Sepang (Malaysia): Red Bull’s Max Verstappen gave himself a perfect 20th birthday present by winning the last Malaysian Grand Prix Sunday, while Lewis Hamilton stretched his Formula One (F1) World Championship lead to 34 points.
Hamilton, who had started on pole position, finished second for Mercedes with his Ferrari title rival Sebastian Vettel limiting the damage by racing from last place on the grid to fourth. Hamilton now has 281 points to Vettel’s 247 with five races remaining.
Verstappen’s Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo, last year’s winner here, finished third. “Super, super job Max. Great start to a new decade for you, well done,” team boss Christian Horner said over the radio after his driver took the chequered flag 12.7 seconds clear of Hamilton.
The victory was the second of Verstappen’s grand prix career, after a first in Spain last year, and came a day after his birthday.
Vettel, whose teammate Kimi Raikkonen failed to start after qualifying second, was involved in a bizarre collision after the finish when the Williams of Canadian Lance Stroll ran into the back of the Ferrari.
The German’s car was badly damaged in the incident, limping along on three wheels, with Vettel then hitching a ride back to the pits on compatriot Pascal Wehrlein’s Sauber. Stewards decided to take no further action.
Valtteri Bottas continued to struggle and finished fifth for Mercedes, while Force India’s Mexican driver, Sergio Perez, nursing a virus, finished sixth. McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne matched the best result of his career with seventh place, ahead of Stroll and Brazil’s Felipe Massa for Williams. Esteban Ocon took the final point for Force India.
The next round will be held in Suzuka, Japan, October 8.
reuters