Daniel Ricciardo won his first race since Monaco 2018 as championship rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen came together for the second time this season.
The Aussie expertly controlled the race after getting ahead of Verstappen off the line.
He led Lando Norris over the line for McLaren’s first one-two since Canada 2010.
Verstappen had been challenging Ricciardo until an 11-second pit stop dropped him behind both Norris and Hamilton.
As the Mercedes driver then came out of his own slow pit stop, Verstappen lunged down the outside of the Briton going into the first corner.
Hamilton initially gave Verstappen space, but then closed the door in the middle of the chicane before turn 2.
The Dutchman did not bail out of the move, however, instead running over the sausage curbs which caused his car to bounce up onto Hamilton’s, Verstappen’s rear wheel landing on the halo and then Hamilton’s head.
After their high speed crash at Silverstone, it was the second time this season that the pair have come together in a race ending incident. Thankfully both were okay, the halo again showing its worth after keeping Verstappen’s Red Bull above Hamilton’s head.
In terms of the championship, though, it keeps the Dutchman five points ahead of the reigning world champion, Verstappen in fact gaining two points over the course of a weekend Hamilton was expected to do well at by virtue of his second place in Saturday’s sprint.
Both drivers were also due to see the stewards after the race, the incident being investigated to see if either one deserves a grid penalty at the Russian Grand Prix in two weeks’ time.
Hamilton could point to a first lap incident with Verstappen as evidence of the Dutchman’s fault, the 23-year-old giving Hamilton no space round the outside of the Della Roggia chicane but Hamilton choosing to back out of a move and running over the curbs.
Featured image by Jen Ross – Daniel Ricciardo, Mclaren F1 Team, British GP, Silverstone 2021, CC BY 2.0; no changes made.
