Lewis Hamilton wins Japanese GP to lead championship lead to 67 points as Sebastian Vettel hits trouble



[ad_1]

It's quite early, is not it? Well, for those of you in Europe, anyway. Still, it's never too early for F1 in my book. The Japanese Grand Prix gets underway in just about an hour and it's all looking very good for Lewis Hamilton. Not only does he have a 50-point margin to Sebastian Vettel but he starts on pole, has his place after his rival after mistakes from his team and a mistake of his own cost him dearly.

Phil Duncan reports from qualifying in Suzuka:

It was also possible that Vettel was also guilty of another error, in his quest for his team's mistake, he ran off the circuit at Spoon and finished 4.4 seconds down. His team-mate Kimi Raikkonen qualified fourth.

Despite being a smattering of raindrops in the moments before the shootout for pole, Hamilton headed out on the slick rubber. While the Englishman posted the pole lap, Vettel had to dash back to the pits for a change of tyres. By the time he was ready to set his best effort, a rain shower left him terribly exposed.

The track became more and more difficult, and it would be no longer a challenge to Hamilton who, barring a disaster, will now be in the lead.

It is another blow to Vettel in a series of blows. Whilst Vettel defended his team in the aftermath of their decision on their drivers, the main team Maurizio Arrivabene was not so kind.

"From the way things have been done, I do not think that pole position was within our reach, but what happened today is unacceptable. my fingers at someone in particular, but I'm very disappointed, "he told Autosport.

[ad_2]
Source link