The curious case of Pierre Gasly

When the F1 world thinks about drivers with uncertain futures, Pierre Gasly is a name that doesn’t necessarily come immediately off the tongue. However, he is on that list, which is frankly mad based on his performances over the past few years.

Despite being a race winner, team leader and fan favourite, news in recent days suggests that Pierre’s position at AlphaTauri could be under question.

Sergio Perez’s contract extension with Red Bull was announced last week following the Mexican clumsily mentioning the deal on the live feed following his excellent win in Monaco. The correct decision for Red Bull’s senior team, as proven by Perez’s performance on that wet day.

“So what next for the Frenchman?”

This news effectively closes the door to another promotion to Red Bull for Gasly. So what next for the Frenchman?

In reality, the status quo works for Pierre and for AlphaTauri. Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda are a great pairing of youth, speed and the ability to improve quickly. That is precisely what Red Bull’s junior team need in their drivers. It is also clear that Pierre is the team leader, happy and comfortable.

There aren’t any Red Bull drivers that obviously need promoting from the feeder series. Yet, Pierre’s position cannot last forever in what is a junior team. They say that once you are comfortable within your role, you should move on to something more challenging to develop further. So one way or another, it would be beneficial for the growth of Pierre Gasly to move on.

“Pierre was not just uncomfortable - he was out of his depth”

The issue is that when he last moved on, he was in a tricky car next to one of the quickest on the grid in Max Verstappen. Pierre was not just uncomfortable - he was out of his depth. And you can’t help but feel that a part of him may fear leaving his family in Florenza.

Where should Gasly go?

I wrote an article on Daniel Ricciardo’s future in F1, and McLaren will be critical in the driver market. If they ditch Daniel, all dominos will begin to fall. Zak Brown may have an interest in IndyCar drivers. However, the reality is that Pierre is a known quantity and rated well in the F1 paddock. So he will surely be on the shortlist.

Pierre would be an excellent signing for McLaren. He may be as quick as Lando Norris, but enough to ensure that both cars are up there and keep Woking’s leading man honest. It’s the same reason Gasly would be a suitable Mercedes recruit if Hamilton was to make a shock retirement (as much as this would disappoint Nick De Vries).

Crucially, something that counts against Pierre is that Red Bull’s top team seems to have a problem even considering Gasly returning to the team. It appears as though Pierre was more distracted by bad results and found it difficult to move on compared to Sergio Perez.

“other teams will have underlying concerns of history repeating”

While it is true that Pierre was parachuted into a demanding scenario at a young age, other teams will have underlying concerns of history repeating when considering his services.

While most people watching F1 would assume that Gasly will safely have a long successful F1 career, there is a fear that he will be left behind by his peers and replaced by someone new.

Pierre Gasly’s next career move will define his F1 legacy.

Pants and Jewellery - a symbol of the F1-FIA split? (2 of 2)

The first part of this article was about F1's success in America. So it feels silly that one of the weekend's biggest stories was a four-time champion wearing boxers over his race suit and F1's biggest name wearing three watches to a press conference.

Since F1's governing body, the FIA, had a bit of a whoopsy at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year, it has changed two of the key people in the organisation - the president and the race director.

The presidential change was planned, swapping a retiring Jean Todt for a Motorsport UK backed Mohammed Ben Sulayem (MBS). The race director was less planned, swapping the controversial Michael Masi for Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, the two of whom will alternate each weekend.

“The Abu Dhabi controversy is critical here”

The Abu Dhabi controversy is critical here because the F1 world, in the majority, felt that the FIA had stood by their decision to not follow its own rules and procedures.

Back in Miami, we heard that the FIA had begun enforcing the rule that disallows the wearing of jewellery or non-fireproof underwear while driving the car.

On the pants front, enforcing the rules had ruffled some feathers with key drivers, including Sebastian Vettel. We saw him ironically wearing boxers on top of his overalls at the start of Friday practice in Miami. I've just watched him holding his own on BBC's Question Time - what a difference a week makes.

“He has been given a two-race grace period for that”

The jewellery battle seems to be a bit trickier. Pierre Gasly wears a religious pendant during races, Kevin Magnessun wears his wedding ring, and Lewis Hamilton wears earrings and has a piercing in his nose. While Hamilton took out his earrings, the nose piercing remained. It seems that he needs a minor surgery to get that removed. So he has been given a two-race grace period for that.

The question is, will he book the op?

Going by the way Hamilton arrived at the drivers press conference, you wouldn't be surprised if, come Monaco, we are talking piercings again.

The seven-time world champion arrived, donning three watches, seven neckless and eight rings. You would be right if you thought Lewis was trying to make a point.

“You might argue that it seemed negotiable when F1 remained in Saudi Arabia”

It seems odd for the FIA to annoy the two most decorated drivers on the grid for a little thing like this. Yes, safety is non-negotiable. But you might argue that it seemed negotiable when F1 remained in Saudi Arabia following nearby missile strikes.

The offers from Hamilton and Magnessun to sign waivers to cover the FIA have been rejected too. So it's not for legal reasons that the FIA has this stance.

President MBS is said to be pushing hard for the ruling to be applied, with his reasoning being that those at the top should set a good example. F1 is the biggest motorsport in the world. However, other categories allow jewellery to be worn, and some of Lewis Hamilton's most iconic images have been seen him emerge from the car wearing his nose piercing.

Is it, as Sebastian Vettel suggested, personal on Lewis Hamilton? Maybe. Perhaps that explains why Lewis is so annoyed by this situation. From the exterior seems an unusual area of the sport about which to have an argument.

I prefer to assume the best in people. This means that the FIA must now be applying every rule without question so that they don't have another Abu Dhabi 2021. While F1 could have suffered heavily from the conclusion to last season, the FIA was the organisation that received most of the backlash - and it didn't help itself by being slow to respond.

“There is growing discontent and a disconnect between F1 and the FIA”

This brings me to the crux of the issue. There is growing discontent and a disconnect between F1 and the FIA.

In recent weeks, the FIA has asked F1 for a more significant sum of money to deliver more sprint race weekends in the seasons to come. Reports suggest that this didn't go down well at all. Especially as F1 provides the FIA with approximately half of its income already.

This dispute over money and sprint races seem to have spilt out into pants and piercings, creating a pattern of F1 being celebrated as a global success. At the same time, the FIA receives continued lousy press.

The issue is that they need one another. The FIA needs F1 financially and for relevance, while F1 needs referees to run the sport.

Let's not forget, as silly as it sounds, the FIA have the power to stop Lewis Hamilton from racing in Monaco if he is still wearing a piercing. That would hurt F1 as well as Hamilton and Mercedes.

The alternative to the FIA? There isn't, really. The good news is that we are not going to see a breakaway series because teams would be mad to leave F1 just as it's becoming profitable. In fact, heavyweights Andretti Racing are looking to join the party, so the dynamic may yet swing a different direction.

Watch this space, and leave the space below to let me know what you think.

BREAKING: America for F1? - Here’s how Formula 1’s tectonic plates are moving (1 of 2)

Last weekend‘s Miami Grand Prix was a tremendous success. However, there is more than meets the eye. Celebrities, sold-out grandstands, pants and jewellery were the talk of the weekend. On the surface, these are silly topics. However, they signify tectonic plates move in the F1 world.

BREAKING: America for F1?

F1 in the United States. It’s a topic that I am invested in a little more than most because I studied it for my dissertation. Since my dissertation, which I wrote in 2021, Formula One has exploded in the States and continues to expand.

The Miami Grand Prix, with the Las Vegas Grand Prix scheduled for next year, symbolised the arrival of F1 in the American mainstream. Just shy of 250,000 attended the event over the weekend, which saw the track wrap around the Miami Dolphins American Football stadium.

The Super Bowl got 99.2 million US TV viewers and F1, 2.6 million for context. So there is more room for growth. That said, the Dolphins get 65,000 turn up when they fill the stadium for a football game. So commercially, the stadium owner Stephen Ross won’t be short of a bob or two with F1 rocking up for the next decade.

“Stefano Domenicali will have had a few phone calls on Monday morning”

The thing is, Ross isn’t the only American Football franchise owner in the United States. Others will be looking on. Especially if they can charge hundreds if not thousands for tickets. The success of Las Vagas in 2023 will be defining. Still, it’s safe to say that Stefano Domenicali will have had a few phone calls on Monday morning asking for a chat about F1 coming to a new part of America.

There is no doubt then that F1 is booming in the United States like never before. But the sport needs to be careful. It is equally vital that F1 maintains its global fanbase.

The Americas North, Central and South seem covered by three US races, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Although, you might argue another South American race would be good in a region that has historically embraced F1. Perhaps Chile - we know Santiago welcomed Formula E.

Asia and Oceania is a market that F1, particularly under Bernie Ecclestone, targeted for a while. We still have Singapore, Japan and Australia - races that F1 needs to stay on the calendar. I wonder whether the Asian market may be left behind, despite it being arguably as commercially important as the US. Toto Wolff has made comments suggesting that he feels similarly.”

The gaping hole on the F1 schedule is, of course, Africa”

The gaping hole on the F1 schedule is, of course, Africa. It’s the continent set for the most growth in the next century, and it has an audience interested in F1. South Africa is an obvious destination, but ideally, more races would occur. I can imagine Nigeria being an incredible atmosphere for a race.

Europe is the traditional heartland and will more than likely remain engaged, with drivers, teams and legendary tracks all heralding from that neck of the woods. However, if F1 is going to expand globally, it will need to drop some races in Europe.

“Monaco is under threat as a race”

The most troubling thing here is that Monaco is under threat as a race. The streets of Monte Carlo are part of the fabric of F1; we need a solution to ensure it remains. The two obvious ones are that Monaco pays more than the discounted fee that it currently does for a Grand Prix (it's the only one that doesn't) or widens the track to allow better racing. Although, the latter is a logistical nightmare. You could make the cars smaller and lighter, akin to the early 2000s. Yet that doesn’t seem likely with heavy hybrid power units and chassis the size of boats the order of the decade.

As F1’s success continues, the decisions made by Liberty Media will become ever-pertinent. We keep seeing long, multi-year contracts with countries. Perhaps, the best decision is to have core races in each continent that remain on the calendar but to rotate all of these other brilliant races year by year.

This would keep things exciting and engaging, balancing F1’s value without over-saturating the audience with too much of a good thing.

Let me know what races you think should stay on the calendar every season.

Part 2 coming soon.

Our F1 season predictions were probably wrong - and that’s tremendous

Last week, we did a podcast episode on AJontheLine, predicting the upcoming F1 season. And while it was enjoyable, with some exciting and amusing thoughts, I suspect that our predictions will be whole-heartedly wrong. But that’s tremendous.

While one may look at this poor foresight as a lack of knowledge or understanding, I look at it differently. It means that we are heading towards a fascinating season of Formula 1.

I put Red Bull as the fourth fastest car, but that looks wrong as they seem favourites now. Similarly, I put Alpine last, and they seem quick as I write during the first practice session of the season. 

I could see Charles Leclerc as one of the biggest favourites for the championship in that lightning-fast Ferrari, but how can I count out his teammate Carlos Sainz? He beat Leclerc last year and held his own against Max Verstappen back in their Toro Rosso days. The fastest Ferrari driver battle will be a spicy and tightly-contested spectacle - and it could decide the champion.

Mercedes look like they are genuinely struggling with ‘porpoising’ (listen to this podcast for more on that) but have a fast car if they can sort that out. Will they come back later in the season? Will their drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, the legend and the apprentice, remain harmonious? They surely need to initially as they get their car back to the front.

McLaren is so hard to call as well. Surely Lando Norris can find his first victory and Daniel Ricciardo his form. However, those brake issues were less than ideal last week. Either way, it is so good to see the team in a good, stable place with plenty of sponsors.

Then there is the ‘midfield’, the most confusing of the lot. Any remaining team could be the best of the rest or better on any given weekend. Will Haas, having dropped their Russian money for an old friend, be the biggest surprise? Will Fernando Alonso get the championship battle he returned to F1 for? Will Alpha Tauri shock the world and be better than the midfield? Pierre Gasly was fastest in the first session of the year, and young Yuki Tsunoda looks ready to balance his unfiltered brilliance with maturity.

There are so many questions, and those above are just the tip of the iceberg. This is a new F1 season feeling, but this time it is all-new. The shakeup in the regulations means that we can’t call anything. And that’s more than okay. Sit back, enjoy this season and join us on AJontheLine for all of the biggest talking points.

He's back! - How somebody posting a photo from the Grand Canyon nearly broke the internet

If you hadn't heard, the Abu Dhabi Grand at the end of last year's enthralling F1 season was a little bit controversial. Lewis Hamilton was dominant. However, Max Verstappen stole the race and the championship on the final lap thanks to some weird decisions from race control. 

Whatever your opinion - check Twitter, there are many - Lewis Hamilton was left heartbroken and "disillusioned". He had lost the championship that would elevate him to undisputed 'greatest of all time' status through no fault of his own. The other elephant in the room was that the FIA needed to ensure that never such a thing would happen again. 

Hamilton's team, Mercedes, protested the race result - a protest rejected by the FIA. Mercedes then appealed this before retracting the appeal, given that it knew the FIA would be the ones "marking its own homework," and there isn't much satisfaction in winning a championship in court. Mercedes did say, though, that the FIA needed to make changes.

The intriguing thing throughout all of this was the complete silence from Lewis Hamilton. He only spoke briefly after the race to congratulate Verstappen. He appeared in public twice to be knighted and celebrate Mercedes' team championship win. 

Silence is powerful.

The muteness accompanied by rumours of retirement has been the biggest talking point in the F1 community since then. The driver, who is arguably bigger than F1, may have been pushed away by the sport that he loves and to which he has given everything. 

But then, on Saturday evening, up pops Lewis on Instagram and Twitter, posting a photo of him turning and smiling at the camera in a desert. The caption: "I've been gone. Now I'm back!".

To say that this post caused a stir would be an understatement. It was the trending topic on Twitter, it made a Sky News bulletin, and t received more interaction than Max Verstappen's world championship celebration post. Yes, it's all a bit silly. But what does this all mean?

On the surface, it appears that Lewis Hamilton is not retiring, which is great news for Formula One, British sport and the world in general. You want the best in the world doing what they are the best at - otherwise, it feels a little bit like a waste.

Below the surface will be more intriguing. Lewis was said to have needed some assurances from the FIA before committing to another season in F1. So what deal has been agreed? 

Firstly, changes would need to be made in the FIA, as we have already said - this is a world-class sport and cannot be run by primarily ammeters. Many people call for Michael Masi, the race director, to be sacked, but I don't think that is helpful. As obtuse as he was immediately after the race in Abu Dhabi, he was put under extreme pressure and needs more support. 

Secondly, I suspect Lewis, like many, would have been calling for the laws of racing to be made clear and consistent. Last season, Max was over the limit and unpunished on multiple occasions. For drivers' safety and the fans' understanding, this needs to be addressed, and Lewis has the bargaining power to have that impact. 

Finally, he may have used his bargaining power to promote the long term goals of Lewis in the sport. F1 is elitist. Despite the 'we race as one' messages, it needs to do more for sustainability and be more accessible for competitors of all backgrounds. I wonder whether Lewis has encouraged a more effective strategy in this direction. 

Let me be clear. Lewis' silence was not simply a calculated move to change the sport. He was hurt, so taking time away from the public eye will have been extremely healthy and necessary after that draining season. The way that Lewis conducts himself and speaks this season will be fascinating. And his pursuit of title number 8, which he understandably feels should be his, will be enthralling to watch.

I am buzzing for F1 2022, and I hope you are too. Join us on AJontheLine for every twist and turn.

Turkish GP Race Report: World Porridge Day

On World Porridge Day, it was only fitting that Valtteri Bottas took a commanding victory in a cold and slippery Turkish Grand Prix. After all, porridge and coffee are what he puts his pace down to. 

These were conditions made for a man from Finland, who brushed off pressure from the wet weather specialist who is Max Verstappen. He wasn’t, however, the fastest in qualifying. Lewis Hamilton would have been on pole position were it not for the decision to change a part of his engine to alleviate any reliability concerns. But that didn’t matter. Valtteri wasn’t on pole for the same reason in Italy, so it was his time to shine. And he did just that.

The top three of Bottas, Verstappen and Leclerc stayed in formation for most of the race, with each driver comfortable enough to hold off the next. The exciting part of the race was going on behind them in the form of Lewis Hamilton and below them in the form of the wet track. 

Starting 11th after his groin penalty, Hamilton slowly but surely slices through the field, remaining conservative to not have a crash while Verstappen, his main rival for the championship, was ahead. Hamilton’s Mercedes was the fastest on the track, but he couldn’t make use of it for two reasons. He lost time looking for a way past slower cars such as Tsunoda and, consequently, eroded his tyres at a much higher rate than those at the front. 

A pivotal moment came when Hamilton caught Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez. The Mexican driver gave it his all to keep Hamilton behind and succeeded with some incredible defensive driving. This was hard and fair racing, right on the edge, reminiscent of Hamilton’s battle with Jenson Button in 2010 and the highlight of the race. It was critical for the championship too because it gave Bottas and Verstappen the chance to pit for fresh tyres ahead and secure second position. 

Soon after, Perez pitted, freeing Hamilton into fourth position. Of the leaders, it was just Hamilton and Leclerc not to have stopped for new tyres. It looked as if they could hold on, as though Leclerc could win and Hamilton could take fourth. But as the laps went on, the tyre life dropped off, allowing Bottas to retake the lead and causing Leclerc to abort the mission for fresher tyres. 

Mercedes, at this point, had already called Hamilton into the pit lane to avoid a similar story. However, the Brit had disregarded the call, believing that staying out would be the bolder but ultimately better decision to take third. Conservatism, however, prevailed, and eventually, Hamilton listened to Mercedes’ call to bring him in. This lost Hamilton places to Perez and Leclerc and a release of frustration over the radio by Hamilton. He would finish fifth, losing 8 points to Verstappen and falling 6 points behind in the championship - sub-optimal but better than a DNF due to an engine failure.

Happier were Ferrari and, in particular, Carlos Sainz. They outscored and outperformed their title rivals McLaren, despite the Spaniard of Sainz starting the race from the back with an engine penalty of his own. The fight for third in the Constructors Championship will be close, and McLaren will be nervous. 

Weekend Awards

Biggest Winner - Valtteri Bottas

Biggest Loser - Pierre Gasly

Moment of the Weekend - Hamilton vs PereZ

Honourable Mention - Ferrari
AJontheLine Line of the Week - I TOLD YOU (Lewis Hamilton)

The Turkish Grand Prix was no thriller, despite the rain. However, it was a tense and critical twist in the title fight, with many talking points. For analysis and an explanation on my choices for these awards, listen to our latest AJontheLine podcast, which will be out in the coming days.

3 Things to look out for as the 2021 F1 season resumes

F1 in 2021 has been scintillating so far. This year is one for the ages, with past legends returning to glory, new stars rising, and one of the fiercest battles for the championship ever. And we are only half of the way through. Here are the three things that you need to watch out for, from the end of the summer break in Belgium to the curtain falling with a chequered flag in Abu Dhabi. 

The Driver Market

‘Silly Season’ has begun - it’s time for those without contracts to sort out what they are doing next year. In this game of musical chairs, the music tends to stop once the most competitive seat is taken. Toto Wolff, therefore, has control of the pause button - when he decides between Valtteri Bottas and George Russell, the puzzle will fall into place. Who will he pick? Most think Russell and I tend to agree. 

If that’s the case, Bottas will be in high demand. There only seems to be spaces at Williams and Alfa Romeo, two of the least competitive teams this year. Will the Finn take a risk on the regulation changes next year, shaking up the grid, or will he call it a day in F1 and go rallying? Perhaps the answer to that question will impact the future of another Finn, Kimi Raikkonen. Or perhaps not. I sense that this, sadly, will be his last season in F1. New talent will join F1 next year, and there is plenty to choose from. I can see Nick De Vries going to Williams and Callum Ilott joining Alfa Romeo if there is room at an inn. 

When will Toto make the call? Will he leave it late to avoid a demotivated Bottas, or will he announce it early to give his driver time to find a new employer? I suspect Russell’s contract has been signed already, but it won’t be announced until Bottas’ future is sorted.

The Ferrari Resurgence

From what I hear, Ferrari has an engine upgrade on the way, just in time for Belgium and, crucially for them, Italy. The Prancing Horse’s engine being pegged back was why Ferrari lost so much ground to their rivals in 2020, so any improvements for Ferrari may allow them to catch McLarens and even the Mercedes and Red Bulls. 

Ferrari has shown decent pace in the first half of the season, but a tendency to go through their tyres too quickly has held them back. Despite these issues, Ferrari could have won in Monaco and Silverstone. F1 needs Ferrari at the sharp end of the grid. If the Scuderia can get their act together, they could add an Italian ingredient to the already exquisite concoction in the battle for Grand Prix victories.

The Title Battle

The bout between the legend of Lewis Hamilton and the pretender that is Max Verstappen has been compelling throughout the season so far, and it doesn't look set to end. We should expect more fireworks between the two drivers and controversy between the two teams. I have already predicted that there will be a coming together at the next race in Spa - you can read or hear more of that in the Hungarian GP report and podcast. 

The drivers' championship is on a knife-edge, making it very difficult to call. If I had to choose one, Hamilton just pips Verstappen - he's rich in championship battle experience, meaning that he will play a better percentage game in however many races remain. You've also got to factor in the looming engine penalties that Red Bull and Verstappen seem destined for. That being said, Mercedes could hit similar trouble as the season goes on. I wonder, too, whether a resurgent Ferrari will take points off the rivals, making the supporting cast just as essential to the conclusion as the protagonists.

Whoever comes out on top in this battle of the ages will deserve the title. We have the pleasure of watching how it unfolds, so enjoy it and come back for more news and views from the other analysts and me as Hamilton vs Verstappen resumes.

British GP Report 2021: “It takes two to tango”

The British Grand Prix is always a momentous occasion, with its classic track boasting some of the world's fastest and most challenging corners flowing through the sea of emotion that is one of the most passionate crowds in sport. I'm bias - I know. This year, the weekend had it all: a trial format that worked well, moments of brilliance from all of the home drivers and an era-defining race that had us on the edge of our seats (and often off them) from lights to flag. 

Friday saw the teams go straight from a late practice one into an evening qualifying. This was a fantastic way to get people excited on a Friday and allow people to get home from work to watch. The event didn't disappoint. We had George Russell being cheered around the lap to qualify a remarkable 8th position and Lewis Hamilton shocking Red Bull by snatching pole position with a remarkable lap. The energy was already high, and that's what we all love to see.

Saturday was the day of the 17-lap sprint qualifying race, which would decide the starting order for Sunday's Grand Prix. The championship leader, Max Verstappen, managed to beat Lewis Hamilton off the line to take the lead and eventual win. But the star of Saturday was Fernando Alonso, who managed to climb from 11th to 5th position in the first lap. While he did drop places to the two McLaren drivers, that lap showed that he's still got it, and  7th was a great starting position for Sunday's Grand Prix.

Speaking of Sunday, explosive would probably be the best word. 

When the lights went out, the battle between the seasoned champion Hamilton and young star Verstappen was awesome. You felt like there was something in the air. Dicing and banging wheels, the crowd were roaring as the two went head to head. As they headed towards the high-speed Copse corner, Hamilton dummied left and pulled alongside Verstappen on the right. Verstappen squeezed Hamilton against the wall, nobody yielded, Verstappen turned in, and the result was inevitable. The cars collided. Verstappen flew into the tyre barrier, and Hamilton continued, albeit in second position as the incident allowed Charles Leclerc to seize the lead. 

Who was to blame? I believe that it was a racing incident. If nobody goes for a gap in a race, then no overtakes will happen. Neither driver pulled out. Therefore, they were both responsible. Max's crash was a big enough penalty, and so Hamilton received a ten-second penalty. Listen to more on that on the podcast.

Out came a red flag and a race restart beckoned. 

Charles Leclerc is arguably as good a driver as Max Verstappen. He showed it on Sunday in his less competitive Ferrari, controlling the race brilliantly, leading for fifty laps. 

Meanwhile, Hamilton dropped back to fourth position but had been pumping in scintillating laps to catch the Monegasque. The champion overtook Norris at Copse, was waved by Bottas. He threw it down the inside of Leclerc on the penultimate lap, snatching the lap to a roar on home soil. 

It was one of the drives of the season from Leclerc and heart-breaking for him not to have won for an Italian team in England - a rare occurrence.

Bottas followed Hamilton and Leclerc home for the podium, with the McLarens of Norris and Ricciardo scoring a solid fourth and fifth. Sadly Russell dropped back out of the points, but some great drives by Alonso, Tssanoda and Stroll also saw them in the points. 

Is the British Grand Prix the best race in the world? It's hard to argue otherwise.

Biggest Winner: The F1 title fight

While Lewis Hamilton is an obvious contender for this award, winning at his home track for the eighth time and catching Verstappen in the championship a significant amount, he is still behind. I believe that this race and that incident are crucial in bringing the two drivers closer together on points, heating the ferocious rivalry between them. Max is uncompromising, and Lewis will be smart but not bullied.

Biggest Loser: Christian Horner

I would say that those who racially abused Lewis Hamilton during and following the Grand Prix are the biggest losers, but that would be going easy on their vile behaviour. They can sod off, and social media companies must do better.

Christian Horner was the biggest loser this weekend. His emotional reaction to the crash showed the signs of a team that had just lost 25 points in their lead, had their car written off and driver involved in a 51 G accident. It was scary, and the most important thing is that Max is okay. Nevertheless, Red Bull’s defence of Max’s part in the crash became an attack on Lewis Hamilton’s sportsmanship or right to celebrate winning his home Grand Prix. Naturally, they were upset, but those people that know Formula One know that Lewis Hamilton has won in a fair way for almost 15 years. Unfortunately,  the word that Horner continued to use, ‘desperate’, was what he appeared on Sunday. As for his argument that you can’t overtake at Copse, Lewis Hamilton took the race lead at the same corner. The difference was that Charles Leclerc gave racing room to avoid an incident.

Moment of the Weekend: George Russell’s Friday night flyer

There were many stand out montes, and the incident between the two main championship protagonists was perhaps the moment of the year.  

A special moment was watching George Russell driving a lap in Q3 on his own around Silverstone being cheered the whole way around the lap. What was more was that he qualified in eighth - staggering given that he is in the ninth fastest car. The guy is undoubtedly a future world champion. Even I am beginning to think that his move to Mercedes will need to be this year, even if it will give Mercedes a big headache in the next couple of years.

Honourable Mention: Charles Leclerc

Charles has been on it all weekend, qualifying in P4 and finishing the sprint race in the same position. He took the opportunist move into the lead when the gap arrived following Hamilton and Verstappen’s clash, Allowing him to start from pole after the red flag. While many might have thought Hamilton would dash past, Leclerc held the lead and created a comfortable gap. He led 50 out of 52 laps and showed his composure and racecraft to be up there with the best. Is Charles better than Max? Not yet, but I believe he can be and will be when Ferrari create a proper challenger.

AJontheLine Line of the Week: “I won’t be bullied”

I loved Toto Wolf’s request to Michael Masi that the F1 race director checked his emails as Mercedes had sent him something of interest. But the line of the week has to be from Lewis Hamilton, who said that he wouldn’t let Max bully him. Lewis winning this battle against Max, who tends to get his way due to his aggressive reputation, is what caused such anger at Red Bull. Still, it could change the way that Max sees racing with Lewis. F1 is a fascinating mental game, and I love it.

So, next up, Budapest. I believe that Red Bull and Ferrari will be better suited to the track than Mercedes but is Lewis in Max’s head? Follow the action in 2 weeks to find out.

Styrian GP Report: Like an old friend

After the double-header in Austria that kicked off the 2020 season, the Red Bull Ring feels like an old friend to which to return. And maybe the familiarity was a reason for the unspectacular race. There is still plenty to discuss, though, so here’s your race report.

It seems as clear as a window now that Red Bull has made a step forward with their straight-line speed, leaving Mercedes behind. Max Verstappen was supreme all weekend, dominating in practice, storming to pole position in qualifying and walking away with it on race day.

Mercedes had a weekend similar to their race in France or an experience you may have in a museum - they weren’t far from Red Bull, but they couldn’t get close enough to touch them. This upturn in Red Bull pace is putting the world champions under pressure, leading to silly things like Valtteri Bottas spinning in the pit lane during practice. The spin gave the Finn a three-place grid penalty, which dropped him to fifth after he had initially qualified ahead of his teammate Hamilton. 

That meant that Verstappen and Hamilton started in front and drove off into the distance as they usually do. Lando Norris’ brilliant qualifying meant that he was in third position and a roadblock for Perez and Bottas. Perez did get through on the first lap, but Norris swept back around the outside with a bold move. Eventually, the number two drivers did get past before Bottas capitalised on a slow Red Bull pit stop to take third position. However, it was too late for them to catch Verstappen and Hamilton, who were already almost half a minute up the road.

Further back, Charles Leclerc was clumsy and drove into Pierre Gasly’s rear wheel as they jostled for position. This caused arguably the biggest drama of the race as a helpless Gasly tried in vain to avoid his competitors before retiring from the race. Leclerc needed to pit and then spent the rest of the race fighting his way back through the field with some great moves to finish seventh, just behind his teammate, Carlos Sainz.

George Russell was the drover keeping most fans on the edge of their seats as he looked on for his first points finish for Williams with genuinely good pace all weekend. Heart-breakingly, though, engine troubles hit, causing him to lose what would have been at least a ninth-place finish. Sadly, it was another would’ve, could’ve, should’ve situation for the young Brit.

There was no question who the winner was. Max Verstappen extended his lead by a further six points after a brilliant win over Lewis Hamilton, who minimised the pain by taking the fastest lap of the race.

Round 1 of 2 in Austria goes to Red Bull. Fitting, given that they own the circuit.

Biggest Winner: Ferrari 

After a dreadful French Grand Prix, Ferrari outscored their main rivals, McLaren, with a solid P6 and P7 finish. Carlos Sainz was close to catching Lando Norris. You can only wonder what Charles Leclerc could have managed had he not had his scruffy lap one incident. Ferrari needs to ensure that they maximise their performance next weekend at the Austrian Grand Prix because this is encouraging. It’s just a question of whether they can coax the softer tyres home.

Biggest Loser: Pierre Gasly 

Pierre and Alpha Tauri as a whole were on fire this weekend and were it not for his lap one retirement, which wasn’t his fault, I believe Pierre would have been in the fight with Norris and Sainz for fifth position. I predict a strong showing next weekend from Pierre, and I’m looking forward to it.

Moment of the Weekend: George Russell’s brilliance

Another shining light this weekend was George. In another weekend where rumours of him replacing Bottas at Mercedes swirled, George did his reputation no harm by qualifying 11th, narrowly missing out on the top ten shoot out. A penalty for Tsunoda meant that George then started 10th with a free choice of starting tyres. All things pointed to the Brit scoring his first points for Williams with a super start, running comfortably in the top 10. However, engine issues hit, forcing him to retire from the race. Gutting.

Honourable Mention: Hamilton’s save in the race at turn 4 

It was a moment that you may have missed, but Lewis was giving it everything to catch Max in his slower Mercedes, and it was showing. Exiting turn four, the champion ran slightly wide and nearly lost the rear of the car. But like Odell Beckham Jr, Hamilton had a great catch in his locker, and he delivered it.

AJontheLine Line of the week: Valtteri Bottas after his pit lane spin

“How’s the tyre warm-up”

It was a dry piece of Finnish humour that caught my attention. After spinning in the pit lane, most of us would have been rattled but not Valtteri. He inquired about the warm-up of his incident with his tongue firmly in his cheek - the answer: sub-optimal.

So Styria goes to Max but will the potential wet weather spice things up in the same neck of the woods this weekend? Let’s find out together.

Russian GP Race Report: A Message to Bottas’ Critics

Since Russia began hosting Grand Prix again, in 2014, the tracks in Sochi hasn't exactly produced thrillers. Politically, it makes sense to race there. Still, other than Valtteri Bottas, not many look to Russia as the greatest place to race in the world. At least not the Sochi Autodrom. Sochi followed two Oscar-worthy dramas in Monza and Tuscany, and Netflix were filming Mercedes throughout the weekend for the 'Drive to Survive' documentary. Last season, Netflix were on the inside when Mercedes had one of their worst ever races, in Germany. This year, they got the win. despite this, the episode won’t exactly show Mercedes at their best.

Biggest winner: Formula One

There is little, if any, on which the Formula One paddock usually agrees. However, Friday saw this rare moment as the F1 world reacted to the appointment of the new CEO of Formula One. Stefano Domenicali, former Team Principal of Ferrari, is a smiling, intelligent and professional character. I believe that in this role, he can effectively implement the positive changes that Liberty Media have planned for the future. Born in Imola, Stefano lives and breathes motorsport, and he has the experience and personality to succeed in the Piranha tank that is Formula One.

Is another former Ferrari man joining Ross Brawn and Jean Todt at the top of Formula One's leadership a bit dodgy? I don't believe so. These are all conscientious men who love F1. Interestingly, Toto Wolff stated that Ferrari would have vetoed any appointment of him taking charge, which, once again proves the importance of political power to Ferrari.

Biggest loser: The fans

I would say that Lewis Hamilton is the biggest loser of the weekend - he started in pole position, received a penalty and finished in third. By his standards, that is a bad day at the office. 

Hamilton's weekend woes began in qualifying, where he had to abort his lap due to a red flag ahead of him. The moment forced him to use the softer, less favourable tyres to begin the race. This meant that, despite starting at the front of the pack, his strategy was sub-optimal. To make matters worse, he received a ten second time penalty for doing practice starts in an area where he shouldn't. Odd given that this is a procedural matter that had never been a problem in the past. Hamilton felt aggrieved - a natural reaction of a racing driver. But if he and the team were wrong, a sanction is warranted.

The real loser though wasn't Lewis. It was the onlooking fans, who wanted to watch Hamilton battle with Verstappen and Bottas on a weaker strategy. All year, Hamilton, as the better driver, has often taken victory unchallenged. Unfortunately, the penalty gave Lewis too much work to do in too little time. Had Mercedes and Hamilton not made a mistake and the FIA not been as harsh, we might have had a battle on our hands. A shame really.

Moment of the race: The Battle of the Brits

Perez's move on Daniel Ricciardo was good to watch in a reasonably bland race. However, my favourite battle came a few laps earlier. George Russell, Alex Albon and Lando Norris, the three rising British stars in F1, fought over sixteenth place. Russell initially got the better of his rivals in his inferior machinery. However, that wouldn't last, and last would be where he finished. Meanwhile, Albon managed to turn a difficult starting position and grid penalty into a single point, with Norris a few places back in fifteenth, capping off a disappointing weekend for McLaren.

A tough weekend for these three, but they are still part of the future of Formula One and British racing. While the others are in faster cars, I wonder whether Russell will be the first to win a race of the three. He is the real deal and ready for Mercedes to call him up when his services are required.

Honourable mention: A mature drive from the rookie

If I am praising George Russell, it is only fair to mention his teammate, Nicholas Latifi. Russell has continually outshone the Canadian rookie in qualifying all season, and the same has usually applied during the race. Nevertheless, maturity showed, negotiating a messy first few laps and keeping up a consistent pace, Latifi managed sixteenth. It wasn't the most incredible result, but he beat his teammate by half a minute and maximised the potential of a relatively uncompetitive car. A round of applause would be overkill, but an honourable mention seems adequate.

AJontheLine line of the weekend: "**** you".

I am one of the many people that have questioned Valtteri Bottas' ability to take the fight to Lewis Hamilton. This year is littered with examples of the Fin being given the chance to go to battle. Still, quite often he has written to the foreign office to seek advice instead. On Sunday, he had a lunge around the outside of Hamilton into turn one. It wasn't a successful move, but at least he was having a go. It turns out that he accidentally went for the overtake - he had braked too late, distracted by a large bee hitting his helmet. It says a lot that his most praiseworthy moment was an accident. 

Eventually, he would come out on top thanks to a calm yet underwhelming Saturday, a good start and a penalty for Hamilton. It was a good race, but by no means his best. Upon winning, he spoke on the radio, thanking his critics and saying 'for those of you whom it may concern f*** you". While this is a strong message from Bottas, who has struggled at times this season, I hope that this isn't just a one-hit-wonder performance. The real test is to continue to win again and again. That will challenge Hamilton, and I hope he does.

So that was Russia. Not the record-equaling win that Lewis Hamilton was after all. Although, I suspect that he will come back in a fortnight with fire in his belly, at the Nurburgring. A cold and unpredictable weekend awaits. Don't miss it.

Tuscan GP Race Report: Welcome to the old school.

This weekend saw the first, and probably the only, Tuscan Grand Prix. Last week's shenanigans in Monza was a difficult act to follow. However, the Mugello circuit produced yet another thrilling race, keeping us either on the edge of our seats or pacing the room. 

“Unfortunately, though, Ferrari’s Saturday night celebration ceremony in the centre of Florence was more impressive than their race performance, and season as a whole.“

The official race name was 'Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio della Toscana Ferrari 1000 2020'. This name highlights what the Grand Prix should have been all about - Ferrari and their thousandth Grand Prix. Unfortunately, though, Ferrari’s Saturday night celebration ceremony in the centre of Florence was more impressive than their race performance, and season as a whole. 

In fairness, Charles Leclerc carried out a brilliant job to qualify fifth on the grid, ten places ahead of his teammate. He was aided by the spinning Esteban Ocon ruining others' laps in the final round. However, he had still done well to get through to Q3. Come race day, Charles would start well, getting up to third, before dropping like a stone to finish eighth place. This wasn't a bad position for a Ferrari, but not exactly what the team wanted for their big day.

“Sergio is an intelligent and fast racer - any team, or indeed series, would be lucky to have him.”

Leclerc’s teammate, Sebastian Vettel, would finish in tenth position. Despite this lowly finish, you sense he will still leave Mugello in relatively good spirits. On Thursday, he announced his move to what will become Aston Martin for next season. Signing Vettel shows a strong statement of intent from Racing Point. As one of the most successful champions of all time, Seb knows how to win, and will have an invaluable insight to bring to the Silverstone based team.

With Vettel arriving, somebody had to make way. Sergio Perez was unceremoniously dumped. According to the Mexican, he knew that he would be most likely to leave if Vettel did arrive at the team. Having signed a three-year contract extension, Perez said that he was being told positive things and that he looked likely to stay. What he wasn't being told was that Vettel was in the process of ironing out personal terms with the team that Perez had kept alive just years earlier. It is a sad way for him to depart, but unfortunately, that is the cut-throat way of F1.

So where can Sergio go? There was talk of him going to Red Bull to replace Alex Albon. However, I don't think that would happen, especially following a solid race from Albon. The best option that I can see is replacing Romain Grosjean at Haas. In reality, Perez wants to stay in F1. Yet, if there is nowhere that will challenge him or give him pleasure, he will likely look elsewhere for challenges. I see him trying IndyCar or Formula E out. Sergio is an intelligent and fast racer - any team, or indeed series, would be lucky to have him. 

“The challenge was also mental, with gravel lining the edge of the track, punishing any lapse in concentration the old-fashioned way.”

As far as racing circuits go, Mugello is mega. Other than a kilometre long pit straight, the track is a ribbon of corners that come at you thick and fast. The turns were all high speed with camber, making it a pleasure to watch and a rollercoaster on which the drivers could enjoy and be challenged. The forces on the drivers and heat made it a physical challenge. The challenge was also mental, with gravel lining the edge of the track, punishing any lapse in concentration the old-fashioned way. 

For the first time in his career, Valtteri Bottas was fastest in all three practice sessions. He looked as though he was putting Lewis Hamilton under pressure. However, Lewis put in the work to pull ahead of Bottas just when it mattered, clinching pole once again by the smallest of margins. With the long pit straight though, Hamilton wasn't home and dry by any stretch of the imagination. A slipstream into the first corner could see any of his rivals getting past into turn 1.

When the lights went out, Valtteri Bottas didn't even need the slipstream. Hamilton had a poor start, with Max Verstappen also looking interested in taking Lewis' position. If it weren't for an engine issue, the Dutchman would have been through along with Charles Leclerc, who was following him closely. Instead, Hamilton was lucky to hold second position as Max dropped back into the frantic pack. Max's slow car was a factor in a first-lap collision, involving a handful of cars. That left Verstappen and, last week's hero, Pierre Gasly, stuck in the punishing gravel trap. 

“It was a silly accident, caused by drivers wanting to gain an advantage but not paying full attention.”

Naturally, the safety car was deployed while the retired cars were cleared out of the race. When this period was over, Bottas became in control of the pace of the following cars up until they reached the start/finish line on the pit straight. Due to the power of the slipstream, Bottas waited until the last moment to accelerate to racing speed, to avoid being overtaken - something that he is obliged to do. However, further back, chaos ensued as drivers sped up before braking and realising that the race wasn't underway. It was a silly accident, caused by drivers wanting to gain an advantage but not paying full attention. Nevertheless, the important thing is that everyone involved was okay. It also meant that there were four cars written off on the main straight, so for the second time in two weeks, the race was red-flagged.

Following the break, Hamilton had a chance to beat Bottas from the standing start, and he took it. With a sweep around the outside of the Fin at the first corner, the lead was his. Behind the Mercedes duo, Stroll made it look difficult to overtake the slow Leclerc, but eventually managed it, taking third position. 

In this stage of the race, Hamilton had a firm grip on proceedings. He managed his lead to a frustrated Valtteri Bottas, who admitted on the radio that he needed a safety car if he was going to win this race. A couple of laps later, Bottas got even better than what he had wished for - a red flag. Remarkable. The second break in the race came as a result of a rear tyre failure for Lance Stroll as he went through the high-speed and excellently-named Arrabbiata corner. Up to third came Daniel Ricciardo, who had driven well to get up into the podium positions. Now he needed to complete the job.

“Interestingly, Alex thanked Red Bull for sticking with him on the radio after the race. That goes to show the pressures of driving for Red Bull.”

Once Stroll's car had been clumsily cleared away, it was time to get going, once more. This was Bottas' chance to steal the victory from under the nose of his teammate and championship rival, Hamilton. Finally, luck had gone his way. All he needed to do, was repeat what Hamilton had done to him earlier in the race. Alas, Bottas failed to beat Hamilton into turn one. In fact, he was beaten by Daniel Ricciardo, who had a better getaway out of the box. Meanwhile, Alex Albon made up for a poor start, sticking it out around the outside of Sergio Perez for fourth. 

As much as it would have been great to see Danny Ric take his first podium for Renault, he didn't have the equipment for a top-three finish. The Renault just wasn't as good a car as the Mercedes and Red Bull. After being passed by Bottas and Albon, Ricciardo would take P4, another pleasing result for the Aussie who rarely fails to impress.

So behind Hamilton and Bottas came a Red Bull. But this time it was Alex Albon, who took his first F1 podium and Red Bull's first podium without Max Verstappen since Daniel Ricciardo. Alex seems to have the backing of the Red Bull hierarchy anyway, but this result will help cement his position at the team for the future. It was a long time coming, but I am sure it'll be the first of many for the London-born Thai. Interestingly, Alex thanked Red Bull for sticking with him on the radio after the race. That goes to show the pressures of driving for Red Bull.

So that brings the triple header of classic racing circuits to a close, while Spa and Monza are legendary and incredible tracks, Mugello rolled back the years with a race of attrition that challenged the drivers in more ways than one. Hamilton took a while to emerge from his car. When he finally did, his exhausted nature demonstrated that he had earned his victory. Exactly what we want to see. 

With this his ninetieth win, Lewis Hamilton finds himself one win away from the mighty Michael Schumacher tally. He is marching towards the high watermarks, reaching levels that many thought would never be matched, never mind beaten. In two weeks, Lewis could be calling home from Russia with a record equalled. Tune in then, if you like watching history unfold.

Belgian GP Race Report: Spa day for some, choppy waters for others.

When you are playing the word association game, 'Spa-Francorchamps 'is usually followed by 'speed' or 'classic' or 'balls (big)'. While the latter did feature, this week's Belgian Grand Prix was neither fast nor a classic. Given that this was a Formula One race, that's a bit of an issue. Despite the teams opting to coax their tyres home, to avoid a second pit stop, there were some great drives, overtakes and talking points. Here they are.

“Even Lewis' mistakes are playing into his hands.”

We shall begin with the bit with which we are getting well-practised. Lewis Hamilton took another victory. Not exactly a shock, nevertheless, well-deserved. 

In qualifying, Hamilton out-qualified Valtteri Bottas, his teammate, by half a second - a slap in the face in racing terms. Hamilton even surprised himself as he continually found time that others couldn't. The world champion seemed to make the difference throughout the weekend in the technical and twisty second sector. Bottas would qualify second, just a hundredth ahead of the ever-impressive Max Verstappen. In fourth was Daniel Ricciardo, who had the fastest first sector and a massive smile beneath his mask. 

In Belgium, starting from the front doesn't always translate to success. The long straights, at the beginning of the lap, that leads to the chicane of Les Combes provide a brilliant opportunity to grab a slipstream by driving behind the car ahead. Last year, for example, we had four cars side by side at the end of the Kemmel Straight, as the difference in drag brought others into play. With a front four of two Mercedes, a feisty Dutchman and a box-office Aussie, the race start was one to watch. 

When it came down to it, Hamilton made a mistake and got on the power too early exiting the first corner. This gave him a snap of oversteer that he lost a fraction of time correcting. As a result, Bottas got a much better exit. Heading up Eau Rouge, the drivers go in single file before fighting it out on the Kemmel Straight. Bottas caught Hamilton just as they were entering Eau Rouge, meaning that he needed to lift off the throttle momentarily, losing him momentum. Consequently, Hamilton scampered down the straight unthreatened, allowing him to check out and not look back. Even Lewis' mistakes are playing into his hands. 

Meanwhile, Ricciardo and Verstappen had a squabble over third as they made their way through the opening lap. Ricciardo licked the stamp and sent it down the inside of Les Combes. Verstappen would still hold on around the outside to the podium position in which he would eventually finish. 

From there, Hamilton and Mercedes controlled the race, keeping the gap just so. In the post-race press conference, Hamilton once again expressed his disappointment at having won unchallenged. He wants people to bring the fight to him, but with the current regulations, Mercedes are the team to beat, and they seem unbeatable. That is not their fault. However, it is a shame that Hamilton doesn't have more battles with Verstappen, Alonso, Vettel or anyone else that may be considered at his level. In short, he has Bottas in his back pocket. Mercedes are comfortable with that. Why would they not be, they got a 1-2 finish? Hopefully, the regulation changes in the coming years, designed to close up the field, will do what they say on the tin.

“Belgium was an excellent result for the team and encouraging for Alonso to see as he prepares to jump into Ricciardo's vacated seat next season.”

Behind the top three to whom we have become accustomed, Renault bagged plenty of points, putting a rather disappointing weekend in Spain behind them. As mentioned, Ricciardo did a super job in qualifying to get onto the second row. His teammate, Esteban Ocon, started behind him, in sixth. Following a tidy race, Renault came fourth and fifth. Arguably, it was close between Renault and Red Bull for the second quickest car this weekend. Renault were low on downforce, allowing their slippery car to fly along the long straights that Spa has to offer. With the fastest lap on the last lap, Riccardo needed just one more tour to catch and trouble Verstappen. Renault clearly take care of their tyres, keeping life in them until the very end. Belgium was an excellent result for the team and encouraging for Alonso to see as he prepares to jump into Ricciardo's vacated seat next season.

“The message read 'prove them wrong'. This weekend, he continued his run of doing just that.”

There was a trio of drivers who got the fastest three laps and were the contenders for the driver of the day. One of them won the race, one of them got the fastest lap, and Pierre Gasly was voted driver of the day. 

Last year, the Frenchman lost his best friend, Anthoine Hubert, in a Formula 2 accident at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. That week, Pierre had been swapped back to the Red Bull junior team, Toro Rosso, following a string of tough races. A couple of weeks ago, he returned to his home in France to find that he has been burgled. The last year has challenged us all, not least, Pierre Gasly. 

Allegedly, one of the first people to send Pierre a message after being dropped by Red Bull was from Hubert. The message read 'prove them wrong'. This weekend, he continued his run of doing just that. Starting, twelfth, Gasly was disappointed with qualifying. A blistering start would see Gasly rise through the field with some fine overtaking - most notably overtaking Sergio Perez around the outside on the entry to Eau Rouge, the very place his friend had died a year ago. I did say that there were some ballsy moments. 

An ill-timed safety car would see Gasly's strategy compromised, leading to him dropping to the bottom of the field. Further fine overtaking would see the Frenchman shoot back up the standings to take eighth position - not a bad effort given the circumstances. Without the safety car, I feel he could have finished in the top six at the rate that he was going. Either way, it was an impressive drive, and I stand by my prediction that he will head to Renault in the coming years.

“In hindsight, they couldn’t even win a championship with an illegal engine, which says a lot.”

While others enjoyed their Spa day, Ferrari find themselves in choppy waters. We shouldn't be surprised about Ferrari's result of P13 and P14 given their pace (or lack of it) this year. However, it is worse than we realised. Whatever they had been doing with their engine that they shouldn't have must have taken place for a while, because the step back in performance seems to be years rather than a year. The Ferrari drivers nearly came together, which would have been the final nail in the coffin. Instead, Kimi Räikkönen, in an Alfa Romeo - a Ferrari engine customer - beat both Ferraris. This result indicates that it is more than the engine that is contributing to Ferrari's woes. Something is simply not working at Ferrari. In hindsight, they couldn’t even win a championship with an illegal engine, which says a lot.

The following two races take place in Italy, the second of which is Ferrari's 1000th race. Ferrari will be glad that there are no fans - there might otherwise have been a revolt. 

If Bottas wants to win a world championship, he needs to start making Lewis uncomfortable, and quickly. The chances of that happening decrease by the race. What is more likely, and my prediction for Italy, is that Renault score their first podium since returning to the sport in 2016. As I said in last weeks article, Ricciardo on a podium is almost as good as Ricciardo on the track. Failing that, Ocon will spray champagne in Formula One for the first time. 

Tune in next week to find out. 

Formula E: What can it teach Formula One?

Formula One is the pinnacle of single-seater motorsport. With close to half a billion global viewers, F1 is not just a success - it is one of the biggest sports in the world. 

As F1 celebrates 70 years, it deserves the pat it gives itself on the back. But it doesn't mean that the FIA and Formula One are relaxing - they want to make the sport even more engaging. And so they should. One of my goals is to make Formula One a more engaging sport. When I look around at my circle of friends, I know that none of them are interested in the sport. Sure, they may pay attention if there is a good overtake or a big crash, but that's about it. 

In recent years, more of my generation have taken to Formula One, encouraged by the Netflix series, 'Drive To Survive'. It is a great show, showing behind the scenes of the Formula One world, which had often seemed distant and mysterious. This documentary has caught the attention of a new audience by reminding the onlooking world that there are humans underneath the helmet. That human touch is something that can take a sport a long way. 

There is still room for improvement. 

“Formula One needs to ask itself a question. Is this a sport that has the fastest cars, or is it a sport that is more focused on entertainment?”

As mentioned, Formula One is a place for the best of the best. However, it turns out that the very best of the best are much quicker than the rest of the field. Mercedes have dominated, winning all of the championships on offer since 2014 - even through different technical regulations. For Mercedes, it has been brilliant. Business is certainly booming as a result of the excellent publicity that you get for making reliable, high-performance hybrid engines. In contrast, for those trying to sell the sport, Mercedes' dominance has become a bit of a pain. Particularly so, now that there isn't the intra-team battle of the Silver Arrows that there once was.

Such hegemony has led to the FIA implementing rules in an attempt to bunch the field together, making racing more exciting. Of course, this is something that the majority wants to see. I include myself in this majority. However, I can't help but feel that the latest idea - to stop teams using different modes of engines from the Belgian Grand Prix - feels like the wrong direction. 

Sure, it may close the gap between the Mercedes and the chasing pack slightly in qualifying because they can't increase the performance of their engine. But in decreasing the teams' ability to maximise the performance and reliability of their power units, Formula One needs to ask itself a question. Is this a sport that has the fastest cars, or is it a sport that is more focused on entertainment?

For me, Formula One needs to be special. It needs to be hard to overtake. That way, the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, who make it look easy, get the plaudits that they deserve. There need to be a benchmark for the chasing pack to try and beat. That way, when Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton, we can applaud it, knowing that Max has done a fantastic job. These features are just part of the storyline. You can add to it, but changing the main story would feel fake. 

As I write, I plan to watch the Indy 500 this evening. This is a race in which many overtakes happen. This plentiful action will be incredibly welcome in America because there is action throughout. Hence, when an inevitable ad-break rocks up, fans can return to the action, knowing that they haven't missed much. 

High scores and plenty of action is present in other large American sports. An NBA or NFL match that ends in a 2-2 draw would be penned a 'bore-fest'. In comparison, a '2-2' football match in another part of the world might be described at a 'four-goal thriller'. Why? Firstly, there is a lot of money to be made in American sports. Secondly, it is because the sporting culture in Europe is to focus on a competition for the whole match, waiting for maybe one or two moments that make you cheer or cry. Formula One comes from European roots and as a result, is consumed similarly.

Consequently, the FIA and Liberty Media have arrived at a crossroads as to determining the DNA of F1. For the FIA, Formula One is their showcase event, so they can't have other categories going faster. Equally, they want Formula One to be sustainable and will ultimately need to yield to those in charge. For Liberty Media, F1 needs to get bums on seats, particularly those viewing from home. Therefore, it will naturally become more important to entertain than to go fast. How far F1 goes in this direction, only time will tell. 

“In Formula E, fans - particularly the younger generation - are simply part of the sport, so their involvement is imperative.”

In contrast, Formula E is far from the crossroads at which Formula One finds itself. The all-electric racing series completed its seventh season this month. When you look at the sport's growth over the years, it can be characterised as a resounding success. 

Formula E knows who they are and what they want to be. As a result, they continue to move forward. Costs are minimised by teams using sharing an identical chassis. Manufacturers maintain the incentive to compete with mechanical differences being legal for motors, gearboxes and suspension. Some of the world's biggest brands, including BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar, have got involved. Participation of such names indicates the sport's sustainability in more ways than one. 

In addition to this, the racing is excellent. With plenty of overtaking, despite taking place on street circuits, those watching have plenty to cheer about during the 45-minute races. The format of qualifying being on the same day as race day and rewarding points for pole position keeps the crowd in attendance happy, with a full day out planned. The impetus to push harder in qualifying for drivers also leads to more considerable excitement and more emphasis on the fastest driver over one lap as well as the full race distance. 

Two other significant parts of Formula E, adding to strategy, increasing overtaking and encouraging engagement, are 'Attack Mode' and 'Fan Boost'. 

All of the drivers can use Attack Mode by driving through sensors, off the racing line. This gives the driver an additional 35 kWh of power for a limited amount of time. As a result, different drivers will be faster at differing moments of the race. Going off of the racing line will initially slow drivers down, so using Attack Mode is to be done at their own risk.

Fan Boost gives those drivers most mentioned on social media the chance to gain more power. This feature gets the most out of drivers as they interact with fans at and away from the circuit. Advantage those drivers who are the fan favourite.

In Formula One, Fan Boost would likely be seen as a gimmick, taking away from the sport. Whereas, in Formula E, fans - particularly the younger generation - are simply part of the sport, so their involvement is imperative. With this in mind, Formula E has a clear product of which they can grow and sell to more cities around the world. 

“F1 without innovation would be a sad place.”

So what can Formula One learn from Formula E?

First of all, they shouldn't and won't copy Formula E in full. 

One Chassis Fits All:

Formula One's new rules in 2022 will increase the number of standardised parts. However, there will still be, and I believe there will always be, room left for innovation. F1 without innovation would be a sad place. Some of the greatest minds in this world have the opportunity to make cars faster each day. If they cannot do that in F1, they will find something else that does stimulate them. Having the same chassis decreases costs - an effect of the 2022 regulations. However, going too far the other way would be a negative thing for the sport.

“Qualifying is already an exciting affair, adding a greater reward for driving even faster, I think, would add to the championship.”

Points for Pole:

I like the idea of handing three points to the pole-sitter. Formula One drivers need to be fast over one lap as well as two hours, so rewarding out-and-out pace would make sense. Qualifying is already an exciting affair, adding a greater reward for driving even faster, I think, would add to the championship. I suppose the only thing stopping this from happening would be a championship being won on a Saturday rather than a Sunday. In that instance, Sunday's event may be compromised. With that being said, it may work the other way around and open up the championship for Sunday. So putting this idea in place would be a question of risk and reward for those in charge.

“I know that I have argued against reverse grids in the past, and I stand by it. Nevertheless, I do agree that adding something new to the weekend would be an asset to F1.”

Shorter weekends?:

As an F1 nerd, I digest as much content over the four days of a Formula One weekend as possible. I enjoy it, and I know I am not the only one. However, the question, 'do the clever engineers need all of this time to work out the best strategy?' is valid.

Formula E decreases the size of the weekend to a single Saturday, withholding certain information, regarding the likes of Attack Mode, until shortly before the race. I am not saying that the Formula One should have a one day weekend, like Formula E. But maybe F1 does have too many practice sessions. If some of that time was used for a sprint race in which a minimal amount of points are handed out, it might give Formula One a new dimension. I know that I have argued against reverse grids in the past, and I stand by it. Nevertheless, I do agree that adding something new to the weekend would be an asset to F1. 

Ultimately, for F1 to make money, it needs to sell as many seats as possible. So decreasing the number of racing days might be difficult. The idea of Friday morning practice being strictly reserved for test drivers would be appealing as it gives the next generation more experience. The problem then would be that those paying to come to the track wouldn't see as much of the official F1 driver, who they turned up to watch.

There is talk of a two-day weekend in San Marino, later this year, so I would imagine what happens there may or may not galvanise a change in the weekend format.

“Can you imagine the excitement as Lewis Hamilton jumps into Valtteri Bottas' seat to make up for a mistake at the first corner?”

A REAL team championship:

How is this for an idea of weekend format? In Formula E's first-generation cars, part of the excitement was watching the drivers jump between the cars mid-race due to the battery only managing half distance. What if there was a Saturday morning race in which teams had to swap drivers halfway through the race? Can you imagine the excitement as Lewis Hamilton jumps into Valtteri Bottas' seat to make up for a mistake at the first corner? Thrilling. 

For sure, you'd have to figure out the practicality of changing seats. But having a short race like this would be a great way to see who is adaptable and would see teammates' relationships strengthen or weaken as time goes on. I would envisage the points for this race going only towards the Constructors Championship. This system would encourage teams to pick the best two drivers out there, rather than a number one and number two driver.

I really do want this to happen now.

“Let's not forget the importance of human engagement in sport.”

Podiums:

Formula One podiums are fantastic. Monza, Mexico and any podium with Daniel Ricciardo on it come to mind. Nonetheless, have you seen a Formula E podium? Because races are all in cities, there are no permanent podiums on which to hand out the trophies and spray the champagne. Instead of making a podium, up high, above the fans, why not have a podium on stage surrounded by fans? Formula E does this, and to see the drivers celebrating with the fans is something that epitomises Formula E's strongest feature. Fan engagement.

We've seen the incredible scenes as Lewis Hamilton crowd-surfs at Silverstone and even Monza. Crowd-surfing just got easier if the fans are right in front of you on the podium. I can imagine the drivers having a lot of fun with that. So maybe bring some podiums into the fan zone or onto the track. F1 would have to play it track-by-track, but I think it would be great to see some fans doing 'shoeys' - post-Coronavirus that is. 

Let's not forget the importance of human engagement in sport. The Netflix documentary and Formula E have proven this. A podium is a perfect place for the fans and drivers to interact - therefore, getting it right is critical.

Inevitably, there will be winners and losers and moaners and cheerers as the result of any change. Formula E will reach a similar crossroads in the future - all sports do. How Formula One navigates the next few years will determine its future characteristics. I believe that the technical and financial changes for 2022 are a good step for making sustainable and closer competition. But, why not look to Formula E's ability to engage and try it on for size in Formula One?

As a cutting edge sport, F1 needs to embrace change to become even better. Formula E is proving a match for the ‘best of the best’ - if F1 don’t move forward Formula E will move past, sure of itself as an exciting and  viable product for the future. 

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.

70th Aniversary GP Race Report

Formula One celebrated its 70th birthday this year with another race at Silverstone, Formula One's birthplace. Over the years, we have met incredible characters, united by their love of speed, cars and winning. The first Grand Prix was won by Giuseppe Farina, in his mighty Alfa Romeo, and he would go on to win the Championship. The latest victory, seventy years on, was taken by a driver many feel will go on to define his generation. 

“While Mercedes sweated, Red Bull's Max Verstappen resembled the contents of a box of Magnums”

The opening rounds of the season have seen only one team standing on top, and many to predict that this would be the way all season. Mercedes have been, and continue to be, supreme. However, this is sport - everything can happen, and it usually does.

Last week, we looked ahead to the softer compounds of tyres and high temperatures coming this weekend, predicting the unpredictable. Tyres are undoubtedly essential - they are the only components of the car that should be in contact with the track. Consequently, you can have the best engine and chassis in the world, but if you can't control your tyres, achieving success is an uphill struggle. 

This lesson is one that many, including Mercedes, have learned the hard way over the years. In the past, the champions have struggled at certain circuits to generate enough heat in the tyres, leaving performance off the table. This weekend's weirdly warm weather in the UK meant that the problem had turned on its head - the high temperatures melted away the rear tyre of the Mercedes.

While Mercedes sweated, Red Bull's Max Verstappen resembled the contents of a box of Magnums - he even had the mental capacity to remind his engineer to drink. The Dutchman beat Lewis Hamilton by eleven seconds in a Red Bull that was plainly faster on this day in history. The fact that he managed to do so while cracking jokes on the radio shows the performance that he has left in him. At only 22 years of ages, he has at least one and a half decades left in this sport. Hamilton is beating records currently yet you wouldn't put it past Verstappen to match or outdo the Briton as his career goes on. Max Verstappen's stock continues to rise. 

“Last week, he asked for other teams to challenge him, and this week, he got what he asked for.”

Also rising was Max's position in the Championship. With Valtteri slumping from pole position to third across the finish line, Verstappen gained ten points on the Fin, overtaking him to take second place in the standings. Hamilton still has a thirty-point advantage, but this time, it is over Verstappen, who despite winning this Grand Prix, doesn't have the machinery to take Lewis on throughout the year. It is unsurprising that despite his team's woes, Lewis Hamilton was in a chipper mood following the race. He genuinely seemed satisfied with his hard-fought second-place finish. Last week, he asked for other teams to challenge him, and this week, he got what he asked for. Hamilton is certainly the king, but, without doubt, Max is the challenger. 

While we cannot see behind the face masks, there are no prizes for guessing whether Valtteri Bottas had a smile or a frown. Like his teammate, he struggled with the tyres. As the leading Mercedes, he looked to keep tabs with Max Verstappen and pitted earlier while Lewis Hamilton stayed out. Meanwhile, Hamilton stayed out and came into the pit lane to change his tyres later on. This alternative approach gave Hamilton the softer tyres and fresher rubber to chase and overtake his teammate. 

It seems that when the Mercedes drivers opt for different strategies, Lewis will often find a way to come out on top. Valtteri knows this and, despite signing a contract extension thanks to his calm, diplomatic nature, the Fin was quick to criticise his team's strategic decision-making. Quite frankly, Valtteri cannot afford these sorts of races if he wants to beat Lewis to the title. You will rarely start a Grand Prix ahead of Hamilton - he will rue the unconverted pole position which he earned by just six hundredths of a second. 

“…the divorce with their once-loved German man is already proving messy.”

It is interesting how a team's reaction to their results demonstrate the competitiveness of their car. A bad day for Mercedes sees them take the bottom two steps on the podium. For Ferrari though, fourth place feels like a win. Once again, Charles Leclerc maximised the potential of his relatively tardy red car. It is a similar story to last week for the Italian team's new golden boy. They do say that class is permanent, and Charles has bags of it.

The same people suggest that form is temporary. Sebastian Vettel will hope that such people are correct. The German had another dismal weekend. Qualifying twelfth, despite being almost half a second off his teammate, he told his team that he got the best out of the car. His race began with a spin on his own - ultimately finishing it prematurely. Vettel would then go on to publicly criticise Ferrari for their odd decision to pit him early. A second race ending with silence on the radio from Seb says a lot. 

Do I think that Ferrari are making it hard for him? I do. The Scuderia unceremoniously dumped Vettel, and have an environment on the line between high pressure and toxic. The intra-team politics are taking their toll on Sebastian’s confidence more than anything. Ferrari have moved on to their new man, Charles, and the divorce with their once-loved German man is already proving messy. You have to wonder whether they will last the season together. Sad, but unfortunately for Seb, that's Ferrari.

“For me, it seems as though Racing Point have been intelligent, maximising their competitiveness within the rules.”

The seat that many feel Sebastian is fleeing to was a lot more comfortable for the super sub, Nico Hulkenberg. Remarkably, Nico managed to out-qualify his Racing Point teammate to start from third place, just behind the two Mercedes. This performance showcases the German's brilliant ability behind the wheel - despite being new to the car and relatively unfit - putting him in the shop window for any suitors that can employ him. Lance Stroll won't have felt particularly good about Hulkenberg's success. The Canadian only started sixth. 

Saturday highlighted the lack of rationale in selecting Stroll and Vettel as Racing Point's drivers for next season. They are both excellent drivers, but I wouldn't pick them above Sergio Perez or Hulkenberg. Then again, I am not Lawrence Stroll, so we shall have to wait a little longer to learn in which drivers he will put his faith.

As a team, Racing Point made the headlines off the track as well as on it. They have been accused of cheating by using Mercedes' brake ducts from last season - something that is newly disallowed this season. Racing Point are confident that they have done no wrong. They have admitted that much of their car design is based on last year's Championship-winning Mercedes, and they have bought parts, where legal, from Mercedes. Despite this, Racing Point have been docked 15 points and fined by the FIA, who suggested that Racing Point were open, however, breached a technical regulation. 

Naturally, Racing Point appealed this ruling. They were joined in doing so by half of the teams, though not in support. The competitors feel that if Racing Point have an illegal component on their car, they should not be racing with it. For me, it seems as though Racing Point have been intelligent, maximising their competitiveness within the rules. Meanwhile, their competition feel hurt that they have spent plenty of money to create their own designs, all to be undercut by Racing Point copying last year's championship-winners. 

Arguably Racing Point have gone against the spirit of the sport, but if they are allowed to copy as they have, I am sure that the other teams will follow suit. This is a debate that will continue into the coming months. When the decision does come, it will be critical for Formula One because it defines how teams will go racing in the future.

Back on the track, I think we should have another great race on. I have been to Barcelona in the autumn, and wearing a hoodie would have made you look mad. I can only imagine that Barcelona in August will be another level of heat. If the past fortnight in Silverstone has been anything to go by, hot races are as variable as rainy ones. Next week Formula One heads to the Circuit de Catalunya for a midsummer's duel. I wouldn't miss it if I were you.

British GP Race Report: Home, Sweet Home - Just

What a weekend of sport that was. An FA Cup final on Saturday following by a British Grand Prix on Sunday. We were one Wimbledon final short of a British sporting masterpiece. It is seventy years since the first-ever Grand Prix, which took place in Silverstone. On that day, in 1950, King George VI was in attendance. Since then, British Grand Prix have felt like royal visits, providing a circuit for the brave, moments that will live on for generations and, most importantly, some of the greatest fans of Formula One on the planet. 

Of course, I am a biased Brit. 

This year's race at Silverstone taking place with no fans felt criminal. Hopefully, it'll be the only time that this race or any other is held behind closed doors because the fans really do make the British Grand Prix special. 

2020's race around the former World War II airfields of Silverstone did threaten to be a tame affair. However, this was a slow burner that would explode into life as the race neared the end, just going to show that it's never over until you see the chequered flag.

“With speculation of Perez being dropped increasing, this weekend was an intriguing test of the team without him.”

Racing Point, who's factory sits over the road from Silverstone, have deservedly been given the crown of the greatest pound for pound team in Formula One. This success has resulted mainly from their excellent operations and ability to pounce upon points whenever the superior teams tripped over or got injured. They have always done a tremendous job as the underdogs.

This year, Racing Point are not underdogs. The 'Pink Panthers' have the car to be the third-best team at the very least. However, their performance over the first four races of this season can be characterised as wasteful. 

The beginning of the week was less than ideal for Racing Point. Their lead driver, Sergio Perez, tested positive for Coronavirus. Naturally, Sergio couldn't take part in the race and his team needed to replace him - fast. Thursday afternoon, Nico Hulkenberg picked up the phone. He was the chosen replacement. Nico had left Formula One involuntarily at the end of last year. Talented, successful in lower categories and even a Le Mans 24 hour race winner, the German had never entirely done enough for a podium. This weekend, to his surprise, he would be driving a car with the capacity of doing just that.

With speculation of Perez being dropped increasing, this weekend was an intriguing test of the team without him. While the Mexican isolated, he will have watched on as Hulkenberg got to grips with a new car and lack of race fitness and Stroll didn't exactly set the world alight.  Sergio's experience, familiarity within the team and speed were dearly missed. This weekend shows precisely why.

It then went from bad to worse for the team. Nico Hulkenberg's engine would fail to turn on to head to the starting grid - the unfortunate kind of niggle that had characterised his Formula One career. At least the UK government's rules mean that he will have another, potentially final, race next weekend. Hopefully, he can be the super sub we all want him to be. On the other side of the garage, Lance Stroll at least finished, but only yielded two points, in ninth position. He couldn't make the tyres of the car work and struggled with pace. It'll be interesting to see if this poor form from the Perezless Racing Point continued into next race.

“If you are tired of hearing about racism, then imagine the tiredness of those who experience it.”

This weekend, Formula One finally got it right, addressing racism in the way they should have done already - clearly and unified. After the past two races have provoked criticism, a little bit of communication meant that our sport could use its platform to send out a message. As a white-dominated sport, there is sometimes a lack of understanding when it comes to racism since we don't see it in our sport. Why don't we see it? Because very few non-white people have ever worked in the sport, making it difficult to know when discrimination takes place. The stance before this weekend's race is a good start as far as education is concerned, but the conversation must continue. If you are tired of hearing about racism, then imagine the tiredness of those who experience it.

“I know I wasn't alone in needing a lie down after that conclusion to the race.”

After leading the organisation of the anti-racism message, Lewis Hamilton also holds the lead in the championship commandingly, following the race. Though the points don't show the full picture. In 2017, Lewis was interviewed on the top step of the podium by Owen Wilson, also known as Lightning McQueen. There was an element of déjà vu as Hamilton finished the race in a similar fashion to McQueen. For those unfamiliar with Cars, it is a Disney film in which the character, Lightning McQueen inexplicably failed to stop for tyres when he should have done, and blew a tyre in the final lap of the race. In McQueen's case, a photo finish revealed a tie, in Lewis' more real situation, he crawled across the line, just about beating Max Verstappen and the rest of the pack bearing down on him. He had made it home - just. I know I wasn't alone in needing a lie down after that conclusion to the race.

Hamilton wasn't the only one to have a tyre failure. In fact, he was lucky that the tyre only gave up half a lap from home. Bottas, his teammate, dropped out of the points from second and so too did Carlos Sainz from forth. Even so, while Formula One fans around the world were shaken to the core, Hamilton kept driving his limping car, at remarkable speeds, showing incredible skill to take his seventh win at home and eighty-seventh win of his career. 

“I don't see Max making a move any time soon. However, I sense that his patience will begin to degrade.”

Thrilling though it was, some asked questions of Red Bull's decision to pit Max Verstappen in the final laps in a bid to get the extra point for the fastest lap of the race. To those people, I remind you of the utter beauty that is hindsight. Red Bull didn't know that Hamilton would have an issue, they were happy to accept a surprise second-place finish and the tyres that they took off Max's car were heavily damaged too. Who is to say that Max wasn't going to also encounter a failure?

A comment that took me aback came from Max Verstappen. He said that he was 'happy to finish second'. I don't know him well, but I do know that it is unlike him. If Bottas' tyre hadn't given up, he'd have finished third. He is outperforming his Red Bull, as evidenced by his boredom in the race. His team will fear that Max will not only become bored with being beaten by Hamilton and Mercedes but also by his car not being quick enough to do anything about it. I don't see Max making a move any time soon. However, I sense that his patience will begin to degrade.

Verstappen's teammate, Alex Albon, did well to fight back to eighth after a torrid weekend. He was second quickest in Friday's practice, but also crashed heavily, which knocked his confidence. Further struggles would follow in qualifying. On Sunday, Alex was fighting back through the field and stuck his nose inside Kevin Magnussen after the Dane ran wide in the final corner. The result - Magnussen ended his race early in the barrier. Luckily for Alex, his car remained in good condition. Unluckily, he received a five-second penalty. I agree with the general consensus that he didn't deserve punishment. However, I understand and commend the decision that remains consistent with action taken on the two clashes that Alex has been on the receiving end of, with Lewis Hamilton.

“It would be good to see him get a podium before the end of 2020 - a Danial Ricciardo podium is always a treat.”

Joining Lewis and Max on the podium was a future champion driving what is now a midfield car. Charles Leclerc had a solid qualifying and race, outperforming his teammate and probably his car. Nevertheless, with two podiums this season, he is clearly showing his worth in a Ferrari, which won't be fighting for wins for the next couple of years according to their chairman, John Elkann. Once again, Charles was lucky to get this podium. Even so, you make your own luck, and he took the spoils when Bottas was removed from the picture. 

Leclerc was followed closely home by the ever-consistent Danial Ricciardo and Lando Norris. Both drove brilliantly, along with their teammates, Ocon and Sainz, as they battled hard. This was Danny's best finish for Renault and it would be good to see him get a podium before the end of 2020 - a Danial Ricciardo podium is always a treat. Once again, this demonstrates the brilliant position McLaren are in with their drivers next year, as they look to rise back to the top, where they belong. 

McLaren and Renault were held up by Romain Grosjean, who's Haas team once again did something a bit different with their strategy, leaving him out while others pitted. The Frenchman's defensive driving was 'sketchy' to quote Ricciardo, as he jerked late to block overtaking cars. It was borderline dangerous from the chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers Association. To put it mildly, Verstappen wasn't particularly impressed with Grosjean's sight earlier in the weekend. It is these sorts of moments that add to his unfortunate reputation as a driver who has more incidents than most. 

The British Grand Prix was a slow burner, but boy did we enjoy the bang. Happily, there is another race coming up at Silverstone, and it's in just a week. With softer tyres and higher temperatures on the cards, I wouldn't go anywhere. After all, there's no place like home.