Lewis Hamilton dominates French GP as Sebastian Vettel recovers from collision to take fifth

Mercedes-GP driver wins for 65th time in his career and retakes championship lead in the process

Lewis Hamilton dominated the French Grand Prix to retake the lead in the Formula One drivers' championship. Valdrin Xhemaj / EPA

Lewis Hamilton retook top spot in the Formula One drivers' championship as he dominated Sunday's French Grand Prix.

The Mercedes-GP won for the third time in 2018 and 65th in his career at Paul Ricard on a day when his main title rivals both hit trouble.

Sebastian Vettel, who had led the standings going into the race, broke the front wing on his Ferrari when he hit the rear left wheel of Valtteri Bottas's Mercedes at the first corner.

The impact spun Bottas around, and punctured his tyre.

Both were able to continue, with Vettel given a five-second time penalty by the race stewards for the incident.

Vettel would recover to finish fifth, while Bottas ended the day in seventh.

Hamilton, without Vettel and his teammate to pressure him, was able to pace himself to victory ahead of Max Verstappen's Red Bull Racing car.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen passed the second Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo late in the race to secure the final step on the podium.

Kevin Magnussen was sixth for Haas, with the Renaults of Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg eighth and ninth, and Charles Leclerc's Sauber completing the top 10.

Hamilton gained 15 points on Vettel with his victory and leads by 14 points going into the next round of the season in Austria on July 1.

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