Spanish GP Race Report: In the Zone

Last week, Max Verstappen sauntered into the distance, coaxing his Red Bull’s tyres home. In contrast, Mercedes melted, having an appalling weekend by their standards with second and third position. 

As we came to a Barcelona circuit boasting a track temperature that neared 50 degrees Celsius, you’d have imagined Mercedes to go through their tyres like Scooby-Doo would his snacks. Alas no. Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton proved, once again, proved their worth, finding a solution for their problems to come back and dominate just one week later. Typical for the six-time world champions, nevertheless, mightily impressive.

“On Sunday, Hamilton was ‘in the zone’ to the extent that he didn’t realise he’d finished the race.”

We are in an era of Formula One in which Lewis Hamilton sets the bar for the others to try and jump. Every so often, they will overcome the challenge that he sets, but invariably, Hamilton will demonstrate what the sport is all about, seeking perfection and yielding excellence. He is like Usain Bolt, Floyd Mayweather or Michael Jordan - a target is forever on his back, the chasing pack grow tired of trailing behind, but you’ve got to appreciate it while they are there.

On Sunday, Hamilton was ‘in the zone’ to the extent that he didn’t realise he’d finished the race. Such a metronomic performance saw him lap all of the field but the two drivers that joined him on the podium. Max Verstappen took second place twenty-four seconds after Lewis took the flag. The second Mercedes car, piloted by Bottas came home in third position, with the consolation of the fastest lap. Being short of the fastest lap and a tardy four-second pit stop were the only blots on one of Lewis Hamilton’s best drives. 

Tyre selection and management separated Hamilton from his rivals. It seems inconceivable, but Lewis managed to check out at the front, driving faster, using less fuel and looking after his tyres. When asked how he does it, he wasn’t forthcoming. I don’t blame him. You would too if you had discovered that secret. 

Each weekend Lewis seems to set a new record - this time, he secured the most podiums in F1 history. As much as we get used to him taking the flag, I can’t be the only one who still struggles to handle the split second as he tosses the trophy in the air. It’s a good job that he has better coordination than me.

“(Max) isn’t the type to waste time with an RSVP.”

Last week, Max Verstappen proved why he is comparable to Hamilton, Schumacher and Senna, outperforming his car to take the win as he did. The Spanish Grand Prix supported the argument that he is a more significant threat to Hamilton’s title hopes than Bottas. Were it not for an engine failure in race one, Max would be just a handful of points behind Hamilton. Extraordinary.

Verstappen showed that he is thinking of the bigger picture over the radio. Calling for his team to forget about Hamilton and focus on their own race, it was clear that he had given up on catching Hamilton on that day in history, but still wanted to beat the other Mercedes. As a consistent figure on the podium, he could well be a championship threat. Were Hamilton to run into trouble, or worse, Coronavirus, Max would be back in the hunt and isn’t the type to waste time with an RSVP. The Dutchman will be pleased with second and will continue to push as hard as ever, despite his machinery being below par. 

In comparison, Valtteri Bottas seemed broken. A poor start forced him to fight back to third position. It could have been worse, but he admits that he sees the title chances slipping as Hamilton gathers momentum. If Bottas had been seven hundredths faster in qualifying, he might have started on pole. However, his reactive approach to strategy in comparison to his teammate might have once again seen Lewis beat him anyway. Bottas, once again, will enjoy the fortnight break between races. He refers to it as a reset. Let’s hope so for his sake.

“If you sit around dithering, as Ferrari did, results to be proud of are not going fly in your direction.”

I am pleased to report that the driver of the day was a Ferrari driver. Remarkably, it wasn’t Charles Leclerc. It was Sebastian Vettel. In previous seasons, P7 would have been underwhelming. This season though - P7 warrents almost a celebration. If there were any celebrations, Ferrari have no right to attend the party. Teams pay strategists handsomely to run the numbers, determining the optimum approach for the driver. Weirdly, Ferrari don’t appear to opt for a strategy, and if they do, they don’t tell the driver. The result - the drivers are left in the dark, hoping that they have second-guessed the team correctly. Somehow, Vettel managed his strategy, telling his engineers what calculations they needed to do, before bringing his car home. He is paid well, but for driving the car. Seb hasn’t always helped himself recently, but he showed why he is still one of the best out there on Sunday.

Ferrari don’t have a good car. That is clear. During the race, one driver broke down and then, having got the engine going again, drove back to the pits with no fastened seatbelt. Meanwhile, the other driver, who has already been lied to and asked to leave, drove around trying to work out what exactly they wanted him to do. If you sit around dithering, as Ferrari did, results to be proud of are not going fly in your direction. Communication is critical in any sport, not least, Formula One. Lackadaisical is the word that comes to mind.

“If this move does ever happen, remind me that I called it first.”

In recent weeks, I have reluctantly failed to mention Pierre Gasly. He has quietly been doing the business and deserves a mention. The Alpha Tauri driver, who got dumped by Red Bull in the middle of last season, has re-found his form, and it is fantastic to see. He has been qualifying and racing well throughout this year, with some great laps and stunning overtakes. In Spain, he managed to out-qualify both Ferraris and finish in ninth place. The Frenchman confirms that he is in Formula One on merit, and that perhaps Red Bull wasn’t the best team environment for him. I wonder whether one day, he will leave the Red Bull family to race for a team like Renault. If this move does ever happen, remind me that I called it first.

Another diver who deserves a shout out is Carlos Sainz Junior. Sixth place at his home Grand Prix will make him smile. Especially given that his very quick teammate, Lando Norris, finished tenth. Carlos has had a difficult start to the season, not getting the rub of the green. I expect him to continue with these sorts of finishes - he is world champion potential and one of only two teammates that have challenged Max Verstappen. Hopefully, Ferrari will treat him better than the man he is replacing.

All in all, Spain didn’t set the world on fire - it rarely does. Nonetheless, it provided us with plenty to consider as we head to one of F1’s greatest circuits, Spa-Francorchamps. See you there.