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VERSTAPPEN VICTORIOUS IN BRAZIL


Max Verstappen took his 52nd Grand Prix victory in what team principal Christian Horner called 'clinical' over the radio after the race. Norris now has 13 podiums without a win and a sixth second place this season. He now equals Nick Heidfeld's record of podiums without a win. But the story of the podium was the grandstand finish between Alonso and Perez but with nothing between them it was Fernando Alonso who held off the quicker Red Bull to take his 106th podium in F1.


Normally the Formation Lap is nothing to talk about but today was different at the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc retires with a hydraulics problem, only making it to around turn five before veering off into the wall and out of the race. Another moment that is out of Leclerc's hands.


As always it was Max Verstappen (Red Bull) who got an excellent start and is clear into the lead with Lando Norris (McLaren) getting up into second with a rather dramatic crash involving Alex Albon (Williams) and the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, causing the Safety Car to be deployed. Both drivers are out so we are down three drivers by turn one on lap one.


With debris all over the turn one and the barriers needing repairing out came the red flag and everyone is into the pits with Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Daniel Ricciardo (Alpha Tauri) with damage to their rear wings but they had time to see if they can be sent back out after hopefully fixing the damage. Thankfully both drivers where able to start the race again but had to start from the pit lane which meant they started a lap down to everyone else in 16th and 17th place.


On lap four we got going again with a standing start and of course just like the first time Max Verstappen keeps the lead with Norris holding off Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) for second. However Alonso passes Hamilton for third into turn four.


Nothing but the pit stops happens between the restart and the next interesting moment. The pit stops made no real difference to the overall look of the race.


On lap 23 Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) is forced to retire the car. Reason unknown.

Then on lap 40 is teammate Valtteri Bottas is also forced to retire. Not a Sunday to remember for the team from Switzerland.


It was disappointment of lap 59 for George Russell (Mercedes) as he retires from the race and is forced to do so by the team with the fear of his engine blowing up.


The next race is the much anticipated the Las Vegas Grand Prix.


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