'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ferrari registered their second win of the season as four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel won the Grand Prix, leading the race from the get-go. The German got off to a flying start and maintained his lead from Lap 1 to Lap 69.
The race was not without its share of incident. Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg lost control and careened into the barrier, losing his right front tyre. WEC winner Hulkenberg was safe and walked away from the crash.
Polesitter Lewis Hamilton had a bad performance this race, receiving drive-through penalties. The Mercedes driver was investigated and later penalised for causing a collision with Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian, who won last year’s race, finished this race in third behind his teammate Daniil Kvyat.
Vettel dedicated his win to recently deceased driver Jules Bianchi, saying “cette victoire et pour toi”, or “this victory is for you.” His teammate Kimi Raikkonen looked set for a good race, but unfortunately lost power in his car, with Ferrari engineers admitting they had “let him down”. On the podium, Vettel, Kvyat and Ricciardo all paid tribute to the 25-year-old Frenchman, who sadly passed away last week after 9 months in a coma following his injuries at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka.
This was Vettel’s second win of the season, his first at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang early this year.
Not only was this Red Bull Racing’s first podium of the year, they took both P2 and P3. The race itself was penalty-filled, with Pastor Maldonado on the receiving end of 3 drive-through penalties for speeding and overtaking behind the safety car. His teammate Romain Grosjean finished with points in 7th position.
Daniil Kvyat won his career first podium in Formula One this race ahead of his teammate, who did well from qualifying. This will have been a great respite to Red Bull, who have had a tough racing season and repeated problems with their engines.
Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, who had been having serious trouble at Qualifying with his car stalling completely, finished with a season best in fifth position.
This is how the World Drivers’ Championship stands as of now, following the conclusion of the Hungarian GP:
The Belgian Grand Prix is up next at Spa-Francorchamps.
