Lewis Hamilton claimed a remarkable victory at Formula 1's German Grand Prix from 14th on the grid, as long-time race leader Sebastian Vettel crashed out when a rain shower struck Hockenheim.
Vettel was poised to lead a Ferrari 1-2 but the threatened rain that eventually hit the circuit 44 laps into the 67-lap race threw a curveball into proceedings.
The rain eventually intensified a few laps later but most of the leaders stayed out on dry tyres as they battled what was expected to be a brief shower.
GERMAN GRAND PRIX: Race result | Championship standings
Vettel, though, was the driver to encounter the major drama as he slid wide into the banked Sachs Kurve on lap 52, skated across the gravel, and hit the barriers.
A devastated Vettel was almost in tears as he apologised to his Ferrari team, while the position of the stricken SF71-H required a Safety Car period.
Hamilton had worked his way to fourth place by running a long first stint on Softs, quickly sweeping past the midfield pack, and stayed out until lap 43, shortly before the first batch of rain hit.
Max Verstappen’s decision to pit for Intermediates handed Hamilton fourth, which became third when Vettel crashed out.
Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen had scrapped for second place shortly before Vettel’s crash, and both opted to pit behind the Safety Car for fresh Ultrasoft tyres.
Hamilton thus took the lead, though only after indecision on the Mercedes pit wall, as a late call was made to keep the Briton out on track.
It left Bottas with 10-lap fresher Ultrasoft tyres compared to Hamilton and the Mercedes pair went wheel-to-wheel at the restart, with Hamilton defending into the hairpin.
Hamilton stayed ahead, after which Mercedes called off the fight, and the expected further rainfall did not arrive until after the chequered flag, deluging the podium ceremony.
It marked Hamilton's fourth win of the season, the lowest position on the grid from which he has triumphed, and allowed him to re-take the lead of the standings, 17 points clear of Vettel.
Raikkonen was left in third place in a race that he previously led; having made an early stop he used the undercut to pass Vettel, and stayed ahead for several laps, until Ferrari ordered a position swap.
Verstappen was fourth, having run a relatively lonely race, while Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg took fifth, with Haas’ Romain Grosjean sixth.
Force India bagged useful points courtesy of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon, while Marcus Ericsson returned to the points in ninth.
Carlos Sainz Jr. was classified at the foot of the top 10 but a penalty for passing behind the Safety Car relegated him down the order, promoting Brendon Hartley to the final points-paying position.
Kevin Magnussen was poised for sixth prior to rain and an ill-judged switch to Intermediates until the Safety Car skewered his hopes, and he trailed home 11th, ahead of the penalised Sainz Jr.
Stoffel Vandoorne took 13th, having been compromised by a power loss, while Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc both opted for wet rubber during the first batch of rain and had to abandon that tactic, the Sauber driver having two off-track excursions.
Fernando Alonso had a low-key Grand Prix before retiring late on while Daniel Ricciardo suffered a loss of power prior to the rain, having made slower progress than Hamilton early on, having started on Mediums.
Neither Williams driver reached the chequered flag, with both Sergey Sirotkin and Lance Stroll retiring.
The next round of the season will take place in Hungary next weekend
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