The scene is set… 70 laps of 4.33km (which equals 303km) and we have to get to the flag in less than 1h30 on the beautiful Ile Notra Dame circuit named after Gilles Villeneuve.

The pack is off and immediately Sebastian Vettel takes the lead from poll position.

This time he must beat Lewis Hamilton and he’s off like a hare with the hounds in hot pursuit.

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The Ferrari is without question the fastest car in a straight line, achieving 350km/h.

But drivers have to get everything right and the key corner is the hairpin at turn 10, with heavy braking you must go in and go out fast enough to achieve that very high top speed, which is critical for a win.

Vettel is flying but on lap 48 makes a small error of judgement which takes him off the edge of the track, onto the grass and back again, squeezing Hamilton out of any possible overtaking manoeuvre.

For this he is given I think, a very unfair five second penalty for dangerous driving, which loses him the race, despite taking the chequered flag three seconds ahead of Hamilton.

Vettel is devastated at the finish and expressed his feelings, but there was not to be any change in the final decision.

After Hamilton came Charles Le Clerc, ahead of the other Mercedes driven by Valtteri Bottas.

Max Verstappen was fifth after a mishap in qualifying set him back to seventh on the grid.

Renault had a successful weekend with Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenburg in line astern for sixth and seventh places.

The Renaults have definitely found some more horse power from their engines and are on the brink of chasing the leading trio.

Pierre Gasly was eighth in the other Red Bull, while Lance Stroll was ninth in the Racing Point car with the Russian Danill Kyvat 10th in the Toro Rosso.

Except for the harsh penalty it had been an excellent race and it was not Hamilton’s fault that he was declared winner.

The next race in two weeks’ time will be staged at the very challenging and equally fast circuit Paul Ricad in France. 

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