Styrian GP Race Report

My race predictions were: Verstappen for the win, Norris as the surprise contender, Russell not to score points (though I hoped he would prove me wrong) and Alonso to get a good points haul.

All predictions of rain seemed to have disappeared in a ray of hot sunshine, so with track conditions of 50 degrees, the drivers lined up for a 3 DRS zone race.

With a host of Sky personnel missing, Paul di Resta finally found his place in F1...holding a microphone on a long pole.

There were a lot of excellent starts off the grid.  With LeClerc and Gasly tangling, and Gasly subsequently out of the race, Ricciardo was up 4 places and Russell up 2.  Norris was able to hold Perez up for 10 laps then the Red Bull driver was able to take the final podium position.

Roughly a third of the way through the race, the pit stops started to happen.  Unfortunately Russell was served a 18.3 second pit stop and exited 17th (he should have been 13th), with Perez following him with a 4.8 second stop.  With Hamilton getting a 2.2 second stop, the pressure was back on for the Red Bull pit crew.  They delivered in 2.0 seconds and kept the lead.  How long could Norris keep going on his soft tires as everyone switched to the hardest option?  Not long and Sainz jumped him through strategy.

The race ploughed on without incident, with Russell quietly retiring his Williams on lap 39.  There was a great battle between former Ferrari driver Raikkonen and his replacement LeClerc, the latter taking a chunk off the Finn's wing.  For a while 9-12th places running had three world champions driving, with 7 championships between them.  They also battled with Raikkonen overtaking his buddy Vettel.

Ultimately the Red Bull had significantly better straight line speed.  Unless Mercedes think of something special quickly, next weekend is going to be a repeat of this.  Verstappen really must be thinking that this could be he era.  I'm getting deja vu with the young Vettel.

How did I do with my predictions?  Verstappen - yes.  Norris - finished 5th, best of the rest, Russell correct, Alonso - only 2 points.

The idea of going over those ridged curbs for 71 laps (and doing it all again next week) is not for me.

Styria Qualifying Report

Earlier this week, we were promised a full weekend of rain in the Styrian area of Austria.  When we switched on to watch Qualifying though, the skies were blue.

What would bring the spice to this weekend then if not the clouds?  Perhaps track limits...another circuit, another corner that drivers cannot put a wheel over a certain line and if they do a man watching a video feed will delete your time.  Classic motor racing.

With 16 cars out in the last minutes of Q1, there was long procession all tempting fate...  Raikkonen was out, having gone rallying through the gravel on his first run, taking a wee sabbatical again.  Obviously Latifi in the Williams and both Haas were out.  The surprise of the session was Ocon failing to get through.  For no real reason I could see.  It means that Russell continues being "Mr Saturday" and Giovannizi got a free pass.

In Q2 many of the drivers were struggling to set a competitive lap.  Briefly it looked as through Russell was going to make it through to Q3, finishing 11th, the best grid place for Williams since I don't know when.  Norris captured the top spot at the very end with Perez taking it shortly after.  His McLaren team mate though continues to struggle, Ricciardo was out of the session in 14th place.  With both Alpha Tauri (Minardi) through as well as Alonso, who seems to have conquered the Alpine, the five drivers out was a mixed bag.  Russell and Giovannizi are the obvious drivers to fall out but former hot shot Ricciardo, four times World Champion Vettel and Ferrari's Sainz should have comfortably made it through.  Were Red Bull and Mercedes holding back?

After the first runs in crucial Q3, Verstappen led Hamilton, so yes, the top teams were sandbagging.  For the final run, there was jostling for track position.  Hamilton pushed his way through the pack but immediately failed to put together a good enough lap.  Would he lose his front row position?  Yes, Bottas immediately took second (although he has a three place grid penalty for spinning in the pit lane).  So Norris will start third!  The Finn definitely needed a good qualifying session...

So much coverage of Williams this race, which makes me wonder why all of a sudden?  Was it the 12th place finish for George Russell last race?  Is it the rumours that he might go to Mercedes soon and take Bottas' seat?

There was also a noticeable lack of top commentators and former drivers at the track?  Is this Co-vid related?  Apparently Billy Monger tested positive on arrival putting a number of Channel 4 staff including Steve Jones into isolation.