Hamilton wins but controversy rulesposted in F109 | 06 | 2019

LEWIS HAMILTON WON the Canadian Grand Prix for a seventh time, but the victory was overshadowed by controversy over a stewards’ ruling which denied Sebastian Vettel his first win this season for Ferrari. (Related: Hamilton wins Monaco GP despite late contact)

Polesitter Vettel led throughout the opening 48 of the 70 laps at the tight street track at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. But as Hamilton hounded the Ferrari, the German made a mistake. Pressured by Hamilton’s Mercedes, Vettel lost the rear of his car on entry to the right-left chicane. The error forced Vettel to take to the grass, before rejoining the circuit.

As he did so, he rejoined the track just as Hamilton tried to dart into the gap between the scrambling Ferrari and the wall on the exit of the corner. Understandably, Hamilton backed out to avoid a collision.  Vettel meanwhile maintained his lead, but shortly afterwards received a five-second penalty from the stewards after they judged he had rejoined the track in an unsafe manner. (Related: Bottas holds-off late-charging Hamilton)

Vettel was incandescent with rage. Speaking on team radio immediately after the finish, the four-time world champ vented his fury at what happened.

"You need to be an absolute blind man to think you can go through the grass and then control the car," he said. "I was lucky I didn't hit the wall. Where the hell am I supposed to go? This is a wrong world, I tell you. This is not fair."

Vettel then made a point of refusing to drive his car down to the post-race holding area. Instead he parked it near race control before storming immediately to his team hospitality unit. It took a few minutes before he was encouraged to return and attend the podium ceremony.

The stewards’ call, and Vettel’s, some would say petulant, action — on the way to the podium he picked up the number one board from in front of Hamilton's Mercedes and placed it in the gap where his Ferrari should have been parked, then put the number two sign in front of Hamilton's Mercedes — overshadowed what had, until the incident on the 48th lap, all the makings of a thrilling shootout over the closing 20 laps. (Related: Exclusive interview with F1 boss Ross Brawn)

As it was, Vettel never came close to building a five-second advantage to cancel out the penalty. Instead he complained over the race that the officials were "stealing the race" from Ferrari.

As the two cars took the chequered flag, Hamilton — who only started the race after his team rushed to replace his car's hydraulics system —  crossed the line 1.4s behind the Ferrari; that immediately became a 3.6s-winning margin and extended his points lead to 29 points over Bottas. It was the 78th career GP win of Hamilton’s career, and fifth victory this season.

Charles Leclerc completed the podium, giving Ferrari its first double podium of the season, while Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas finished a distant fourth, just ahead the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.

Behind the Dutchman, Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo delivered his best finish of the season, just ahead of team-mate Nico Hulkenberg. Pierre Gasly was eighth for Red Bull, while Canadian Lance Stroll produced his best result of the year bringing his Racing Point home ninth in his home grand prix. Daniil Kvyat rounded off the top 10 in his Toro Rosso.

F1 — Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Result):

1. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport 70 laps;

2. Sebastian Vettel GER Scuderia Ferrari +3.658s*;

3. Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari +4.696s;

4. Valtteri Bottas FIN Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport +51.043s;

5. Max Verstappen NEDAston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda +57.655s;

6. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Renault F1 Team +1 lap;

7. Nico Hulkenberg GER Renault F1 Team +1 lap;

8. Pierre Gasly FRA Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda +1 lap;

9. Lance Stroll CAN SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team +1 lap;

10. Daniil Kvyat RUS Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda +1 lap;

11. Carlos Sainz ESP McLaren F1 Team +1 lap;

12. Sergio Perez MEX SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team +1 lap;

13. Antonio Giovinazzi ITA Alfa Romeo Racing +1 lap;

14. Romain Grosjean FRA Rich Energy Haas F1 Team +1 lap;

15. Kimi Raikkonen ITA Alfa Romeo Racing +1 lap;

16. George Russell GBR ROKiT Williams Racing +2 laps;

17. Kevin Magnussen DEN Rich Energy Haas F1 Team +2 laps;

18; Robert Kubica POL ROKiT Williams Racing +3 laps.

*Sebastian Vettel given a five-second time penalty

DNF:

Alexander Albon THA Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda;

Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team

Related: Heartbreak for Leclerc as Hamilton wins

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Jim McGill

All photos copyright Mercedes F1