Lewis Hamilton admitted he enjoyed a "stroll in the park" and had time to reflect on memories of earlier successes as he raced to victory for Mercedes in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
MONTREAL (AP) - Lewis Hamilton managed to avoid the jostling for position behind him on the opening lap of the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.
But the grand prix fell into Hamilton's lap within a few seconds of the start. "It's a long race here, especially when you're out there on your own, but I knew the auto would hold together and it did perfectly". "Although Monaco would've been a good one to win, I am happy it happened early in the season". Kvyat stalled on the grid before the formation lap and then failed to go to the back before the start.
"I think it was clear that today we could have been better than fourth, but that's how we finished and what is done is done", said Vettel.
"I had my first win here and my first pole", Hamilton said. It was our first one-two finish of the year and in terms of ultimate points, it was the most powerful weekend we have had and maximised.
The two Force India's of Perez and Ocon ran fairly close to each other on fourth and fifth positions.
While Mercedes quickly rediscovered their mojo, they will need to keep it with Vettel leading Hamilton in the drivers' championship by 12 points.
Scattered thunderstorms, milder temperatures ahead this week for metro Detroit
Saturday night , there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 59, according to the weather service. Sunday: Partly sunny with a high near 91 with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
"I don't think in the five years I've been with the team, they have pulled together so well and really work towards the same cause".
But Mercedes, and in particular Hamilton, will be delighted with their recovery after a weekend to forget at the previous round in Monaco a fortnight ago. "To equal him. I just can't believe it".
Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the podium after a tense battle for third.
Max Verstappen surged from fifth to second, clipping Vettel's front wing on his way past before Felipe Massa was taken out by a spinning Carlos Sainz after the Toro Rosso driver had lost control following contact with Romain Grosjean's Haas vehicle in the approach to Turn 3.
Behind them, Sainz collided with Frenchman Romain Grosjean's Haas and then spun and crashed into the barriers, collecting Brazilian Felipe Massa's Williams along the way.
Vettel was forced to the back of the back of the field when he needed to change his front wing - damaged by Red Bull's Max Verstappen at the start of the race - but he drove superbly to finish fourth, passing the Force India pair of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon with two and four laps to go respectively. Bit hard to read, I think Mercedes was very strong in the race and it's also a different story when you can control the race, the pace, the tyres. Ocon had run an impressive and long first stint, enabling him to have much fresher tires, but both cars sat behind the Red Bull as Perez opted not to allow his teammate to attack despite the situation being explained to him by his engineer. The British team are still searching for its first points of 2017.
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