Mueez Ajao
– George Russell took a maiden grand prix victory – and a first for Mercedes in 2022 – as Max Verstappen was penalised for a collision with Lewis Hamilton in Sao Paulo.
– Russell was in control of the race throughout after Verstappen and Hamilton came together as they disputed second place in the early stages at a safety car restart.
– Hamilton dropped to ninth place after the collision with his 2021 title rival but came back to secure a Mercedes one-two and seal the team’s recovery after a difficult season that the eight-time champions started with an uncompetitive car.
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– Russell’s accomplished drive included him surviving a late safety car that bunched up the field and put Hamilton right behind him heading into the final 10 laps.
GEORGE RUSSELL IS AN @F1 GRAND PRIX WINNER!! HE TAKES THE FLAG FIRST IN SÃO PAULO 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/ZbEuVoZCru
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 13, 2022
– The Mercedes drivers were told that they were allowed to race but Russell held the lead at the restart and kept Hamilton at bay until the end.
GEORGE RUSSELL IS A GRAND PRIX WINNER!
He masterfully takes his maiden win, and @MercedesAMGF1's first of 2022!#BrazilGP #F1 @GeorgeRussell63 pic.twitter.com/TkY17hWQAY
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 13, 2022
– Behind them, the final 10 laps were a frantic fight as a number of drivers who had had difficult races revived their afternoons.
– Among them were Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc – who had been barged off the track by McLaren’s Lando Norris at Turn Five shortly after the Verstappen-Hamilton incident and dropped to the back – and Verstappen himself.
– Leclerc was sixth at the restart but moved up to finish fourth behind his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, as both passed the fading Red Bull of Sergio Perez.
– Alpine’s Fernando Alonso also overtook the Mexican to take a strong fifth place after starting 18th.
– The late caution period also helped Verstappen move up from the bottom of the top 10 to sixth place, just failing to pass Alonso on a race to the line.
– Verstappen had been allowed to pass Perez a few laps earlier to chase Alonso, but was told heading into the final lap that he should let his team-mate back ahead if he did not pass Alonso by the final corner. But he did not comply.
– Asked what happened, Verstappen said: “I told you already last time, you guys don’t ask that again to me, OK? Are we clear about that? I gave my reasons and I stand by it.”
– Perez said over his radio: “It shows who he really is.”
