Miami GP Race Report

I wonder how many people tuned in for the race only to have found that they had missed it.  The race start was brought forwards because of storms that were heading for that part of the world.  There were still concerns about rain during the race though.  If there was a lightning strike within eight miles of the track that would be an automatic red flag.  Would any driver give us a performance that puts us in that kind of awe.

There were further tributes to Zanardi during the F1 programming; which really put into perspective what an outstanding sportsperson he was as we watched the race in comfy clothing, eating chocolates whilst he was winning hand-cycle races at the same old age as us.

The question at the start was not whether Antonelli would have a poor start but how many places would he fall back from pole position.  Hadjar was starting at the back after being disqualifed from Qualifying because his bargeboard was a tiny bit too small.  Leclerc made an amazing start in between Antonelli and Verstappen and was into the lead.  Somehow Verstappen went wide and then into a full 360 degree spin in the middle of the opening corners, amongst all the cars, he lost a lot of places through it.  Both Williams went forward dramatically, by several laps.

Colapinto and Hamilton were investigated for a first lap incident at turn 11.  It came to nothing but Hamilton's car was badly injured and radioed in that he couldn't race like this.  On the replay we saw that it was clearly a racing incident.

On lap four, Antonelli got past Leclerc for the lead.  On the next lap it was reversed.  Norris had been told to hold back and let them battle.  Norris was then past Antonelli.  We were waiting for a Safety Car to be called as Hadjar had just crashed, running into the wall twice.  Afterwards he told the press that he was just too eager.   Gasly confirmed that it would need to just be the full works, as he was tilted up against the barrier.  Hadjar stayed in his car for a long time thumping the wheel in frustration.

They took a while to show Gasly's incident, which hadn't looked too bad from the position, however Gasly had overtaken Lawson who had locked up whilst defending the place and gone into his side flipping him completely over and back again as he rolled over his halo (definitely doing a good job there).  No wonder he had been so quick to let everyone know he was okay over the radio.

At lap seven, it would be a very early cheat pit stop.  The only driver to take it was Verstappen who came out in 16th and he would have to get through the pack all over again.  He had been criticised by his former team mate Sainz about his attitude to taking "just because he's in the midfield.".  Lawson was forced to retire after coming together with Verstappen earlier in the race and running over Gasly's debris later.  Hulkenberg was brought into the pits too to have his car fixed and he sat in the car but ultimately was out.

The teams took advantage of the slower pace to let their drivers know that rain was expected in fifteen laps' time.  Leclerc backed them right up at the restart but went well before the start line and seemed to get away well.  Russell had a good go at Piastri.  I was wondering if we would see the battling racing after the restart we normally see at the start with the change in regulations.  Norris was able to get past Leclerc for the lead soon after.  Russell however was berating his team for being in the wrong strat mode.  Antonelli was able to get past Leclerc soon after but Leclerc was able to hold it, then back again.  This was what Norris was told to just spectate earlier only now he was in front of it.

By lap sixteen, Verstappen had made up ten places and was in the points (just the one) and behind both Williams.  Driving the Williams' cars were two disgruntled former team mates of his.  Leclerc and Antonelli were still going back and forth in second and third to Norris's great advantage in the lead.  

A few laps before the rain was due Russell and Leclerc both came in for fresh tyres; this was a great risk.  Ferrari's pit stop was slow and allowed Russell to get in front of him.

On lap 25, as predicted, some spots of rain began to fall.  Verstappen was up to fifth and behind Hamilton and past him.  Antonelli pitted from second place and came out behind Verstappen, who did not need to pit again on the one hand but on old tyres on the other.  It triggered stops from several other drivers.  

There were minor battles throughout the pack for a while.  By lap 46 of 57, Verstappen was in third, Norris second and Antonelli in the lead.  Black and white flags were beginning to be handed out for track limit violations.  Antontelli received one.  It must have been tricky to stay in the lines because veteran Alonso got one too.

With a few laps to go it looked like the top two were set but the battle was on between Verstappen and Russell behind him.  Russell tapped Verstappen's tyre with his front wing and damaged it.  Leclerc was up against Piastri, who overtook him on the final lap and wasn't able to grab the place back in the straight after a slide.  To compound the error, he span, hit the wall, recovered and had damage, which cemented his fourth place until he was overtaken by Russell and Verstappen in the last corner.  He would be investigated for leaving the track and gaining an advantage and also whether he was driving in a car in an unsafe condition.  Would be strange if that stood up in court.

Norris gave the team a pep talk on the cool down lap.  He was sure McLaren could get back to their winning ways; he was sure he could have won that race.  The top three were interviewed by Button and then put on a huge truck (it could have held a pool and I think the drivers would have appreciated it) around to the podium.  The top ten was Antontelli, Norris, Piastri, Russell, Verstappen, Leclerc, Hamilton, Colapinto, Sainz and Albon.  It was great to see the Williams scoring points again and a double points finish at that.  It didn't look as though this was something they were going to be able to do for a long time, if at all this season as the sounds coming from the team were quite negative (in a can-do attitude way).

Is Antonelli going to become annoying the way Vettel and Verstappen did?  At the moment he seems happy-go-lucky and everyone is enjoying his wins.  It seems like tension may grow between team mates in Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes because it seems everyone has the skill and opportunity to challenge Antonelli but  no one is.

There are three weeks until Canada and I wonder what they can work on between then.

Miami GP Qualifying Report

Before we could find out what order the drivers would start for the race, we learnt that thunder storms were on their way to Miami meaning the whole of idea of racing could change.  

As the first session got under way, it was Verstappen who set the quickest time initially.  Hulkenberg, who needed a new engine in his Audi, was out at the start of the session but his colleague Bortoleto was having work done and he didn't.  A lot of fixing was done and he did get out eventually; it was pointless because he was last and then his brakes caught on fire.  Piastri could only just make 16th, which is the last slot before you are out of Qualifying.  Linblad, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas, Perez and Bortoleto went out; no surprises here.

All Norris could do in the second session was seventh.  It seemed that there was going to be a huge sea change since the morning.  Hulkenberg, Lawson, Bearman, Sainz, Ocon and Albon went out.  Verstappen was still the fastest followed by Antontelli.

After the first round of laps in the final session, several drivers were in contention for pole including Verstappen and LeClerc but Antonelli was quickest.  Antonelli continued to maintain that position but it looked like Verstappen would take it from him on the final lap set of the session.  The top ten were Antonelli, Verstappen, LeClerc, Norris, Russell, Hamilton, Piastri, Colapinto, Hadjar and Gasly.  The disparity between the two Mercedes drivers is going, with the young arrival starting to outshine his old team mate.  The McLarens lost any advantage they had during the Sprint to the wind or possibly something else.  Verstappen suddenly seemed strong out of nowhere.  Colapinto seems to really have the measure on his more experienced and highly rated team mate at Alpine, Gasly.

Journalists are not going to stop asking Antonelli whether or not he can make a good start, starting with Brundle in his immediate interview.  Verstappen however was very happy with how things had gone.  The race start could be moved or who knows what else if the rain, thunder and lightning come.  Will Antonelli be lightning off the start though?  Who will be thunderous in their disappointment with their team's performance (I predict Sainz)?  We will find out if the change in regulations mean better races or will they remain only fun for the first few laps and then a train of cars?

Miami GP Sprint Report

Sprint Day dawned in Miami and Linblad had to start from the pit-lane because Racing Bulls did not cover up his car overnight then Hulkenberg's engine blew up on the way to the grid.  It was a poor start for McNish as the new Audi boss.

Having had a full month to practice their starts a lot was expected from the drivers off the grid.  Antonelli, who had solemnly promised he wold work on nothing but his starts, had a stinker, dropping back to fourth.  It was wheel to wheel in the first few corners.  Racing Bulls have a new livery for the event and are now yellow all over the front.  An added benefit is that it makes them mush easier to distinguish from the Red Bulls.  Antonelli made a couple of moves on LeClerc who then radioed in to say he was driving dangerously.

Hamilton will have been pleased get passed old rival Verstappen on lap three.  Meanwhile the McLarens were clear away at the front, staying in the order they started.  At the back of the pack, Stroll overtook Alondso; why weren't we shown that?

Linblad went out but I don't know where, when or why.

Russell got past Antonelli for fourth place but  it was reversed later in the lap.  Verstappen and Hamtilton were contining to battle, coming to a head when Versappen pushed Hamilton off the track to overtake.  Red Bull told him to give the place back.  Ultimately Verstappen would win between the pair.

Just after halfway, Bearman lost a large piece of his car that was smashed up by his team mate, splintering it into little parts.  With six laps to go Albon came in for a new nose for his Williams.  It seemed a bit pointless unless they were going to be investigated for having wobbly parts on board.  He came back out at the back.  

The beginning of the race was interesting but then it became quite boring.  Bearman did his best and overtook his team mate with only a couple of corners to go and Alonso waited to then get past Stroll and Perez.

Despite having been warned with a flag, Antonelli went outside of track limits again on the last lap and was awarded a five second time penalty.  That dropped him from fourth to sixth.

David Coulthard hosted the not-podium interview and also got to hand out some plaques as not-trophies to the top three.  LeClerc looked absolutely bewildered to have been given it.  Norris praised the upgrades.  He got his special plaque from someone who was on Artemis II.  Coulthard added some appropriate words about the recent death of Alex Zanardi at the end: "remembering him as a racing community", which was unusually apposite of him.

The drivers were very sweaty after the Sprint so the actual race should be a challenge.

Miami GP Sprint Qualifying Report

There was much more to discuss in the build-up to the Miami event than usual because of the long gap between races.  Firstly, there are changes to the fancy electrics; these were explained but I don't think even if I was interested I wouldn't really understand them.  After that there are personnel changes: Verstappen's long time engineer will be leaving Red Bull for McLaren in...2028.  Leading however, is Allan McNish at Audi.

Failing to make adjustments for the changes was Stroll, who beached himself at the side of the track and a Yellow Flag was brought out for quite a considerable period.  Norris led the first session with Lawson, Ocon, Perez, Bottas, Alonso and Stroll going out.

The second session was uneventful with LeClerc leading this time and Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Bearman, Albon, Sainz and Lindblad going out.  Sainz was very unhappy on the radio with how little progress Williams had made over the month hiatus.

It looked like it could be a McLaren front row for the Sprint but Antonelli split them in the end.   The top ten were Norris, Antonelli, Piastri, LeClerc, Verstappen, Russell, Hamilton, Colapino, Hadjar and Gasly.  It's a fairly predictable top ten, even if the order isn't.  

I don't feel I can many predictions for the Sprint because we just don't know how the regulation changes are going to effect the racing.  What I will predict for Race Qualifying is that it will be unpredictable; some teams will learn a lot from this and improve.  There is lots to find out this weekend.

Japan GP Race Report

The first shock discovery of the Japanese race was that Button has abandoned Williams to be an ambassador for Aston Martin.  Everything to do with Lawrence Stroll's team is started to feel grubbier and grubbier.

It was an exciting line-up on the grid, just for this year, normal for any other season: all twenty-two drivers and cars started.  There was also Honda on the grid which the Japanese like and occasional shots of Tsunoda in the Red Bull garage looking sad but trying to look purposeful.

The drivers wernt for a very wide variety of start strategies, at least by the level of success achieved.  Some had to pop out from behind the cars in front to avoid a sudden collision.  Piastri went into the lead and LeClerc got up to second.  By the first corner, Norris was in third.  Antonelli started sixth but got past Hamilton at the start of the second lap.  That quick, back-and-forth stage is really a feature of the opening laps this season.

Less successful were Bortoleto, Bottas and Hulkenberg but behind those quick changes were starting to happen.  On lap three, Russell got past Norris.  On lap four, Russell got past LeClerc.  On lap eight, Russell got past Piastri for the lead.  Then there was the big switch around.  Over the following laps, Antonelli was quick to come back through the pack and up to Russell.

A lot of drivers, those behind the Mercedes in the lead anyway, pitted around lap 20 and Russell voiced concerns.  Obviously as soon as he did get fresh new tyres, Bearman crashed into the wall and a Safety Car was called which meant his team mate Antonelli would get a cheap stop.  It was his decision though!  

It would also benefit Hamilton and Gasly.  Antonelli got out ahead which left Russell in third between Piastri and Hamilton.

Bearman limped away and fell down at the side of the track, which probably should not have been shown.  He had completely misjudged an overtake on Colapinto and went off on the grass then back across the track, in a scary moment.

At the race start, Hamilton was able to get past his former team mate Russell but Verstappen was not stuck behind one of his, Gasly.  We watched a long train of cars when we would all have rather been watching Pierre beat Max.

LeClerc was able to get past Russell when the Mercedes had some slight mechanical problem.  Antonelli looked cleanly in the lead with Piastri safe behind him.  The Ferraris would be allowed to fight each other.  LeClerc did get past and Hamilton was left to Russell, who took full advantage.

With three laps to go, Russell went to overtake LeClerc but he fought back and it was thrilling racing.  With one lap to go, Norris made a move on Hamilton that finally stuck for fifth place.

Saved from his awful start by Safety Car luck, Antonelli took an easy win.  Piastri never looked like he could challenge him from second place.  A third different team took the third podium place in LeClerc and Ferrari.  Behind them was Russell, Norris, Hamilton, Gasly, Verstappen, Lawson and Ocon.  The Frenchman will be glad to get points in his Haas and the other Frenchman will be looking over his shoulder with glee at his former team mate Verstappen.  Antonelli has promised to do his homework and practice his clutch starts with the month off over April.

As the youngest person to lead the Driver's Championship, Kimi looked young and wasn't allowed champagne on the podium.  Hamilton wasn't happy that he was third at one point and ended sixth, perhaps it is the end of an era for older drivers.

A lot of people predicted five or more cars would DNF.  Only Stroll and Bearman did retire; with Albon semi-retiring and then doing a bit of a test drive.

With a month off a lot of drivers will have things to think about.  Bearman sparked concerns about the closing distances.  Russell will be wondering how he is losing out to his baby team mate now his big chance has at last arrived.  Hamilton will be wondering if he could get back Mercedes, ever be able to get changes to happen at Ferrari or if he should retire.  Aston Martin need to figure what staffing line up will work for them.  Antonelli will consider which flavour ice-cream he should have for his special treat for leading the championship.