Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton finished Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sprint race in seventh place while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez overtook pole-sitter Charles Leclerc for the win.
Hamilton qualified for the sprint in sixth place but had a very muted race as he fell back one place and finished behind the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso.
He also took two points for his seventh place finish in the sprint while the other Aston Martin of Lance Stroll took home the final and single point.
It was, however, at the front the real battle in the sprint race ensued where Perez, who started in second, got the better of Leclerc after a safety car restart from Yuki Tsunoda’s damaged car which needed repairs.
Leclerc held on to second place ahead of championship rival and current world champion Max Verstappen spent much of the 17-lap race with a damaged floor after contact with Mercedes’ George Russell on the opening lap.
Points on the board for our Top 8 finishers in the Sprint ✨#AzerbaijanGP #F1Sprint pic.twitter.com/dQh4TWLQvh
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2023
Russell was in third place after that tangle but Verstappen was able to get the position back with the British driver ultimately settling for fourth ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr. in the other Ferrari.
Attention will now move to Sunday’s main race where Hamilton will start in a more favoured fifth position based on Friday’s qualifying session while Leclerc will start on pole ahead of Verstappen, Perez and Sainz.
