Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton dominates 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton earned his fifth victory in the last nine Formula 1 races by winning the Hungarian Grand Prix, the final race before the summer break.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Lewis Hamilton entered the Hungarian Grand Prix, the 12th race of the 21-race Formula 1 season, with a 17-point lead in the driver standings after winning the German Grand Prix from 14th place on the grid.

The 33-year-old Briton took the pole position for the 70-lap race around the 14-turn, 2.722-mile (4.381-kilometer) Hungaroring in Mogyoród, Hungary in wet conditions, but it was believed that Scuderia Ferrari and possibly even Aston Martin Red Bull Racing would have an advantage over Mercedes in dry conditions.

Hamilton put that talk to bed with a dominant performance in the Hungarian Grand Prix, as he won the race by 17.123 seconds over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in second place to extend his lead in the driver standings to 24 points. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen rounded out the podium in third for his fifth consecutive podium finish going back to the French Grand Prix, the final race in June.

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Mercedes were on pace for their second consecutive 1-2 finish with Hamilton leading teammate Valtteri Bottas late in the race, as they finished in that order in last Sunday’s German Grand Prix. However, on lap 65, Vettel tried to clear Bottas for second place on the outside of turn two, and the two drivers made contact, causing damage to the front wing of Bottas’s car.

Vettel and Raikkonen took second and third place, respectively, before Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo approached Bottas on lap 68 coming down the front straightaway. Bottas was unable to break to avoid hitting Ricciardo, who attempted to pass him on the outside. The two drivers made contact, sending Ricciardo off the track.

However, because of the damage that Bottas’s car had previously sustained, Ricciardo was able to hunt him down and pass him for fourth place on the race’s final lap. Bottas had to settle for fifth.

Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly finished as the “best of the rest” in sixth place in one of the best performances of his Formula 1 career. Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, McLaren’s Fernando Alonso, Renault Sport’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and Haas’ Romain Grosjean rounded out the top 10 in seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.

The race featured two lead changes among two drivers. Aside of Hamilton, who led 54 of the race’s 70 laps, Vettel was the race’s only leader with 16 laps led. Of the 20 drivers who started the race, 17 finished it. Three drivers, including Alfa Romeo Sauber’s Charles Leclerc, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne, were forced to retire with mechanical issues. Six of the 17 drivers who finished the race finished it on the lead lap.

Here are the full race results of the 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring.

The next Formula 1 race is not until Sunday, August 26. That race is the Belgian Grand Prix, and it is scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPN2 at 9:10 a.m. ET from Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium. Be sure not to miss it.