Category: Reviews

F1 2021: Brazilian Gp Review – Hamilton Produces Epic Drive

Max Verstappen’s win at the season-ending Abu Dhabi grand prix in 2020 provided a little hint that Red Bull may be able to fight Mercedes come 2021, especially since the regulations stayed mostly stable. But the 2021 season, so far, has turned out to be far beyond the wildest expectations of most F1 fans.

And as if determined to write its own dramatic chapter into the history books of 2021 the famed Interlagos circuit hosted an incredible Brazilian grand prix weekend. The sprint format was called upon again, which meant that running was reduced to only two practice sessions. As the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton hit the track the FIA documentation confirmed that car number 44 would start five places lower on the grid from where he qualified due to fitting a new internal combustion engine. It wasn’t ideal, but also not the end of the world given the that the circuit is significantly easy to overtake on than at last week’s Mexican grand prix.

It wouldn’t be the only setback for Hamilton and Mercedes though as a technical rule infringement sent him to the very back of the grid for the start of the Saturday sprint qualifying race. The infringement centered on the rear-wing DRS flap and the slot gap, which was found not be at the compulsory 85 mm when in operation. It felt team principal fuming and uncharacteristically disparaging. Nevertheless, there was a job to be done and Hamilton had to do it.

What followed from Hamilton was a mesmerizing 24-lap exhibition of overtaking. While Valtteri Bottas got the jump on Max Verstappen and held off the Red Bull driver to win the Sprint Hamilton carved his way through the field to finish a highly impressive tenth. But if Saturday’s performance was impressive then what he delivered on Sunday was breathtaking. The ‘Still We Rise’ mantra, a play on a famed Maya Angelou poem, has adorned his helmet for several years now but this weekend he truly exemplified it. By lap five of the race, he had already carved his way through the field, from tenth to fourth. He eased into third with some assistance from Bottas and set off after the Red Bulls. The Safety-Car was deployed on lap 6 as debris littered turn 1 after a more-than-ambitious move from Yuki Tsunoda resulted in a clash with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. Cognizant of Hamilton’s prodigious straight-line speed Verstappen would have to be smart about the restart, which he left until the very last to nullify the slipstream effect, at least temporarily. Two laps later the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) would deploy, this time to gather up debris from Mick Schumacher, who lost his front-wing.

Racing resumed on lap 15 and Hamilton took only three laps to close the gap to Perez. The Mexican did all he can to hold off Hamilton, even re-overtaking him into turn 4, but Hamilton returned the favour a lap later and was into second place. Verstappen had built around a four second gap at this stage and Hamilton wasn’t making as much in-roads. Instead, Mercedes called Hamilton into the pits on lap 27 to affect the undercut. Verstappen responded with his own stop a lap later and emerged in the lead of the race but with Hamilton now only 1.5 seconds behind.

Another VSC was needed on lap 30, this time to collect debris falling off Stroll’s car. The gap between Verstappen and Hamilton hovered around the one-second mark until Verstappen stopped for the hard compound tyre on lap 41. Hamilton stayed out for three more laps before making. His stop on lap 44. Again, he emerged, again, just behind Verstappen. He was soon within DRS range and on-board graphics showed a 30 kph advantage in Hamilton’s favour over Verstappen. On lap 48 Hamilton attempted a move around the outside of Verstappen in turn 4, but both ran off track as the Dutchman opened his steering and defended the position. While race stewards noted the move, no investigation was deemed necessary and thus Verstappen got no penalty. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Hamilton fan who’d agree with the steward’s decision just as you’d struggle to find a Verstappen fan who sees anything wrong with the move. But, in reality, the move was on the edge of deserving a penalty. In fact, Verstappen should feel like he got away with one for that move. Nevertheless, everyone would rather see it chalked up to hard racing that decided with penalties.

Eventually, Hamilton would take the lead of the race on lap 59 and sailed off into the distance. Meanwhile, Verstappen cruised home in second knowing that he didn’t have the pace to challenge Hamilton. Third-place finisher Bottas benefited from the Schumacher-VSC with a cheap pitstop and jumped Perez, ultimately fourth, through the pitstop phase. The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fifth and sixth ahead of Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly in seventh. Esteban Ocon scored his first points in Brazil with a fine eighth place finish in front of Alpine teammate Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Lando Norris in tenth.

Fan or not, Hamilton’s performance in Brazil deserves all of the praise and recognition. It was a stunning performance against a seemingly insurmountable task and it should be celebrated for the breathtaking drive it was. Three races remain in 2021 and what has gone before shows that whether it is Verstappen or Hamilton who walk away with the big prize both would be deserved of the 2021 crown.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

November 15, 2021
F1 2021: Mexican Gp Review – Verstappen at a canter

In the greater scope of 2021, the Mexican Grand Prix will not be remembered for producing the most exhilarating on-track racing.

At the head of the field the lack of edge-of-your-seat entertainment was due to Max Verstappen’s utter dominance of proceedings. At least in part. Mercedes would’ve been buoyed with a front row lockout in Saturday qualifying by Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton. But the elation was short lived as the start of the race saw Verstappen take full advantage of the slipstream. Add to that a lot more bravery on the brakes than the Merc pair and you had Verstappen sailing around the outside of both of them in turn one.

The double overtake in turn one would be the hardest that Verstappen would work all afternoon as he disappeared into the distance. If losing the lead at lights out wasn’t bad enough for Bottas he was also tapped into a spin, at the first corner, by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. While most of the blame for the clash would ordinarily be attributed to Ricciardo Bottas braked so early into turn one that it likely caught Ricciardo off guard. Speculation abounds as to why Bottas braked so inexplicably early, with the chief theory being to allow Hamilton through. Whatever the reason just as in Hungary Bottas’s lack of courage at crucial moments has again made him the master of his own downfall.

AUTODROMO HERMANOS RODRIGUEZ, MEXICO – NOVEMBER 07: Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, and Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, celebrate with Champagne during the Mexican GP at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday November 07, 2021 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images)

Though qualifying presented Mercedes as rapid it was not the case in race trim. Hamilton and Merc were planless as Verstappen disappeared into the distance. It is a staggering observation that Hamilton, once not in the lead of a race, transforms into a sullen driver seemingly not able to unleash the experience and talent of a driver many cite as the ‘greatest of all time’. There’s no question that Hamilton would’ve pushed his car in the race. But where is the impossible result seemingly conjured from nothing? The greatest champions have always been defined by winning races they has no business winning. But this does not appear to be in the make-up of Lewis Hamilton. While he is an incredible front-runner it just doesn’t seem like it will be enough in 2021. Mind you, there is still a long way to go with a heck of a lot of points on the table. But as it stands there’s not much coming from Hamilton that suggests he has any answer for Verstappen. And that is one of the most surprising narratives of the season.

There is nothing like home support and there is nothing like Checo Perez racing in front of a fervent Mexican crowd. The spectators created a colourful cacophony of support for Perez who became the first ever Mexican driver to lead the Mexican Grand Prix and to stand on the podium. For a while it looked for all money that Perez would take second but Hamilton just held on to the position in the closing stages of the race. Nevertheless, it was a day and a scene that Perez won’t soon forget.

In fourth Pierre Gasly ran a fairly anonymous but still impressive race. The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz was fifth and sixth with an important haul of points over McLaren for third in the constructor’s championship. Seb Vettel was seventh for Aston Martin ahead of former teammate and current Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen in eighth. Fernando Alonso was ninth ahead of Lando Norris who fought his way through from the back of the grid after serving having served penalties for a power unit change.

In a bid to nick one point off Verstappen Mercedes pitted Bottas for fresh tyres at the end of the race and ensured fastest lap. It was scant consolation for Bottas who finished a lowly fifteenth.

The day belonged to an imperious Max Verstappen who cantered to yet another victory in 2021. Nineteen points is the gap to Hamilton and some would suggest that the writing might be on the wall. But Verstappen himself would be the first to tamp down any such proclamations. This version of Verstappen is not only blindingly quick but also calmness personified. There’s little doubt that he is ready and able to be a world champion.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

November 8, 2021
F1 2021: US Gp Review – Masterful Max Wins in Texas

With six wins under his belt around the Circuit of the Americas Lewis Hamilton has earned the nickname, King of CoTA. For six years it’s been a Mercedes stronghold but in 2021 a superb drive from Max Verstappen gained the Dutchman a famous victory.

The Texas based race is renowned for its pomp and circumstance and it seemed even more lavish this year. The US Grand Prix returned to the F1 calendar for the first time since 2019 and it made hay while the sun shone. An estimated total of 400,000 fans packed into the grandstands throughout the weekend and were treated to an enthralling and intense battle between the top two in the title fight.

Verstappen’s Saturday pole position was short lived as Hamilton, starting second, swept into the lead of the race as the lights went out. But the Merc didn’t scamper off into the distance. Verstappen, with teammate Sergio Perez in third, was able to stick behind the Merc for all of the opening stint of the race.

High temperatures and an abrasive track surface combined to make tyre degradation the most important factor of the day. It would mean that calling the right strategy could be the difference between winning or losing. Rather than be reactive to Mercedes, Red Bull boldly called in Verstappen on lap 11. The team triggered the undercut and it gained Verstappen track position as Hamilton emerged from his stop, three laps later, around six seconds adrift.

By every indication Hamilton appeared to have the quicker car and was closing down Verstappen fairly quickly. But again, Red Bull pulled the trigger early on the second round of pitstops and called Verstappen in on lap 29. Hamilton extended his stint even further this time around and only dove into the pitlane on lap 37. He emerged in second, roughly eight seconds behind the race leader. With tyres eight laps younger than Verstappen’s the writing seemed to be on the wall. This was further compounded by Verstappen’s loss of around four seconds as he tried to lap several back-markers. With ten laps to go and a three-second gap to Verstappen it seemed inevitable that Hamilton would re-take the lead of the race.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 24: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing, second placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP, third placed Sergio Perez of Mexico and Red Bull Racing and Masashi Yamamoto of Honda celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on October 24, 2021 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

But Verstappen was not about to surrender without a fight. Despite Hamilton’s fresher tyres and the Mercedes’s top-speed advantage, Verstappen held off the 7-time champion. Of his now 18 career wins this one in Texas will rank high up on the list. Not only did Verstappen execute a bold and aggressive strategy by Red Bull but held off a much quicker Lewis Hamilton in stellar execution of tyre management and shrewd driving.

Sergio Perez completed a double podium for Red Bull in third but found himself significantly behind the top two. A problem with his drinks bottle meant the Mexican had no liquid refreshment throughout a very hot race. Perez confirmed that he was starting to lose some strength, and likely concentration, in the middle of his second stint. He was visibly depleted post-race which makes his third-place finish all the more impressive.

In a fairly lonely but no less impressive drive Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari ahead of McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo in fifth. Valtteri Bottas, suffered yet another engine change and grid penalty from which he never truly recovered. The Finn started ninth and was sixth by the chequered flag. Former teammates Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris were seventh and eighth while Yuki Tsunoda, ninth, and Seb Vettel, tenth, scored the final points on offer.

It was a tumultuous day for Fernando Alonso who came off second best to Kimi Raikkonen in a spicey exchange into turn 1 that saw both loss some bodywork. For all his troubles the day would eventually end in retirement for the Spanish driver. Esteban Ocon too retired from the race along with Pierre Gasly. Raikkonen was running well in tenth and putting pressure on Tsunoda for ninth when a spin scuppered his chances of a points finish.

The win in Texas is unlikely to be the decisive moment of the championship fight between Verstappen and Hamilton. But what is unequivocally true is that Hamilton has never been pushed as much as he has in 2021. Verstappen’s win sees his points lead extend to 12 points over Hamilton with five races to go. Max Verstappen’s drive to win the US Gp should live long in the memory banks as his most mature yet. What’s more, there is no inkling that he’s about to let up either.

October 25, 2021
F1 2021: Turkish Gp Review: Bottas Takes Straightforward Win

As with most F1 races in 2021 the Turkish Grand Prix was as highly anticipated as most of the others than have gone before it this season.

Halfway through the weekend the gauntlet was thrown down to Lewis Hamilton. Despite having the clearly quicker car over the weekend the Mercedes driver would drop down ten places from wherever he finished qualifying due to taking on board a new internal combustion engine. As it were, Hamilton was fastest overall on Saturday afternoon which saw him drop to eleventh on the starting grid.

Valtteri Bottas inherited the pole while Max Verstappen started alongside him in second. The Red Bull, sporting a striking white and red livery as a Honda homage, never had the pace of the Mercedes but there was still the potential for an advantage to be gained.

Condition proved testy with a damp track necessitating the start on intermediate tyres. Bottas led cleanly away from the start and never faced any sustained or serious pressure from Verstappen. The opening lap saw only one incident between Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso which saw the Spanish driver tipped into a spin at the exit of turn one. Although Gasly was adjudged at fault, and given a 5-second time penalty, the Frenchman was hard done by as he found himself sandwiched between Alonso on the right and Sergio Perez on the left.

Hamilton made steady, if unspectacular, progress at the start until he spent several laps stuck behind the Alpha Tauri of Yuki Tsunoda. But the Brit pulled off a sumptuous move around the outside of turn 4 to run sixth by the end of lap 10. Although the rain had ceased before the race start the track remained wet. As cold conditions lingered so too it delayed the drying of the track. Because no dry line was forthcoming the decision of when to pit was delayed more and more. However, albeit slow, the drying track was transforming the inters to slick tyres. It didn’t faze many drivers though as they continued to pound around the Istanbul Park circuit.

By the halfway stage of the 58-lap race, it was clear that Verstappen did not have the pace to beat Bottas. At this point Hamilton was bearing down on Sergio Perez for P4. Hamilton, clearly with superior pace, drew alongside Perez going into the turn 12 braking zone and the pair ran side-by-side through the final sequence of corners. But the Mexican held his own against Hamilton and denied him the position in a manner that will undoubtedly have pleased his Red Bull bosses.

By lap 38 both Bottas and Verstappen had stopped for a new set of inters while Charles Leclerc took over the lead of the race. The Monagasque sniffed a chance of an opportunistic win but would have to do so without making a pitstop. Ferrari rolled the dice on this strategy but quickly called Leclerc into the pits when he passed for P1, by Bottas. Meanwhile, Hamilton had initially asserted to his team that he would stay out to which the Mercedes pitwall agreed. However, despite running in third Hamilton began to lose time to Perez and Leclerc. He was called in on lap 51 and emerged in fifth place and under pressure from Gasly. Hamilton was fuming over team radio at the decision to call him. Ultimately, Mercedes decision was the correct one albeit too late. Hamilton likely would’ve been overtaken by Perez and Leclerc, on fresher rubber, and be shuffled down the fifth. If Mercedes had made the call earlier to box Hamilton, he may have had more time to catch up to and pass Perez and Leclerc. Nevertheless, the strategy error from Mercedes may seem only like a minor error but in a championship battle as close as in 2021 every point counts.

With Hamilton mostly of the equation for a race win Bottas took what could likely be his final opportunity to win, in impressive style. Lest we forget Bottas spun five-times in the 2020 Turkish grand prix. It makes his win, nearly error-free, all the more impressive then. Verstappen will be happy with a solid day’s work in second while Perez drove a brilliant race for Red Bull which netted him third place.

Charles Leclerc was fourth ahead of Hamilton in fifth while Gasly, recovering from his penalty, was sixth overall. Lando Norris ran a fairly anonymous race to seventh as Carlos Sainz recovered from the back of the grid to eighth place. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was ninth ahead of Esteban Ocon, who was the only driver to run all 58 laps on one set of tyres, in tenth.

October 10, 2021
F1 2021: Russian GP Review – The Great Escape

If any season could jolt the Russian Grand Prix into life it would be 2021. And come to life it most certainly did. In fairness, the excitement started on Saturday as heavy rain not only saw free practice 3 cancelled but turned qualifying on its head.

A drying track at the end of qualifying on Saturday saw the young generation of drivers come to the fore in a big way. While Hamilton not only clouted the wall in the pitlane but also spun on his flying lap the likes of Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, and George Russell aced the conditions. As it were, Norris scored the first pole position of his career while Sainz and Russell rounded out the top three.

With the longest run on the calendar to the first braking point, the slipstream was always going to have an effect for those starting at the sharp end. It was Carlos Sainz who manoeuvred it best of all as he took the lead of the race from Norris. Hamilton struggled at lights out and dropped behind Lance Stroll, Daniel Ricciardo, and Fernando Alonso, to seventh, for most of the opening stint of the race. Meanwhile, Verstappen started dead last due to penalties but made decent progress in the opening laps. Mercedes opted to fit yet another power unit to Bottas’s car in what they termed as “tactical” decision. The only tactic they were playing at was to use Bottas as a blocker against Verstappen. But Bottas has never been the most robust in defence nor is he a match, in a straight-out fight, for Verstappen. As if to emphasize this Verstappen overtook Bottas on lap 6 of the race with a minimum of fuss.

Up ahead, as Russell and Stroll dipped into the pits, Norris closed down Sainz and passed the Spanish driver into turn 2 on lap 14. Sainz diverted to the pitlane on lap 15 but Hamilton and Norris opted to stay out. At this point, Verstappen had made significant progress to run only four seconds behind Hamilton. Both championship contenders entered the pitlane on lap 27 and emerged in 9th and 12th respectively. Verstappen made short work of Russell for 11th place and now only had Ricciardo between himself and Hamilton. As Norris pitted Hamilton progressed to 5th to run 8 seconds behind the net race leader.

For all money, Hamilton’s pace suggested that he’d breeze past Norris and into the lead of the race. But Norris was driving brilliantly and kept the Merc at bay at the most crucial parts of the lap around the Sochi Autodrom. But it would all be turned on its head as the rain came down with just five laps to go. Though it did come down the rain light enough to sow some doubt in the drivers’ minds. Initially, both Norris and Hamilton elected to stay out on slicks. But with 3 laps to go Hamilton swopped his slicks for Inters but Norris decided to try and hang on with his dry tyres. In hindsight, Norris’s decision was the wrong one and resulted in a heartbreaking tumble down the field. It doesn’t take away what stellar driving the 21-year-old McLaren driver had delivered all weekend.

Hamilton meanwhile took the chequered flag first for the 100th time in his career. It’s a monumental achievement and a record that won’t be broken for a very long time. The win has also regained him the lead in the driver’s championship but, incredibly, by only two points. For when it was all going off at the front of the race Verstappen too opted onto the Inters early enough to gain himself an incredible second-place finish.

Red Bull always knew Mercedes held the advantage in Russia. A second-place finish then was likely the best they could do even on a ‘normal’ day. But a second-place finish on a day when Verstappen started dead last is an enormous result. And that with a fresh power unit in his pool to boot.

The third step on the podium was snapped up by Carlos Sainz while McLaren’s Ricciardo finished fourth. Bottas, who also benefited from an early switch to Inters, was fifth ahead of Alonso in sixth. The unlucky Norris was eventually seventh ahead of Kimi Raikkonen who on his return to F1 after testing positive for Covid-19 drove a superb race to finish eighth in what is a grotesquely off-the-pace Alfa Romeo. For the final points paying positions, Sergio Perez and George Russell were ninth and tenth.

Only seven races remain in the 2021 season and if what has gone before is anything to go by then what is to come is not only going to be the stuff that champions are made of but is also likely to culminate in one of the most memorable and exhilarating Formula 1 season ever.

September 27, 2021
F1 2021: Italian Gp Review – Ricciardo & McLaren Return on Top

Just when you thought the drama of the Formula 1 season might be ebbing it delivers the 2021 Italian grand prix.

The sprint format last seen at Silverstone was utilized this weekend, which included an 18-lap sprint-qualifying race to determine the starting grid for Sunday’s race. While Valtteri Bottas walked away the victor of the sprint qualifying race a raft of penalties, incurred for fitting a new power unit, dropped him to the back of the grid. It promoted Max Verstappen to pole with Daniel Ricciardo alongside in second. In third on the grid was Lando Norris while Lewis Hamilton, due to a bad start in the sprint-quali race, lined up in fourth.

The first corner, or chicane if you will, at Monza has more often than not delivered a tense opening salvo to many a grand prix. It was no different this time around at Ricciardo scythed into the lead of the race ahead of Verstappen and his McLaren teammate Norris. Hamilton and Mercedes decided to play the long game by starting on the hard compound tyre but the Brit was stuck behind Norris for the majority of the opening stint of the race. But because Verstappen was unable to pass Ricciardo up ahead the gap to the leading duo didn’t grow as much, which left Hamilton well within striking distance.

As the laps ticked by Riccardo held his own in the lead of the race. The Aussie dove into the pitlane while Verstappen stayed out. One lap later the Dutchman stopped on his marks in the pitlane and disaster struck. From the Hungarian grand prix onwards the FIA has implemented a mandate, which requires a mechanic to press a button once a wheel has been fastened onto the car. In Verstappen’s 11-second pitstop was due to the mechanic in question not pressing this button which, in turn, meant the light that signals the driver remained red. It dropped Verstappen well behind Ricciardo and should have dropped him behind Hamilton as well. But the Mercedes driver had his own tardy stop of 4 seconds, which saw him emerge from the pitlane alongside Verstappen.

Neither driver yielded as they went into the first chicane, which resulted in a spectacular clash and the end of both their races. Verstappen’s rear tyres climbed over the cockpit of Hamilton’s car, which looked a frightening incident in slow motion. It was clear that once again the Halo had protected Hamilton for sustaining serious injuries. As in Silverstone the Hamilton and Verstappen fans will be steadfast in their blame of the other driver.

Those for Hamilton will argue that he was ahead in the corner and those for Verstappen will contend that he wasn’t left enough space. Because both could make a valid argument it does tend more towards a racing incident. However, the race stewards found that Verstappen was proportionally more at fault and thus has been given a three-place grid penalty at the next race. The only potential solace of this penalty is that it may amount to nothing, as it is likely that Red Bull will take several grid penalties for installing fourth power unit to Verstappen’s car at the Russian grand prix.

As much as the championship protagonists dominated the headlines it is Daniel Riccardo, Lando Norris, and McLaren who deserve all of the plaudits. New to the team in 2021 Ricciardo has struggled at times to find his feet but with the support of McLaren the highly rated Honey Badger delivered a race victory that will live long in the memory. The win wasn’t lucked into either as Ricciardo led the race from start to finish on pure merit while Hamilton and Verstappen played bumper-cars behind him.

Lando Norris’s second-place finish earned McLaren their first 1-2 finish since 2010. It has been a remarkable journey for the Woking based team who found themselves occupying the back rows of the grid just a few years ago. The combination of Zak Brown and Andreas Seidl and many others behind the scenes has eventuated in a turnaround every single member of McLaren should be utterly proud of.

The pitwall was draped in papaya orange at the mechanics cheered home Ricciardo who crossed the line for his eighth and probably most memorable win closely followed by Norris in second. Sergio Perez was third on the track for Red Bull but a 5-second time penalty, incurred for cutting the track and gaining an advantage, dropped him down the field. Valtteri Bottas, thanks to the safety car deployed for the Hamilton/Verstappen crash, finished fourth but moved up to third due the Perez-penalty. The Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was fourth with Perez in fifth ahead of Carlos Sainz in sixth. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was seventh as Fernando Alonso was eighth for Alpine. Mercedes-bound George Russell was ninth as Esteban Ocon rounded out the top ten.

There will be vociferous agreement and disagreement on the Hamilton/Verstappen incident. But one thing that is unanimously true is that the 2021 Formula 1 season is mind-bogglingly spectacular.

Images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

September 13, 2021
F1 2021: Dutch Gp Review – To The Max

From Brazil to Monza to Silverstone to Germany there have been crowds that have elevated Formula 1 races to an unbelievable levels of unforgettable passion. And now the Dutch have added themselves to the list of most extraordinary F1 crowds.

A sea of orange greeted F1 from the moment the first wheel was turned in Friday practice. With 70,000 fans packing out the grandstands every single day the electrifying atmosphere built to a breathtaking crescendo on Sunday as Max Verstappen became the first Dutch driver to ever win his home race.

The weekend was preceded by the news that Kimi Raikkonen has decided that 2021 will be the final Formula One season of his illustrious career. And as if by supernatural design Raikkonen continued to dominate the headlines as it was announced on Friday night that he would not be taking part in the rest of the weekend after returning a positive COVID-19 test. Raikkonen will have to return two negative tests before he will be allowed to partake in this weekend‘s Italian Grand Prix. Robert Kubica slotted into the vacant seat for the weekend.

Nevertheless the show must go on and it most certainly did. Despite failing to open the DRS flap on the final run of qualifying three Max Verstappen still secured pole position for his home Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton lined up along side the Dutchman in second while Valtteri Bottas was third quickest in the second Mercedes. As the lights went out on Sunday it was line astern for the top three while the rest of the field jockeyed for position on the undulating Zaandvoort circuit.

Verstappen’s win wasn’t especially dominant but the Red Bull driver also never seemed especially under pressure from Hamilton. Mercedes threw everything they could at Red Bull in terms of strategy even going so far as to use Bottas as a blocker against Verstappen in aid of Hamilton. Unfortunately for them Verstappen made short work of the Finn and from there on seemed able to control the race.

Throughout the weekend what became clear is that the Zaandvoort circuit is a classic old school track with peril around every corner. As such the Practice sessions and even qualifying were littered with red flags. But surprisingly no safety car or red flag was needed in the race. But for few wheel banging overtakes all the drivers were inch perfect.

Mercedes attempted to dupe Red Bull on strategy, which comprised of pitting Hamilton early. But not only did Red Bull not fall for the bluff but it left Hamilton extremely unsure as to the possibility of carrying a set of tires to the end of the race. As it were the Brit was pulled back into the pit line for another stop, which was easily covered by Verstappen. Ultimately Mercedes chose to stop both its drivers a third time with the aim of securing the point for fastest lap for Hamilton.

Behind the top three Pierre Gasly finished a fine fourth ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Fernando Alonso continues to underline his incredible talent with a fighting sixth place finish followed by Carlos Sainz in seventh. Sergio Perez was voted driver of the day for his recovery drive from a pitlane start to eighth. Esteban Ocon was ninth while Lando Norris took the final point in tenth.

Verstappen’s win sees him retake the lead of the driver’s championship but it also a serious statement of intent. No matter what Mercedes and Hamilton threw at him he, seemingly, handled it with ease; and that under the enormous pressure of a highly expectant Dutch crowd.

The worst kept secret in F1 at the moment is that George Russell is off to Merc for 2022. This announcement, and Bottas’s move to Alfa Romeo, is expected in the next few days. In fact the Bottas to Alfa Romeo move may already be official by the time you are reading this.

September 6, 2021
F1 2021: Hungarian Gp Review – Ocon Emerges in P1

You’re only as good as your last race. If there were any truth to this old racing adage then half of the Formula 1 field would be absolutely elated while the other half is absolutely fuming. Such was the chaos at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.

The wet weather that came down just minutes before the race start seemed like it would cause the most difficultly on the opening few laps but it turned out to be Valtteri Bottas instead. As the drivers battled wheel-spin off the starting grid Bottas made the poorest starts of the first few rows. Hamilton, starting on pole, was relatively clean away with Verstappen, starting third, well on his way to slotting in behind him. But Bottas’s mind clearly wasn’t where it needed to be. The Finn, at best described as an errant torpedo, failed to brake early enough for turn 1 and scuttled nearly half the field. The Mercedes driver triggered the chaos by hitting the back of Lando Norris who in turn walloped the side of Verstappen. In a sort of two-for-one special Bottas also collected the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez on his way into the turn 1 barriers. Bottas wasn’t the only one who forewent the braking into turn 1 as Lance Stroll skittered across the inside kerb of said corner and took out himself, Charles Leclerc and punted Daniel Ricciardo into a spin.

The shambolic start couldn’t have been worse for some but several others were still in the running and picked their way through the mess of carbon fiber. With Hamilton unscathed in the lead it was Esteban Ocon in second with Aston Martin’s Seb Vettel in third. Carlos Sainz, who’d started 15th was now fourth with both Williams drivers also running solidly in the points. But the debris on track proved too much and the red flag was subsequently put out. As the cars came to a halt the Red Bull mechanics worked feverishly to repair Verstappen’s car that was, miraculously, still running. Albeit car no. 33 had suffered significant damage, including a missing right bargeboard and severe damage to the floor which resulted in a nearly un-drivable car. Not only was Verstappen at the back of the field with a drastically damaged car but Perez too was out of the race.

And still the shambles of the Hungarian Grand Prix was far from over. The red flag period was long enough to dry the track and prompt the drivers back into the pits at the end of the formation lap. All the drivers bar one. Lewis Hamilton remained on track and lined up as the only car on the grid. In comical fashion the lights went out and Hamilton pulled away. It was clear fairly quickly that Merc had made the wrong call to stay out and Hamilton was forced to pit at the end of that lap. It dropped him to last place for the time being.

As the race sorted itself out at the front Ocon led Vettel by roughly a second for the majority of the race. Try as he might Vettel was not able to overtake the Alpine for the lead of the race. Initially, Hamilton’s progress was stunted but once he undercut Verstappen with a slightly earlier switch to hard tyres he was on the move. The damage to Verstappen’s car was evident as the Dutchman spent far too much time trying to overtake the much slower Mick Schumacher in the Haas. As it were Verstappen would only manage tenth place by the chequered flag.

Meanwhile, Hamilton had made a second stop for brand-new medium tyres and was on an almighty charge with a substantial pace advantage over those ahead of him. It seemed highly likely that the Brit would recover to win the race. That was until he encountered the Alpine of one Fernando Alonso. Despite being in a slower car with much older tyres Alonso delivered a stunning defensive drive to hold off Hamilton just long enough. Eventually the Merc was past the Alpine and also made short work of Sainz’s Ferrari in third but it was too late for Hamilton to attempt an overtake on either Vettel or Ocon.

Unfortunately, Seb Vettel’s great drive was sullied by a post-race disqualification. As per regulation the FIA requires the withdrawal of 1 liter of fuel from the car, which they were unable to do. Aston Martin has lodged an appeal against the disqualification. Bottas and Stroll get off fairly lightly with a 5-place grid drop at the next race as the only penalty for eliminating half of the field.

The last two races have been nothing short of a nightmare for Red Bull who has now lost the lead in both the constructors and driver’s championship. But it doesn’t diminish what was a good day for many others on the grid. Vettel’s disqualification moves Hamilton into second while Sainz is third. The driver-of-the-day Alonso is fourth ahead of Alpha Tauri’s Gasly and Tsunoda in fifth and sixth. Nicholas Latifi is seventh with Williams teammate George Russell in eighth and Verstappen in ninth. Somehow, despite a 10-second penalty for an unsafe release by the Alfa Romeo team in the pitlane Kimi Raikkonen is able to salvage tenth and the final point on offer.

After being dumped out of F1 in 2019, for no good reason, Esteban Ocon had to somehow find his way back into the sport in an ultra-competitive midfield. He’d done so slowly but surely and Sunday’s drive showcased not only his determination but put on display all the skill and talent that he promised a few seasons ago. It was an utterly stellar drive and win for one of the nicest guys in the paddock.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

August 2, 2021
F1 2021: British Gp Review – Hamilton Takes Controversial Win

Drama has been synonymous with Formula 1 racing for all of its history. And so has controversy. For the 2021 British Grand Prix an extra helping of controversy was in the offing.

It was Max Verstappen who started from pole after winning the first ever sprint race on Saturday afternoon. The Dutchman went wheel to wheel with title rival Lewis Hamilton as the lights went out all the way around the famed Silverstone circuit. The battle though would only last until the ultra-fast Copse corner. Hamilton, desperate for the lead of the race, placed his car on the inside while Verstappen took the racing line into the corner. As it were Hamilton’s left-front collided with the right-rear of the Red Bull, which ended in a 51G impact with the barrier for Verstappen. The race was red flagged in order for the barrier to be repaired and the debate begun as to who was to blame for the incident.

As it were, Hamilton offered an array of defenses that included that he was alongside Verstappen, that he was ahead, and that Verstappen had turned in on him. A review of footage disproves all of these rationalizations. In fact, an on-board with Verstappen shows him deliberately leaving Hamilton space on the inside. The reality is that not Verstappen fans nor Hamilton fans will be convinced that either of the driver that they support was to blame. Here are the indisputable facts: Hamilton was not alongside Verstappen and he not only had more than enough space but was wide of the apex. It is a certainty that he knew exactly where the other car was positioned at all times. The same cannot be said for Verstappen and his awareness of where Hamilton was. For this reason he was fully capable of knowing that a collision was highly likely but decided to carry on with the attempted overtake.

While Verstappen was transported to a local hospital for precautionary checks Hamilton was given a decidedly light ten second penalty, which is the second-most lenient penalty a driver, can be given. In another stroke of luck the red flag period also allowed Mercedes engineers to repair any damage on Hamilton’s car at no time loss. In fact, it was revealed post-race by Mercedes that without the opportunity to repair the damage to Hamilton’s car, under the red flag, he would have been forced to retire from the race.

As it were Charles Leclerc picked up the pieces from the Hamilton/Verstappen clash and took the lead. He drove a stellar race and led for the majority of it despite a software problem, which caused the engine to cut sporadically threatening the Monegasque’s race. But the Ferrari is far from a front-running car in 2021 and certainly hasn’t been anywhere near the pace of a Mercedes either. It was all but inevitable then that Hamilton would make short work of Leclerc given the superior pace of his car. Heck in more than half of the races this season Leclerc has finished more than 50 seconds adrift such is the pace deficit of the Ferrari in comparison to the Red Bull and Merc. A slow pitstop for Lando Norris meant another obstacle was removed for Hamilton who only had teammate Valtteri Bottas in between himself and Leclerc. Naturally, Bottas was told to let Hamilton through and the Finn, eager to please the team bosses and maintain his seat, obeyed and moved aside.

Leclerc, easily the best driver of the day, finished in second ahead of perennial wingman Bottas in third. Despite a slow pitstop Norris was fourth ahead of his McLaren teammate Daniel Ricciardo in fifth. Carlos Sainz, who suffered his own pitstop issues, was sixth while Fernando Alonso was seventh for Alpine. Lance Stroll was eighth for Aston Martin ahead of Esteban Ocon in ninth and Yuki Tsunoda in tenth.

The win brings Hamilton to within eight point of the title lead. Not only that but Mercedes also closed the gap to four points in the constructors’ standings, as Sergio Perez scored no points after starting from the pitlane. If you’d tuned in to listen to the radio messages between the Merc pit wall and Hamilton you’d have thought they’d beaten Red Bull by half a minute such was their boastful jubilation. Under a cloud of controversy that will not trouble either Hamilton or Mercedes the British Grand Prix has injected some dissent into the title fight. On to Hungary.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

July 20, 2021
F1 2021: Austrian Gp Review – Three Wins in a Row for Verstappen

If you are not a regular viewer of Formula 1 you’d be forgiven for assuming that the race around Austria’s Red Bull Ring was a replay of seven days ago at least from a Red Bull perspective.

Again Max Verstappen took the top step of the podium for a third consecutive win in 2021. But for as much déjà vu as Verstappen on the top step of the podium evokes there were some marked differences too. Not only did he win with seeming ease but also the margin, in terms of pure pace, was even bigger to Mercedes this week.

With no answer on pace or strategy the best Mercedes could do was a second place with Valtteri Bottas. For the majority of the race Lewis Hamilton ran second but some unexplained and unconfirmed damage at the rear of the car meant a lack of pace, even in comparison to teammate Bottas. Not only did he lose out on second but Lando Norris also made short work of the reigning champion to take yet another podium finish in third. Again, Norris delivered a stellar weekend, which included a first-ever front row start after missing out on pole position be less than half a tenth of a second.

Ultimately Hamilton finished fourth and seemed fairly downcast post-race. Mercedes clearly have a lot of work to do in order to catch up to Red Bull and Hamilton was reluctant to divulge in which area the car is lacking the most. In two weeks time F1 will run around the Silverstone circuit where Mercedes are expected to perform better. But the same was expected in France too. It remains to be seen what Hamilton and Mercedes can pull out of the bag against a rampant Red Bull and Verstappen.

It was a solid day for Carlos Sainz who brought his Ferrari home in fifth. The same can’t be said for Checo Perez though who banged wheels with both Norris and Leclerc on his was to a sixth place finish. The Mexican driver looked set to snatch second off Norris on lap 2 of the race but ran off track into turn 6. Norris, quite harshly, was given a 5-second penalty for forcing a driver off the circuit and Perez had dropped well down the field. A skirmish with Leclerc later in the race at the very same corner saw Perez given a 5-second penalty, which once again defied logic. As if to add insult to injury another tussle with Leclerc, this time in turn 8, earned Perez yet another 5-second penalty. The stewards certainly didn’t cover themselves in glory as they did their level best to discourage hard racing. One hopes that they’ll take a good hard look at themselves after a fairly poor showing.

Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo was seventh for McLaren with Charles Leclerc in eighth overall ahead Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly in ninth. An entertaining late-race battle between George Russell and Fernando Alonso saw the Spaniard sneak into the final points-paying position in tenth.

Never before at any level of his racing career has Max Verstappen led a world championship. But three wins on the bounce with the most recent seeming no more taxing than a Sunday afternoon cruise makes Verstappen look very much at home. As it stands there are 14 more races and an awful lot of racing that remains on the 2021 calendar. Much can change in the next six months but what is becoming ever more certain is that if it is within Max Verstappen’s control then 2021 may just be the most special year of his racing life.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

July 4, 2021