French GP 2019

JUNE 23, 2019

Race Notes - Hamilton wins another Mercedes 1-2

Lewis Hamilton, French GP 2019
© Cahier Archive

By Mark Karp

Lewis Hamilton won the French Grand Prix in Paul Ricard today, in his Mercedes GP, ahead of his team mate Valtteri Bottas in another Mercedes 1-2 finish, 18.056 seconds behind.

Charles Leclerc (18.985s) in the Ferrari finished third.

The win in Hamilton’s sixth victory of the season, and his 79th career win. Mercedes GP has won all eight races of this season so far, and it is the 50th 1-2 finish for the Mercedes GP team.

Max Verstappen (34.905s) in the Red Bull-Honda was fourth, followed by Sebastian Vettel (1m02.796s) in the second Ferrari was fifth, also taking fastest lap, Carlos Sainz (1m05.462) in the McLaren-Renailt was sixth, Daniel Ricciardo (1 lap) in the Renault was seventh, Kimi Raikkonen in the Alfa Romeo-Ferrari was eighth, Nico Hulkenberg in the second Renault was ninth and Lando Norris, struggling with a failing McLaren was the final points scorer in tenth place.

Before the start, Hamilton starts on pole with his Mercedes team mate alongside on row 1. Leclerc and Verstappen on row 2, the McLaren’s of Norris and Sainz on row 3, Vettel and Ricciardo on row 4 and Gasly and Giovinazzi rounding out the top ten. The first eight runners starting on medium tyres.

The lights went out and the rac started with Hamilon and Bottas at the lead into the first corner, Leclerc third, with Verstappen, Sainz, Norris, Vettel, Gasly, Giovinazzi and Ricciardo in tenth. Perez runs wide but continues.

On lap 3 Verstappen reports rto the team that he has a lag from his engine out of the corners.

On lap 4 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m36.290s.

Verstappen reports that his engine is back to normal.

On lap 5 Vettel passes Norris for sixth place.

Ricciardo passes Giovinazzi for ninth place. Raikkonen passes his team mate as well, as the italian continues to fall back.

On lap 7 Vettel passes Sainz for fifth place. Giovinazzi pits to change from soft to hard tyres.

On lap 8 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m35.928s. and again the next lap at 1m35.741s.

Perez is handed a 5-second penalty for gaining an advantage when he went wide on the first lap.

On lap 11 Bottas sets fast lap at 1m35.448s.

At lap 11 Hamilton leads Bottas by 2.6 seconds, followed by Leclerc (6.9s), Vertappen (9.5s), Vettel (16.5s), Sainz (25.5s), Norris (27.8s), Gasly (31.8s), Ricciardo (33.0s) and Raikkonen (35.5s) in tenth.

On lap 13 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m35.339s. Stroll passes Magnussen for 13th place.

Hamilton complains to the team that “something broke in my seat.”

Albon and Kvyat both pass Magnussen, who now runs 16th,

On lap 17 Ricciardo puts and switches to hard tyres. Magnussen pits for hard tyres as well.

On lap 18 Gasly pits. Ricciardo passes Gasly for 14th place.

Norris pits as well for hard tyres and rejoins 12th. Sainz pits from sixth and rejoins in tenth,

At lap 20 Hamilton leads Bottas by 6.0 seconds, followed by Leclerc (12.5s), Vettel (21.9s), Verstappen (47.4s), Raikkonen (52.2s), Hulkenberg (53.0s), Stroll (58.1s), Albon (1m03.7s) and Sainz (1m05.7s) in tenth.

On lap 20 Verstappen pits and stays in fifth.

On lap 21 Leclerc pits from third and rejoins in fourth, behind Vettel.

On lap 23 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m34.683s. Bottas pits from second place and rejoins behind Vettel in third.

Hamilton reports that his tyres are still good.

On lap 24 Hamilton pits from the lead and maintains the lead ahead of Vettel coming out.

Vettel pits the next lap for hard tyrees and rejoins in fifth behind Verstappen.

On lap 26 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m34.581s, and again the next lap at 1m34.504s.

On lap 28 Bottas responds with a fast lap of 1m34.250s.

On lap 30 Albon passes Giovinazzi for 16th place.

Hamilton 134026

At lap 30 Hamilton leads Bottas by 12.3 seconds, followed by Leclerc (17.1s), Verstappen (24.8s), Vettel (31.3s), Raikkonen (50.1s), Hulkenberg (51.4s), Stroll (54.9s), Sainz (1m04.2s), Norris (1m06.9s) and Kvyat (1m11.7s) in tenth..

On lap 32 Raikkonen finally makes his pit stop and rejoins in 12th place, and the passes

On lap 34 Hulkenberg pits from sixth place abd rejoins 11th, behind Raikkonen.

On lap 40 Stroll makes his pit stop from sixth place, switches to mediun tyres and rejoins in 13th.

On lap 40 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m33.828s.

On lap 41 Hamilton retakes fast lap at 1m33.720s.

At lap 42 Hamilton continues to lead Bottas by 13.1s, followed by Leclerc (20.6s), Verstappen (27.3s), Vettel (35.4s), Sainz (1m23.9s), Norris (1m26.1s), Ricciardo (1m29.9s), Raikkonen (1m31.8s) and Hulkenberg (1m32.0s) in tenth place.

Norris complains to the team of problems with his upshifts, which suggests he is having hydraulic issues.

On lap 44 Bottas sets fast lap.

Vettel is told they are going for “plan F”

Albon and Kvyat are battling for 14th place.

Norris complains that his steering is getting heavier.

On lap 47 Grosjean retires his Haas in the pitlane.

On lap 49 Kvyat passes his team mate Albon for 14th place.

Hulkenberg is chasing Raikkonen for ninth place.

On lap 50 a bollard rolled into the track, a virtual safety car was deployed momentarily while a marshal retrieves it.

On lap 51 Vettel pits and takes on a set of soft tyres, looking to take the fastest lap.

Ricciardo is closing on a struggling Norris in seventh place.

Leclerc is closing on Bottas in second place.

On the final lap Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m32.764

Ricciardo gets past Norris - Raikkonen and Hulkenberg get past as well.

On the final lap Vettel takes away the fastest lap with a 1m32.740s.

Hamilton wins ahead of Bottas and Leclerc.