Sirish N. 17th November 2020
Lewis Hamilton with this trophy. (Source: @LewisHamilton on Twitter)
As the Mercedes pulled up to the pit this Sunday, it looked like it had been to war—moderate tires caution down to become slicks viably, the normally reflexive, dark completion presently matte gratitude to a layer of grime and bitumen. From multiple points of view, it had been through a war.
Hamilton's combating execution was one altogether fitting of turning into the best driver in the game's set of experiences.
Everything began on Friday, with the Mercedes unfit to get any warmth into their tires—and the remainder of the field—slid around what was, all things considered, an ice arena before the downpour showed up Saturday to add more risk. It says a lot that Hamilton was content with 6th on the grid. Partner Valtteri Bottas qualified ninth—as Lance Stroll took the pole position, and Hamilton showed up prone to secure the title.
As the lights went out, the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon attempted to move away and fell down the field. The pack rose out of the main corner with a Racing Point 1-2, in front of Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, up from eleventh on the grid. His partner, Daniel Ricciardo, had spun Esteban Ocon, and Bottas additionally wound up turning in compassion as he responded to Ocon pointing off course.
Almost halfway through the race, Hamilton would make his only mistake of the day as he missed the chicane of Turns 10 and 11, experiencing cold brakes, and fell back to 6th behind Vettel, the Red Bulls. Those at the front at that point fell into something of a brief delay until around lap 10 when the drivers chose to switch their wet tires for intermediates, with Verstappen jumping Vettel through the pit lane.
By lap 18, Verstappen was quitting for the day on the main pair. The Dutchman had been the bookmakers' top pick for the race, having looked the most agreeable consistently, yet his anxiety would improve him. Following Sergio Pérez too intently through the rapid crimp of Turn 11, Verstappen ran wide onto the extra elusive run-off region and played out an undesirable 540° pirouette. To intensify his issues, he was forced to go back to the pits to get rid of his flat spots.
(Sources: Formula-1, F1 Instagram page, ESPN)
Edited by: Tanya Jain, Anjali Dinesh