Red Bull’s Verstappen wins F1’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix

Silverstone, Aug 9 (IANS) Red Bull’s Max Verstappen became the first non-Mercedes driver to clinch a race in 2020, as the Red Bull racer won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix ahead of the Mercedes pairing of Lewis Hamilton and pole sitter Valtteri Bottas after an incredible display here.

Verstappen finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton and his Silver Arrows teammate Valtteri Bottas with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finishing fourth and Red Bull’s Alexander Albon securing the fifth spot.

Verstappen had been the only driver in the top 10 to begin the race on the hard tyres, as per a report on Formula One’s official website. And after starting P4 — which became P3 by Turn 1, after he quickly passed the Racing Point of Nico Hulkenberg — he managed his pace brilliantly throughout the race, pressuring the Mercedes early on before taking the lead from Bottas with a brilliant move around Luffield, before racing to the finish for his first victory since Brazil last year — and Red Bull’s first at Silverstone since 2012.

His last win came in Brazil in the penultimate race of 2019. Hamilton enjoyed a late-race surge, passing his teammate with two laps to go to claim second place — equalling the number of podium finishes of Michael Schumacher in the process — while it was the second time in three years that Bottas failed to convert a Silverstone pole into a win, as he came home third.

–IANS

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