Mercedes, Hamilton cruise to French GP win
MERCEDES-AMG scored its sixth 1-2 finish in 2019 at the French Formula 1 grand prix on Sunday as team drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valterri Bottas took the top podium spots at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Mercedes has won all eight races in the 2019 F1 season.
The win was Hamilton’s sixth this year. He led the race from pole to the checkered flag, and cruised to his 200th career points finish 18 seconds clear off Bottas.
Bottas, who had scored the two other victories for Mercedes this season, held off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in one of the few exciting moments of the race. Leclerc took the last podium step for Ferrari.
Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen finished fourth, also his starting position. Leclerc’s teammate Sebastian Vettel could only manage fifth after struggling all weekend, qualifying only in seventh. Carlos Sainz of McLaren Renault finished sixth.
Hamilton now leads Bottas 36 points in the driver’s championship, 187 to 151, as Vettel trails with 111 points. Mercedes has a commanding 140-point lead over Ferrari, 338 to 198, in the manufacturer’s title. Red Bull Racing is third with 136 points.
The next race in the F1 2019 calendar is the Austrian grand prix on June 30. Counting in Austria, there are still 13 races left in the season.
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