By Joe Murphy
The concluding parts of this unmissable Formula 1 season are already showing signs of being some of the best racing the sport has ever seen. Both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships are hotly contested between two parties. The action this weekend from Sao Paulo went some way in answering some questions about how Lewis Hamilton would respond, heading into the final four races with a nineteen point deficit. Despite having issues all weekend and a combination of twenty-five place penalties, the seven time champion of the world showed audiences around the world just why he is considered to be one of, if not the, greatest of all time. Let’s recap how events unfolded at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace.
An all-time great drive from an all-time great driver, keeps the title race alive…
71 laps of a pulsating duel between the championship leader Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton ended with the man from Mercedes standing on the top step. This was in spite of starting from tenth after the combination of penalties left him starting from halfway back, even with the unbelievable effort in Saturdays sprint race which saw the Brit make up 15 places. Even on Sunday, Hamilton made up five places within a handful of laps and was up to third in next to no time. Whilst getting by Sergio Perez’ Red Bull proved slightly challenging, the #33 marked car of Max Verstappen proved the most difficult, with both cars running wide at the fourth turn. After two pit stops a piece, the battle was on and, despite his best efforts, there was nothing the Dutchman could do as Hamilton went around the outside after the second long straight. After managing to hold on to take all twenty five points, the gap stands at fourteen points in favour of the man from Red Bull. With three races left of the season, it could still go either way.
Ferrari edging to third ahead of wavering McLaren…
Lando Norris may have had a solid fifth place finish, had he not clipped former teammate Carlos Sainz heading into the first corner. After suffering a puncture, he still managed an excellent drive to secure a points finish. On the other hand, his Australian counterpart wasn’t so fortune and, after dropping back regardless, Daniel Ricciardo ended up retiring from the Grand Prix itself, with an engine related issue.
In contrast, McLaren’s main rivals (and no favourites) to take third in the Constructor’s standings, had a very strong race. Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz committed early to a two-stop strategy and it paid off with the Ferrari’s taking fifth and sixth this weekend, only behind the front four of the Mercedes and Red Bull pairings. Having come from behind to take the advantage over the orange team, the Italian constructor will look to cement third place with an equally strong showing in Qatar, next time out. For Norris and Ricciardo, they will hope for a better showing and to overturn that narrow defecit.
Bottas illustrates what Mercedes will miss out on next year, but also, why he’s being replaced…
Hamilton was the fastest Mercedes all weekend. Max Verstappen was the next quickest car on the grid and, had it not been for a Virtual Safety Car (VSC), Sergio Perez would have, in all likelihood, stood on the podium with the other two. Bottas however found himself on the podium after taking advantage of the affotmentioned ‘cheap stop’. All weekend long, Valtteri showed inconsistency and you always felt that Max was going overtake him heading into the first corner, and so it came to be. The Finn had an excellent Saturday and jumped the Dutchman to take the Sprint race win, so there is certainly an argument that second place on the grid actually is an advantage. However, when Lewis Hamilton bellowed on the team radio for Valtteri to “follow him” in reference to catching the Red Bull pair, his teammate simply couldn’t keep up.
There is still a more than likely chance that Valtteri claims another Constructor’s championship win, and it’s true to say he has played a key part in that. However, Lewis could really do with a fighting partner up with him and maybe, even challenge him more often. I am a huge fan of the Finnish driver personally, and hope he finds success next season with Alfa Romeo. You have to feel, however, that his days of winning races and pole positions, are coming to close after Abu Dhabi.
Solid effort from Alpine
There may have been a small element of luck in the outcome, but it was more down to a superb strategy that the French Constructor managed to pull off. Both Fernando Alonso and Estaban Ocon drove mature and calm races to score a double points finish for the team. Arguably, finishing higher than the car has any right to.
Since the Frenchmans win in Hungary earlier I’m the campaign, in which his teammate also drove remarkably, Alpine haven’t looked like a large threat. And whereas, all other of the top eight teams have also scored a podium, Alpine haven’t looked like repeating the miracle of Budapest.
With three races to go and currently being tied with Alpha Tauri in the standings, both Alonso and Ocon are going to have to be on their ‘A’ game to outscore Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda, especially the former.
Not much more tearful Nikita can do…
Nikita Mazepin has continued to ensure a dreadful season. One that has seemingly not hot easier since the controversy surrounding his original selection. Whereas the Russian has been, without question, out of his depth, this season, the other Rookie drivers haven’t achieved much else. Yuki Tsunoda has a much better car and Mick Schumacher has scored the same amount of points as Nikita in the utterly dreadful Haas 2021 car.
With this year very much developmental for team and driver alike, there is hope by some, myself included, that the young driver manages to turn it around. In a more competitive car, then Mazepin should, without question, compete on a more frequent basis. If he fails next year, then it seems a lot more fair that he loses his seat at the end of the 2022 campaign, if not sometime through it. However, this season, it is far too easy to blame solely the driver and forget the stance of the team. Of course, there are financial motivations for his inclusion, but critics slammed Lance Stroll in a similar fashion and he has gone onto claim multiple podiums and a pole position.
Mazepin was clearly emotional to the point of tears after Saturday’s Sprint result, and he made up for it with a drive on Sunday that showed some development that’s for sure. Don’t forget, there isn’t much else anyone else on that grid could do, with this year’s version of the Haas car.
WHEEL2WHEEL REPORTS 