Formula 1 fans have waited a long time for Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel to slug it out, toe-to-toe, in a race, and at the 2017 Spanish Grand Prix the much anticipated duel finally happened and it was riveting stuff.
On lap 38 of the race in Barcelona, with the race delicately poised after his team pitted Hamilton during the Virtual Safety Car period, the Mercedes was hurtling down the straight into Turn 1 as Vettel’s Ferrari emerged from his own pit stop, hugging the inside line into the same turn.
As they hit the apex they were side by side, blue rubber smoke puffed into the air as they rubbed wheels and Vettel forced Hamilton wide to avoid a collision.
With Hamilton on yellow band soft tyres stalked Vettel on the white band mediums, the Mercedes was clearly quicker than the Ferrari at the point thanks to the softer rubber.
It was a crucial moment, ultimately it would decide the race. Hamilton needed to clear Vettel so as to maximise the softs. But Vettel was having none of it for as long as humanly possible.
For six laps Hamilton was all over the back of the Ferrari, feinting here and there until on lap 44 Vettel went defensive to the inside of Turn 1. Hamilton powered past on the outside, got his car in front before the first turn and took the lead which he held on to the end despite the red car lurking in his mirrors until the chequered flag waved to end the race.
It was ‘first round’ to Hamilton, albeit on the quicker soft tyres. Vettel chased gamely, upping the ante during the final laps in the hope that Hamilton’s tyres would expire in the remaining laps.
But it was not to be as Hamilton had preserved the tyres and was even able to set the fastest lap of the race on lap 64, two laps from the end. Vettel had no answer.
Nevertheless, Hamilton had to sweat hard for the victory, “That is how racing should be. Seb was really fast. I felt like I ran out of road and I was on the outside but that is racing and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.”
Vettel gave his version, “I tried to brake as late as possible into Turn 1, locked up, but managed to stay ahead. Then when I was alone he flew past down the straight. A shame but it was a nice race.”
Thus ended a fascinating duel between two drivers at the very top of their game and sets the tone for what should be an enthralling battle between two of the sports pre-eminent drivers, which F1 fans hope will run throughout the season.
Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247
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