive, but I couldn’t.” Hamilton had earned a 1,000-euro fine for Mercedes for speeding in the pit lane before the start on a hotter-than-expected afternoon with an air temperature of 26 degrees Celsius.

Verstappen pulled clear with some aplomb as the two Mercedes’ planned pincer movement failed. Bottas, from second, had a poor start, losing position to Hamilton who squeezed through at Turn Three.

The luckless Finn was then clipped by Leclerc’s Ferrari and damaged his front wing. This cost him critical down-force as he tumbled through the field. This forced him to pit after six laps for a new nose and a set of hard-compound tyres. He re-joined in last place, 49 seconds adrift.

The leading duo pulled away inexorably. By lap 11, Leclerc was adrift by nearly 11 seconds and it was clear that the inter-generational battle, between the old master and his potential successor, the Dutch young pretender, was the main, if not only, event.