Brazilian GP: Vettel wins as Hamilton recovers to fourth

6 years, 4 months ago - 13 November 2017, Motorsport
Brazilian GP: Vettel wins as Hamilton recovers to fourth
Sebastian Vettel secured his fifth victory of the 2017 Formula 1 season in the Brazilian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton recovered to fourth position.

Vettel passed pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas down the inside into Turn 1 and had the pace to fend off an attack from his Mercedes rival to secure Ferrari's first victory since Hungary in July.

Bottas crossed the line second, 2.7 seconds adrift, with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen holding off a charging Hamilton, who had started from the pitlane, to finish third for the third race in succession.

Vettel made a great start from second on the grid and though Bottas gave him a squeeze into Turn 1, the Ferrari driver made it stick to take the lead.

Further down the field, Kevin Magnussen squeezed Stoffel Vandoorne towards Daniel Ricciardo, causing a collision and bringing out the safety car.

Ricciardo was spun round, dropping him to the back of the field, but he continued while Vandoorne and Magnussen retired.

At the restart, Vettel retained the lead from Bottas, Raikkonen and Max Verstappen, with Felipe Massa delighting his home crowd with a pass around the outside of Fernando Alonso into Turn 1 for fifth.

Hamilton, running on soft tyres, made good progress through the field and was up into the points by lap nine, passing Pierre Gasly for 10th.

Bottas was the first to pit for softs, with Vettel pitting a lap later and rejoining just ahead of the Mercedes driver, managing to hold him off into Turn 4.

As those who started the race on the supersofts pitted, Hamilton inherited the lead and pushed on until lap 43, when he pitted, rejoining 15th - 19 seconds behind Vettel.

The four-time world champion was the fastest driver on the track, catching and passing Verstappen around the outside on the run to Turn 4 with 12 laps to go.

He then rapidly caught Raikkonen but a lock-up into Turn 1 dropped him back and his challenge faded.

Verstappen, who struggled with his tyres in the closing stages leading to a late stop for supersofts, was fifth ahead of Red Bull teammate Ricciardo.

Massa held off Fernando Alonso to take seventh in his final Brazilian Grand Prix and penultimate race of his Formula 1 career.

Sergio Perez took ninth, crossing the line a fraction behind Alonso, with Nico Hulkenberg scoring Renault's first point since Singapore with 10th.

Esteban Ocon suffered the first retirement of his Formula 1 career after being tagged by Romain Grosjean, who lost control of his Haas at Turn 5 on lap one.

Grosjean continued, but was handed a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision, and ultimately finished 15th.

FORMULA 1 GRANDE PRÊMIO HEINEKEN DO BRASIL 2017 - RACE RESULT

10- 12 Nov 2017 Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo

15Sebastian VettelFERRARI711:31:26.26225
277Valtteri BottasMERCEDES71+2.762s18
37Kimi RäikkönenFERRARI71+4.600s15
444Lewis HamiltonMERCEDES71+5.468s12
533Max VerstappenRED BULL RACING TAG HEUER71+32.940s10
63Daniel RicciardoRED BULL RACING TAG HEUER71+48.691s8
719Felipe MassaWILLIAMS MERCEDES71+68.882s6
814Fernando AlonsoMCLAREN HONDA71+69.363s4
911Sergio PerezFORCE INDIA MERCEDES71+69.500s2
1027Nico HulkenbergRENAULT70+1 lap1
1155Carlos SainzRENAULT70+1 lap0
1210Pierre GaslyTORO ROSSO70+1 lap0
139Marcus EricssonSAUBER FERRARI70+1 lap0
1494Pascal WehrleinSAUBER FERRARI70+1 lap0
158Romain GrosjeanHAAS FERRARI69+2 laps0
1618Lance StrollWILLIAMS MERCEDES69+2 laps0
NC28Brendon HartleyTORO ROSSO40DNF0
NC31Esteban OconFORCE INDIA MERCEDES0DNF0
NC2Stoffel VandoorneMCLAREN HONDA0DNF0
NC20Kevin MagnussenHAAS FERRARI0DNF0

2017 DRIVER STANDINGS

1Lewis HamiltonGBRMERCEDES345
2Sebastian VettelGERFERRARI302
3Valtteri BottasFINMERCEDES280
4Daniel RicciardoAUSRED BULL RACING TAG HEUER200
5Kimi RäikkönenFINFERRARI193
6Max VerstappenNEDRED BULL RACING TAG HEUER158
7Sergio PerezMEXFORCE INDIA MERCEDES94
8Esteban OconFRAFORCE INDIA MERCEDES83
9Carlos SainzESPRENAULT54
10Felipe MassaBRAWILLIAMS MERCEDES42
11Lance StrollCANWILLIAMS MERCEDES40
12Nico HulkenbergGERRENAULT35
13Romain GrosjeanFRAHAAS FERRARI28
14Kevin MagnussenDENHAAS FERRARI19
15Fernando AlonsoESPMCLAREN HONDA15
16Stoffel VandoorneBELMCLAREN HONDA13
17Jolyon PalmerGBRRENAULT8
18Pascal WehrleinGERSAUBER FERRARI5
19Daniil KvyatRUSTORO ROSSO5
20Marcus EricssonSWESAUBER FERRARI0
21Pierre GaslyFRATORO ROSSO0
22Antonio GiovinazziITASAUBER FERRARI0
23Brendon HartleyNZLTORO ROSSO0

2017 CONSTRUCTOR STANDINGS

1MERCEDES625
2FERRARI495
3RED BULL RACING TAG HEUER358
4FORCE INDIA MERCEDES177
5WILLIAMS MERCEDES82
6TORO ROSSO53
7RENAULT49
8HAAS FERRARI47
9MCLAREN HONDA28
10SAUBER FERRARI5