In new tech madness, we saw a drone light display in the sky. It counted down to the race. Brave new world. (I'll stick with Shakespeare.)
There were no incidents off the start, everyone clean away. We had to wait 10 laps for Mick Schumacher to hit the wall and bring out the safety car. Most cars came in to pit for new tires, including Hamilton and Bottas from 1 and 2. Verstappen didn't pit so was in the lead (right ahead of them). Williams made yet another excellent stop for Russell to overtake Stroll. THEN the red flag came out, which meant that Verstappen could change his tires without taking a pit stop. Cue Hamilton questioning his team's every decision. After just 14 of 50 laps, the drivers were already looking very sweaty and tired. We also enjoyed Michael Masi cam. It looked like everyone would go to the end of the race on the hard tires with no more pit stops necessary. The race was truly on.
Returning to the grid for a standing start, Verstappen would be on pole, with Hamilton second and Bottas third. The Dutchman started with brand new tires and Hamilton's having been worn in behind the safety car. You could tell the pressure they were under from the radio and the games they were playing. Hamilton held the pack right back; more than 10 cars? Verstappen complaining the whole way round.
The second start brought lots of thrills and spills. Hamilton got the better start, overtaking Verstappen into turn 1. The red mist was clearly down as he locked up, cut a corner and aggressively retook the lead. Bottas also made this move, allowing Ocon through though. Was Max's mistake due to cold tires from Hamilton's game? Behind them, Perez spun, having been the middle of a sandwich of other cars, with no space to go, he gets squeezed by LeClerc and spins. Perez loses his front wing and tries to limp back to the pits but didn't make it. The drivers behind slowed to avoid, including Russell; Mazepin didn't see this and ran at near full force into the back of him. A scary shunt which he did climb free of (although we haven't heard from him since???). We also learnt the Haas team, call him "Maz". Obviously the red flag came out again. With all the attention back at the turn of the big smash, Perez was abandoned out on the track. Hamilton got his scooter out.
With a furious Wolff storming about the paddock, Masi (race director) was on the radio with Red Bull. It's so good that we are now privy to this. Masi offered Red Bull second place on the grid instead of their recent incident going to the stewards. After a minute, Red Bull accepted if Ocon was on pole. He was second in the race. Masi declined this as Hamilton would be pole, then Ocon, the Verstappen, so the offer wasn't second, it was third. He had just forgotten Esteban existed, like the rest of us. Finally they accepted. Having walked through the Williams garage, Hamilton got a nice head massage from Angie.
Helmets back on and back round to the grid for a third standing start. With the astonishing stat that Ocon has led more race laps than any other driver than Hamilton and Verstappen this season, even Bottas! Do you think Alonso gave him a wee pep talk in the pause? Ricciardo had done well out of everything too, sitting in fourth. Norris, Alonso and Raikkonen were towards the very back of the pack. This time, Ocon went off and cut the corner, Verstappen took Hamilton and Ocon had to give the place to Verstappen, who went off in the lead. Lewis and Esteban got away with a wing to tire touch.
Three laps later, the yellow flags were out for Tsunoda as he was tapped by Vettel. With parts of his car all over the track and his brakes on fire, he set off for the pit lane. DRS was turned off, much to Verstappen's advantage as Hamilton was getting near 1 second away. Then a virtual safety car was announced.
Vettel was further damaged by Raikkonen, who also needed a new front wing. During this, there was a quickie virtual safety car, to enable a brave marshal (not last race's rogue marshal) to run across the track to grab a bit of car.
We got racing again and almost immediately VSC was declared again, for debris to be cleared up. Alonso got on the radio to ask for a real safety car as the track was covered in shards of carbon fibre. This one took a while longer.
Back racing and Hamilton got up to 0.7 second behind Verstappen and the Virtual Safety Car came out again for another hazard, neutralising the battle for a minute (were Red Bull employees positioned around the track lobbing bits of car on?). This was a brief one again and they were very soon wheel to wheel, with a heart-stopping move. This was noted by the stewards...
Next thing we know, Red Bull told Verstappen to give Hamilton the place back, he slows slightly to one side but Lewis is unaware and drives straight into the back of him. This was also noted and then investigated by the stewards. Wolff was again furious, throwing his headphones to the floor. Meanwhile Ricciardo and Bottas had a little battle, with Danny Ric staying out in front at first before being defeated. Hamilton was going round dropping debris, trying to bring out another safety car. We heard that Verstappen was going to be told to give the place back, again.
He waited for the perfect spot, moved over and then immediately took the lead back. We were then told Verstappen was to get a 5 second penalty for gaining an advantage cutting a corner. Very much unnecessary intervention from the stewards, surely there was enough happening on the track to negate the need? Hamilton did then get past Verstappen on merit.
At one point, it looked like Hamilton and Verstappen would end up on exactly the same points, going into the final race. Vettel retired with 4 laps to go with too much damage done to his car. Ocon was 24 seconds behind Verstappen with Bottas behind him, Mercedes needed Bottas closer to prevent Verstappen being able to take another stop. No wonder Bottas's serviced are being declined for next season. He did overtake Ocon on the line to come home third, such a shame. Bottas said that he finally got it in the end, it was like after many laps he remembered what his job was.
Verstappen finished the race still in the lead of the championship, saying "it is what it is". Late into the night the stewards were still deliberating over it all and everyone went to bed not knowing the full outcome of the race. As the crowd booed, Max looked close to tears. He is definitely from the Schumacher School of Driving. The Dutch voted with telephones, getting him Driver of the Day. Sainz now has the most points without a win in history. A day of stats.
It should be said, the track was amazing, so quick through the walls, with the spectacular banking. Fifteen drivers made it to the end of the race. A track that showed who has the skill and who doesn't. The light display was also incredible.
No comments:
Post a Comment