FORMULA 1

LCH AND MERCEDES IN FULL DOMINATION MODE FERRARI GO INTO IMPLOSION MODE!

LCH cruised to victory in the Styrian Grand Prix, but it was another collision between Ferrari duo Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc that stole the show.

What a difference a week makes for Hamilton as last weekend in the Austrian Grand Prix he was hit with grid and race penalties en route to finishing fourth behind Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas at the Red Bull Ring.

Following an imperious performance in qualifying and one of the best wet-weather laps witnessed in F1, Hamilton was never troubled as he took the chequered flag ahead of Bottas and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for his 85th career win, to leave him just six behind Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91.

And unlike what was a thrilling opening race seven days ago, on this occasion, the bulk of the action took place on the opening lap as Vettel and Leclerc took one another out of a grand prix for the second time in four races.

Leclerc took full responsibility after the collision, which ruined the team’s opportunity to analyse the upgrades it fast-tracked to this race. Without Ferrari, the battle behind fourth-placed Alexander Albon provided the rest of the entertainment.

It had looked like Sergio Perez was going to claim fifth, but the Mexican driver sustained damage two laps from the end while attempting a move on Albon for fourth at Turn 4. That allowed McLaren’s Lando Norris to catch and pass Perez through the final corner, just seven days on from the Englishman’s sensational podium finish at the Austrian Grand Prix.