Three time world champion Lewis Hamilton closed the gap at the top of the championship standings to 12 points on Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg following a dramatic, rain-drenched and chaotic Brazili
ADVERTISEMENTThree time world champion Lewis Hamilton closed the gap at the top of the championship standings to 12 points on Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg following a dramatic, rain-drenched and chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix.
The race saw the safety car deployed five times following several crashes, including two-time winner Felipe Massa on his final home appearance in the sport before retirement at the end of the season.
But it also saw Hamilton dominate and win at the tenth time of asking at Interlagos, in Sao Paulo.
German Rosberg crossed over in second while with two laps to go Red Bull youngster Max Verstappen overtook Force India’s Sergio Perez to claim third.
Hamilton’s victory means the title race goes all the way to the season-finale in Abu Dhabi on November 27 when Rosberg needs only a third place finish to seal a maiden driver’s championship title – even if Hamilton wins.
Buemi on early track for title defence
Unlike Formula 1, Formula E’s season has just begun and Sebastien Buemi is off to a flying start.
The Renault driver continued his perfect start to the defence of his title when he triumphed in Marrakesh, Morocco – the sport’s first ever visit to Africa.
It was a far from straight forward race for the Swiss who received a five–place post-qualifying penalty that dropped him to seventh on the grid.
Pole sitter Felix Rosenqvist of Sweden led for 27 of the 33 laps at which point Buemi – who had charged his way through the field – took over at the front.
Rosenqvist was left in a battle for second with Sam Bird.
With a couple of laps remaining, Britain’s Bird made his move to claim second as Rosenqvist held on in third place for his first Formula E podium finish.
Race winner Buemi will look to continue his perfect start when the series resumes in Buenos Aires in February.
Lorenzo ends Yamaha stint on winning note
Spanish triple world champion Jorge Lorenzo ended the season and his nine-year spell with Yamaha in style by winning the last stop of the 2016 campaign on home soil in Valencia.
Marc Marquez, who won his third world title in Malaysia last month, started the race from second but struggled with his clutch and quickly dropped into sixth on the opening lap.
The Spaniard superbly fought his way back through the field, though.
Honda’s Marquez continued to pick off his rivals including nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi and – with 12 laps to go – Andrea Iannone.
ADVERTISEMENTAfter a stirring performance by Marquez, Lorenzo was the only rider left to hunt down.
But the current world champ had left it too late as Lorenzo hung on to celebrate a start-to-finish victory for his second straight Valencia win, his fourth overall on home soil and his 44th career success.
It was his final race with Yamaha before switching to Ducati next season.