Vettel dedicates thrilling win to tragic Bianchi
In a race which had it all, the Ferrari driver finished ahead of Daniil Kvyat with the Russian’s Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo completing the podium.
Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton endured an error-prone race as he crossed the line in sixth.
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Hide AdBut there was some joy for the Briton after his Mercedes team-mate and rival for this year’s championship Nico Rosberg could manage only eighth following a collision with Ricciardo in the closing stages.
The Formula 1 community arrived here in Budapest under a cloud following Bianchi’s death last Friday from the injuries he suffered during last season’s Japanese Grand Prix.
But his contemporaries vowed to race on in the Frenchman’s honour and they delivered one of the finest races in recent seasons.
Hamilton had been expected to cruise to a record fifth victory here in Budapest, but the world champion made a catalogue of errors and was fortunate that he finished sixth. It could, and probably should, have been a lot worse.
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Hide AdBoth Hamilton and Rosberg suffered poor getaways at the British Grand Prix, and the Mercedes pair were again painfully slow off the start-line here.
Vettel, who started from third, went toe-to-toe with Hamilton on the 180mph run down to turn one before taking the lead and he never looked back.
“This victory is for Jules,” Vettel said. “We know this has been an incredibly tough week. It has been difficult and this one is for him.”