Lewis Hamilton cut Sebastian Vettel’s lead at the top of the Formula One drivers’ standings to six points as he won the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
The Briton recovered from being overtaken by Vettel at the start to pass the German around the outside of Turn 1 at the start of Lap 44 and the Mercedes-GP driver went on to triumph in the 66-lap event to win for the 55th time in his career.
Vettel’s second place at the Circuit de Catalunya keeps him on top of the standings on 104 points, but with Hamilton close behind on 98 after gaining seven points on the Ferrari driver.
It was a strategic race, with the decision by Mercedes to run a longer first stint, and then using the harder Pirelli compound mid-race proved inspired.
It allowed him to be on the softer tyre in the closing laps and chase down Vettel, who ran the hard tyres for his final stint, and overtake his title rival.
Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton’s teammate, failed to finish for the first time this season following a mechanical failure, while Vettel’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen also did not score any points, eliminated on the opening lap after colliding with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, who also was ruled out as a result of the contact.
Daniel Ricciardo picked up his first podium of the season as he took third for Red Bull, ahead of the two Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon.
The next round of the season, the Monaco Grand Prix, takes place on May 28 in Monte Carlo.
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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