Controversial incident allowed Lewis Hamilton to win Brazilian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton, who had already sealed his fifth Formula One title, started from pole position and finished less than two seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Hamilton’s 10th victory in the season was helped by Force India’s Esteban Ocon, who collided with Verstappen on the 44th lap when the Dutchman led. What a f****** idiot,’ raged Verstappen over the radio. His boss Christian Horner waved his arms angrily on the pit wall. The stewards looked into Verstappen-Ocon incident and gave the Frenchman a severe hit – a 10-second stop-go penalty, only one level down from putting out the scaffolding by waving a black flag at him. It was the first time Hamilton, who had started on pole, has won a race in the same season after winning a championship. It was his second win here at Interlagos, the track on which he invaded the awareness of the wider world with his last-corner title sorcery a decade ago. “These guys have worked so hard over the past six years,” Hamilton said. “It’s been an incredible journey. This is what we’ve worked for every single day. I’ve always said it’s such an honour to drive for them.” The team principal, Toto Wolff, reflected the satisfaction his team felt after they had been pushed harder than at any other point in the turbo-hybrid era. “It was a very difficult season,” he said. “We had ups and downs, Ferrari came back strongly and Red Bull at the end but that makes the championship victory even more enjoyable.” Verstappen could have given Ocon more room but clearly did not expect the Frenchman to keep coming at him, understandable given he was leading the race. “We did everything today,” he said. “He [Ocon] was such an idiot he gets taken out while he’s being lapped.” He was backed by the Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner. “As a lapped car you should not interfere with leader,” he said. “What was Ocon thinking of there, it beggars belief. It makes no sense at all.” He also defended his driver’s post‑race actions. “Esteban was lucky to get away with a push to be honest. Max has a lost a victory through no fault of his own. It is hugely frustrating to lose a victory through a back marker.”

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