Max Verstappen fought back to pass Lewis Hamilton and take a brilliant win in the French Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen will extend his lead at the top of the Formula One championship with this thrilling victory at the French Grand Prix on Sunday.
Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton with little over a lap to go at Circuit Paul Ricard, his Red Bull team having opted for two pit stops during the race while Hamilton and Mercedes pitted just once.
It meant the Dutch driver was quicker in the closing stages, overtaking Mercedes' Valtterri Bottas on lap 44 before setting his sights on Hamilton.
Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who also pitted twice, completed the podium behind Hamilton as he overtook a frustrated Bottas in the closing stages.
Verstappen's Red Bull team gambled on an extra pit stop, sacrificing the lead to come back at Hamilton on fresher tyres to pass the Mercedes with two laps to go.
And Mercedes were ruing a strategic blunder in which they left Hamilton out one lap too long and lost the lead.
That came after Verstappen had himself gifted Hamilton first place with a mistake at the first corner of the race.
After a thrilling see-saw battle between the two title contenders and their teams, Verstappen moves into a 12-point championship lead after seven races following Red Bull's third victory in a row.
Max Verstappen will extend his lead at the top of the Formula One championship with this thrilling victory at the French Grand Prix on Sunday.
Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton with little over a lap to go at Circuit Paul Ricard, his Red Bull team having opted for two pit stops during the race while Hamilton and Mercedes pitted just once.
It meant the Dutch driver was quicker in the closing stages, overtaking Mercedes' Valtterri Bottas on lap 44 before setting his sights on Hamilton.
Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who also pitted twice, completed the podium behind Hamilton as he overtook a frustrated Bottas in the closing stages.
Verstappen's Red Bull team gambled on an extra pit stop, sacrificing the lead to come back at Hamilton on fresher tyres to pass the Mercedes with two laps to go.
And Mercedes were ruing a strategic blunder in which they left Hamilton out one lap too long and lost the lead.
That came after Verstappen had himself gifted Hamilton first place with a mistake at the first corner of the race.
After a thrilling see-saw battle between the two title contenders and their teams, Verstappen moves into a 12-point championship lead after seven races following Red Bull's third victory in a row.
