BAKU, Azerbaijan – One year after a blown tire cost Valtteri Bottas a shot at victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver returned to the Baku City Circuit looking for redemption.
On Sunday Bottas got his redemption as he put together a dominant performance from the pole to win his second race of the season and regain the Formula One championship lead.
Lewis Hamilton got the better start from the second position, but Bottas held strong on the outside of his teammate in turn one to take the lead on the opening circuit. He held that position until giving up the lead to hit the pits on the 12th circuit.
Hamilton led for one lap before he also hit pit road for tires, which gifted the lead to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The young Ferrari star started the race on the Medium tires after crashing in qualifying Saturday, which allowed him to go longer in the opening stint than his rivals.
After leading 19 laps Leclerc and Ferrari finally had to give up and hit the pits, handing the lead back to Bottas on the 32nd circuit.
Bottas would lead the remainder of the distance, though not without a late challenge from Hamilton. The reigning Formula One champion closed to less than two seconds behind Bottas in the final laps, but he wasn’t able to get close enough to mount a series challenge as Bottas claimed the checkered flag.
“This victory feels really good. When you’re starting from pole, you hope for a straightforward race – the less drama, the better it is,” Bottas said. “I didn’t have the greatest start. After the wheelspin in China I was maybe just a little too cautious. Lewis had a better start so we went side-by-side into turn one and two. It was good, respectful racing between the two of us and I’m glad I could pull up in front of him.
“Lewis was very quick today and was able to put on some pressure at the end of the race, so I had to make sure to not make any mistakes.”
Hamilton settled for second, which gave Mercedes its fourth-straight one-two finish to start the Formula One season.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel completed the podium in third, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finishing fourth. Leclerc pitted late in the race in an attempt to set the fastest lap and earn a bonus point, a move that proved successful. He crossed the finish line in fifth.
Sergio Perez was sixth for Racing Point, followed by McLaren’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris, Racing Point’s Lance Stroll and Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen.