Russell achieves his first victory in F1 with a double victory for Mercedes in the Brazilian GP

George Russell achieved an emotional first victory on Sunday in a Formula One Grand Prixending a blank season for Mercedes with a double in Brazil alongside the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Russell led from the start at Sao Paulo’s Interlagos circuit after winning the 100km sprint that determined Sunday’s starting grid on Saturday, ending the champion’s nine-fight winning streak. Red Bull.

“This is only the beginning,” he yelled Russell on team radio after becoming the 113th winner in sports history. “I knew we could do it. I may need tissues: I’m crying.”

Hamiltonwinner of a record 103 races and three in Brazil, congratulated his teammate on an “incredible drive”.

“He had an incredible qualifying yesterday, so he really deserves it…it’s an incredible result,” said the 37-year-old.

In a lively race with two safety car stages, the honorary Brazilian Hamilton he overcame an early clash with two-time Red Bull world champion Max Verstappen to continue racing in front of an acclaimed crowd.

Carlos Sainz finished third in his Ferrari, followed by his teammate Charles Leclerc, who was displeased by his team’s refusal to order a change of positions at a time when it is fighting Red Bull in Sergio “Checo” Perez for second place in the championship.

Verstappenwho won his second title with four races to go until the end of the season, gave Leclerc a hand by refusing to return sixth place to Pérez – who had previously let him pass – despite the team asking him to do so. to do if he couldn’t overtake Fernando Alonso’s Alpine.

“I have given him my reasons,” said the Dutch driver by way of explanation.

Russell led cleanly from the start, with Hamilton pulling up behind, but the safety car came out when Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren and Kevin Magnussen’s Hass collided on the opening lap.

Magnussen, who took his first pole position in qualifying on Friday and scored a point in Saturday’s sprint, was hit from behind by the McLaren and crashed into it after spinning.

Verstappen y Hamilton they also collided at the restart on lap seven as they battled for second, both dropping to eighth and ninth respectively.

The race stewards decided that the Red Bull driver was responsible and gave him a five-second penalty.

“Where did you expect me to go?” Verstappen said when told by his team on the radio. “He just closed the door on me.”

Lando Norris’ McLaren also received a five-second penalty for causing a collision when it became entangled with Leclerc, who was thrown into the retaining wall but was able to carry on.

Hamilton’s car was undamaged in the incident with Verstappen and he moved into third on lap 18. The Briton moved into the lead on lap 25, when Russell made his first pit stop, and stayed there until the end of the 29, when he came in to switch from the softs to the medium, coming back in fourth.

Verstappen was running 15th at mid-race, after two pit stops in which he was fitted with a new front wing, served his penalty and suffered another delay with a slow change of rear tyres.

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