Hamilton wins bonkers Baku race after Bottas puncture and Vettel error

Lewis Hamilton took Mercedes' first win of the 2018 season at an absolutely crazy Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel looked set for a composed win until the Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen wiped each other out and Valtteri Bottas was denied victory by a last-gasp puncture.

Almost at no point in the race did Hamilton look like sealing victory, but he ends the day leading Vettel by four points in the drivers' championship.

Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez completed a podium of three drivers who had little to say in the race until the very end.

Vettel had looked on course for a third win of the season until Red Bull's instant double DNF left him behind Bottas under the safety car in a mirror-image of the German's own success in Australia earlier this year.

Romain Grosjean crashed under the safety car to leave a frantic four-lap dash to the line, which began with Vettel skating off-track while trying to overtake Bottas for first place, suffering a race-ruining flat spot which left him fourth.

With Bottas now on course for the win, he ran through on-track debris, shredding his rear-right tyre, putting team-mate Hamilton into the lead for the first time with two laps to go.

Reports before the race suggested that Baku may not return to the F1 calendar in 2019, but yet another action-packed thriller may change the minds of Liberty Media.

As last year, inquests will be held up and down the paddock - the fiercest at Red Bull after a race-long row between Ricciardo and Verstappen ended in disaster.

Ricciardo had seen two attempts past his team-mate at turn one cancelled out before making a third stick - only for Verstappen to emerge ahead soon after out of the pits.

On ultrasoft tyres - with Vettel and Hamilton ahead of harder compounds - another late charge like Ricciardo's in Shanghai looked on until he careered into the back of a swerving Verstappen to end both races in an instant.

BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton WINS a crazy #AzerbaijanGP ???????? Mercedes claim their first victory of 2018 ???? pic.twitter.com/c483fbNh84 — Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2018

TOP 10

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) + 2.460 seconds
3. Sergio Perez (Force India) + 4.024secs
4. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) + 5.329secs
5. Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault) + 7.515secs
6. Charles Leclerc (Sauber) + 9.158secs
7. Fernando Alonso (McLaren) + 10.931secs
8. Lance Stroll (Williams) + 12.546secs
9. Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)+ 14.152secs
10. Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso) + 18.030secs

GOOD DAY

The madness helped a few drivers seal some milestones with Charles Leclerc and Brendon Hartley picking up their first points in F1 and Lance Stroll getting Williams' first score of 2018.

BAD DAY

Verstappen has seen two races ended and the other to ruined by crashes in every race so far this season. His swerving defence was reminiscent of his early time at Red Bull, which incensed the likes of Vettel and Raikkonen. This time his team-mate will be the angry one. Could it push Ricciardo out the door?

WHAT DID WE LEARN?

• If Liberty Media really do drop Baku, they are not fit to run the sport. A street race in Miami has been mooted but this track has delivered two absolute classics in as many years.
• Another chance slips by for Bottas. He would have won the last two grands prix if not for matters outside of his control and he will need a swift turnaround if he is to keep his seat - especially with Ricciardo maybe looking elsewhere.