Brazilian GP: Lewis Hamilton pips Max Verstappen to finish line despite starting 10th

Ending a turbulent weekend with a stunning victory, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday and gained momentum in his Formula One title fight with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, beat Verstappen despite starting from 10th position on the grid due to a penalty — the second Hamilton faced this weekend in Sao Paulo. Verstappen, the winner of the race’s previous edition in 2019, finished second and saw his lead in the driver’s championship shrink to 14 points, with three races left. The winner of a race gets 25 points. “Let’s keep pushing,” Hamilton said on team radio. He took a Brazil flag to celebrate his win, just as his idol Ayrton Senna did. Hamilton’s teammate, Valtteri Bottas, finished third and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was fourth with the Mexican clocking the fastest lap of the race. Verstappen led most of the race after the first turn, when he overtook polesitter Bottas. But Hamilton, who rose from 10th to third position in just six laps, went ahead of Verstappen on lap 59, putting a raucous crowd on their feet at Interlagos. Hamilton finished the race with a 10-second advantage over Verstappen.