Seven-time defending Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton overcame Red Bull-initiated FiA penalties as well as both Red Bull drivers to come from 10th place and comfortably win the 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen with his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas claiming the third and final podium position.
After Hamilton won the sprint qualifier, Verstappen touched Hamilton’s car and Red Bull whinged about the rear wing of the car, which helped initiate an FiA investigation that disqualified Hamilton’s time and forced him to start from last in the sprint qualifier race [where he eventually finished fifth]. But Hamilton had to start 10th on the grid after previously being penalized five grid spots for taking an extra engine component beyond the allowable allotment for the season.
That left Bottas in pole position for the grand prix, and Verstappen beat Bottas off the line to take the lead while Hamilton took four laps to move from 10th into third after Bottas ceded his position to his teammate. After a pair of safety cars closed up the field, Hamilton took two attempts at passing Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, before finally passing Perez for good on Lap 19 of the 71-lap race.
From that point, it was Hamilton gradually reeling in Verstappen and after a round of pit stops, Hamilton made his first attempt at passing Verstappen on Lap 48 but Verstappen pushed him wide into a turn. The race stewards looked at Verstappen’s maneuver but decided it was a racing incident and Hamilton made a second attempt that had Verstappen weaving to try and prevent the pass. Stewards issued a warning to Verstappen for that maneuver and Hamilton finally passed Verstappen on the third attempt on Lap 59 – defeating Verstappen by approximately 10 seconds as Verstappen conceded the race win.
With the victory, Hamilton moves to within 14 points behind Verstappen in the 2021 driver’s championship standings – with Verstappen holding 332.5 points to Hamilton’s 318.5 points.
2021 Brazilian Grand Prix Top 10
1] Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2] Max Verstappen Red Bull
3] Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
4] Sergio Pérez Red Bull
5] Charles Leclerc Ferrari
6] Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari
7] Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri
8] Esteban Ocon Alpine
9] Fernando Alonso Alpine
10] Lando Norris McLaren