In 2021, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have been at the forefront of conversation. It’s established now that these two are the main protagonists in the fight for the ultimate prize of the world championship. And as with any good drama an intense amount of controversy has been added to amp up the intensity. After all, what good is any story without some type of conflict?
The 2021 British Grand Prix and the clash between Hamilton and Verstappen lives rent-free in the minds of most F1 fans. Regardless of who you think is to blame, or not, it has magnified an already fierce battle. In Hungary this week there will undoubtedly be questions from the press to both drivers and their respective teams about the incident and it will all receive run-of-the-mill ‘we’ve moved on’ responses. The best and most important response will come on the track where it matters most.
Despite a nightmarish race weekend at Silverstone with zero points in the bank Red Bull is still likely to start the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend as favourites. The Hungaroring circuit might be known as one of the most spectator friendly, given that it’s effectively situated in a bowel, but it is not one famous for overtaking opportunities which places most, if not all, of the emphasis on qualifying. There’s no special format this weekend either as F1 returns to its traditional three practice sessions, quali on Saturday, and the Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon. So far this season Red Bull have held the ascendancy in pure pace over one lap. But Mercedes, through Hamilton, was able to best Verstappen at Silverstone. It might have been the rather big upgrade package or the vociferous home support or a combination of the two that propelled Hamilton to p1. The true test of whether Mercedes are genuinely closer, or even equal to Red Bull on pace, will come in Hungary.
As the championship battle expectantly twists and turns at the epicenter of Formula 1 there is much else that need to be confirmed, sorted out, and finalized during the winter break that follows the Hungarian Grand Prix. One of the most prominent stories involves the 2022 Mercedes seat alongside Lewis Hamilton. Toto Wolff has been just short of singing Valtteri Bottas’s praises after the Finn moved out of Hamilton’s way at Silverstone. And still George Russell continues to outshine his Williams car in an effort to snatch the Merc seat for himself. Elsewhere, Checo Perez hardly covered himself in glory in his last race but the expectation is that the Mexcian has done enough to maintain his Red Bull seat for next year.
Then there is the perennial question of Kimi Raikkonen and if he will continue or retire. The Finn is not only the oldest driver on the grid at 41 but also the most experienced in the history of the sport. As Alfa Romeo has re-stated its support of the team there is a raft of possibilities for the two seats. From GP2 stars such as Callum Illot and Theo Pourchaire to Mick Schumacher and even Valtteri Bottas have been linked with the team. It’s unlikely that all of this will be resolved in the winter break but the picture of 2022 will definitely begin to take shape.
As much of the focus is on the Hamilton/Verstappen duel the titanic scrap between McLaren and Ferrari, for third in the constructors standings, is another enticing prospect for this weekend. And such is the form of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris that it can’t be ruled out that they may be able to mix it at the sharp end of the grid, at least in qualifying.
As enthralling as the title fight is one of the most enticing things about this season is that up and down the 2021 Formula 1 field there are drivers eager to stake their claim, teams keen for supremacy over their nearest rivals. And all there is only one place all of it can come to a head – on the track.
