Ricciardo Storms To Win Chinese GP As Verstappen Hits Vettel
By: Francis Joseph
Daniel Ricciardo passed Valtteri Bottas to score a stunning first win of the 2018 Formula 1 season as Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel collided in a wild Chinese Grand Prix.
Bottas and Vettel were locked in their own battle for the win until Ricciardo and Verstappen pit again for fresh, soft tyres during a safety car period just after the halfway mark as their rivals stayed on mediums.
Ricciardo then overtook his teammate, Lewis Hamilton and Vettel in quick succession before executing a stunning pass on Bottas into the tight Turn 6 right-hander for the victory.
Bottas fought a rearguard action against the recovering Kimi Raikkonen to claim third, after Verstappen tipped Vettel into a spin at the hairpin with 14 laps to go.
Vettel led from pole in the opening stint and built a lead of just over three seconds over Bottas, and Mercedes moved first on strategy by pitting Bottas on lap 19.
