SAO PAULO: Lewis Hamilton won the Brazil Grand Prix on Sunday in one of his all-time great drives from 10th on the grid with championship leader Max Verstappen second.
With three races of the season remaining, Hamilton cut his Dutch rival’s lead to 14 points.
The Mercedes seven-time world champion’s teammate Valtteri Bottas, who started on pole, took third.
With his car fitted with a new engine, Hamilton produced a peerless drive to overcome penalty points after his car was judged to have breached technical rules on Friday.
That saw him demoted from pole to last in Saturday’s sprint race where he took fifth to leave him 10th in Sunday’s Interlagos grid after another penalty for what Mercedes hoped would be their trump card now under the bonnet.
“What a race. The team did a great job, Valtteri did a great job. With the penalties, it’s the hardest race weekend I’ve had,” said Hamilton.
Bottas managed to hold Verstappen, starting alongside him on the second row, at the first bend but the Red Bull driver took the lead shortly after.
Hamilton was picking off the cars ahead of him with ominous ease and after both had pitted twice Hamilton surged past Verstappen on lap 59 to seal the race and revive his bid for a record eighth drivers’ title.
Qatar stages the next chapter of 2021’s gripping title battle next Sunday.
Hamilton wins in Brazil after all-time great drive, Verstappen second
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Hamilton wins in Brazil after all-time great drive, Verstappen second
- “What a race. The team did a great job, Valtteri did a great job. With the penalties, it’s the hardest race weekend I’ve had,” said Hamilton
Forever Young to defend Saudi Cup crown from stall 6
- Trainer Yoshito Yahagi happy with position for 2025 hero at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday
RIYADH: Forever Young (JPN) will emerge from gate six when bidding to defend his group one $20-million Saudi Cup crown at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday.
The reigning champion was the penultimate horse to be given a barrier and only five or six remained when Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi picked out the starting berth.
“I think six is a good number,” Yahagi said. “We don’t have to change anything with tactics. Honestly, I feel a lot of pressure on my shoulders bringing a defending champion but Forever Young doesn’t feel any pressure at all.”
American Hall of Famer Bob Baffert is in Riyadh and Flavien Prat will guide Nysos (US) from gate 12, while Irad Ortiz Jr. and Nevada Beach (US) have drawn gate seven.
“I’d rather be on the outside than the inside,” Baffert said after drawing the wide gate for Nysos.
“As long as the horse shows up that is more important. I think he is a really good horse and has always shown brilliance, he’s a trier and knows where the wire is. From the outside he will have a clear run.”
“Gate seven is good for Nevada Beach too. We just didn’t want to be in the one-hole,” Baffert added.
Last year’s fifth-place finisher Rattle N Roll (US) raced from seven on that occasion but this time around Joel Rosario will steer Kenny McPeek’s 6-year-old from stall 11.
Kyoko Maekawa drew stall one for Sunrise Zipangu (JPN) who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy. The Japan Racing Association’s first female trainer was Yahagi’s assistant in Saudi Arabia when Panthalassa (JPN) won The Saudi Cup from stall one in 2023.
Noriyuki Hori’s Luxor Cafe (US) has a wider starting point in barrier 10.
Leading local contender Mhally (GB) will break from stall 13. “We are very happy with that draw, we wanted something on the outside,” said Sheikh Faisal Al-Sabah, son of owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Al-Sabah.
“Hopefully he proves himself on Saturday.”
Banishing (US) was described as a horse with “a heart of gold” by trainer David Jacobson’s son, Zachary, and the American raider will break from stall three, while the Brad Cox-trained Bishops Bay (US) will come from nine.
The Saad Aljenade-trained Star Of Wonder (US) will start from the same stall five that Emblem Road (US) won the race, while his stable companion Haqeet (US) is inside that in box two under Mickael Barzalona.
Ryan Moore is a notable jockey booking for the Sami Alharabi-trained Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) who breaks from four.
Thundersquall (GB) will start from the widest draw of all in 14 for trainer Muteb Almulawah and jockey Danny Tudhope, while Tumbarumba (US) and James Doyle will begin the richest race in the world from eight for Hamad Al-Jehani and Wathnan Racing.
