Lewis Hamilton WINS the Brazilian Grand Prix – Verstappen not a happy bunny

Lewis Hamilton wins the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix, snatching victory after race leader Max Verstappen is hit by an over-eager Ocon.

In the scheme of things it matters little that Lewis Hamilton won the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix, but it matters to Max Verstappen that he had the race in the bag until Force India’s Ocon decided to unlap himself.

Verstappen was in the lead and in control, having despatched both Mercedes and Ferrari cars, when Ocon decided, despite being a lap down, to tackle Verstappen through the Senna Esses, banging in to him and spinning him off, leaving him five seconds behind Hamilton when he recovered.

Ocon got a ten second penalty for his rashness – and a confrontation with Verstappen after the race – and Verstappen finished second, but it was enough to give Mercedes the points they needed to clinch the constructor’s title.

Despite Hamilton getting away well at the start it was Verstappen who was the star, up from fifth to second by the time he first pitted, and taking the lead from Hamilton on lap 31 and would, had it not been for Ocon, been a convincing winner.

Behind Hamilton and Ocon it was Kimi Raikkonen taking the honours for Ferrari as Vettel struggled to sixth, split by Ricciardo and Bottas, with Lecleerc in seventh followed by the Haas cars of Grosjean and Magnussen and Perez in the last points place.

Of the cars which finished it was the British teams propping up the bottom of the grid, with the McLarens of Vandoorne and Alonso in 15th and 17th, and the Williams of Sirotkin and Stroll in 16th and 18th.

Let’s hope 2019 is better.