Race Notes - Vettel wins in Brazil

By Mark Karp

Sebastian Vettel won the Brazilian Grand Prix, in San Paulo, in his Ferrari, followed by Valtteri Bottas in the Mercedes GP in second, 2.752 seconds behind and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen in third, 4.6 seconds behind the winner.

Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes, after starting from the pit lane charged his way through the field to finish fourth, 5.4 seconds behind.

Vettel took the lead over Bottas at the start into turn 1, and ran a strong race to win.

The win is Vettel's fifth of the season, and 47th of his career.

Max Verstappen (32.9s) in the Red Bull-Renault was fifth, followed by his team mate Daniel Ricciardo (48.6s) in sixth, Felipe Massa (68.8s) in the Williams-Mercedes was seventh, Fernando Alonso (69.3s) in the McLaren-Honda was eighth, Serio Perez (69.5s) in the Force India-Mercedes was ninth and Nico Hulkenberg (1 lap) in the Renault finished in the final points paying position in tenth.

Before the start, Bottas starts on pole with Vetttel alongside. Raikkonen and Verstappen start on row two. Perez and Alonso on row three, Hulkenberg and Sainz on row four, Massa and Ocon rounding out the top ten. Ricciardo starts 14th due to a grid penalty, and Hamilton after crashing in qualifying starts from the pitlane.

The drivers are expected to run supersoft tyres at the start, with one tyre change to soft tyres, but the warm track temperature might affect some of the plans.

Massa, once again, starts his final Brazilian GP, having led more laps here then any other driver in the field. His son Feipinho joins him at the front of the field as the national anthem is played.

Ferrari is frantically working on Raikkonen's car before the start with telemetry problems.

The front of the field starting on supersoft tyres, Ricciardo, Ericsson, Gasly and Hamilton starting on soft tyres.

At 2pm local time the cars took to the formation lap, the lights went out and the race began with Vettel taking the lead from Bottas, Raikkonen, Verstappen and Alonso. Ricciardo spins in the second corner. Magnussen and Vandoorne are out.

Ocon and Grosjean come together later in the lap, and the safety car comes out. Ocon is out with damage, his first Formula One retirement. Magnussen and Vandoorne are also out.

Many cars pit for tyres.

At lap 3 behind the safety car, Vettel leads Bottas, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Alonso, Massa, Perez, Hulkenberg, Sainz and Gasly in tenth - Hamilton in 13th, Ricciardo in 16th.

Red Bull asks Verstappen gho

At the end of lap 5 the race resumes, Massa passing Alonso for fifth.

On lap 6 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m13.666s. Hamilton passes Stroll in the first corner for 12th.

On lap 7 Hamilton passes Ericsson for 11th. Vettel leads Bottas by 1.6 seconds.

On lap 8 Hamilton passes Gasly for 10th. Ricciardo passes Hartley for 14th.

On lap 9 Hamilton passes Sainz for ninth place, and then Hulkenberg for eighth place at turn 4.

At lap 10 Vettel leads Bottas by 1.5s followed by Raikkonen (3.4s), Verstappen (4.7s), Massa (8.4s), Alonso (9.5s), Perez (11.5s), Hamilton (12.9s), Hulkenberg (14.6s) and Sainz (17.5s) in tenth place - Ricciardo (20.9s) in 11th.

On lap 14 Hamilton on the outside of turn 1 passes Perez for seventh place.

Ricciardo is pressuring Hulkenberg for ninth place.

Verstappen tells Red Bull, "I can go faster, but I'm stuck", following Raikkonen.

Hamilton asks Mercedes if Vettel is pulling away - he is 16s behind the leader in seventh.

Raikkonen tells Ferrari, "the tyres don't feel great - they are moving around a lot."

Hamilton passes Alonso in the first corner for sixth.

Bottas sets fast lap at 1m13.626s.

Hamilton passes Massa for fifth place into turn 4.

At lap 20 Vettel contines to lead Bottas by 1.6 seconds, followed by Raikkonen (5.6s), Verstappen (7.7s), Hamilton (17.9s), Massa (19.1s), Alonso (20.0s), Perez (22.0s), Ricciardo (26.4s) and Hulkenberg (29.3s) in tenth place.

On lap 23 Vettel complains to Ferrari that his tyres are getting warm. Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m13.485.

Grosjean in 17th is handed a 10s penalty for his contact with Ocon on the first lap.

Wehrlein, in 15th complains he is losing power.

On lap 25 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m13.320s, and tells the team, "the supersofts look quite good, huh?"

Hamilton sets another fast lap the next lap at 1m13.124s.

On lap 27 Bottas and Massa both pit for soft tyres, and rejoin fifth and 11th.

The next lap the leader Vettel, Verstappen and Alonso all pit switching to soft tyres.

Vettel rejoins just ahead of Bottas.

Ricciardo passes Perez for fifth place.

On lap 29 Raikkonen pits for soft tyres - Hamilton, yet to stop, takes over the lead.

Vettel sets fast lap at 1m12.996s.

At lap 30 Hamilton leads Vettel by 3.9s, followed by Bottas (5.4s), Raikkonen (11.1s), Ricciardo (16.1s), Verstappen (17.0s), Perez (21.9s), Massa (33.5s), Alonso (35.7s) and Gasly (42.7s) in tenth place.

On lap 33 Verstappen on fresh tyres passes his team mate Ricciardo for fifth place.

Raikkonen sets fast lap at 1m12.945s.

Ferrari tells Raikkonen that Hamilton will be a threat to him at the finish.

On lap 35 Perez makes his first stop for soft tyres, and rejoins in ninth.

Sainz passes Wehrlein at turn 4 for 12th place.

On lap 39 Hulkeberg passes Gasly for tenth place.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m12.763s.

Grosjean and Stroll battle for 15th place. Stroll tells the team, "jesus he has good traction - how is that possible with 30-lap old tyres?"

On lap 42 Hartley retires to the pits.

On lap 43 Hamilton pits from the lead and switches to supersoft tyres, and rejoins in fifth. Ricciardo pits as well and rejoins in eighth.

Sainz passes Gasly for 11th.

Stroll passes Grosjean for 13th.

At lap 45 Vettel leads Bottas by 2.5s, followed by Raikkonen (4.6s), Verstappen (8.8s), Hamilton (16.1s), Massa (38.7s), Ricciardo (39.0s), Alonso (41.6s), Perez (46.5s), and Hulkenberg (56.9s) in tenth place.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m12.423s.

Ricciardo passes Massa for sixth place.

Raikkonen is closing on Bottas in second.

Hamilton tells the team to make a note that his car is now feeling different.

Stroll complains that he has a flat-spotted tyre.

At lap 55 Vettel leads Bottas by 2.8 seconds, followed by Raikkonen (4.9s), Verstappen (9.6s), Hamilton (11.9s), Ricciardo (44.3s), Massa (47.5s), Alonso (48.5s), Perez (52.4s) and Hulkenberg (66.4s) in tenth place.

Alonso is closing on Massa in seventh. Hamilton is closing on Verstappen in fourth.

On lap 59 Hamilton passes Verstappen into turn 4 for fourth place.

On lap 60 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m11.932s.

Verstappen asks if is possible to pit now, the teams says they prefer if he stays out.

On lap 62 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m11.845s. Hamilton has closed to 1.8s behind Raikkonen in third place.

On lap 64 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m11.044s.

At lap 65 Vettel leads Bottas by 2.2s, followed by Raikkonen (4.2s), Hamilton (5.1s), Verstappen (34.4s), Ricciardo (47.5s), Massa (56.3s), Alonso (57.1s), Perez (58.2s) and Hulkenberg (1 lap) in tenth place.

Hamilton closes onto the back of Raikkonen, looking to get on the podium.

On lap 68 Stroll is slowing with a tyre issue and pits.

Raikkonen holds off Hamilton to the line, and Vettel wins ahead of Bottas and Raikkonen.