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Paris (AFP)
British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton promised it to him two weeks ago after crowning his seventh title, claiming his fifth consecutive victory and eleventh this season by finishing first in the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix, in a race that witnessed the miraculous survival of French team Haas pilot Roman Grogan from a horrible accident.
Hamilton vowed after winning the seventh world title two weeks ago in Turkey that he would strive to win the final three races of the season despite his marginalization in terms of points. He took the first step towards fulfilling his promise by controlling the race in Sakhir, Bahrain, to which he returns next Sunday to run. The penultimate round, before the season ends in Abu Dhabi a week later.
No one seems able to cope with the British driver even after winning the world title for the fourth time in a row and sixth at the wheel of a Mercedes, as he started from first place for the tenth time in 15 races and surpassed the finish line in the part. forward for the ninety-fifth time in his career, adding to that record. He snatched it from German legend Michael Schumacher.
Hamilton posted his 95th win, while Dutchman Max Verstappen and Red Bull teammate Alexander Albon finished second and third, respectively.
Briton Lando Norris and his McLaren teammate Carlos Sainz finished fourth and fifth, while Frenchman Pierre Gasly, the Alfattori driver, finished sixth, and Australian Daniel Ricciardo, a Renault driver, seventh.
Hamilton’s colleague from Finland, Valtteri Bottas, won eighth after suffering a hole in the tire, ahead of Frenchman Esteban Ocon of Renault ninth, and Charles Leclerc of Monaco, tenth with Ferrari.
Hamilton held the lead at the start, unlike his colleague Bottas, who fell back a lot, but soon raised the red flag and stopped the race after a very serious accident by Grogan, whose car collided with the iron wall adjacent to the track and caught fire after splitting in two.
However, Haas’s driver was unhurt as the cars made their way to the hangar line to prepare for a new departure.
– “Our lives are at stake” –
The Frenchman was transported in a medical car and appeared to have difficulty walking, but “he only suffers minor burns on his hands and feet, he is far from well,” according to his team during the suspended race.
The team reported that “as a precautionary measure and for further medical evaluation, Roman will be transferred to the hospital.”
After stopping over an hour to replace the iron wall, the drivers are back on track to resume the race.
However, Canadian Racing Point driver Lance Stroll’s car flipped over and the safety car hit the track.
Also before the race was over, his Mexican teammate Sergio Pérez had a problem with his engine that forced him to retire.
Commenting on the Grogan incident, Hamilton said: “It was a terrible picture, but it shows the incredible efforts made by Formula One and the FIA that have gone to great lengths to save (Grogan) from a similar accident.”
As for Stroll, after his car rolled over, he claimed, “I’m fine, I was hanging upside down,” trying to reduce the magnitude of his accident after Grojan survived.
“The risks we take are not a joke for those who forget that we are risking our lives for the good of this sport and for what we love to do. This is a reminder for all of us,” emphasized the Briton.
Hamilton is aiming to win the remaining two races this season, tying a new record for Schumacher and his compatriot Sebastian Vettel, the four-time world champion who finished 13th in the Bahrain Grand Prix, who won 13 races in one season in 2004 and 2013, respectively.
Hamilton was simply Schumacher in the number of times he was crowned 7 times, and many other records were taken away from him, especially in the number of victories (95 victories), in the number of podiums (164 times) and in the first place at the start of races (98 times). ).
© 2020 AFP
