Lewis Hamilton won a drama-filled Grand prix of Azerbaijan. Kimi Raikkonen finished second while Sergio Perez was third.
At the beginning of the race, everything in the lead was calm. Sebastian Vettel was on pole position and kept the first place after the lights went out. There was commotion at the back where a few incidents happened. Esteban Ocon and Sergey Sirotkin retired there. Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso (with two punctures) managed to get back to the pits. Alonso was really agitated and called on the radio to say it was absurd to go cleanly through the first couple of turns only to have your race smashed by another driver.
Later the Red Bull drivers created the action for a great part of the race. In lap 35 (of 51) Daniel Ricciardo managed to pass Max Verstappen. After their pitstops in laps 38 and 39, he was again behind the Dutch driver. This time there was a crash and debris all over the start-finish straight.
The pivotal moment in Baku ?
Ricciardo and Verstappen collide in dramatic fashion
Recording a second double-DNF for Red Bull in three races#AzerbaijanGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/OMwH9Ct9BV
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2018
Lewis Hamilton won a drama-filled Grand prix of Azerbaijan
The incident led to another safety car and when it was ready to get back in the pits Romain Grosjean hit a wall. When at last the race restarted Vettel tried to get in front of Bottas – the Finn got the lead thanks to his strategy. The Ferrari driver locked his wheels and lost more than a couple of places.
The drama was not over – there was still some debris on the track and Bottas went over some of it. That caused a puncture and handed the win to Hamilton.
Race win = GONE ?
A puncture denied Valtteri Bottas his first win of the season#AzerbaijanGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/uc6VOuAupL
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2018
RACE CLASSIFICATION (LAP 51/51)
What drama! WHAT A RACE!#AzerbaijanGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/iXRDA8ZUpS
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2018
