Lewis Hamilton WINS the French Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has taken a relatively easy win at the 2018 French Grand Prix, retaking the lead in the driver’s title race as Sebastian Vettel finished in fifth for Ferrari.

Mercedes started the first French Grand Prix in a decade with a distinct advantage: Lewis Hamilton was on pole and Bottas was alongside. And it worked out well for Hamilton – who won – but not so well for Bottas.

Hamilton got away at the start well enough to be clear of a first corner collision between Bottas and Vettel behind him, which resulted in both Bottas and Vettel joining at the back after pitting, and letting Hamilton surge on, comfortably leading the race from start to finish.

Behind Hamilton it was a second place for Max Verstappen in the Red Bull, and even though Vettel’s fight back from the back of the grid was impressive, it was Kimi Raikkonen in third place after passing Ricciardo with 11 laps left, and Vettel settling for fifth place. 

Bottas didn’t manage to recover from the back of the grid as well as Vettel – which makes you wish Vettel had been in the fight for the front throughout – and he finished in seventh place, behind the Haas of Kevin Magnussen.

Carlos Sainz managed to finish in eighth despite engine problems in the closing stages, ahead of Hulkenburg and Leclerc in ninth and 10th respectively.

To no one’s great surprise, McLaren had a torrid time in the race after both cars failed to get out of Q1 yesterday, and even though Vandoorne finished 12th, Alonso’s car gave up the ghost in the closing stages as his suspension failed.

It’s off to Austria next week. Let’s hope Vettel can stay in that race and challenge Hamilton.