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Lewis Hamilton retakes F1 lead with 'miracle' victory in Germany

HOCKENHEIM, Germany – Lewis Hamilton raced from 14th to first to seize a "miracle" German Grand Prix victory in a Mercedes one-two on Sunday and retake the Formula One championship lead from Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who crashed. Vettel, now 17 points behind the Briton after starting eight ahead, led his home race from pole position until rain caused chaos in the closing laps, with the German sliding off and into the barriers. Hamilton, the reigning world champion, took the chequered flag for a record-equalling fourth German Grand Prix win, ahead of his Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. "I've never had a race like this," said the four-times champion, who was summoned to stewards after the race for a pitlane infringement but escaped with a reprimand and the victory intact. "Today I feel like I drove the best that I can remember driving. I didn't make any mistakes." It was the 66th win of his F1 career, and Mercedes' 80th, and minutes after the finish, the skies opened with an array of thunder and lightning and a torrential downpour that would have stopped any race. "Miracles do happen, mate," Hamilton's race engineer Pete Bonnington told him over the radio after a slow-burner that turned into one of the great comebacks of the Briton's already stellar career. Hamilton, who threw himself across the pitlane wall into the arms of his mechanics and also got a bear-hug from delighted Mercedes-Benz boss Dieter Zetsche, seemed about as stunned as anyone. "I really feel that the rain has come down and just washed away any negativity and its a glorious day," Hamilton said, his voice wobbling. "It couldn't have been a better day for me and one that I will always remember." FERRARI NIGHTMARE Beaten by Vettel in his home British Grand Prix at Silverstone two weeks ago, where he went from pole to the back of the field and up to second, he had turned the tables completely. "Love conquers all," declared Hamilton, who had reacted defiantly on Instagram to the booing and hostility from a partisan crowd after his car broke down in Saturday's qualifying. "It's obviously very, very difficult from that position and highly unlikely but you've always got to believe," added the four-times champion, who said a long prayer before the race started. "I really manifested my dream today." For Vettel, it was simply a nightmare – the chance to make big gains slipping through his hands in an instant. He now has 171 points to Hamilton's 188.

1933 Duesenberg tops Mecum Auctions' Monterey results at $3,850,000

Mecum Auctions had three Duesenbergs on offer at the Monterey Car Week's auction event, and the most valuable of the three was the achingly beautiful, one-of-one Bohman and Schwartz-built Model J Disappearing-Top Roadster in white over red, for $3,850,000. Duesenberg reportedly utilized as many as 32 coachbuilders to build custom Model Js, and this one with Hollywood history is unique thanks to its bodywork. In comparison, a 1929 Murphy-bodied Model J Convertible Sedan brought in "just" $1,155,000. The second highest price in Mecum results was achieved by a practically undriven, 307-mile 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari. The Rosso Corsa example slotted in neatly compared to its $3,000,000 to $3,300,000 estimate, finishing at $3,190,000. Another LaFerrari, a yellow one with 419 miles, remained unsold at $3,200,000. Number three is also a Ferrari, an Enzo at that. The 3,150-mile 2003 Enzo, in red over red, finished at $2,860,000. After a string of street cars, the fourth highest Mecum auction price was achieved by the 1989 Daytona 24 Hours, 1989 Palm Beach Grand Prix and 1989 Porsche Cup USA winning Porsche 962. The list of drivers with stints behind the Busby Racing 962's wheel is impressive reading: Derek Bell, John Andretti, Mauro Baldi, Jochen Mass and Brian Redman just to mention a few. Chassis 962-108 had the honor of claiming the 50 th win for a 962 in international competition, at Daytona 24 Hours, and that victory was also Derek Bell's final 24-hour endurance win. As Mecum notes, Bell has called this 962 as his favorite Group C Porsche. It has been in collector hands since 1989, and the selling price reached $2,200,000. The fifth car is a very significant Lamborghini Miura: an unrestored original with its factory coat of red, it is the second Miura P400S model built, and the earliest known S survivor. It has just 28,613 miles on its odometer, and it still wears the Pirelli Cinturatos it was given at the factory. Among all Miuras, this 1969 car is certainly a unicorn, and as a result it sold for $1,155,000. The rest of the top 10 sellers from the Mecum auction follow: 1929 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Sedan, $1,155,000 2012 Dallara DW12 Honda Indy Car, $1,127,500 2017 Ferrari F12tdf Coupe, $1,045,000 1936 Auburn 852 Supercharged Speedster, $1,017,500 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe, $825,000 Related Video: Featured Gallery Mecum Auctions Monterey 2018 View 10 Photos News Source: Mecum AuctionsImage Credit: Mecum Auctions Misc.

Ferrari looking to become even more exclusive

While most automakers are clawing and scratching for every possible sale, it sounds like Ferrari is content in losing a few potential customers in the name of better exclusivity and higher profits. Autocar reports that Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo recently stated that the Italian automaker hopes to sell fewer than 7,000 units globally in 2013 compared to last year's tally of 7,318.
As a part of this plan, Ferrari will be slowing its production lines and trying to create a balanced market for its cars in the US, the Middle East, Europe and China - the latter two being the automaker's biggest markets. Montezemolo also said that Ferrari would not be expanding its model lineup with SUVs, sedans or small cars.