Perez triumphs in Baku after Verstappen crash, Hamilton error

Sports Desk, Jun 6 (EFE).- Sergio Perez won an action-packed Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday that felled both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Checo managed to keep a cool head in an eventful race that had to be restarted with just one lap to go.

Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly completed the podium.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had been cruising to victory when he spun into the barriers on Lap 47/51 after an apparent puncture to his left rear tire. The Dutch driver was overcome with frustration after the crash, which prompted a late red flag.

Hamilton had been pressing the Red Bulls before the pack was recalled to the pitlane, and with Verstappen out of the contest, he set his eyes on a race win, which would have returned him to the top of the drivers’ leaderboard.

On the restart, he got past Perez only for his car to lock up and run wide. He dropped from P2 to P15.

Perez held on to the lead with Vettel behind. Gasly and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc battled it out for P3, with the podium spot eventually claimed by Frenchman.

Hamilton looked desolate after the race and remained in his car while the podium drivers celebrated with their respective teams.

After the race, Perez said: “I’m so, so happy for today. Normally Baku is pretty crazy.”

“I’m sorry for Max, he had a tremendous race and deserved the win. But in the end it was a fantastic race for us. It was close, but we just managed to finish the race.”