Mercedes-AMG's Formula 1 domination continued over the weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where the German team was able to notch up yet another one-two finish.
This time it was Valtteri Bottas who crossed the line first on Sunday, the Finn having also started the race on pole. His teammate Lewis Hamilton, the reigning world championship, finished some 1.5 seconds behind.
Rounding out the top three was Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel who finished more than 11 seconds after Bottas. And putting in yet another strong performance was Aston Martin Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen who finished fourth.
Mercedes had the front row locked out at the start of the race. Hamilton got the better start but Bottas wasn't willing to cede the position and managed to reclaim the lead at the first corner by going on the outside.
2019 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Once again Ferrari showed that it has the pace but is unable to capitalize on it. The team's newcomer Charles Leclerc, starting back in eighth because of a crash during Saturday's qualifying, worked his way up to fifth after falling as low as 10th, and at one point even led the race for 19 laps, albeit in desperate need of a tire change which he received on lap 35. He also took the point for setting the race fastest lap, setting a new lap record of 1:43.009 in the process.
There were few dramas, though there was an odd accident involving Renault's Daniel Ricciardo and Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat. On lap 32, Ricciardo's brakes locked up after passing Kvyat going into Turn 3, forcing him to run off the track. This also caused Kvyat to follow. However, in a rush to get back into the race, Ricciardo ended up reversing into Kvyat, ending the race for both.
For Ricciardo, it was his third retirement in four races this season. Red Bull's Pierre Gasly and Haas' Romain Grosjean also failed to finish on Sunday.
Bottas is now back in the lead in the 2019 Drivers' Championship with 87 points to second-placed Hamilton's 86 points. Vettel is a distant third with 52 points. In the Constructors' Championship, Mercedes has a clear lead with 173 points versus the 99 of Ferrari and 64 of Red Bull. The next race on the calendar is the Spanish Grand Prix in a fortnight.
2019 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Below are the full results from the 2019 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
1) Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-AMG
2) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG +1.524 seconds
3) Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari +11.739 seconds
4) Max Verstappen, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing +17.493 seconds
5) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +69.107 seconds
6) Sergio Perez, Racing Point +76.416 seconds
7) Carlos Sainz, McLaren +83.826 seconds
8) Lando Norris, McLaren +100.268 seconds
9) Lance Stroll, Racing Point +103.816 seconds
10) Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo +1 lap
11) Alexander Albon, Toro Rosso +1 lap
12) Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo +1 lap
13) Kevin Magnussen, Haas +1 lap
14) Nico Hulkenberg, Renault +1 lap
15) George Russell, Williams +2 laps
16) Robert Kubica, Williams +2 laps
Ret) Pierre Gasly, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing
Ret) Romain Grosjean, Haas
Ret) Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso
Ret) Daniel Ricciardo, Renault
