A winless season has been on the cards for Mercedes following their early season pace slump, however the team have overcome the odds and shown dramatic improvement to take their first victory of 2022 this morning.
George Russell has driven an outstanding Brazilian Grand Prix to take victory over teammate Lewis Hamilton with Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz rounding out the podium.
Whilst the top seven tells a story repeated time and time again this season, made up of two Ferraris, two Red Bulls, two Mercedes and an Alpine, it was anything but an ordinary race.
Early incidents left world champion Max Verstappen, second place contender Charles Leclerc and seven-time world champion Hamilton needing to produce charging drives through the pack for their results.
The drama began early, a Lap 1 incident between yesterday’s Sprint pole-sitter Kevin Magnussen and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo triggering a Safety Car. The crash was caused by Ricciardo sticking his nose up the inside on a right-hander and tapping the Haas. Magnussen spun left as a result before moving backwards at pace into the side of the Australian.
Both cars were damaged as a result and forced to withdraw.
The track went green again on Lap 7, Russell holding the lead over Hamilton and Verstappen at the jump.
The rivalry of the two world champions was immediately reignited, the Red Bull making contact with the Mercedes as it tried to work through.
Verstappen’s front wing was damaged as a result, whilst Hamilton took to the infield and avoided any major damage, rejoining in eighth.
The Dutchman was forced to box for a new wing and was relegated to the rear of the field.
Elsewhere, a seperate incident was also unfolding between Leclerc and Lando Norris, the McLaren tapping the Ferrari and sending it into the tyre barrier at speed.
Miraculously, in a display of durability not often seen in the series, Leclerc was able to rejoin albeit at the rear with Verstappen.
Norris was awarded a penalty for causing the collision, which after being served saw him return lower down the order.
After all this unfolded
russ lead ham, ver, per, nor off start, it was still Russell with the lead, now over Sergio Perez and Sainz.
The race then settled into a rhythm as strategy came into play. Unfortunately for Ferrari, a visor tear-off lodged itself in the brakes of Sainz, the resulting pit stop putting him out of sync with the field as smoke poured from his left rear.
Russell continued to build his lead over Perez up front whilst Hamilton had quickly rejoined the race contenders. In the pack, both Leclerc and Verstappen had moved forward to challenge the top 10.
Lap 52 saw the introduction of another Safety Car, McLaren’s miserable day continuing after an electrical failure for Norris. His car was stranded on track, marshals unable to remove it under the initial Virtual Safety Car so the field was consolidated as a result.
Russell had led by 11 seconds at this point, Hamilton now sitting behind in second over Perez, Sainz, Valtteri Bottas Leclerc respectively. Verstappen was 10th at this point.
The lights went green again with just 12 laps remaining, Russell quickly pulling clear of DRS range of his teammate and looking all but set to take the race.
Perez, on mediums, was left vulnerable on the top nine around all on softs, the Mexican quickly passed by Sainz, Leclerc and Fernando Alonso who had worked their way forward off the restart.
Verstappen also worked his way through and denied team orders to let Perez back through at the end of the race to ensure he was outright second on the ladder come next week’s season finale.
It was Russell that tearfully took his first Grand Prix win, backing up yesterdays Sprint victory, with Hamilton in second and Sainz third.
Leclerc’s charge saw him finish fourth, whilst Alonso held off Verstappen for fifth.
Perez was caught out on strategy for seventh whilst Esteban Ocon made it a great day for Alpine, after yesterday’s difficulties, for eighth.
Bottas and Lance Stroll rounded out the top 10.
The Formula 1 season concludes next weekend with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Plenty remains on the line in the standings, Perez and Leclerc now equal on points in second on the drivers championship whilst only the victors, Red Bull, is confirmed for the Constructors Championship.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will also conclude the F2 season with New Zealanders Marcus Armstrong and Liam Lawson finally back in action.
