Max Verstappen wins in Spain as Rosberg and Hamilton crash out
18year old Max Verstappen creates history as the youngest driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix with a splendid drive holding off Kimi Raikkonen to win the Spanish Grand Prix as Mercedes drivers Rosberg and Hamilton crashed out on turn 4 on Lap 1 in a bizzare incident.
The race started with Hamilton on pole and it looked like the brit had a good start blocking his team mate by weaving across the track and going to the inside line but surprisingly Rosberg sweeped past on the outside and took the lead into turn 1.
Rosberg had a better pace into turn 2 and 3 but Hamilton closed on his team mate so quickly on the exit and tried pass on the right side on the straight but Rosberg shut the door leaving Hamilton no space. Hamilton had to get on the grass eventually spinning out and collecting Rosberg along with him to the gravel thus ending Mercedes´s race with a double DNF.
The race lead went into the hands of Daniel Ricciardo of RedBull followed by his team mate Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. of Torro Rosso with the Ferraris of Vettel and Raikkonen following when the safety car was called in.
As the race restarted Ricciardo had a clean getaway from Verstappen while Vettel was all over behind Sainz. The young spaniard brilliantly resisted Vettel's initially but had to conceded to the pace of the Ferrari.
Daniel Ricciardo was leading the race but Verstappen was eating his lead slowly. It looked like Ricciardo would regain momentum after a tyre change and take the victoty if there was no challenge from the Ferraris but a different tyre strategy by Ricciardo's team put him behind Vettel.
By lap 50 Verstappen took the lead of the race with Raikkonen was following close behind but could not get ahead and it was expected that Ricciardo and Vettel will soon join the battle but the young son of former F1 racer Jos Verstappen held his nerves and kept cool to hold off the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen while Vettel held off Ricciardo.
Spaniard Fernando Alonso retired his McLaren on lap 47 due to loss of power while Force India's Nico Hulkenberg stopped due to an engine fire.
After holding the lead for 16laps the young Max Verstappen took his maiden victory creating history much to the surprise of everyone in his debut drive for the Red Bull.
After a few aggressive moves to get ahead of Vettel, Ricciardo haf a rear wheel puncture on lap 65 and had to retire into the pits but crossed the finished line in 4th.
Vettel crossed the line 3rd, Bottas finished 5th with Carlos Sainz taking a career best 6th. Perez (Force India), Massa (Williams), Button (McLaren) and Kyvat (Torro Rosso) finished inside the top 10.
All things fell in place for the 18 year old Max Verstappen to create history as the youngest driver ever to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix.
The stewards didnt take any action on the Hamilton-Rosberg crash and deemed it as an racing incident.
POS.
|
DRIVER
|
COUNTRY
|
TEAM
|
TIME
|
POINTS
|
1
|
MAX VERSTAPPEN
|
NED
|
RED BULL RACING
|
1:41:40.017
|
25
|
2
|
KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN
|
FIN
|
FERRARI
|
+0.616s
|
18
|
3
|
SEBASTIAN VETTEL
|
GER
|
FERRARI
|
+5.581s
|
15
|
4
|
DANIEL RICCIARDO
|
AUS
|
RED BULL RACING
|
+43.950s
|
12
|
5
|
VALTTERI BOTTAS
|
FIN
|
WILLIAMS
|
+45.271s
|
10
|
6
|
CARLOS SAINZ
|
ESP
|
TORO ROSSO
|
+61.395s
|
8
|
7
|
SERGIO PEREZ
|
MEX
|
FORCE INDIA
|
+79.538s
|
6
|
8
|
FELIPE MASSA
|
BRA
|
WILLIAMS
|
+80.707s
|
4
|
9
|
JENSON BUTTON
|
GBR
|
MCLAREN
|
+1 lap
|
2
|
10
|
DANIIL KVYAT
|
RUS
|
TORO ROSSO
|
+1 lap
|
1
|
11
|
ESTEBAN GUTIERREZ
|
MEX
|
HAAS
|
+1 lap
|
0
|
12
|
MARCUS ERICSSON
|
SWE
|
SAUBER
|
+1 lap
|
0
|
13
|
JOLYON PALMER
|
GBR
|
RENAULT
|
+1 lap
|
0
|
14
|
KEVIN MAGNUSSEN
|
DEN
|
RENAULT
|
+1 lap
|
0
|
15
|
FELIPE NASR
|
BRA
|
SAUBER
|
+1 lap
|
0
|
16
|
PASCAL WEHRLEIN
|
GER
|
MANOR
|
+1 lap
|
0
|
17
|
RIO HARYANTO
|
INA
|
MANOR
|
+1 lap
|
0
|
NC
|
ROMAIN GROSJEAN
|
FRA
|
HAAS
|
DNF
|
0
|
NC
|
FERNANDO ALONSO
|
ESP
|
MCLAREN
|
DNF
|
0
|
NC
|
NICO HULKENBERG
|
GER
|
FORCE INDIA
|
DNF
|
0
|
NC
|
LEWIS HAMILTON
|
GBR
|
MERCEDES
|
DNF
|
0
|
NC
|
NICO ROSBERG
|
GER
|
MERCEDES
|
DNF
|
0
|