Lewis Hamilton took the first-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix win at Jeddah this morning after a chaotic and controversial race, with Max Verstappen taking P2 and Valtteri Bottas completing the podium. The win for Hamilton leaves the Mercedes driver level on points in this season’s championship race with Verstappen. Both head into the final race of 2021 at Abu Dhabi next Sunday with 369.5 points.

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Verstappen threw away a stunning lap for pole position on Saturday when he tagged the wall after earning two purple sectors. As a result, he started P3, yielding the front row to Mercedes. Both Mercedes got away well at lights out. Sergio Perez tried to go on the inside of Charles Leclerc but couldn't get P4. Lance Stroll had to take evasive action while he was battling with George Russell. The McLarens had a good start as well, with Lando Norris taking P6 and Daniel Ricciardo sprinting into P9.

Lap 10 saw Mick Schumacher hit the wall at Turn 22, inciting a yellow flag. Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas stopped for tires, as did Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, and Lando Norris. Verstappen stayed out, but the race was red-flagged, giving the Red Bull a free pit stop.

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Nikita Mazepin and George Russell Make Contact On The Restart

Jeddah Grand Prix restart
Via: Formula 1

Stewards deemed a standing race restart on Lap 14, with Verstappen in P1 and Hamilton in P2. Hamilton got a better start and was leading Verstappen into the first corner, but Verstappen dove deep, squeezed him wide, and took P1 but did so off the track. Hamilton lost P2 to Estaban Ocon for avoiding a collision. Further down the grid, Perez spun from contact with Charles Leclerc, and Nikita Mazepin crashed into the back of George Russell, inciting another red flag.

The race restarted on Lap 17 with Ocon in P1, Hamilton P2, and Verstappen in P3. Verstappen had an electric start at lights out, overtaking Hamilton and Ocon on the inside of Turn 1. Hamilton carried on within 1.5 seconds of Verstappen until Yuki Tsunoda hit the wall after contact with Sebastian Vettel. They both drove away from the incident, and drivers only had to contend with a virtual safety car for a brief period. The race went green on Lap 25.

Raikkonen made contact with Vettel when he tried to pass on the inside, disintegrating the aero around the right-hand side pod. A virtual safety car was deployed while the marshalls cleared the debris. The virtual safety car ended on Lap 33. Hamilton got within DRS range and was set to pass Verstappen into Turn 1, but the Red Bull defended with light contact, and left the track, but kept the lead. He was instructed to give the place back, and as he was braking in the middle of the circuit, Hamilton bashed into the back of the Red Bull damaging his front wing.

Verstappen gave the place back on Lap 42 and then took it right back, but was immediately given a 5-second penalty for leaving the track. Verstappen let him through again on the next lap. Vettel meanwhile retired from the race. Verstappen had to contend with P2 with worn rear tires as Hamilton scooted to victory, with Bottas overtaking Ocon for P3 at the finish line. Ricciardo overcame his dismal qualifying performance and finished P5.