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July 12, 2020 In the Styrian GP another arrival in the Mercedes parade with Lewis Hamilton dominator followed by Bottas. Verstappen's Red Bull is also on the podium. Disaster for Ferrari that closes with zero points.Immediate chaos for the redheads. On the first lap Leclerc, who started in 14th position, tries his immediate recovery but collides with Ferrari of teammate Vettel and forces him to retire. Hamilton, who started on pole, runs away, followed by Verstappen's Red Bull and Mercedes Bottas' partner. Leclerc returns to the pits to replace the front wing and puts on the hard tires, but it's all useless, after four laps he also retires.
On the eighth lap overtaking Albon on Sainz and the Thai Red Bull is fourth. Vettel in the pits immediately talks and explains: "I was fighting with other cars, Charles took the inside and I didn't expect to find someone there, I couldn't do anything. I tried to be conservative, but the wing was damaged. Too optimistic maneuver by Charles? I don't think there was room to pass there. It's a shame that I wasn't able to try the race pace, the car gave good sensations, with the updates I would have liked to do the race ”.
A few doubts, in short, on the responsibility for the disaster, admitted by the Monegasque driver himself: "I apologize, when one is wrong he must be honest. Today I was not good, I cannot find any other words. I am disappointed in myself. I said at the beginning of the year that I didn't want to miss an opportunity and today I could do better. "
Meanwhile Hamilton leads the race with few worries and on the 28th lap he changes the tires by setting the averages. On the previous lap, Ocon's Renault had retired. On lap 33, stop for Bottas who falls in third place behind the exhausts of Verstappen who had already made the change. All the cars in the top positions are medium-sized. On lap 38 brilliant pit stop for Perez who returns to the track and makes a great overtaking to Sainz flying in fifth position. The future of Ferrari is also passed by Ricciardo and Stroll. The three treads make the void and Perez thinks that the race is incredibly fast on his Racing Point. The Mexican driver also gets to duel with Albon's Red Bull. Incredible if you think that he started from 17th position.
After 58 laps alarm at home Red Bull: Verstappen via radio communicates balance problems after a passage on the curb (likely damage to the wing), but the Dutchman goes on. In the meantime, Hamilton makes a pleasure trip, ringing some quick laps anyway. On the 67th lap comes the attack of Bottas who slips Verstappen taking possession of the second square. Lando Norris (McLaren) manages to overtake Perez and close in fifth place ahead of the excellent Mexican. Lance Stroll follows. Rounding out the top ten were Renault's Australian Daniel Ricciardo, Renault's Spaniard Carlos Sainz and Alpha Tauri's Russian Daniil Kvyat.
Ferrari team principal Ferrari Binotto tries to mitigate the disappointment: "I think the responsibility for Charles' mistake is quite obvious, but I think we must not look for the culprits. It's not about making accusations, it's about working very closely together in Maranello, to improve the car as much as possible and not to start in the middle of the grid.I spoke to the drivers, there is no problem among them - he added - Charles acknowledged the mistake, Seb is sorry. happened. "