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BARCELONA. — A delighted, but dignified, Lewis Hamilton thanked his Mercedes engineers yesterday after holding off team-mate Nico Rosberg to win a thrilling Spanish Grand Prix and take over as leader of the drivers’ Formula One world championship.
Hamilton took over the leadership of the Formula One drivers championship when he made it four wins in a row by grabbing a heart-stopping victory in the Spanish Grand Prix.
He finished just 0,6 seconds ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg to move on to 100 points for the season and into the lead of the title race ahead of Rosberg, on 97.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo came home third for Red Bull ahead of his team-mate, defending four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel of Germany, who had started from 15th on the grid.
The win was Hamilton’s fourth this year, his first in Spain and the 26th of his career while Mercedes one-two stamped their complete supremacy on the constructors’ championship which they now lead by more than 100 points.
Finn Valtteri Bottas finished fifth for the resurgent Williams team, ahead of local hero and two-time champion Fernando Alonso and his Ferrari team-mate 2007 champion, Kimi Raikkonen of Finland.
Frenchman Romain Grosjean was eighth for Lotus, signalling their return to some form after a dismal start to the year, ahead of Mexican Sergio Perez and his Force India team-mate German Nico Hulkenberg, who was 10th.
After winning by just a few car lengths, or 0.6ec, at the Circuit de Catalunya, Hamilton said Rosberg had been the faster driver, but he had won thanks to advice from his race team in the closing stages of a dramatic race.
“A big thank you for my team,” he said, as he sat on the podium afterwards. They have done an incredible job this year and the support here (in Spain) is the best I have ever had and my first win in Spain means everything to me.”
Asked about his frequent questions for his race team, he said: “I was not upset, but I was not fast enough today. Nico was quicker. I struggled with the balance and needed to rely on my engineers.
“I was moving my settings up and down and fortunately I was able to keep Nico behind.”
In a heart-stopping conclusion to an intriguing 66-lap race, Hamilton resisted the pressure from Rosberg to finish just 0,6sec ahead.
His victory lifted him to 100 points for the season and into the lead of the title race ahead of Rosberg, on 97. Australian Daniel Ricciardo came home third for Red Bull ahead of his team-mate defending four time world champion German Sebastian Vettel, who had started from 15th on the grid.
For Ricciardo it was a moment of special satisfaction to claim his first Formula One podium, having done so in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix before being disqualified for a fuel irregularity.
Rosberg, after finishing second behind Hamilton for the fourth consecutive time, said he felt he needed just one more lap to make a passing move on his team-mate. — AFP.
Online Reporter