Lewis Hamilton was crowned the winner of a remarkable Canadian Grand Prix after Sebastian Vettel was hit with a five-second penalty.
Vettel took the chequered flag at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve but was demoted to runner-up following a penalty for a near-collision with Hamilton on lap 48.
“They are stealing the race from us,” said a furious Vettel over the radio as he was informed of the stewards’ verdict.
Hamilton crossed the line 1.3 seconds behind Vettel to ensure he would take the fifth win of his championship defence, and extend his championship lead to 29 points after Valtteri Bottas finished fourth. Charles Leclerc completed the podium positions.
Vettel had appeared on course to end a 287-day losing streak, but the race exploded into life with 22 of 70 laps to run.
Hounded by Hamilton, Vettel, who has made a series of ruinous mistakes in recent seasons, lost control of his Ferrari at the left-handed third bend and ran over the grass.
Hamilton was within half-a-second of the Ferrari car, and as Vettel rejoined the track at the ensuing corner, Hamilton, pushed up against the concrete wall, was forced to slam on the brakes to avoid a coming together.
“I would have been past if it wasn’t for the wall,” said Hamilton on the radio after emulating Michael Schumacher by winning for a record-equalling seventh time in Canada.
But Vettel was incandescent.
“No, no, no, not like that,” he said. “Seriously, you need to be a blind man to think you can go through the grass and control your car. We are lucky I did not hit the wall. Where was I allowed to go? This is the wrong world.”
Vettel went straight to see the stewards as a ripple of boos rung around the track as Hamilton was interviewed moments after stepping out of his car.
