Hamilton pips Verstappen to get] back to winning ways |[फी g \Wfl < 72

HUNGARIAN

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HUNGARORING, HUNGARY: regained the momen- tum in the world championship with a memorable strategic vic- tory on Sunday when he over- came young rival Max Verstap- pen with threelapstogoin a tense . The34-year-old defendingfive- time world champion started thirdon the gridin his Mercedes and, after stalkingthe21-year-old Dutch tyrofor most of afascinat- ingtactical contestsweptintothe lead on lap 67 of a 70-lap contest. It was Hamilton’s record sev- = With three laps remaining in the race, Lewis Hamilton (above) enth win in Hungary, his eighth overtook to clinch victory in Hungary. GETTY IMAGES this year and the 81st of his career, wrecking ’s hopes of turning Verstappen’s maiden poleposition into victory, CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS andincreased his leadin thetitle 1.Lewis Hamilton 1:35:03.7965s DRIVERS’ raceto 62 pointsbeforethe sport’s 2. Max Verstappen +17.796s 1. Lewis Hamilton 250pts European summer break. Verstappen, who led most of 3. +61.4335 2. 188 the race before his tyres faded, 4, +65.2505 3. Max Verstappen 181 hadnotimetomatch Hamilton’s 5. Carlos Sainz +1lap 4. Sebastian Vettel 156 tactics when the Briton made his second stop, came home 17.796 6. +1 lap 5. Charles Leclerc 132 seconds behind in second and 7. Kimi Raikkonen +1lap CONSTRUCTORS’ clocked arecord race fastest lap 8. Valtteri Bottas +1 lap 1. Mercedes 438pts for the after a late pit-stop. 9. +1lap 2. Ferrari 288 Four-time champion Sebas- 10. Alexander Albon +1lap 3. 244 tian Vettel was third for Ferrari ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz of McLaren ‘LAUDA WOULD HAVE TEAMSGIVE APPROVAL and Pierre Gasly in the second TAKEN HISHAT OFF’ FOR 22-RACE CALENDAR Red Bull. Kimi Raikkonen was Lewis Hamilton converted stra- BUDAPEST: teams seventh for Alfa Romeo ahead of tegicbrillianceintoan exhilarat- havegiven their approvalinprin- Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate ing victory for Mercedes in Sun- cipaltoan expanded 22-race cal- Valtteri Bottas who had been day’s Hungarian GP and said it endar next year without any forced intoan early pit-stop after was a triumph that would have allowance for an additional pow- afirstlapincident. Lando Norris delighted thelate . er-unit, said Mercedes team boss wasninth and 10th for Seven days after leaving Ger- . Toro Rosso. many with a sore throat after Speaking after a teams’ meet- “What a drive, what a strat- his worst performance for the ing with Fl chiefexecutive Chase egy,” said Hamilton’s race engi- team, the championship leader Carey, Wolffsaid the 22-race plan neer . “Only bounced back to his best. with no extra engines—and you could makethat work today.” “Hats off to the team,” said therefore costs for the smaller Mercedes matched Red Bull's Hamilton after the 81st win of his customer teams—was supported. strategy until gambling with a career and his record seventh Wolff was quoted saying by late additional pit-stop that left in Hungary. Autosport, In anutshell, we basi- Hamilton with 20lapstomakeup Headded, “I think that if Niki cally agreed tohave a 22nd race. a20-second deficit on fresh tyres was here now he would take his We've got to let Liberty do their —amovethat worked as Verstap- hat off.” The former non-execu- business and their business is to pen’s tyres faded away. tive chairman of the Mercedes grow F1. “If they are able to “They rolled the dice and it team Lauda always wore a scar- attract promoters, we’ve got to worked for them, unfortunately,” coveringred baseball capthathe support them so, we shouldn’t Red Bull team boss Christian would dofftotheteam whenever changethetechnical regulations Horner told Verstappen. they achieved a great success. because we have an extra race.”