Lewis Hamilton wins in Austria

Lewis Hamilton wins in Austria

Sunday, July 3, 2016 3:59 pm


Hamilton on the podium

Hamilton on the podium

Lewis Hamilton has won his first Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg after a dramatic final lap collision with his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

It was Hamilton’s 250th championship victory and has enabled him cut Rosberg’s season’s lead to 11 points.

Rosberg had led his title rival since the 32nd lap but two corners into the 71st and final lap of the race, the pair collided.

Hamilton made a move down the outside at turn two and made contact with Rosberg’s front wing with the German late to turn in, apparently struggling with a brake issue.

‘He made a mistake into turn one, so I had an opportunity to go down the outside into turn two and capitalise on it,’ said Hamilton.

Hamilton was forced off the road but, though Rosberg attempted to keep the Briton at bay on the next straight, his front wing was dislodged, leaving the door open for Hamilton to take the win.

‘I left a lot of room on the inside and I guess he locked up and crashed into me. I think he had a problem with his brakes potentially. I’m here to win. That’s all. I needed those points.’

It did little to appease the Austrian fans at the Red Bull Ring, with Hamilton booed as he collected his trophy on the podium.

‘I don’t know why,’ said Hamilton of the booing. ‘It’s not my problem, it’s their problem.’

Rosberg limped home in fourth but, to rub salt in the wound, was placed under investigation after the race for finishing the race with his car in an unsafe condition.

‘It was my racing line and I was the one there,’ said Rosberg, blaming Hamilton for the incident.

‘I am gutted, it’s unbelievable. We were battling. I was struggling on the brakes. That gave Lewis a chance. Nevertheless, I was confident could defend and bring it home.

‘I had the outside, went a bit deep, and l was very surprised that Lewis turned in and caused a collision.’
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff branded the collision ‘brainless’ post-race.

*reported by Mail online: Mail Online


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