Bizarre rear-end collision causes a storm
The stewards appeared to agree with Hamilton’s verdict as Verstappen was order to give the place back. At this point his actions triggered a storm that will rage all the way to Abu Dhabi and probably into the winter. Max slowed, but lingered smack bang in the middle of the track, leaving his intentions unclear. Hamilton, apparently taken unawares, then clobbered the back of the Red Bull and ripped an endplate from his front wing. Lewis immediately accused his rival of a blatant brake test as the Red Bull accelerated away, then slowed again to finally allow Hamilton past – then shot back into the lead at the next corner! What on earth was going on? What was Verstappen playing at, and what was he thinking? This was all getting surreal as he once again allowed Hamilton through, Lewis this time running the Red Bull out wide to stop another retaliation.
Then news came through that Verstappen had been pinged five seconds for going off track and taking an advantage in his aggressive defence against Hamilton’s lap 37 pass at Turn 1. The battle was effectively over, which it might have been anyway without all these bizarre shenanigans. Verstappen’s medium tyres were rooted and with Ocon and Bottas still in range during their battle for third he couldn’t even pit for soft Pirellis to snatch the extra point for fastest lap. He had no choice but to settle for second as Hamilton reeled off the final laps, the Mercedes W12’s front wing hanging in there as he scored his 103rd GP victory. It will be remembered as one of his weirdest.