#Ocon says Alpine are doing the 'best we can' as he backs them to make push for fourth in the championship

[f1]

Ocon says Alpine are doing the 'best we can' as he backs them to make push for fourth in the championship

Esteban Ocon has shut down the idea that Alpine should switch their focus to 2024 and has backed his team to rediscover their form in the second half of the year, highlighting their season's best results as a reason to be optimistic. Hopes were high at Alpine coming into the 2023 season following a fourth place finish in last year’s constructors' championship. However, they currently sit sixth in the standings, having been leapfrogged by rivals Aston Martin and McLaren. ANALYSIS: Why Szafnauer, Permane and Fry departed Alpine on Friday at Spa – and could Mattia Binotto be part of the rebuilding process? And speaking in Belgium prior to Alpine announcing that Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane would be leaving the team, while Pat Fry would be joining Williams as their Chief Technical Officer, Ocon was adamant things were not as bad as it seemed. Asked whether Alpine's attentions should not turn to next season, Ocon responded: “It's easy to say that, for you, now. But, you know, we've been working very hard. So, obviously, we are not having the best couple of races. “But, you know, when we've brought some good updates to the car we were fighting near the top five. We had a couple of qualifyings where we were very well into the top 10. I finished on the podium in Monaco. Ocon highlighted his podium in Monaco as a reason for Alpine to remain optimistic for the rest of the season “You know, we qualified top five in Barcelona and Canada I was P6. It’s just recently that it hasn't gone our way. Other teams have improved more than we did. But it really shows how tight it is and how much, you know, bringing something to the next race can change things.” He added: “And yeah, I mean, we've seen it with McLaren what happens. Obviously, I’m not saying that bringing an update, that that's what we are going to do. READ MORE: Perez 'quite surprised' by Szafnauer's sudden Alpine departure as he praises former boss "But we are keeping focus on ourselves, trying to do the best we can, and hopefully coming back in the point-scoring zone for this race." His team mate, Pierre Gasly, was also speaking about the team’s form ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix – where he finished third in the Sprint – and he was also confident that Alpine can turn their form around in the second part of the year. Gasly was also confident that Alpine can return to form in the second half of the season “At the minute we’ve dropped to sixth in the team championship as much as we don’t want to be there, and we are all working to change that position," said Gasly. "I think at the minute that’s pretty much the performance we have. READ MORE: ‘I just want to say thanks’ – Gasly pays tribute to departing Alpine bosses as he lets news ‘sink in’ “So, this weekend we have a new floor which will help the overall performance, which I’m really looking forward to, to see how much we are able to close that gap with the guys ahead of us. But its constant work, and I know the guys are pushing flat out. “We are all disappointed with the performance, no one is enjoying it at the moment, but we are all working really hard, trying to find new bits to put upgrades, and maximise the package we got. And I’m confident that together as a team we will be able to turn things around in the second part of the year.” via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

[dilemmaontwolegs]

The Best Kept Secret on the Grid || Part Two

GR, CL, MV, LH x fem!reader Warnings: angsty drivers, more filth (masturbation, smut) WC: 3k F1 Masterlist || Part One || Part Two || Part Three

“Oh my word, what is going on?” David Croft, the official F1 commentator, was aghast at what he was seeing on the track in front of him and his voice echoed across the paddock from the loudspeakers. “This is looking like a repeat of Australia and nobody wants to see that again.”

You slunk down in your seat and pulled your hat further down your head. Maybe sending those nudes hadn’t been the best idea. It had been four weeks since the last race and to say you were feeling needy was a massive understatement. You hadn’t been able to stop yourself from sending your men some enticing pictures before the race.

“And there goes Gasly, into the gravel. We’ll have to see the replay on that but I think it was his own teammate that made contact with him. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it was Alpine on Alpine going into the corner and now Gasly will have a lot of time to make up for it. Ocon will be lucky if he doesn’t get a penalty for that aggressive move.”

You looked at the place board and saw the seven drivers who had already retired from the turbulent race. Max was one of them, and he was pissed.

You shoved the phone back in your purse and cheered with the rest of the grandstand as Lewis passed by, holding first position with 12 laps to go. Right on his tail was Charles but the real battle was taking place behind him for the third step on the podium. 

It was a dog fight between Fernando, Esteban and Lando with less than a second separating each car. You screamed louder than anyone else as they shot past the lap line and a few heads turned your way but you ignored them. You weren’t even in bed and these guys were making you scream. 

Another lap passed without incident but then the fight for third took a dangerous turn when Lando pushed Fernando wide and Esteban tried to take advantage by slipping past on the inside. Fernando ended up grazing his car along the wall while Lando thought he was in the clear only to clip the front wing of Esteban’s car and the two of them careened off the track. 

Shock rippled through the crowd as another three cars were retired and their drivers were pulled apart by the marshalls that were trying to clear the track under a red flag. It was messy and you could almost taste the testosterone in the charged atmosphere.

���I don’t even have words to describe this race,” David commented. “That will be the third restart and what a change that makes to the standings. We have Hamilton in P1, Leclerc P2, Stroll P3, followed by Sainz, Russell, Gasly, then miraculously both Williams’ and AlphaTauri’s drivers are almost guaranteed those much needed but elusive points - if they can just stay on the track and cross the finish line in one piece.”

You couldn’t sit and listen to the spectators around you any longer. They all asked variations of the same question - what the hell had happened to the drivers? Blue balls was the answer. That’s what had happened after four weeks with no racing: all those explosive male hormones were building and building, and your nudes had struck the match.

You had been messaging most of the guys over the mid-season break, exchanging scandalous messages and promises of what they could do the next time they were on the podium, but you had stopped short of meeting up with any of them - no matter how much they begged. Your pussy hated you for denying it the pleasure but the waiting only increased the anticipation and made the climax all the better. 

Plus the teasing was fun.

You slipped out of the grandstand and made your way to the motorhomes behind another fence for security. Ever since that first wild night you had received a Paddock Pass for every race and become a familiar face to the teams, though they never knew the extent of your ‘friendships’ with the drivers. 

“Max isn’t here,” Tommy said just as you reached the door to the luxurious motorhome. 

You winked at the Red Bull assistant and pressed a finger to your lips. “I’m just leaving him a commiseration gift. It’s a surprise, so no blabbering.”

The busy man left with a shake of his head and you closed the door behind you, sliding the bolt into place so no unexpected visitors could interrupt you. 

Max’s bed was made with the precision you would expect from someone trained in the military, not a racer, and there wasn’t a single crease in the duvet cover. 

“You’re such a perfectionist,” you muttered before jumping onto the bed and messing it up. His scent still clung to the pillow and you grabbed it as you rolled onto your knees, shoving it between your legs before hiking your dress up to your waist. 

You grabbed your phone and set it up against the headboard as you hit record. “I’m going to miss you tonight, Maxy.” You sucked on your fingers before trailing them down your body and pushing your panties aside. “It could’ve been you I was riding.” 

You moaned as you ground yourself shamelessly over your fingers and his pillow. Your head fell back and you grabbed your throat, gently squeezing it as your eyes fluttered shut. 

“Oh, Max,” you cried out, rolling your hips faster until the wet sounds of your pussy filled the air and were definitely picked up by the microphone. “You’re going to dream of me tonight when you lay your head on this pillow. It’s going to make you so hard, you’re going to fuck your hand and imagine it’s my cunt squeezing you tight until you explode.”

Your words ignited the orgasm that had been building and you cried out as you came all over his pillow. Your body shuddered from the aftershocks and you tasted the release on your fingers, knowing it would drive him wild when he saw it. “Sweet dreams, Maxy.”

You made it back to the grandstand in time to see the final lap and you were on your feet screaming with the rest of the crowd as Lewis crossed the finish line first, soon followed by Charles and Carlos. You were giddy at the thought of sharing the three of them later and joined the mass of people as they began to make their way down to the track that was opening to the public.

You were well versed at having to push your way through the crowd and you knew you had time to get to the front since the winners were still on the big screen having their post-race interviews. You were only half listening to them as you inched your way closer to the stage. 

“There was a very competitive atmosphere out there today, why do you think that was?”

Carlos and Charles looked at each other before looking down to hide the knowing grin they shared but it was Lewis that answered the interviewer.

“I mean first and foremost it is a race, so it will always be competitive. But, I think, for me at least, it’s been a long four weeks off the track and we were all eager to get back behind the wheel and more importantly back on the podium.” 

“Speaking of podiums, it looks like our time is up.” He shook hands with Lewis, then Charles and Carlos. “Congratulations once again. Well deserved.”

You reached the front barricade as the guys climbed the stairs to the stage up above and their eyes scanned the crowd knowing you were somewhere among the throngs. Carlos spotted you first and slapped Charles’ chest before pointing your way. You blew them a kiss and gave them a wink, their smiles growing as they stepped closer to the glass balustrade. You crossed your arms and to anyone else it would have been an innocent gesture but from their vantage point it pushed your breasts to the very edge of your low cut dress. 

Your phone vibrated in your purse and since you weren’t all that interested in the national anthems playing you pulled it out. Your scoff was swallowed by the sound of the crowd and you searched the shadows around the cordoned off areas to find Max staring back. Even with the distance you could see the harsh cut of his jaw as he clenched his teeth and his arms were crossed defensively over his chest. 

You didn’t even bother to address the message he had sent, instead you replied with the video you had taken in his bed. You watched with a keen interest as he reached into his jeans and pulled out his phone. 

Blue eyes turned to black as his pupils dilated and he ran a hand through his hair, tugging the dirty blond strands while he fisted his phone on the other. His thumbs flew across the keyboard as he typed his response before turning his back and leaving the celebration while you started at the reply.

You're going to pay for that.

Mummy don't know daddy's getting hot At the body shop, doing something unholy

The heat on the dance floor was quickly soaring as hands roamed your body. Charles’ entire front was pressed against your back and controlled the sway of your hips to the music as his lips grazed your neck and he whispered filthy words for only you to hear. 

He wasn’t alone.

Lewis and Carlos’ bodies encircled you, obscuring your obscene display of affection from the dense crowd dancing to the music too. They were taking advantage of the disorienting strobe lights and the fact everyone else was in a drunken world of their own, it was daring even for them.

Charles pinned your hands behind your back, trapping them between your bodies, as Lewis stepped closer and used his thigh to push your legs apart. Cool air rushed in and kissed the heat of your pussy as your skirt rode up higher the more Lewis nudged your thighs apart.

“Hermosa,” Carlos groaned as he noticed the lack of lace panties beneath. “You forgot something when you were getting ready.”

You licked your lips and leaned back against Charles so your dress pulled up even higher and Lewis cursed lowly. 

“I didn’t forget anything.”

And when you want it, baby, I know I got you covered And when you need it, baby, just jump under the covers

Your cry was swallowed by the chorus as they descended on you. 

Carlos’ fingers were at your entrance, gathering the evidence of your need and using it to glide over your clit while Lewis and Charles left burn marks on your neck from the short beards they sported. Their hands cupped and squeezed and probed until you were lost to the overwhelming sensations and ready to float away like the clouds of dry ice around the room. 

“Unless you’re planning to fuck me on the dance floor, we need to go.”

“The idea has crossed my mind,” Charles admitted between sucking at the sensitive skin below your ear. 

“Time to go,” Lewis ordered before you could reach for his belt buckle, the only one out of the three men capable of using his head to think with and not his dick.

Carlos pouted as he pulled your dress back into place but he knew it would be coming off in a matter of minutes when he got you upstairs. 

The music drifted away as the elevator doors closed in the lobby and Charles pushed you back into Lewis’ arms. “Don’t let her move,” he warned as he dropped to his knees.

Carlos’ hand slapped over your mouth in time to smother the moan that was ready to fill the small elevator when Charles’ tongue teased over your clit. You squirmed as you tried to roll your hips, silently begging for more, but Lewis curled a strong arm around your waist and pinned you to his body. 

The floor levels ticked by and the higher they rose the closer you got to heaven. 

Everywhere you looked you were blessed with the sight of the men around you and their infinite reflections in the mirrored walls. Even when your head fell back in ecstasy you swayed under the image on the ceiling, spying Charles’ eyes that rolled up to look at you coming undone over his tongue.

Ding!

Charles rose swiftly to his feet, pulling your dress back into place before the doors opened and a body filled the doorway. He already knew what had happened from the dazed look in your eyes and the way Lewis had to support your unsteady legs by holding you against him.

“What the fuck, Max?” Carlos asked as he stepped in front of you, Charles too busy wiping his lips to speak.

You wouldn’t say you were shocked to see him somehow get your room number from the receptionist - he was a world champion - no one would say no to him, even if it was a breach of privacy. You actually found his tenacity extremely hot, that and the way he stood blocking the exit with fire in his eyes. 

“Mate, move out of the way,” Lewis said as he shifted you into Charles’ arms, though your legs were no longer trembling.

Max ignored them all and held your stare. “What’s my number, babygirl?”

You shook your head to try and clear the haze that your orgasm and the champagne had brought upon you but it didn’t work and you asked him confused, “What?”

“What. Is. My. Race. Number?” he asked, taking a step closer with each enunciation.

“One?”

“Good girl, that’s correct.” Max smirked as he came to a stop in front of Lewis and looked at you over his shoulder. “I think that means I won.”

“That’s bullshit, you DNF’d get over it,” Charles stated, knowing well enough the pain of missing out on a night with you because he crashed out earlier in the season. 

“Wait,” you said, stepping between the four of them. “What if he’s right? What if the reigning champ can have me whenever they choose, off-track too?” You circled around the group seeing them contemplating it. “After today's race standings you all have a shot at winning the championship.”

“Hang on,” Max interrupted but you held up a finger to your lips to silence him.

“My body, my rules. So, what d’ya say boys?”

Lewis, Carlos and Charles looked at each other for a moment before Lewis’ lips parted in a grin. “I’m up for the challenge.”

“Did you not see how fucking messy it was out there today?” Max asked, stunned by the turn of events.

“Fuck it, I’m in,” Carlos chuckled before looking at his team mate. 

“Max is right, it’s going to be an expensive season for repairs,” Charles said with a shake of his head before locking eyes with you and starting to smile, “but it’s not my money. I’m in.”

You walked out of the elevator, patting Max’s hard chest as you passed by. “This is what you wanted, big guy. Now, are you coming, or do you want to brood in the hallway all night?”

It was no surprise that he came, and came, and came again. 

All of the men were athletes and the stamina showed when they were ready to go round after round. You were an overstimulated mess when you collapsed on the sofa, a sheen of sweat coating your skin. You could barely think with your head on cloud nine and their cum leaking down your legs.

“Our little cum slut is cock drunk,” Max teased as he took a seat beside you and pulled your head onto his lap. “You have another round in you, don’t you, babygirl?”

The sofa shifted as Carlos sat down at the other end, his strong hands starting to massage your feet. “Let her rest for a minute.”

“Just because you have nothing left,” Max scoffed and turned your head to him. His thumb traced your swollen lips with a smirk before parting your mouth. “Some of us can go all night. Right, Hamilton?”

Lewis barely lifted his head up from where he lay sprawled across the carpet, his chest rising and falling fast as he caught his breath. He had absolutely ruined you with the fast pace he had set while he knelt behind you and fucked you until you couldn’t hold yourself up any longer. Charles had been there to keep you up on your hands and knees with a fist full of your hair, right before he filled your mouth with his cock to silence the screams of pleasure.

All Lewis could do was raise his thumb in response as Charles returned to the living room with an armful of water bottles from the minibar. He tossed one to each of the guys before kneeling beside your head and cracking the lid of another and raising it to your lips. The cool liquid quickly soothed your dry throat and chased away some of the exhaustion that had settled into your relaxed muscles. 

“Better, hermosa?” Carlos asked as his massage crept higher up your legs.

“Mhmm,” you sighed contentedly, letting your knees part for him. The temperature in the room rose rapidly and even Lewis found the strength to rise from the ground to drink in the sight. You might as well have just hung an open for business sign out and you chuckled at the hungry looks they shared. “Much better.”

Click here for part three.

Tagging: @slytherheign @alwaysclassyeagle

[777bae]

IS THAT A TAYLOR SWIFT REFERENCE?

PAIRING… f1 x driver!reader | WC… 0.6k | Masterlist

You had enjoyed the short break between the Australian and Azerbaijan prix, being able to travel around a bit, but you had noticed some of the most ridiculous rumours appearing as it was obvious the fans had nothing else to do.

You in fact had your own rumour that was quickly shot down. Many started speculating that you were dating Harry Styles as you were both seen in the same city. To say it was random would be an understatement, but you were quick to find humour in it, quickly posting a poorly edited photo of a cutout Harry Styles next to you.

However, your favourite rumour from the break would be that of Fernando and Taylor Swift’s supposed relationship.

The moment you stepped back into the paddock, you could hear Taylor Swift songs blasting from what looked to be Lando’s speaker. This welcoming caused you to laugh as you watched Fernando just walk past it, pretending like he couldn’t hear.

He soon approached you, his stride seeming to falter as he spotted you, already realising how fun you were going to find the next few days. You wiggled your eyebrows at him, a smirk sculpting your features as he shook his head swiftly, trying to get you to stop.

You only continued to walk past him, already plotting the amount of Taylor Swift references you could fit into a conversation.

“So Y/n, how excited are you to be back after the short break?” The interviewer asks as you smile back.

“Very excited to be back, it’s, uh, very enchanting to be here as I quite like this circuit.” You answer, smirking at the camera after you make the reference.

“How well do you think you’ll be able to perform this weekend?” He continues.

“Well, I believe that if we put enough effort into it and give it our all we’ll be able to perform at our best. For the qualifying, I can only hope there will be be a blank space for me to be able to get a personal best and place high up on the grid.” You continue to have a cheeky smile on your face, loving how you’re able to continue with the references.

“Okay, thank you.” The interviewer finishes, you nodding a goodbye before handing him your mic, walking away with a large smile.

You had just finished quali, placing 5th on the grid but still wishing you could have done more. You had noticed a small clash a while back between Alonso and Ocon but still managed to push through.

“ Y/n, are you happy with where you placed today?” An interviewer asks.

“Uhm, well there’s always room for improvement, I believe we could have done better but what’s done is done and now all we need to focus on is how to gain positions on Sunday.” You answer.

“You had only just escaped the incident between Ocon and Alonso as the Alpine’s car had nearly caught onto your car, how do you feel about it?” She questions.

“Well, I’m grateful to have only just missed it as I would have most likely stayed in P7, but in this job you have to be pretty fearless and so I didn’t find it to be much of a concern. In regards to the duo, we’ll just have to hope there’s no bad blood between them.” You throw yet another smirk to the camera before finishing up the interview and walking away.

You finally arrive at a small room, opening the door to see multiple other drivers, including Fernando, sitting down on chairs talking.

Quickly, you walk in, saying hi to the fellow drivers as Alonso sends you a joking glare.

“I saw your interview earlier.” Fernando comments as you smile.

“What can I say? I’m a mastermind at references.” You answer.

“Is that another Taylor Swift reference?” He questions whilst you just shrug your shoulders.

“Maybe.” You only say as Alonso shoots you yet another glare as the others in the room begin to laugh at your teasing, enjoying the embarrassed look on the elder driver's face.

taglist :: @topguncultleader @aurora-maria @oooglaabooglaa @teti-menchon0604 @g4ns3y @jivas0 @missskid @anicega @envisionracing @treehouse-mouse @navixfr @gulabjamoon @revemixer @thatsadsmallchild @ideajpeg @miintmochii @laura-naruto-fan1998 @gentlemonsterjennie1

If you would like to be on the taglist please this out this form !

My inbox is open if you'd like to discuss anything !

[yesterdayiwrote]

What is your opinion on how Lando is rated by Formula One fans?

Personally I think he is massively overrated.

I don't think he is WDC capable, I think he is doomed to be a midfield driver his whole career.

He came second in F2, in equal machinery to George and the only reason he finished ahead of Alex was because Alex had an unusually bad final two races of the season. Lando only got 1 race win in formula 2, in the first race weekend of the season. Latifi and Lando finshed that season with the same number of wins. That same season George got 7 wins and Alex got 4 and Nyck got 3. Lando also had the least amount of retirements of that top 4.

Obviously that 5 years ago and he has improved since then, but so have the rest of them.

The fact he hasn't got a win in Mclaren, in a time where Gasly managed to win in an alpha tauri, Ocon in the Alpine, Riccardo in the same Mclaren and Checo in the racing point is wild if you think about it. In fact only having one p2, where he finished behind his teammate is not exactly a great record.

Maybe I am wrong, but I think people like him because of his personality and the media push he got at the start of his F1 career compared to his actual talent. If he had a truly bad car at the start of his career like George or thrown between teams before he was ready like Alex, perspectives of him would be very different.

Obviously time will tell, maybe he will be a jenson button sort of winner or maybe I have the completely wrong idea and he is in fact the GOAT and has been dragging a back marker to the midfield for years.

I think it’s a really difficult one to judge. Personally I feel he is a little bit overrated but that’s not to say I don’t think he’s talented.

I find it hard to fathom how he’s lauded more loudly than George. I don’t think there’s any evidence that he’s considerably better than he is. For example Sky did a post about their podcast where the question was “Where should Lewis and Lando go next?” Insinuating that the cars aren’t good enough and therefore they should move to achieve their full potential… but then why is there not the same question as to where George should go? His career prospects are equally as affected by current circumstances.

I think Lando has a decent set of F1 results, but so far he’s failed to do that extra little something to make his mark. When it’s mattered and a win has been on the table it’s eluded him twice.

I think he’s capable of being a WDC, in so much as any of these drivers are capable of a WDC if they get the right machinery underneath them. I personally feel his best prospect right now is staying at McLaren, because there’s not another team right now that he’s going to get the same seniority as he has now.

I think he’s perfectly capable, I think it’s yet to be seen if he can lead a team and how he fares with a troublesome car and we should find the answers to that this year. At the moment I don’t really see him as being a better driver than George who is probably his closest comparison point, I don’t see him teaching GOAT status though. I think a Jenson type figure is very apt!

[meaningofmotorsport]

A defining title moment?

I honestly thought we had seen it all by now in 2021, but I was so wrong, this was meant to be a Mercedes track, however, by the end of practice both teams were pretty close on pace, if anything Red Bull were slightly ahead. Then, Hamilton had a disastrous FP3, with two runs to the stewards for separate offences, both of which he got away with, which was probably the right call, as a reprimand did it justice.

Now we had qualifying itself, with both teams trading blows through the session, but Red Bull still looking more comfortable on the softs. When Verstappen ended the first run over 3 tenths ahead of the rest in Q3, it looked over for pole, yet Mercedes had fuelled up for many runs, and when the fuel burned down, they were probably on a par with Red Bull. It was Max’s turn to bring the final hammer blow, and for almost the whole lap it was perfect, right to the limit but not over it, and could have been the lap to win him the title, however instead, it could end up being the lap that costs him the title!

I don’t really know what to say about the lap, we saw from the start he was right on the edge, so maybe what happened at the last corner was inevitable, but you have to respect the fact he gave it his all in the pursuit of glory! The other point is, after he locked up, if he had handled the situation better in the moment, was a front row or maybe even still pole possible. It may have been unlikely; however, it was clearly a hot headed Max that put it in the wall, and could cost him more before the race starts!

Mercedes was lucky today, no doubt about it, they didn’t have the pace expected so far this weekend, maybe due to the new engines starting to lose performance. On the other hand, though, you have to be there to get lucky, and staying on one tyre for the whole of Q3 seemed to work best for them. Tomorrow could be another great day for them, but Red Bull will throw everything at them, and Max will be aggressive off the start. Perez looked so promising today right up until Q3, which is becoming a theme sadly, he needed to be there when Max dropped the ball. From 5th he can still have an impact on the race if he gets past Leclerc quickly. Red Bull as a whole need to attack the whole race, and make Mercedes feel uncomfortable.

Ferrari had another mixed day, Leclerc in 4th is brilliant, and could allow them to seal their position in 3rd mathematically, and depending what happens in front, a podium could even be on the cards. Sainz meanwhile did not like his rear end one bit, losing it twice at the same corner in Q3. I don’t think it was helped by him taking the kerb very hard, which will unsettle the car at high speed. Points won’t be easy for him from 15th.

AlphaTauri had a solid day, with both cars in the top 8, good points are for the taking from there, although catching Alpine is a long shot. Of all the tracks for Tsunoda to do well, this might be the hardest, given his lack of confidence in the car, so fair play to him for his drive so far this weekend. McLaren have really dropped back in the 2nd half of the year, I know that Lando didn’t have a perfect Q3, yet they just don’t seem totally happy right now.

It wasn’t a bad day for Alpine, with Ocon in 9th, but it will surely be tense times for them, as they see AlphaTauri away in the distance. Alfa Romeo came from nowhere really to almost get both cars in Q3, Giovinazzi wants to show why he shouldn’t have been dropped, and he did just that, whilst Kimi wants to leave on a high too! Williams did all they could, but will need luck to get points tomorrow. Aston Martin had a woeful day, miles away from the pace over one lap, and surely too far back to make an impact in the race, I bet they can’t wait for 2022!

The drama keeps on coming in this season, and it would be foolish to think it has finished now, I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow, on a track as crazy as this!

-M

[4-25-am]

Expectations and predictions for the 2021 season of Formula 1

Intro

As of writing, we are five days to seeing the cars out on track in Bahrain. Many changes happened from where we left off in Abu Dhabi, specifically driver changes, team changes and my overall expectations for the year.

Driver changes

Many changes in the driver pairings for this year. Daniel Ricciardo to McLaren, Carlos Sainz Jr to Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel to Aston Martin, and Sergio 'Checo' Perez to Red Bull are the key driver swaps. We also say farewell to Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen as they venture to Indycar and IMSA respectively. Alex Albon has been demoted to the position of reserve driver for Red Bull while Daniil Kvyat moves to Alpine, as a test driver.

Plenty of new faces as well as one new but very familiar face. The rookies of the 2021 season are Yuki Tsunoda in Alpha Tauri, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in Haas and two-time world champion, Fernando Alonso in Alpine.

Having Alonso back in F1 was never quite a huge surprise since everyone expected him to return sooner or later. Personally, I'm glad that he's back in the cockpit and excited to see his performance this year with Alpine.

Now back to the actual rookies, Schumacher, Tsunoda and Mazepin finished in the top five of the 2020 Formula 2 standings in first, third and fifth respectively.

Schumacher and Mazepin in Haas came as quite a surprise. At the end of 2020, Haas was in terrible shape so having two rookies with minimal experience in an F1 car brings many questions : Is this what Haas really needs? Can the two rookies bring out the best in the 2021 car? Will the fresh slate be what Haas needs to get back on their feet?

Enough about Haas, let's talk about the drivers themselves. Mick Schumacher, 2020 F2 champion, member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and son of seven time world champion, Michael Schumacher. He is a talented driver and it's not just because of his last name. Speedy starts and smart, tactical braking are some key attributes of Schumacher's driving style. He is a very capable driver and fought hard against Vice Champion and fellow academy driver, Callum Ilott. The world definitely has its eyes on him.

Nikita Mazepin, fifth in the championship and hailing from Russia. His performance in 2020 was quite a surprising one since his team, Hitech GP, was a brand new team in F2 and he had a pretty underwhelming 2019 season. Mazepin has a very aggressive driving style and questionable on track movement. It doesn't get any better off track because he has plenty of controversies following him. (Topics surrounding him are pretty sensitive so I will not cover them here because I aim to speak about his driving ability without prejudice and bias.) Expectations both on track and off track are high for him.

Yuki Tsunoda, member of Honda Formula Dream Project and Red Bull Junior Team, winner of the 2020 Anthoine Hubert award (Rookie of the Year), and youngest driver on the 2021 grid hails from Japan. A lot of expectations on him in the Alpha Tauri car as he replaces long time Red Bull academy driver Daniil Kvyat. With a new RB junior driver making the step up to F1, there are many doubts as to which driver is capable of matching number one Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen. Many have come and failed but Tsunoda seems to have good prospects of being the one seeing how he is able to quickly adapt to new cars. Very excited to see his performance this year.

Team changes

Two teams have had major rebranding as mentioned earlier. Racing Point will now be known as Aston Martin Cognizant while Renault is now Alpine. Some key changes that come with the name change is colour. Aston Martin will race with British racing green colour and Alpine will pride themselves with the colours of the French flag. These two have had quite the battles in the last few years for the "Best of the Rest" position in the constructors championship. Very excited to see them go head to head on track especially since they will both have one relatively young driver (Lance Stroll vs Esteban Ocon) and extremely experienced world champions (Sebastian Vettel vs Fernando Alonso).

Expectations

Now, the moment you've been waiting for.... My predictions for the constructor championships~ (no driver standings because honestly it can be pretty unpredictable)

Team Standings

Mercedes

Red Bull

McLaren

Aston Martin

Alpine

Alpha Tauri

Ferrari

Williams

Alfa Romeo

Haas

I believe that a completely fresh driver lineup at Haas will do them some good but the car has already been built so there's not much other than to build data and learn from there. Hopeful for them in 2022, not so much for 2021....

The reason why Alfa Romeo is below Williams is simply because I am unsure of the reliability and strength of the Ferrari-powered engines. An engine can really make or break the car and since. Ferrari has been going down, I think they might lose out to the Mercedes-powered Williams.

Williams have been improving pretty rapidly and I trust in their upward growth and potentially see points this year! There have been a bunch of Q2 appearances for George Russell and Nicholas Latifi has finished P11 a few times, I really think 2021 will be the oasis in the desert for them.

Ferrari is just not doing too well in my opinion. I love Ferrari and have supported them since I first started watching F1 but whatever is going on with the car has been really sad. Not sure how good of a chassis they can come up with since they wanted to try something new this year which is very bold of them. With Leclerc and Sainz, they are both really good drivers and have. their merits but they tend to make poorly planned moves and pretty bad luck. So yeah, P7 for them.

Alpha Tauri with Gasly and Tsunoda is a superb combination. The Alpha Tauri car is also very competitive and with the right circumstances even won a race! They have potential to fight for that P3 in the constructors but not too sure about the Honda engine as compared to the Mercedes engines and Alpine.

Now this is where the competition gets tight. Honestly, this could be anyone's game but I decided to put them as McLaren, Aston Martin, and Alpine respectively. McLaren has made leaps and bounds in terms of progress. Since 2019, they've gotten 3 podiums and that was with a Renault engine. Now. imagine how many more they can get with a Mercedes engine. That's where the 2021 McLaren car comes in, along with the experience of Daniel Ricciardo. Aston Martin will follow closely behind but I think they might have a slow start to the season and then pull in big points towards the end. Lastly, Alpine in P6. I think they're great but the team has a very strange power play since they don't actually have a team principal. They are also the only one with a Renault engine so they might lose out a bit more than the others.

Obviously, the top two are Mercedes and Red Bull respectively. I don't think I need to clarify further. Even though Mercedes have shown some struggle during Winter Testing, I think they will have everything settled by the first race in Bahrain. Red Bull might be much closer in competition to Mercedes than previous years if Verstappen doesn't have a bad luck streak of getting knocked out by other people and Perez is able to withstand the pressure of being Red Bull's second driver and is able to hone the car to his strengths as he is quite a consistent driver.

[f1]

'I'm kicking myself to be honest' Russell left frustrated after 'small mistake' costs him Monaco podium

George Russell was left ‘kicking’ himself after finishing fifth in Monaco, as he was left ruing a mistake that cost him a podium. Meanwhile, his team mate Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth, was happy with the performance of the upgraded W14. Russell started in eighth and made it all the way up to third, as he opted against pitting, while the drivers ahead chose to swap the tyres. As a result, Russell gained track position when the rain commenced, and all the drivers were forced to pit for the intermediates. READ MORE: Delighted Ocon ‘on a cloud’ as Alpine claim first podium since 2021 in Monaco However, a mistake on his first lap out of the pit lane saw him lose position to Esteban Ocon and Hamilton, and to make matters worse for Russell, he also collided with the back marking Red Bull of Sergio Perez, much to his frustration. “I’m kicking myself to be honest, one small mistake cost us a podium,” said Russell. “I came out of the pits comfortably ahead of Esteban and Lewis, there was a yellow flag at Turn 5, I backed off and as soon as I pressed the brakes I locked up and followed the yellow flag. “I think that’s almost a lesson that when you’re not focussed sometimes – or not on it – that’s when mistakes happen. I probably wouldn’t have made that mistake if there hadn’t been a yellow flag there. This feature is currently not available because you need to provide consent to functional cookies. Please update your cookie preferences 2023 Monaco Grand Prix: Perez punts Russell after the Mercedes driver rejoins the track in front of the Mexican “Yeah, really disappointed because after that pit stop it would basically have guaranteed a podium… P3 was definitely achievable today. I have only learned afterwards that my mistake wasn’t shown on TV – not sure if that’s a positive thing or not.” When reminded that it was tough conditions for all the drivers, Russell responded: “Yeah, it definitely was, it wasn’t the easiest conditions. But they were conditions where I feel like we can maximise the opportunities. READ MORE: Alonso says he ‘didn’t have a chance’ to take Monaco GP win as he praises Verstappen for driving ‘super well’ “Where you know as a driver, if you do a better job than the rest you can pick up the pieces, and we were on course for that until we weren’t, or until I wasn’t with my mistake. Yeah, I really don’t know what more to say.” Hamilton on the other hand, started the race up in fifth and, after capitalising on Russell’s mistake, pushed Ocon all the way for the final podium spot to no avail, but he was still happy to take the "significant points" home for the team. Hamilton was happy with the performance of his upgraded car in Monaco “I’m pretty happy, we’ve moved forwards,” said Hamilton. “Coming into the weekend, I didn’t know where we would stand so to have come out fourth and fifth, it’s really great points for the team. "So, a huge thank you to everyone back at the factory in bringing those upgrades. It’s been so much work to bring those here and we kept them in one piece and brought it home, you know we beat the Ferraris and got some significant points as a team.” READ MORE: Verstappen beats Alonso to Monaco GP victory despite rain causing late drama When asked how much of a read he got on the upgrades during the race, Hamilton said: “Next week, Barcelona is the best test circuit for us, so I think it was really difficult here to know. “The car feels really stiff, there were lots of bumps, yeah, tricky but definitely noticed one particular part of the car that was better but I’m sure next week the whole thing will be a much, much better package. via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

[meaningofmotorsport]

Austrian Grand Prix Review

It wasn’t an instant classic, yet this race gave us plenty of battles through the pack, including for the podium positions! It’s just a shame that there wasn’t really a fight for the win, as Verstappen and Red Bull are starting to dominate this season, although there is a long way to go!

The weekend did turn out to be as easy as we thought it would be for Max, as he simply drove away from the others, to comfortably take his 3rd win in a row, and maximise this tripleheader! Not much more to say about the race for him, so looking ahead to Silverstone, it is a good track for them, yet we may also see a resurgence of Mercedes, with Lewis’ home advantage, as well as some upgrades! I think it could have been a 1-2 for Red Bull, as Perez was all over Norris in the first few laps, however he made two risky moves, by trying to go around the outside at Turns 1 and 4, which didn’t end well. If he had instead set Lando up on the exit, it could have been an easy pass, and allowed him to runaway from the Mercedes! As it was though, that mistake dropped him well back, where traffic hampered him, and his anger meant he was rather aggressive with Leclerc, which gave him some penalties in the end! If he can calm down in battles, he has the pace now to really aid the team and Verstappen!

It was not a good day for Mercedes, their race pace was pretty average, which meant they were under pressure from a McLaren the whole race. Then damage for Lewis cost him a podium, and more importantly a 14 point loss in the championship! On the other hand, they got lucky, as if Checo had passed Lando cleanly, and Hamilton had still got the same damage, it could have been 4th and 5th for them, as I doubt Bottas could have passed Norris on track! It has been a humbling few weeks for the team, but they will come back strong, these next two tracks are great ones for Hamilton, so we mustn’t count him out yet!

What a drive by Norris! No one thought he could keep up with the Mercedes today, as he was so far behind them a week ago! We know that this is a better track for them, so don’t expect this for the rest of the year, however, it could crop up every once in a while! The incident with Perez was quite aggressive, yet that is simply hard racing, I have seen so many drivers say that they learn from karting onwards that when you go on the outside, unless you are comfortably ahead, you risk being pushed off track! Therefore, it was a bit of a harsh penalty, but I can see where they are coming from, comparisons to Hamilton’s penalty last year at the same corner can’t really be made, as at the point of contact, Albon was half a car ahead of him! It was still a superb day for him and the team, and gives them confidence going to their home race! Ricciardo was able to salvage a result from the weekend, and get near to where he should be, the fact that he was battling the Ferrari’s should give him hope moving forwards!

Ferrari splitting the strategies worked rather well, as Leclerc stormed through the field early on, although he got stuck behind Ricciardo for most of the race, and without the tussles with Perez could have got passed him, although we will never know! Then with Sainz on the inverse strategy, going long and making great pace in clear air, he could jump straight into the fight with fresh tyres, get past Daniel, and stay within 10 seconds of Perez, to bag 5th, which was the best they could do today! They have lost some more points to McLaren, but the gap is not massive, and if they can get over their qualifying woes at this track, they should still be in the mix to top the mid field!

It was the softs that really hurt Alpha Tauri’s day, although I think that in clear air, Ferrari was faster than them in the race! At least Gasly did all he could, making moves through the field, to get 2 points! Tsunoda continues to make little mistakes every weekend, this time he somehow went outside of the white line twice on pit entry, costing him a shot at the points! If the team can sort out his issues, they can really start to pull away from Alpine and Aston Martin in the championship!

Talking of Alpine, it was Alonso, once again doing all he can, and being rewarded with a point for it. He felt bad for taking that point from Russell, but Fernando is doing a stellar performance in a car which is not where it should be! Ocon wasn’t able to show what he could do yesterday, however I highly doubt it would have been anything to save face for him, after 3 terrible weekends for him!

I cannot believe how close George was to points, a poor first lap hurt his chances, although with the speed of the cars around him, it may not have changed much in the end! Last weekend was the better hope for them it seems to get points, due to the issues for Ricciardo and Gasly! The good thing is that they have pace when the car works, which it hopefully will do again this year, so there is still a chance of points for Williams!

Aston Martin, like Alpha Tauri, were hurt with the soft tyres, and as they were behind Gasly, couldn’t quite reach the top 10 like he did! Vettel was very close, batting for 11th on the last lap, however a clumsy crash by Kimi, sent them both into the gravel, not that it affected them much overall!

I was surprised that the softer tyres didn’t cause as many issues as we thought they would, yes, the softs were a problem, but Mercedes found the medium’s and hard’s a struggle last race, but were fine now it seems, unless it wasn’t damage that caused Hamilton’s tyre wear! Also, the FIA were dishing out penalties everywhere, some more understandable than others, although at least they were consistent!

The F1 circus has a well earnt break now, before 2 standalone races at Silverstone and the Hungaroring, where Mercedes need to win at least 1 of them, to stop the momentum of Red Bull right now!

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[meaningofmotorsport]

Austrian Grand Prix Preview

Here we are, back again at the Red Bull Ring, however if practice and the weather forecast are to be believed, the venue may be the only thing that stays the same from last weekend!

I would not say that they are the favourites for the win this weekend, yet Mercedes’ pace in FP2, suggests that improvements have been made over the past few days, and could be able to give the home team more of a run for their money! One thing to bear in mind, is that they were very close on 1 lap pace last weekend, so they could still find it hard going come race day, especially as tyre wear was a big issue a week ago, and so may get amplified this time with softer tyres! Lewis went to the simulator in the week, which shows his commitment to improving, as he does not enjoy the simulator, and with upgrades coming soon, they are by no means out of it yet! In qualifying especially, Bottas could be really in the fight, as this is a track which he likes!

Were Red Bull sandbagging today? Probably, the real question is by how much compared to Mercedes, and the answer to that may suggest that the gap has closed this time around! I get the feeling that Red Bull were able to maximise the car better for the Styrian Grand Prix, so may have found it hard to improve from there! If they still have a straight line speed advantage over Mercedes though, they have a great chance of getting another win! Perez’s qualifying could be so important for the team, as he cannot afford to be behind drivers like Lando again, because it will ruin his race, and stop him helping Max to get the win!

Despite our expectations, Ferrari looked to be the 3rd fastest car here, as although Lando finished 5th, he was being caught by Sainz, and Leclerc was absolutely flying! Yes, Norris would have turned the engine down, but I don’t think he could have beaten Charles in a straight fight! So, if they can get on top of qualifying, which is a surprising thing to say, given they were doing well on a Saturday before, then they should be able to earn back some points against the Woking team. There is obviously the worry about what we saw at France from Ferrari, yet I get the feeling that was a one off, and may not come back at least for a while, which is probably famous last words!

You never know, McLaren may unlock something new, and find some gains somewhere. Or, if Daniel can discover the pace he had last Friday again, it could catapult him right up to the sharp end, and thwart those Italian cars! It truly is a conundrum for Ricciardo’s side of the garage, as we have seen glimpses of speed, such as at Spain, however most of the time, he just looks lost! Once he gets to where he should be, that team could be really tough to beat!

Aston Martin were another surprise today, as we never normally see much from them on the timing sheets, because they focus more on race pace. Q3 may now be on the cards for them, but I wouldn’t say they could top the mid field here, as McLaren and Ferrari are in a league of their own! We should never count them out though, and even if they qualify out of the points, we have seen them use great strategy to jump up the order!

If those 3 teams I just mentioned are able to make gains this time around, and tidy up their act, it could be more of a challenge for Alpha Tauri to score good points this weekend! Gasly is deserving of a good result, after the disappointment of last Sunday, and, given his current form, will surely be in that top 10 somewhere. Yuki may find it hard to do the same, as he is normally a few tenths behind his teammate, which could drop him out of the points!

Alpine and Alfa Romeo will be praying for rain, as whilst Alonso did get points a week ago, he was forming a train during parts of the race, so without issues for Gasly and Ricciardo amongst others,  they may not quite be able to do it again! As for Ocon, he simply needs to beat his teammate this weekend, as it has been an underwhelming doubleheader for him, and if the entire tripleheader goes that way, then the team’s momentum may start to move towards Fernando!

Much like Alpine, the Styrian Grand Prix may have been Williams’ best shot at points, as they were aided by other people’s issues, however, sadly they found some issues of their own. Russell may well be in that battle with Alpine and Alfa Romeo on the outskirts of the points, and I think many people hope he can overturn his luck this weekend!

After the race last Sunday, it was thought that it could be another easy win for Verstappen this weekend, however, in the world of Motorsport, nothing is given, and with the weather and Mercedes threatening, it is by no means a done deal!

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[meaningofmotorsport]

Max does it again & Vinales bounces back - Saturday Racing Round Up

F1

Despite the best efforts of Mercedes, they were just unable to match the pace of Verstappen when it counted, even when Hamilton had an extra run in Q3. The straight line speed of that car is just too much to overcome in qualifying! Perez improved during the session, and apparently if he hadn’t of made a mistake in Turn 1, could have made it an all Red Bull front well, but in the end will start 4th, which isn’t too bad, however, there is still improvements to be made! The long runs on Friday suggest that the car may be a match to Mercedes tomorrow, we will have to wait and see if that is true!

In the end, it was actually Bottas who came out on top between the two Mercedes drivers, as Lewis made an absolute mess of the final run. That is a good statement to make to the team by Valtteri, even if it means nothing with his penalty. The body language of Hamilton is changing very quickly over this year, as whilst he is relishing this fight, you can see he is not pleased with how the team is operating! They are not out of it for tomorrow by any means, and the start is a great opportunity for Lewis, so make sure to tune in tomorrow!

The rest of the top 10 was filled with brilliant days for various drivers. Lando has once again pulled out a storming lap, and almost beat both Mercedes! Given that they usually go better on a Sunday, if he gets a good start, he could be untouchable in the midfield! Alpha Tauri are getting stronger by the race, after a lacklustre first few races, and now with both cars in Q3, on what is sort of their home track, it could keep getting better. Race pace tomorrow would be my only worry for them!

We knew this track would not suit Ferrari well, as shown by Sainz in 12th, on the other side of the garage though, Leclerc continues to show some magic over one lap, putting his car in 7th. It will be tough to stay there, given the straight line speed of cars behind, although their race pace was looking superb yesterday! I honestly think that Alonso was the happiest driver out there today, as he was just loving life, and didn’t even care where he finished! His joy did turn into lap time though, as he reached Q3 again, setting up his race rather well!

It wasn’t all smiles though, although Ricciardo was putting one on, to hide what I am sure is pain at another disappointing day at McLaren. They are all so confused, as he was super-fast in FP2, and then could not find it again today. It is a real mystery, which I hope they get on top of, as everyone loves Ricciardo, and wants him to do well! For Ocon, it is as though signing a contract extension, has had the opposite effect to what it should have done, as his pace has disappeared, almost like he is under pressure! If this continues, I can’t imagine what the management at Alpine will be thinking!

Finally, we mustn’t forget about the stunning exploits, yet again of Russell, who looked to be under pressure from his teammate at one point, but turned it around to barely miss Q3! That may not be a bad thing though, with a free choice of tyres! I don’t want to jinx anything, so I will just say that I wish him the best tomorrow in the race!

MotoGP

Well, what a difference a week makes for Vinales! After finishing stone dead last in Germany, he comes out here at Assen, and tops every session of the weekend! Plus, with the race pace he has, it would be hard to bet against him tomorrow, his only weakness will be Lap 1, as if he gets pushed around there, it could go wrong for him! Quartararo pushed him hard, and without that mistake on his last lap, could have got pole! It could be a battle between those two in the race! Rossi and Gerloff did commendable efforts, with Rossi in Q2, and Gerloff showing pace in his first ever ride on this bike!

Bagnaia, Nakagami, and Zarco all did well to fight bikes that should not work that well around here. Given how lost Ducati were at one point, to have 3 bikes in Q2, and 2 in the top 5, was a strong effort for them. Then for Nakagami, he was half a second ahead of Pol in the session, and Marc couldn’t even reach Q2, so major respect to him!

Oliveira is well placed on the grid, and with the fact that the KTM normally goes better on a Sunday, a podium could be on the cards for him! Aleix is being amazingly consistent, but is yet to really breakthrough into the front pack! Also, the Suzuki’s had better qualifying speed compared to usual, so we will have to see if that bodes well for tomorrow, but I wouldn’t bet much money on it!

Binder was rather disappointing today, given where his teammates were, and will need another huge race from him to salvage the weekend! Lastly, I must give credit to Savadori, who has upped his game this weekend, finishing 5th in Q1, beating some notable riders!

You would be a fool to bet against Yamaha tomorrow, although things have come unstuck for them before in 2021, and they won’t exactly have it easy from the other riders, so it is by no means done and dusted!

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[meaningofmotorsport]

French Grand Prix Review

Two weeks ago, we were all rightfully questioning Pirelli, and how they produced the tyres for Baku, yet now, here we are, basking in the glory of the French Grand Prix, which was arguably made so good, thanks to the tyres! This just shows the rollercoaster that is Motorsport!

Apart from the 1st corner of the 1st lap, this was a picture perfect race by the whole of Red Bull! On a track which has suited Mercedes, they put them under pressure, and then attacked them from both angles with their two drivers! I do think that Mercedes had slightly better pace, at least on the Hard tyres, they just got caught out by the undercut with Max on both pitstops! Perez did exactly what he needed to do for Red Bull, he got in the mix, put pressure on Mercedes, and if the race had been a few laps longer, could have got a 1-2 for the team! So, how big is this for the title fight? To me, it means more than 25 points, it suggests that on every track for the rest of the year, Red Bull may be in the fight, I highly doubt they will always win, but they have closed in on ‘Mercedes’ tracks. The big question now is, can they execute it for the rest of the year?

Mercedes may be disappointed with the result, however, there wasn’t much they could have done, as no one foresaw the undercut being so strong for the 1st round of stops, which cost Lewis the lead. Then they didn’t really have a chance to try the 2 stop strategy, because Red Bull pitted Verstappen, as early as you really could to get home on the Mediums. If this race was lost anywhere, it was in their lack of straight line speed compared to their competitors, which meant even when they were faster at the start of the 2nd stint, they just weren’t able to pass Max. Bottas was a very angry man by the end of the race, as he wanted to do 2 stops, although I doubt it would have got him a better result! At the end of the day, Bottas once again peaked too early in the weekend, which meant that he was always going to be used to help Hamilton try and get the win. With all this talk about his future, he needs to be up front when it counts!

I will fully admit that I underestimated McLaren after qualifying, as in the past it hasn’t been easy to pass here, but with the tyres being so difficult in the race, it allowed them to make the most of it! They were able to look after their tyres very well, which was evident by Norris’ long stint on the mediums, which allowed him to push on the hard’s, and finish best of the rest! It was also the race that Ricciardo needed, as he pretty much matched Lando all race, finishing only just behind him. Can they keep the momentum going into Austria?

Not too much to say about Gasly’s race, other than he maximised his day, unable to beat the McLaren’s but could get past the Ferrari’s, and he is making up for the mistakes he and the team made in the first few rounds! His move on Norris was rather forceful, but it didn’t really affect anyone’s race, so no action needs to be taken on it. Alpine at least got some points from their home race, with Alonso ending up 8th, and closing on those ahead as the race finished. Ocon meanwhile just couldn’t get up into the top 10, seemingly caught behind traffic, and not able to match his teammate’s pace!

Ferrari showed in the race, that there is a cost to them fixing most of the problems they had in 2020, which may be an inability to look after tyres. Leclerc has been struggling all weekend, and had to pit very early, which forced him into a 2 stop race, and even then, he had major tyre wear, so he ended up 16th, which is just unacceptable, given they are battling for 3rd in the constructors. Sainz was having a better weekend, however, he found similar tyre wear issues in the race, and just dropped out of the points in 11th.

The expectation was that returning to a ‘normal track’, Aston Martin in particular would begin to struggle as we saw earlier this season, and whilst that was true on Saturday, they had really good race pace, to get both cars in the points! This may mean that they have found some solutions, to work around the new rules with the floor, which hurt them so much.

When Russell said this was his best race ever for Williams, you can clearly see why, as he finished 12th, with everyone finishing the race. This means he beat a Ferrari, an Alpine and many other cars, sadly he couldn’t reach the points though, but it has jumped them back up ahead of Haas in the championship which is crucial! Alfa Romeo and Haas didn’t have much pace in the race, as we had thought, and just need to keep pushing, hoping for another crazy race!

This 2021 season is turning out to be truly something to behold, as even at terrible tracks like Circuit Paul Ricard, we are being served up some great wheel-to-wheel action. It is off to Austria next for a doubleheader there, where Mercedes needs to win one of those races, to get the momentum back on their side!

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[meaningofmotorsport]

My opinion of the F1 teams and drivers so far this year!

As F1 is currently on its summer break, I thought it would be a good time to give my report on how each team is fairing so far in 2021!

With this year’s car being very similar to the previous year’s one, it was expected that it would be as easy this year for Mercedes as it was last year! However, with some new rules which were clearly aimed at slowing down Mercedes, it has become a much more difficult prospect for them! On the whole, they have handled it pretty well, I don’t think they have the fastest car, at least over the tracks we have seen so far, so to be leading both titles is a good job, even if it has happened through luck and certain circumstances! Mercedes cannot be totally happy though, as they have lost out on a bag of points through strategy errors, and the car just not working at some tracks. Hamilton has not been perfect this year, with some misjudgements creeping into his game, yet he has been pretty close to it, and will need to stay at that level to keep up with Max. His fitness is a real concern, due to long covid symptoms! As for Bottas, with no wins to his name, and some pretty diabolical weekends to add to that, it has been a sub-par year for him to say the least. Plus, now was when he least needed it, with a massive threat from Russell for his seat!

Despite it being their best start to a season for many years, Red Bull have been massively unlucky so far. If luck was on their side, they would have a big title lead in both standings, but that is not how it has worked out, and the team needs to pick themselves up and come back stronger! They have the fastest car, Perez is getting better by the weekend, and with Lewis showing signs of weakness, and Mercedes potentially signing Russell, it could cause drama at their team too! This season could well come down to the mental strength of Red Bull, which they showed none of after Silverstone, and their overreaction undoubtedly distracted them going into Hungary, where Mercedes beat them in qualifying! Much like Lewis, Max has been near perfect, only some slight errors earlier in the year, and perhaps he needs to tone down the aggression a bit! Otherwise, he has what it takes to bring down Mercedes! Perez would have hoped for more when the season began, whilst there have been highs, there have also been many performances, especially on a Saturday, which have been underwhelming! If he can just gain a few tenths, to put himself above McLaren and Ferrari, and start to upset Mercedes in the race, it would be perfect for Red Bull!

There were high expectations for McLaren going into this year, off the back of 2 growing years for the team, and with a new star driver coming in. In some ways they have matched that, if not bettered it, as Norris is currently sat in an incredible 3rd in the driver’s championship, after a superbly consistent year. Yet with Ricciardo, it has been rather lacklustre on the most part! Obviously coming to a new team won’t be easy, however, he has been the slowest to adapt by far, and even by now isn’t quite where he should be. I think he will get there eventually; it is just the little nuances of the car he is struggling to work around! This team may be the best as a unit so far in 2021, as we have rarely seen them miss a trick at all. Despite this, the fight with Ferrari will be a tough one, and will require both drivers to be up at the front!

The gains that Ferrari have been able to make in what has been a pretty static rule set from last year to this, is impressive to say the least! This has mostly been on the engine side, after the circumstances with their 2019 engine, that I am sure we are all aware of! Leclerc has once again been getting the most out of the Ferrari, including 2 pole positions, however, there have also been some big mistakes in there too, namely at Monaco, which could even have cost them a win! Sainz has adapted the best to his new surroundings of all the drivers who moved, as he was right with Charles from the first round of the year! A couple of podiums show that he has been pushing his teammate hard all year, much more than most people probably expected! That could be their biggest strength in the fight with McLaren, if they still aren’t able to get Ricciardo fully up to speed!

For the most part, it has been another year where Alpine (Renault) has not been able to fight where a manufacturer should be, and the positive trajectory from a couple of years ago has faded away really! That being said, another part of sport is making the most of the opportunities that are handed to you, which Alpine certainly did last time out at Hungary! It was clear that they were slower than the Aston Martin there, yet Ocon and the team got the job done, and I hope this will act as a bounce pad, not only for the rest of this year but also going forwards! Over the 11 races so far, Alonso has really been the better driver, especially given he has just returned from some time out of the sport. Ocon is a very talented driver, he just needs to show it more consistently, at least he has the security of a long term contract!

AlphaTauri looked ominous in pre-season testing, and the expectation was that they would at least be in the battle for 3rd in the constructors, if not winning it! The reality has been far from that though, partly due to strategy and driver errors, and also just a lack of race pace! In qualifying they have been probably 3rd or 4th best, with Gasly at least, but it isn’t often they finish there! Pierre has been one of the stars of the year so far, as whilst there have been some slip ups, he has been maximising the car he has mostly! Tsunoda arrived on the scene with so much hype around him, and in Bahrain he matched the hype, however it has been downhill for the majority of the time since then. Overdriving seems to be the main issue for him currently, as he just expects too much from himself at this stage in his career!

2020 was probably the best year ever for the Silverstone based team throughout all its previous guises. I didn’t see anything wrong with them copying the Mercedes, copying has always happened in our sport, so it was nothing new really. The problem with copying the best team on the grid, is that rule changes will be aimed at slowing you down, and as we have seen this year, it has really damaged Aston Martin in terms of car performance. Bearing that in mind, they have made the best of a bad situation, with some very promising results coming to them throughout the year! Vettel has been reinvigorated at the team, as he may not be a top level driver, but he has made a step forward from his final years at Ferrari. Stroll as you would expect has not been able to match him most of the time, but has not embarrassed himself either, as he gains experience during his time in F1.

When Williams said they had make a ‘peaky’ car for this campaign, it had the potential to work really well for them, as being consistently out of the points means nothing, as opposed to 1 point scoring race! The team was tremendously unlucky to not score points before Hungary, although they have now got what they deserved, with a huge 10 point haul for them! That may be enough to stay 8th, however, they may even be able to grow their lead further in the remaining 12 races! Russell for the most part has been outstanding in what is still a poor car. There have been a few blemishes, such as Imola, but everything else he does is the best advertisement possible to Mercedes, as to why he should be there next year! Latifi has mostly been hidden behind the limelight of George. On the odd occasion he will push him very hard, which is good to see, I am just not sure if it is enough to keep his seat!

Alfa Romeo came to join the Sauber team on such a high note back in 2018, as they grew the star of Leclerc, before he went to Ferrari! Since that point, points have been hard to come by for them, as they battled to stay above the bottom of the table. They should be able to do it again this year, however their position won’t be that satisfying! Their performance isn’t helped by 2 drivers who aren’t a match for the rest of the grid. Kimi in his prime was an excellent driver, but this year especially he hasn’t really shown much to write home about! Giovinazzi has had a few years now to grow in the sport, and although he is beating Kimi very often, he isn’t showing any signs of being a star of the future. I think a driver overhaul for next year would do them a world of good!

It has been a woeful year for Haas, as an underdeveloped car with 2 rookie drivers, is a painful combination. As they focus on 2022, the good thing is that their drivers seem to be improving as the year goes on, to prepare for what they hope will be an upturn in results! Schumacher has been a class above Mazepin, as we thought would happen. It was also nice to see him get his elbows out whilst battling with some of the top runners, even if it didn’t last long! Mick just needs to tune out the crashes we have seen from him this season, otherwise he could have a promising career ahead of him! Nikita has at least stopped his habit of crashing, which plagued him to start the season, now he just needs to get on terms with his teammate in both qualifying and the race.

If the second half of this year is as good as the first, we could have a monumental season on our hands! All I hope is that we have a title fight which goes right down to Abu Dhabi, for the first time since 2016, and maybe some drama along the way to keep it like that!

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[meaningofmotorsport]

Bahrain Grand Prix Review

What a way to start the season! The first race of the year, has given us so many reasons to be excited about 2021, and reminded us of why we love F1, even if the FIA continue to be inconsistent in the policing of the rules!

Let’s get straight to the big talking point, which seems to have angered a lot of fans, the Turn 4 track limits situation. Firstly, I want to make it clear, that there is no reason to lay any blame on Mercedes. After talking to other teams and drivers, it appears that down the paddock, different teams interpreted what the FIA was saying in different ways, so it wasn’t Mercedes intentionally cheating! The problem is, that the FIA do not seem to have a hard and fast rule on track limits, it is fluid, and even when they do set out a plan, they don’t always stick to it.

From what I heard, track limits were not mentioned in the drivers briefing for the race, so some teams assumed the rules from qualifying carried over and some did not. Then during the race, it looks from the outside, that the FIA only started looking at Turn 4, after Red Bull told Max to start using it, because they realised Mercedes were. This kind of lack of awareness and communication, makes it look as though they are favouring teams when they are not. Just to clarify, I agree with the decision to tell Max to let Lewis through, as he went off track to help complete the manoeuvre, even if he was already ahead as he went out of bounds. The one that I question, is that Hamilton apparently went off track there 30 times, with only a warning, was this because he did not gain an advantage for most of them, or the FIA took too long to pick up on it? I hope it is the former, as this will not affect the racing, but if it is the latter, the FIA really need to get their act together, before we get a more farcical situation.

As I said, it is likely that Turn 4 did not determine the outcome of the race, and even if it did, Red Bull cannot claim they had a faultless race on their part. This is because, Mercedes showed today why they are champions, as they used aggressive strategy to put Red Bull under pressure, despite not having their car pace. This left Verstappen with a lot of work to do, and meant he had to do risky moves, like the one we saw, which cost him the race win. Admittedly I can’t see too much that Horner and the team could have done, apart from maybe saving the mediums for the end of the race, and pitting Max earlier for the last stop, as an almost 9 second gap to close up, is a lot to do, when you also have to pass the car.

The drive by Lewis was also incredible, holding off Verstappen for so long, making him use up tyres, until he was unable to pass him anymore. Best of all, it has set us up for a hopefully season long battle between those two teams, which could go right down to the wire. Their teammates may not be too far off either, as Bottas did not have a terrible race in terms of pace, he was just screwed by the long pitstop, without that he would have been within 10 seconds of the win, which whilst not being where he needs to be, is an improvement on before. Perez made up for a tough Saturday, with an inspired drive from the pitlane to P5, this shows that his race pace is up there with the leaders, so once he can get on top of the one lap pace, he could be able to help his teammate more often.

As expected, McLaren were there when it mattered, Lando started well, got past Leclerc and Gasly, and was off into the distance, grabbing a useful haul of points in P4. Daniel did not have his teammates pace, with tyre wear holding him back from pushing more, nevertheless, P7 is not bad for his first race with the team, I am sure he will only improve from there.

2020 was dismal for the Scuderia, their worst since 1980, and whilst they are not back where they need to be, 2021 has started off much stronger. The car seems to be better in all areas, and they could actually be the biggest threat to McLaren if they keep progressing like this. Leclerc got all he could from the car, as Sainz admitted he took it easy today, to make sure he finished and learnt from it. As they head home to Imola, can they keep this up?

If Alpha Tauri are disappointed with just 2 points, they should take it as a compliment, Gasly was where he needed to be for the race, however he made the smallest mistake, clipped Ricciardo and broke his front wing. Who knows what race pace he had, although I expect maybe not as good as McLaren’s? Tsunoda should come away from this weekend proud of his work, he got into Q2 yesterday, and fought back from a tough lap 1, overtaking many cars in the chaotic midfield, to score some points. The future looks very bright for him, if he can keep building from this.

Aston Martin may have been hurt the most with the regulation change, as Mercedes have the might to reclaim a lot of their lost performance. The car, which was third fastest last year, may now only be sixth or even seventh in the pecking order. Stroll was able to grab the last point today, but that was only as result of Alonso’s brake issues, and Ocon’s crash with Vettel, which pretty much summed up the 4 time champions weekend, as he careered into the back of the Frenchman. It could be a tough road ahead for them, until 2022 comes into view.

Alfa Romeo may not have any points to their name yet, however with their pace, and where they finished overall, it might as well feel like it. They have jumped clear of Williams and Haas, and should be in with a chance of a good haul of points this year. Alpine have had a rough start to their time in F1, the car has pace at least, with Alonso reaching the top 10, and staying there until his brake issue. I don’t think they will be as strong as they were last year, although with Alonso anything is possible.

Williams never really featured in the race, apart from the odd battle with cars exiting the pits, their pace looked on the whole better, as Russell was not far off the midfield pack. I wonder if they now need to focus fully on next year, to try and boost up the field. Haas’ race was tougher than even we had expected, Mazepin once again this weekend lost the car and crashed, with Mick also spinning early on, before settling into a rhythm. Hopefully he has learnt a lot from today, doing a full race, and can be nearer the pack in the future, although it is unlikely.

Compared to the usual procession in Melbourne, this was a much more enjoyable way to start the campaign. When you look back at 2020, it was an incredible season, with many great races, and story lines, all it missed was a title fight at the front. Now, with everyone’s cards laid on the table, we might get just that, on top of action throughout the field. Is it too late to cancel the 2022 regulations?

-M

[f1]

'I think we did everything perfect' Ocon thrilled after comeback drive helps Alpine extend lead over McLaren

A delighted Esteban Ocon was full of praise for the work of the Alpine team after he took the chequered flag in eighth place from a P16 start at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix – helping the French manufacturer extend their championship lead over McLaren in the process. Ocon started the race well down the field after tangling with team mate Fernando Alonso in the Saturday Sprint, but made a solid start to the Grand Prix, making it up to seventh by the end of his first stint. He then made the switch from the softs to the medium tyres, getting up to fifth before making his final pit stop. The French driver then made the switch back to the soft tyres for the final stint before the Safety Car restart – caused by Lando Norris stopping on track. He then overtook Sebastian Vettel for seventh before he lost the place to Alonso - who finished fifth - meaning he took the chequered flag in P8. READ MORE: Alonso enjoys ‘perfect Sunday’ in Sao Paulo after storming from P17 to P5 Speaking after the race, Ocon said: “I think we did everything perfect today, in terms of extracting the maximum that we had in hand. It’s a great day for the team, obviously 14 points. “I think Fernando did a very good race today. He benefited from the Safety Car. We did two different strategies but both of us drove a good [race]. I think today it’s been important that we got those points as the car was fast and that is the most important.” ‘We did everything perfect today’ says Ocon as Alpine pull further ahead of McLaren With Norris and Daniel Ricciardo failing to finish the race, Alpine now have a 19-point lead over McLaren in the battle for fourth in the constructors’ championship and Ocon was delighted with the “cushion” his team built as they head to Abu Dhabi. READ MORE: 5 Winners and 5 Losers from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix “It’s a big cushion on the last race, we are going to get there feeling a bit more secure and that’s the most important,” said Ocon. “To get 14 points it’s huge over McLaren and we can be very happy, and I am very happy for the team. “We knew we had to be at our best after [the Sprint] disappointment and that’s exactly what we did in the race. The season is not over, and we still have one more race to go. It’s going to be full push until the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.” Otmar Szafneur praised the work of both Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer echoed Ocon's sentiment, calling their performance in Brazil “fantastic” – although he insisted that the battle for fourth in the constructors’ standings is anything but over. READ MORE: 'I’m not here to let everyone past' – Norris defends collision with Leclerc after 'disappointing' DNF in Sao Paulo “If [the Sprint] was a low point in our season, today is certainly up there as a high,” said Szafnauer. “Congratulations to the entire team [at] both factories at Viry and Enstone [and] everyone trackside, and the drivers for a fantastic Sunday effort where we’ve scored 14 points and, importantly, extended our lead in fourth place in the constructors’ championship. “The race was well executed with both drivers showing very strong race pace, which allowed them to close in on the top ten. The championship is not over yet until the chequered flag drops in Abu Dhabi. We will remain focused, do our normal preparation next weekend, and give it our best to have both cars finish the season as strongly as possible. We’re nearly home.” via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

[meaningofmotorsport]

Sao Paulo Grand Prix Preview

For the final time this year, we have a sprint weekend for F1, which as well as making it a busier time for the teams, means we have more to talk about on a Friday!

Mercedes needed to fight back here in Brazil, after losing a lot of ground in the past few races, and that was just what they did. The blistering pace from Hamilton in FP1 continued into qualifying, and could not be bettered. The engine penalty he is carrying for this weekend undoubtedly helped him, yet the car was also excellent in the corners, which could be due to them being able to carry more downforce, in exchange for the extra engine power. The other theory is that they have focused more on qualifying, as they had a rather loose rear end all day, which could be a problem for the next two days. Nevertheless, it has been a teambuilding day for Mercedes, and put some fire back under Lewis, who will fight until the end for this title. Bottas did his job, by beating Perez, and needs to try and pressurise Max in the races, although that won’t be easy.

Bearing in mind this is a power track, Red Bull shouldn’t be surprised they got beaten today, however, you can tell they are not pleased with how things went. Verstappen was complaining about the car balance right until Q3, so I don’t think they optimised their pace either. Starting from 2nd, it will be interesting to see how Max handles the race, will he continue to be the aggressor, or will he protect his title lead, my guess would be the former, as that is what has got him into this position. Their race pace should be closer to Mercedes, so it could be an interesting few races ahead, although the race could easier for him with Hamilton having the penalty. Perez was solid in the end, and you cannot blame him for not beating Bottas, as Max didn’t beat Lewis.

AlphaTauri are doing incredible things right now, at least with Gasly, sadly Tsunoda could not repeat his exploits from Mexico, as he got knocked out in Q2. For Gasly, he will have a hard job to keep the Ferrari’s behind for 2 race starts, but I would guess his race pace should be equal to them. It is also a big weekend for the team, as if they can outscore Alpine, they will go to 5th in the constructors, which for a small team like themselves would be huge!

Ferrari just did what we expect of them now, but having already called this a power circuit, you can clearly see the gains they have made in the engine department. Charles was annoyed to be behind Sainz, as you can feel the rivalry start to build in the team. He had also been making a few mistakes at Turn 4 today, but could bring at all back in line when it mattered.

It was surprising that McLaren did very little soft tyre running in FP1 earlier in the day, and given they couldn’t fight with Ferrari at all, you would have to say it was a mistake. At least they both got into Q3, however, I can’t see them gaining points on Ferrari, unless chaos ensues. Looking back at the speed of McLaren at the start of the year with Norris, it is almost as if they have flatlined in performance, perhaps suggesting a strong focus on 2022.

Alpine did the best they could in their battle with AlphaTauri, but it looks to be in vain, as Alonso couldn’t go any better than 10th, with Ocon just behind him. They need to be wary of Yuki close on their tail too. Aston Martin should enjoy the sprint format, as it gives them more chances to show off their great race pace, which they will need to do to get some points.

Alfa Romeo managed to get both cars into Q2, yet that was all they could manage, as they start to settle for 9th in the constructors. Williams had a horrible day, with neither car reaching Q2 for only the 2nd time this year. The common factor between those two tracks was a strong tail wind in the twisty part of the track, which is a known flaw in that car. Haas were quite a way off given how short the lap it, and Mazepin was very emotional after messing up what was looking to be a very good lap, which gives a hint as to the tough times the team is having.

If any track is going to suit a Sprint format, it should be here at Interlagos, as this is a track which always promotes good racing, and some controversial moments. Would a sprinkling of rain too be too much to ask?

UPDATE: Some breaking news is that Hamilton has been referred to the stewards for a DRS infringement, it sounds like his DRS opened further than the allowed amount. This will likely mean a disqualification, and a pitlane start to change the rear wing, which will be a major dent in the title chances both for him and the team overall.

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[meaningofmotorsport]

Ideal day for Mercedes!

He may not end up on pole, however Hamilton did all he could today, to limit his losses for the grid tomorrow! There really was no stopping him, as that car was much better than the rest all weekend so far. From 11th, a top 3 or 4 result is definitely possible, and if anything crazy happens, I wouldn’t even rule out the win. He just needs to be careful early on, as he is around loads of drivers who will want to make up a lot of places on the first few laps. Bottas did what he needed to do as well, by being close to Lewis, and well ahead of Max. I honestly thought that Max could beat him today, so fair play to Valtteri for that. His job for the race is simple, if he can pull away and win, that is perfect for Mercedes, if not, then he needs to hold up Max as much as possible. As other people have said, this could be Bottas’ best chance for his last ever victory!

Red Bull may have hoped for slightly more from qualifying, but they just didn’t make a huge gain overnight. Verstappen did look happier with the car compared to yesterday, and could be better on race pace compared to Bottas. If he can get the Mercedes off the start, it would be perfect, however, if not, I don’t think it will be that easy for Max to get past him. He needs to remember that his battle is with Lewis, not Valtteri, so do not take any unnecessary risks. Perez looked promising once again, up until the last lap of Q3, when it matters most. 7th isn’t terrible, however, if Red Bull want to close the gap to Mercedes in the constructors, they need more from Checo. In the race he should make his way forwards, to at least a top 5, and ought to beat Hamilton if he can.

At one point it looked as though both Ferrari’s could be out early on in qualifying, however Leclerc brought it back to secure 3rd on the grid for the race tomorrow. This is a great result, especially given how McLaren did. He has a very good chance of a top 5 at least tomorrow. McLaren, as I just mentioned, struggled all day, and it sounds as though Norris was lucky to reach Q3 even, as they just couldn’t get the softs to work. Ricciardo, you have to say is still not on top of the car, despite the whole team having issues, although I don’t understand why he didn’t do a final flying lap in Q1.

Alpine and Aston Martin both had similar days, with 1 car in Q3 and the other not. Alonso really has the better of Ocon it seems this year, which is not good for the young Frenchman, who at one point was seen to be the future of the sport. Watch out for Alonso tomorrow, if the weather gets tricky. Stroll continues to be a master of difficult conditions, as he navigated his way to 9th, if they have strong race pace, it could be a great day for them tomorrow!

On the weekend where Red Bull thanked Honda for their support, it was nice to have all their cars in Q3. This was thanks to an excellent day for AlphaTauri, who managed to help Tsunoda get to 10th! It wasn’t a flawless session for him, with a spin early on, but you do have to commend him for how he did today. Gasly meanwhile did amazingly again, and has every chance of staying about where he is in the race, the only major threat being Lewis!

What could have been for Russell! It looked as though he was on a lap good enough to reach Q3, yet he made a mistake on the final corner, which cost him a few positions! They still have to be pleased with how it went though, as rain tomorrow could spell another chance of points! Russell was not the driver of qualifying today though, instead it was the man who qualified right behind him, Mick Schumacher, who reached Q2 for the 2nd time this year, but could actually take part this time! Plus,  if he had got in the final lap, he could have gained another position or two! These are the sessions where you show your talent, and he did just that!

We could be in for a cracker of a race tomorrow, with a possible battle for the win between Verstappen and Bottas, the charge of Hamilton, and some other cars out of position, and we haven’t even talked about rain yet!

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport