Race Notes - Verstappen wins the French GP

By Mark Karp

Max Verstappen took the lead with just over a lap left in his Red Bull-Honda to win the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard. Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes GP finished second, 2.904 seconds behind, with Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull was third, 8.811 seconds behind the winner.

Valtteri Bottas (14.616s) in the second Mercedes finished fourth, followed by Lando Norris (1m04.032s) in the McLaren-Mercedes was fifth, his team mate Daniel Ricciardo (1m15.857s) was sixth, Pierre Gasly (1m16.596s) in the AlphaTauri-Honda was seventh, Fernando Alonso (1m17.695s) in the Alpine-Renault was eighth, Sebastian Vettel (1m19.666s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes was ninth and his team mate Lance Stroll (1m31,946s) finished in the final points position in tenth.

Before the start it was windy, and there is chance of rain showers during the middle of the race.

Verstappen starts on pole with Hamilton alongside, Bottas and Perez start on row 2, Sainz and Gasly on row 3, Leclerc and Norris on row 4, Alonso and Ricciardo round out the top 10 starters.

The top 10 starting on medium tyres, with the rest a mix of medium and hard tyres.

Tsunoda will start from the pit lane after a gearbox change overnight.

At the appointed time the field came around to the grid, the lights go out and the race begins with Verstappen leads into the first corner, Verstappen goes wide and Hamilton passes him into the lead. Bottas, Perez, Sainz, Gasly, Leclerc and Alonso in eighth.

On lap 2 Alonso is pressuring Leclerc.

Hamilton tells the team to check his right rear.

Vettel passes Ocon for 11th,

On lap 2 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m39.613s.

On lap 3 Vertappen goes faster at 1m39.571s.

On lap 5 Bottas sets fast lap at 1m39.293s and again the next lap at 1m38.604s.

Hamilton reports to the team that his tyres are getting hot.

Hamilton’s front tyres are beginning to grain.

At lap 10 Hamilton leads Verstappen by 2.0 seconds, followed by Bottas (3.6s), Perez (8.1s), Sainz (17.4s), Gasly (19.3s), Leclerc (20.2s), Alonso (22.0s), Ricciardo (23.3s) and Norris (23.8s) in tenth place.

On lap 11 Ricciardo passes Alonso. Two corners later Norris gets ahead of Alonso as well.

On lap 12 Vettel passes Alonso for tenth.

On lap 14 Bottas locks up and runs wide, but continues.

On lap 15 Leclerc pits from seventh and takes on hard tyres and rejoins in 18th.

On lap 16 Tsunoda pits for hard tyres.

On lap 17 Ricciardo pits for hard tyres and rejoins in 17th.

On lap 18 Bottas pits from third for hard tyres and rejoins in fourth behind Perez. Gasly and Sainz both pit.

On lap 19 Verstappen pits from second place for hard tyres and rejoins third, ahead of Bottas. Ocon and Alonso both pit.

On lap 20 Hamilton pits from the lead for hard tyres, and rejoins in second, but Verstappen at full speed passes Hamilton as he comes out. Perez leads.

On lap 20 Bottas sets fast lap at 1m39.960s.

Perez, yet to pit leads Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas, Norris, Vettel, Stroll, Ocon, Giovinazzi, Raikkonen, Leclerc, Ricciardo and Sainz in 13th.

On lap 23 Ricciardo battles to pass Raikkonen for 11th. The next lap Sainz gets past Raikkonen as well.

On lap 24 Perez pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins in fourth. Norris pits for hard tyres as well and rejoins 14th.

On lap 27 Ricciardo passes Ocon for eighth place.

Hamilton continues to trail Verstappen by around one second.

Gasly and Norris are battling for tenth place.

Mercedes tell Hamilton that if they continue to push this hard that they will need to stop once again.

Norris passes Leclerc, and then.Gasly gets by Leclerc as well.

At lap 30 Verstappen leads Hamilton by 1.6 seconds, followed by Bottas (4.6s), Perez (18.1s), Vettel (44.5s), Stroll (51.9s), Ricciardo (55.9s), Norris (58.8s), Sainz (59.3s) and Gasly (1m01.5s) in tenth.

On lap 32 Verstappen pits from the lead for more hard tyres and he rejoins in fourth - Hamilton back to the lead. Hamilton complains about his left front tyre.

On lap 34 Norris passes Ricciardo for seventh.

On lap 34 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m36.743s, and then again the next lap at 1m36.404s.

Stroll pits for medium tyres. Verstappen passes Perez for third place.

Verstappen is running two seconds faster a lap than Hamilton, 12.4 seconds ahead.

Gasly passes Sainz for eighth.

On lap 38 Vettel pits from fifth for medium tyres and rejoins in 11th.

Verstappen is suffering from radio mic issues and the team is having trouble understanding the dutchman.

Leclerc pits again and rejoins 16th.

Vettel passes Tsunoda for tenth.

At lap 40 Hamilton leads Bottas by 3.2 seconds, followed by Verstappen (7.0s), Perez (11.4s), Norris (57.2s), Ricciardo (1m03.2s), Gasly (1m07.5s), Alonso (1m10.6s), Sainz (1m15.6s) and Vettel (1m18.9s) in tenth place.

Bottas complains that his front tyres are struggling.

With 10 laps left Verstappen closes to under a second behind Bottas.

On lap 44 Verstappen passes Bottas for second place. Verstappen trails Hamilton by. 5.0 seconds.

Stroll passes Tsunoda for 11th.

Bottas is upset and complains to Mercedes that he told the team earlier that it would need to be a two-stop strategy and they kept him out.

Perez closes to under a second behind Bottas in third place.

On lap 47 Hamilton leads Verstappen by 3.9 seconds.

Hamilton tells the team that he had a big hit on a kerb and they should check the car.

Bottas is trying to stay on the podium ahead of Perez.

On lap 49 Perez passes Bottas for third.

On lap 50 Hamilton leads Verstappen by 1.6 seconds.

On lap 51 Hamilton leads Verstappen by 0.9 seconds.

On lap 52 Verstappen passes Hamilton for the lead.

At the finish Verstappen crosses the line first, with Hamilton and Perez on the podium.