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LONDON. — LEWIS Hamilton battled back from last to second as his championship rival Sebastian Vettel won a dramatic British Grand Prix yesterday.

Hamilton was spun round at the first corner by Vettel’s Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, but turned in a masterful display, and took advantage of two safety car periods to finish behind Vettel.

Raikkonen crossed the line ahead of Valtteri Bottas, who had led with only five laps of the race remaining.

Vettel strengthens his stranglehold on the championship, and will now head to his home race in Germany in a fortnight’s time with an eight-point advantage. Hamilton secured pole 24 hours earlier, but his getaway here was slow and it was not long before Vettel had passed the Brit for the lead with Bottas following suit.

Raikkonen was then all over the back of Hamilton’s Mercedes gearbox, and the Finn locked up at the right-handed turn three and slammed into his opponent. Hamilton was sent spinning round, and suddenly he found himself down in 18th and with it all to do.Raikkonen was at fault for the coming together and the stewards concurred as they slapped the Ferrari driver with a 10-second penalty. — Telegraph.