Hamilton wins chaotic Baku battle to lead title race

Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton claimed his first win of 2018 on Sunday and took over as leader of the title race when he triumphed in a dramatic, crash and incident-strewn Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The 33-year-old Briton managed to steer his Mercedes through a chaotic race and capitalize on his team-mate Valtteri Bottas’ misfortune when a late puncture scuppered the Finn's chances.

That was unbelievably dramatic!

Lewis Hamilton has come from nowhere to win the Azerbaijan GP.

?https://t.co/9jv2vwKdq8 pic.twitter.com/qIlpR2Y1iI

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 29, 2018

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel had looked set to turn pole position into a victory until a second Safety Car intervention left him lunging to pass Bottas and locking-up. The German finished fourth behind the triumphant Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari and Mexican Sergio Perez of Force India. The race was heavily punctuated by accidents which included one in which the two Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen collided while fighting for fourth place in the closing stages.

Drama in the final 11 laps of the #AzerbaijanGP ?

?Red Bulls crash

?Safety Car deployed

?Grosjean crashes during safety car

?️Hamilton: 'Race should end'

?Race restarted

?Vettel locks front tyres

?Bottas rear tyre blow-out

?Hamilton wins first race of the season pic.twitter.com/4JyvPSyGtq

— BBC 5 live Sport (@5liveSport) April 29, 2018

Hamilton leads the world championship on 70 points, four clear of Vettel. Carlos Sainz finished fifth for Renault and Charles Leclerc sixth for Sauber, his first points finish. Fernando Alonso finished seventh for McLaren ahead of Canadian Lance Stroll of Williams, Stoffel Vandoorne in the second McLaren and New Zealand’s Brendon Hartley of Toro Rosso.

RACE REPORT: Lewis Hamilton takes the lead of the world championship after chaotic #AzerbaijanGP

Sebastian Vettel locks up, Valtteri Bottas suffers puncture, Red Bulls collide...https://t.co/5MusVzD79f #SkyF1 pic.twitter.com/YtqZFdZ9En

— Sky Sports F1 ? (@SkySportsF1) April 29, 2018