Race Notes - Hamilton takes second win in a row

By Mark Karp

Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian GP today in his Mercedes GP, Max Verstappen was second in his Red Bull-Honda, 8.702 seconds behind, and Valtteri Bottas in third in his Mercedes close behind, 9.452 second behind the winner.

The win is Hamilton’s second win two weeks, three years in a row at Hungary, and his eighth win at the Hungarian GP in total. Hamilton takes the lead in the World Championship over his team mate Bottas.

Lance Stroll (56.579s) finished fourth in his Racing Point-Mercedes, followed bt Alex Albon (1m18.316s) in the Red Bull was fifth, Sebastian Vettel (1 lap) in the Ferrari was sixth, Sergio Perez in the second Racing Point was seventh, Daniel Ricciardo in the Renault was eighth, Kevin Magnussen in the Haas-Ferrari was ninth and Carlos Sainz in the McLaren-Renault took the final point finish in tenth place.

It was wet before the start, and coming around to the grid, Verstappen slid off the track and broke his front wing, he came back to grid and the team frantically worked to fix the damage.

Hamilton, taking his 90th pole position on Saturday, was on the front row with Bottas alongside, Stroll and Perez in the Racing Point’s were on the second row, Vettel and Leclerc in the Ferraris were on row three, Verstappen and Norris on row four, Sainz and Gasly on row five.

At the appointed time, with the drivers on wet tyres, the cars came around, the lights went out, and the race began with Hamilton got away first, Stroll Verstappen, Vettel, Leclerc, Bottas, Perez and Sainz following.

Magnussen and Grojean pit before the start.

After the first lap Hamilton led by 3.3 seconds.

On lap 3, Verstappen looking for a way past Stroll. Leclerc and Bottas pitting for dry tyres.

On the nexe lap Hamilton, Strol, Vettel, Perez, Albon, Sainz, Latifi and Gasly all pit for dry tyres, Vettel having a slow stop.

On lap 5 Verstappen pits, and rejoins in second behind Hamilton.

Latifi limps around the track with a punctured tyre.

Hamilton leads Verstappen, Magnussen, Grosjean, Stroll, Leclerc, Bottas, Vettel, Albon and Perez in tenth.

On lap 7 Stroll passes Grosjean in the first corner to take fourth place.

Raikkonen is handed a five-second penalty for being out of position at the start.

On lap 8 Bottas battles Leclerc for sixth place.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m22.170s.

Leclerc telling the team that the soft tyre is “rubbish”. as Bottas gets past the Frenchman for sixth place, most other drivers having switched to medium tyres.

On lap 9 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m21.522s.

Bottas passes Grosjean for fifth.

At lap 10 Hamilton led Verstappen by 9.4 seconds, followed by Magnussen (21.2s), Stroll (22.0s), Bottas (27.0s), Grosjean (32.2s), Leclerc (35.3s), Vettel (36.3), Albon (37.0s) and Perez (40.0s) in tenth place.

Albon passes Vettel for eighth place.

Mercedes reports to Hamillton that they see rain on the radar in 12 minutes.

On lap 15 Albon is challenging Leclerc for seventh place.

On lap 17 Gasly pits to retire with something burning in the rear of his car.

Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m21.436s, and leads by 11.4 seconds.

Bottas passes Magnussen for fourth place.

On lap 18 Albon passes Leclerc into the first turn for seventh place, Leclerc struggling on his soft tyres.

The next lap Vettel gets by Leclerc as well.

Perez challenges Leclerc.

On lap 20 Leclerc pits and changed to hard tyres and rejoins in 15th.

At lap 21 Hamilton leads Verstappen by 11.8 seconds, followed by Stroll (27.2s), Bottas (29.2s), Magnussen (40.4s), Grosjean (47.2s), Albon (47.4s), Vettel (53.3s), Perez (59.1s) and Ricciardo (61.9s) in tenth place.

Reports of a little bit of rain falling at the chicane, while there are visible dark clouds over the circuit.

On lap 24 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m21.341s.

Bottas is slowing closing on Stroll in third. Stroll complaining that he is struggling on his tyres.

Leclerc challenging Norris for 14th.

Albon passes Grosjean for sixth pace.

Vettel pits for hard tyres.

On lsp 30 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m21.198s.

Perez passes Grosjean for seventh.

At lap 30 Hamilton leads Verstappen n 15.4 seconds, followed by Stroll (32.8s), Bottas (34.2s), Magnussen (59.4s), Albon (66.2s), Perez (69.4s), Grosjean (72.1s), Ricciardo (73.7s) and Sainz (75.3s).

Leclerc passes Norris for 14th place.

On lap 32 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m20.734s.

On lap 34 Bottas pits from fourth for medium tyres and rejoins still fourth.

On lap 36 Albon and Grosjean both pit. Stroll pits as well from third for medium tyres abd rejoins in fourth. Magnussen and Perez pit as well.

Bottas sets fast lap at 1m20.359s.

The nex lap Verstappen pits for hard tyres and rejoins still in second.

On lap 37 Bottas sets another fast lap at 1m19.656s, and again the next lap at 1m18.945s.

On lap 40 Perez passes Magnussen for ninth place.

At lap 40 Hamilton leads Verstappen by 19.4 seconds, followed by Bottas (23.9s), Stroll (38.7s), Ricciardo (55.4s), Sainz (62.0s), Vettel (63.3s), Albon (69.2s), Perez (72.5s) and Magnussen (76.1s) in tenth place.

On lap 41 Sainz pits for hard tyres and rejoins in 11th.

On lap 43 Latifi spins but contines.

On lap 45 Ricciardo pits from fifth for medium tyres and rejoins in ninth.

Bottas has closed to under a second behind Verstappen.

Ricciardo passes Magnussen for eighth place. Ocon passes Grosjean for 13th.

On lap 50 Bottas pits for hard tyres and remains in third.

At lap 50 Hamilton leads Verstappen by 22.9 seconds, followed by Bottas (44.3s), Stroll (50.1s), Vettel (72.3s), Albon (74.6s), Perez (77.7s), Ricciardo (1 lap), Magnussen and Leclerc in tenth.

Sainz is challenging Leclerc in tenth.

On lap 52 Bottas sets fast lap at 1m17.913s.

On lap 53 Stroll pits for hard tyres and rejoins still in fourth, ahead of Vettel.

Sainz passes Leclerc for tenth place.

At lap 60 Hamilton leads Verstappen by 24.4 seconds, followed by Bottas (34.0s), Stroll (73.7s), Vettel (1 lap), Albon, Perez, Ricciardo, Magnussen and Sainz in tenth.

On lap 65 Bottas closes to 4.7 seconds behind Verstappen.

On la 66 Hamilton pits from the lead for soft tyres and stays in first.

Albon passes Vettel for fifth place.

Bottas sets another fast lap at 1m17.665s.

On lap 68 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m17.497s.

Bottas closes to under a second behind Verstappen.

On the final lap Hamilton set fastest lap at 1m16.637s.

Hamilton wins ahead of Verstappen and Bottas.