"Lucky" Hamilton's 93rd win helps Mercedes clinch record seventh straight constructors' title

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

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"Lucky" Hamilton's 93rd win helps Mercedes clinch record seventh straight constructors' title

Hamilton led home a Mercedes one-two after Verstappen tyre blowout

Ian Parkes

Sunday 1 November 2020 14:40 Updated: 15:00

Lewis Hamilton clinched the 93rd victory of his Formula 1 career to help Mercedes celebrate a record-breaking seventh consecutive constructors' championship.

Just a week after Hamilton set a new landmark for grand prix wins with his 92nd to overhaul Michael Schumacher's long-time mark, on this occasion, it was the team's turn to bask in the spotlight.

Hamilton's latest success in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola was sparked by his own talent, pumping in a set of fastest laps after team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen had pitted, a damaged car for the Finn, and the timing of a virtual safety car.

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Verstappen should have claimed second, only to suffer what appeared to be a right-rear tyre failure on lap 51 of the 63, described by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner as "instantaneous" due to likely debris.

From a one-three, it led to Mercedes securing its seventh constructors' crown - no team in history has won more championships in succession - with an ideal one-two.

It could all have been so different for Bottas as from Mercedes' 74th front-row lockout, he made a superb start, and despite him expressing concerns he would be in a fight with Hamilton and Verstappen on the long run to the first corner, he was never challenged.

Instead, it was Hamilton, hampered by what appeared to be a touch of extra wheel spin in pulling away, that found himself in a scrap.

Initially, he was unable to fend off Verstappen, while AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly and Renault's Daniel Ricciardo both attacked, with the Australian at least claiming P4 from the Frenchman as Hamilton just did enough to retain third.

Around a narrow track, the field remarkably avoided an incident early on, and instead, it was not until midway through the opening lap that issues occurred.

Lance Stroll, enduring a wretched run of form at present since finishing third in the Italian GP, lost part of his front wing after making contact with the rear-right wheel of Renault's Esteban Ocon, forcing him to pit for a new nose and dropping him to last.

Additionally, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and the Haas of Kevin Magnussen also tagged one another, sending the Dane into a slight spin from which he recovered.

It was not long before Hamilton's fears that the old-school track would not lend itself to overtaking soon came home to roost as he declared over the radio: "It's so hard to follow here."

As the front three, though, began to pull away, the race suffered its first retirement after eight laps, with Gasly told to box due to "a terminal issue", understood to be a coolant leak that first materialised while he was on the grid prior to the start.

As the round of pit stops unfolded, Verstappen and Red Bull were the first of the leading trio to blink first after 18 laps, with the Dutch driver switching from the medium to hard tyres.

Hamilton was soon on the radio, urging his team to leave him out as from third he had nothing to lose, whereas Mercedes had to react with leader Bottas and pitted him a lap later to cover off an undercut.

The six-time F1 champion then pumped in a series of fast laps, and to add to Bottas' angst he was delivered a message he would not have wanted to hear as he was told he had damage to the floor.

In coming up to the back of the field, Hamilton knew the clear air required to continue with his charge would soon be lost, only to be asked if he could extend for "10 more laps".

Just as Hamilton set another fastest lap on 29, Ocon became the second retiree with a clutch problem, which proved pivotal.

Given the car's position on the side of the track, and the marshals needing to clear, FIA race director Michael Masi called a virtual safety car, playing into Hamilton's hands.

On the right portion of the track, Hamilton pitted immediately and took on the hard tyre, and rather than it being touch and go as to whether he would emerge ahead of Bottas and Verstappen, he ultimately did so with time to spare.

As Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said at the time: "Everything came right for Lewis. He got lucky there."

With Hamilton pulling away, and with Bottas being challenged by Verstappen, the Finn was then informed he had been carrying his "significant" floor damage since lap two - seemingly a portion of a Ferrari - with the likely cause running over debris at the turn seven Tosa hairpin.

On lap 43, Bottas then ran wide at Rivazza, putting the right-hand side of his car on to the gravel. With the incident coming shortly before the DRS zone, it allowed a closing Verstappen to take full advantage.

Eight laps later, though, and with Verstappen in a safe second place, his car suffered a major failure at the rear of his RB16, potentially his right-rear tyre, pitching him into the gravel and out of the race, leading to a safety car.

Bottas pitted first on to the soft tyre, and had an opportunity to reclaim the lead given Hamilton's position on track, but the Briton just had enough in hand to make his stop for the red-banded compound and get out ahead.

More drama then unfolded behind the safety car, with Williams' George Russell inexplicably crashing out from what may have culminated in his first points for the team.

A clearly gutted Russell was then seen slumped against a barrier, taking a moment as he realised the enormity of what had potentially been lost.

At the restart, Hamilton did enough to stay ahead of Bottas, while behind him, Renault's Daniel Ricciardo managed to fend off AlphaTauri's Daniil Kvyat for third, claiming his second podium in three races.

It proved to be a pointless day for Red Bull as Alex Albon, whose hopes of retaining his seat for next season are hanging by a thread, spun out in his bid to hold on for fifth at the restart.

Instead, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed fifth ahead of Racing Point's Sergio Perez, with McLaren duo Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris seventh and eighth, followed by a superb ninth and 10th for Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.

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