GB GP Race Report

With it being Wimbledon as well, it was raining in Silverstone ahead of the race.  Norris braved the weather to go out and visit his dedicated grand stands, Pinkham took him out, and like a mother, emphasised the positives of it and they enjoyed some special pyrotechnics (or a smoke display?) together.

The theatrics continued with a line-up of minor celebrities on the grid and then a truly awful rendition of the national anthem by Becky Hill.  Bring back Damian Lewis I say.

It was not expected that the Race Director would start the race under the Safety Car for a rolling start, especially as it was now dry and sunny.  LeClerc, Bearman, Bortoleto, Hadjar and Russell decided to come in at the end of the Formation Lap for dry tyres, which meant they would start from the pit lane.  Piastri though thought that the last sector was too wet for slick tyres.  The Safety Car was recalled in the event.

It seemed like a clean start with Verstappen, Piastri and Norris holding their places.  Unseen by the cameras, Lawson went off the track and brought out the Yellow Flags.  There were great plumes of water coming from the back of the cars.  Hamilton fought Norris for third place and they were wobbling around on the tricky track and the drivers that chose slick tyres would be in trouble.  However the Virtual Safety Car was needed to clear Lawson's Racing Bull.  This would help those dry-tyred cars.  It turned out that Lawson and Ocon had come together; apparently all started by Tsunoda, who was later awarded a penalty.

Colapinto had retired in the pit lane with a faulty car before he'd even started, no one really noticed.  

There was an opportunity to pit for new tyres but only Antonelli took it, they would have had information from Russell, who was struggling on his slick tyres, so it seemed an odd choice.

Verstappen got the race going again but Bortoleto couldn't keep his slick tyre car on the track and spun as soon as he tried to speed up.  He was able to get out of the gravel and tried to bring his broken car back to the pits but at least we didn't need a Safety Car and was able to keep racing.  Until he didn't make it and retired it somewhere it could be easily taken off the track side.  A Virtual Safety Car was enacted again.  Stroll pitted for soft, slick tyres.

After a very long time, only eight laps had happened, Piastri was able, with slightly more grip, to get past a shaky Verstappen for the lead, and quickly pulled out a larger-than-DRS gap.  The drivers started racing properly.

Antonelli lost a place to LeClerc down in 13th but Mercedes brought him in for a second stop and onto wet tyres.  The rain did come down and Norris was on the back of Verstappen, whose tyres were so bad he went off the track.  The top three all came into the pit lane, stacking the McLarens, so Norris came out behind Verstappen.

As the rain got heavier, into proper Scottish territory, the Race Director sent out the Safety Car to keep things, well, safe.  LeClerc had a big off, going straight across the grass just before.

There were several laps before we went racing again.  It was Hamilton and Russell who really fought for places immediately.  The spray was still heavy and Hadjar ran into the car in front of him, Antonelli.  And the Safety Car came out again.

Verstappen was too aggressive as the race got underway again but Piastri had braked too hard before him.  He was too confident and the Red Bull spun and was put to the end of the top ten, scooting about, he fought with the Williams'.  Bearman had a big off across the grass even further back.  Piastri received a ten second penalty for his actions.  This could give the race win to Norris after all.

Antontelli had to retire from the damage he sustained during the incident with Hadjar.

A number of dry laps passed by and then, on lap 35, DRS was enabled and drivers were thinking about dry tyres.  Somehow Stroll was in third place, until Hulkenberg and then Hamilton got passed him.  Alonso was the first driver to take dry tyres and came out in last place; Russell was the next and he was in 13th, which by this point, was three places up from last.  You had to go carefully on those slick tyres as Russell went for a fast, uncontrollable spin off across the grass and gravel.   The track was not ready.

Sainz and LeClerc, old team mates had a battle.  Norris ahead was putting in the fastest laps on his intermediate tyres.

Despite all the knowledge gained from watching Russell and Alonso, Stroll, Verstappen, Gasly, Hamilton and Sainz all came in for dry tyres which seemed like madness.  Hamilton was overtaken by his team mate and the Haas cars came together.  

With seven laps to go, Alonso overtook Albon for 8th.  Hulkenberg was somehow back in third with Hamilton behind him.  Norris was in the lead.  Piastri was struggling, going off the track but asking the team to swap the drivers positions if the team felt his penalty wasn't fair.  LeClerc had another off through the gravel and only just made it back onto the track.

The sun stayed out until the end of the race.  It was an emotional victory for Norris, even more so for Hulkenberg as he took his first podium in third place.  Jenson Button had a difficult interview with Piastri, who initially congratulated Hulkenberg if not Norris and refused to speak much about his incident behind the Safety Car.

Norris held it together very well on the podium, receiving two identical trophies, one made from Lego.  What happened afterwards was a shame as the focus was much more on Piastri being upset than Norris winning.  McLaren's PR will not be happy.

Sauber however had much to celebrate.  Hulkenberg won the popular vote of Driver of the Day and the team went wilder than McLaren.  With Binotto and Wheatley now in charge, it seems like Sauber might be a force to contend with in the future and the seats in that team may be more hotly pursued following the last two races.  Could this be where Verstappen chooses in the end?

GB GP Qualifying Report

It was inevitable that, with Oasis playing their first concert in many years the previous night, a best of British feeling would be played to the full at Silverstone.  There were lots of Brits to be supported but Bearman might not be getting much.  He would start the race with a ten place grid penalty for crashing in the pit lane entry as he accelerated past Red Flags.

The first Qualifying session went well for eight minutes, with drivers dutifully setting times.  Then Colapinto touched the paint with a tyre and went for a gentle trip through the gravel and into the wall.  Yellow flags came out and it seemed that the session would need to be stopped (it was eventually) but he was able to keep going, dropping gravel as he went along the straight before pulling over.  His car was dusty and the wheels were so chiselled that he bumped along on square tyres.

When they got going again, the track had changed: the wind direction and the spots of rain affected it.  Some drivers chose not to go out for an early push with five minutes to go but most did.  To his annoyance, Hamilton wasn't fuelled to put in a few laps in a row, which put him under pressure and he finished 14th.  Verstappen was fastest followed by Piastri then Bearman (for the Brits).  Out went Lawson (who did so well last race), Bortoleto (who did so well last race), Stroll (never done well at any race since he left Williams), Hulkenberg (who did so well last race) and Colapinto.

It was a fairly standard second session.  The big surprise was that Hamilton was first with LeClerc second.  Both Williams went out in 11th (Sainz) and 14th (Albon, having made a poor choice to change his set-up).  Tsunoda was in 12th, Hadjar 13th and Ocon in 15th.

Again, the final session was nothing spectacular but did go to down to a final quick lap shoot out.  Having found it difficult to get a good set up and handle his car throughout the first two sessions, Verstappen took pole, setting the sectors purple.  He was ahead of Piastri and Norris, the McLarens behind him.  Max was very pleased with that result: "simply lovely".  Piastri had slipped and swerved about and Norris had taken too much kerb, neither driver was in contention in the end.  Behind them was Russell, Hamilton, LeClerc, Antonelli, Bearman, Alonso and Gasly.

All eyes would now be on the weather forecast for the race.  As ever, there was a sense that Verstappen would hold the lead from the start to the end and all those Brits lining up would not get a look in.

Austria GP Race Report

All talk before the race started was how this Austrian GP was Norris's to lose.  At least he made it off on the formation lap; Sainz was stuck in first gear and something (the hand brake?) was stopping it from moving altogether.  The start was abhorted.  The Williams made it to the end of the pit lane and then his brakes caught fire.  And his race was over before it had even begun.

Everyone got a great start but the supeior pace of the McLaren meant that Piastri got past LeClerc for second and immediately started to go for Norris.  Further back, Verstappen was clipped by Antontelli who locked up in the middle of the pack.  The vet went to see if the rookie was okay with a smile.  The Safety Car was out, we were three drivers down and it was only the second lap,

On Lap 11, Piastri briefly held the lead but Norris came back through the following corners.  How long would they be allowed to race?  Had there been a protocol set before the race?  Whoever was ahead by the first pitstop? Etc.

The battle continued, with Norris positioning his car perfectly.   There was less luck down the track, as Albon pitted and retired his Williams for a double DNF for the team.  Even further back, Tsunoda hit Stroll.

Both McLarens made small mistakes as they pushed each other and then Norris pitted first.  Nearly halfway through, when pit stops were complete and everything was back to level-pegging, Piastri was given a not-very-subtle warning not to get as close to Norris again.

Tsunoda and Colapinto came together again.  He got a ten second penalty.   

And then Norris began to lose confidence in himself, he probably is his own worst enemy.   He held the lead through passing the back-markers.

Hamilton was made to pit against his will. He didn’t want a second stop believing position is king.  This driver versus team strategists is going to run and run.

For the McLarens it was all down to the last set of pit stops.  There were 16 laps to go.  Tsunoda and Colapinto came together for a third time with Piastri in the middle.  He was off and across the grass.  There were more time penalties.  

There were 6 laps at the end of the race for the McLarens to go head-to-head.  Instead we watched Alonso and Bortoleto battling.  The back-markers basically neutralised the McLaren race, much to the management's relief I imagine.

It finished Norris, Piastri (still ahead in the championship, by 15 points), LeClerc,  Hamilton,  Russell and Lawson.  The Ferraris managed an almost secret race to get excellent points and a real in-road towards beating Mercedes and Red Bull.  Piastri didn't look thrilled on the podium with his second place trophy.

Bortoleto was awarrded Driver of the Day as both Saubers were well within the points.  Was it the Wheatley-effect on Sauber?  The loss of both Williams' cars? Or some Austrian magic?

There is a quick turnover between Red Bull territory and Silverstone,  where almost everyone claims a home race.  It would be predictably disappointing for Norris to lose to Piastri there.

Austria GP Qualifying Report

For some reason, the talk of the pit lane was whether Russell would keep his Mercedes seat if Verstappen should want it next season.  Nobody let it affect their performance in Qualifying though. 

Piastri swept through some gravel in the first session. Sainz also struggled in his Williams to keep it on the tarmac.  The five slowest and out drivers were Stroll, Ocon, Tsunoda (another poor showing, just how bad is that Red Bull?), Sainz and Hulkenberg.  One driver each from five different teams...this says a lot about the current state of competition in the sport.  Sainz complained that the car was undrivable but his driving also looked pretty shoddy.

Verstappen also thought his car was undrivable in the second session.   The McLarens and Ferraris were looking strong.   Then Hamilton ran wide and set the grass on fire so the session was red flagged.  This led to a sprint to the end, with time for one fast lap only.  Bortoleto crossed the line first in his Sauber and was very quick, third for a moment.  He did get through to the final shoot out for the first time.  Out went Alonso, Albon, Hadjar, Colapinto and Bearman.  The McLarens were a dominant first and second with LeClerc behind them and Hamilton dropping back. 

After the first set of laps in Q3, Norris was on pole, then LeClerc then Piastri.  Russell was noted for an unsafe release in the pit lane.   But Russell couldn't improve his place in the end.  There was a half second gap between Norris on pole and LeClerc behind him.  Then it was Piastri,  Hamilton,  Russell,  Lawson (doing better in the junior team than the lead driver of the main outfit), Verstappen,  Bortoleto, Antontelli and Gasly.   The Alpine driver did two full rotations as he went off through the gravel at the end of the session.

I think Norris will be quick in the race and Ferrari likely to give a McLaren the win through choosing a poor strategy.  The question is whether McLaren will give a fair and equitable strategy call to both drivers and whether they will end up hot on each others' heels?  I don't put it passed Norris to make a hot-headed driver error again and LeClerc will be there to pick up the spills.

Canada GP Race Report

Even though Russell was on pole, it still felt like it might be Verstappen's race, possibly Piastri's, probably not Norris's.  The British press were trying to put the Red Bull driver off by continually referencing his 11 licence points, perilously close to a race ban.  Having apologised two weeks ago for his misdemeanour, he was getting more and more annoyed by the questions.

Following Qualifying, Lawson and Gasly fitted new engines (not themselves, personally), which meant that they would start from the pit lane.  Tsunoda was in 18th after his 10 place penalty.  Hadjar was 12th after a three place drop for impeding Sainz, as he started 16th this would be no consolation for the Williams driver.

It was a clean start.  Albon was both under pressure and pressuring others but went across a chicane and through the grass, dropping back places.  Antonelli got past a risk-averse Piastri for third place.  Then there was a quiet ten laps until Norris overtook Hamilton and Alonso, and Antonelli started to really challenge Verstappen.  He avoided it by pitting very early.  The race leader, Russell, followed him in on the next lap, which put Antonelli out front.  Then he pitted.  There was confusion brought on my the Red Bull strategy, so many drivers having taken a stop, it was hard to see who would be where.

By lap 21 everyone had pitted apart from Norris and LeClerc, who were in front, a cluster of Ocon, Sainz, Albon (one team mate having gotten past the other, who was very irate with the team for not listening to him), Tsunoda, Bortoleto and Stroll, then Lawson and Gasly, who would be returned to the back of the pack when they did.

Albon refused to box and a numbers of cars overtook him in quick succession.  When he did pit he was last.

LeClerc pitted just before the halfway point and immediately questioned the choice of tyre Ferrari had given him.  LeClerc had asked for Plan C as he felt the tyres were okay.  Ferrari thought Plan B would be better but failed to communicate this with him.  Norris pitted from the lead and came out in 5th and could do a one stop race.

Aston Martin gave Alonso some gentle guidance and he told them he was racing not testing.  He really was.

By halfway through, not a lot had changed in the top 9.  Verstappen was still setting the pace, even from fourth.  Everyone responded when he pitted again.  When Russell stopped it went wrong and cost him valuable seconds.

Having done 49 laps, Albon pulled off the track and down an escape road.  It was a terrible day for him.  Then Stroll was awarded a ten second penalty for forcing another car off the track, we don't know who, we didn't see it, it wasn't replayed.  The Canadian driver was really bringing the show for his home fans.

The top five were covered by less than eight seconds with 16 laps to go.  Lawson was also retired due his Power Unit, they wanted to look after it.  It hadn't taken long to wear it down, given that they fitted it overnight.  Then, with eight laps to go, the McLarens were battling each other hard for fourth and fifth.  With Antonelli right ahead of them, they could have been making a play for a podium finish, it's seemed short-sighted by their leadership.  It proved to be true, Norris got down the inside and was ahead but Piastri fought back hard.  It looked like he clearly had the lead but he backed out heading onto the straight.  For some reason, Norris thought he could overtake then and took the slipstream, pulling out at the last minute.  He hadn't pulled out quite enough though, as he hit the go pedal to move ahead, he was not alongside but slightly behind.  He tagged his team mate, which sent him on to the narrow slip of grass next to the wall where his car was basically shredded between rock (teammate) and hard place (wall).  We rewound twice to watch despite knowing it would be replayed from different angles.  Here was the Safety Car that Norris had been counting on.  Piastri appeared to have been unharmed, lucky not to have a puncture.  He had been looking in his other mirror to see where Lando was.  There was basically not a car width's gap for him to put his car through.  It was such an error of judgement.  When asked on the radio if he was okay, Norris laid the blame calmly at his own feet: "It's all my bad.  All my fault.  Unlucky.  Sorry.  Stupid from me."  No one could disagree with that.  If it was Latifi or Sargeant who had made the move...  I had written that opening comment about it not being Norris's race two hours before this incident.  It speaks volumes. Stella would be getting it in the neck.  Piastri looked very pale when he got out of the car but was given an immediate briefing by the team about what he should say.

Russell and Verstappen were still playing silly games with each other under the Safety Car, Verstappen radioed that he had to overtake Russell because his driving was erratic and the other saying that he overtook him.  Each hoping the other would get a penalty because that was the only way to move their positions, as the race would end under the Safety Car.  They went on to have a very civilised conversation in the cool-down room.  The camera operator clearly knew to capture their faces as the McLaren incident was replayed.  "There just wasn't a space there," Russell declared.

The Top 10 was Russell, Verstappen, Antonelli (very well deserved), Piastri, LeClerc, Hamilton, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Ocon and Sainz.  It was Alonso's first points of the season and he had told Brundle before the race that Canada was good to him.  There was a lot of celebratory hugging in the Mercedes huddle in front of the podium.

There was so much chat about tyre choice (until the drama at the end) and having to run two different compounds.  The whole thing is so contrived and should be stopped; there must be other ways to make races interesting.  Perhaps if the only people who could choose tyre strategy were the drivers, that would make it spicy.