Engine trouble denies Charles Leclerc first Formula One victory
World champion Lewis Hamilton lucky to get first win of season
Sakhir — Five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton took a lucky Bahrain Grand Prix win for Mercedes on Sunday after engine trouble in the dying stages denied Charles Leclerc a first Formula One victory. The 21-year-old Monegasque, who had started from pole position and finished third, had been set to become Ferrari’s youngest winner in just his second race for the Italian team when his car started losing power. Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas, both as much as four seconds a lap faster than the stricken Ferrari, reeled him in and breezed past to secure the team’s second one-two finish in as many races. “That was extremely unfortunate for Charles,” said Hamilton as he crossed the line, with the race finishing behind the safety car which was deployed to clear away Daniel Ricciardo’s stranded Renault. “He drove such a great race. We’ve got work to do to keep these guys off our tails,” added the Briton, who hugged Leclerc after they stepped out of their cars. Leclerc’s problems capp...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.