Verstappen denies Hamilton first win of season to secure constructor’s title for Red Bull

Max Verstappen dedicated his win and Red Bull Racing’s constructor’s championship triumph to energy drinks mogul Dietrich Mateschitz following his death on Saturday.

The Dutchman had to fight back after a slow pitstop put Lewis Hamilton out front and on course for his first win of the season, passing the Mercedes man late in the day to claim his 13th win of the season and with it the team’s title for the Tilbrook squad.

The news of Mateschitz’s death broke ahead of qualifying on Saturday, and the sport held an emotional tribute to the Austrian, who owned both Red Bull Racing and Alpha Tauri, before the race.

After taking the lead at the first corner, greatly aided when George Russell took out pole sitter Carlos Sainz, Verstappen barely looked back, covering Hamilton’s pitstops.

But a faulty wheel-gun nearly cost Verstappen the win as his long-stop dropped him behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. On the medium tyres compared to Hamilton’s hards though, Verstappen closed the gap to his Mercedes rival and passed with six laps to go to claim the win, and with it, Red Bull’s first constructor’s crown since 2013.

“It has been a tough weekend for us,” said Verstappen, whose 13th win of the season equals the record set by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. “We really wanted to do well today. It was looking great right up until the pitstop, so we had to work harder than we would have liked. But luckily everything worked out, and we got into the lead with a few laps to go.

“This is a race Dietrich would have loved to see, pushing until the end.

“We’re extremely proud of winning the constructor’s championship.”

Sergio Perez’s fourth place, just behind Leclerc, ensured he remains second in the driver’s standings with three races remaining.

On the championship, team boss Christian Horner said: “It’s been hugely emotional for us this weekend, and that’s the best possible way to win. He would have been really proud of that.

“To win the constructor’s championship after eight long years, it feels incredible. Everyone plays a part in the team.

“This means everything to us. It has been such a journey. Dietrich was a passionate man, passionate about his life, sport and especially about F1. His dream was to have an F1 team, and he got two! He gave us all the chance, he backed us, so this is for him.

“We’re tremendously grateful for everything he did for us. We’ll celebrate in his honour.”