All the heart could desire...
MYSTICAL: VERSTAPPEN IN THE ZONE AS HE SHOCKS MERCEDES AND FERRARI IN BRAZIL His driving was almost a master class with sheer speed and great timing.
Last week I wrote of the forthcoming final two races and commented: “Hopefully we will be in for two race weekends to keep us riveted to our seats.” Well, somebody heard my plea. The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo, Brazil has a reputation for providing really entertaining racing.
Last weekend was no exception – from qualifying to the race, it promised a lot and delivered.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was in one of those mystical ethereal places where drivers sometimes go – remember Ayrton Senna at Monaco in 1988?
Verstappen could do no wrong, shocking Mercedes and Ferrari with the pace and handling of the Honda-powered RB15.
Taking pole position with his main rivals alongside and on the second row of the grid, it was his from the green lights to the chequered flag.
His driving last Sunday was almost a master class – such was the control demonstrated by his sheer speed and well-timed overtaking moves.
Brazil was to finally provide a contest we have all been waiting for – the fight between Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and the young Dutchman.
It proved to be an epic one. It was an incident-filled event and the safety car certainly played its part.
Perhaps the most bizarre was watching the two Maranello cars fighting it out and bumping tyres, which resulted in punctures for both Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel, putting both out of the race on lap 66.
The safety car was deployed with just five laps to run.
The restart saw Verstappen get the drop, followed by Red Bull team-mate Alex Albon, Hamilton and the Toro Rosso of Pierre Gasly.
Hamilton saw a gap on the inside of Albon on the penultimate lap but clipped the rear tyre of the Red Bull, which spun off as the Mercedes was passed by Gasly, who then out-dragged the Silver Arrow to the finish line, grabbing second place on the podium.
After the race Hamilton immediately apologised to Albon, saying it was “completely my fault”.
The Thai driver ended 14th, missing out on his first F1 podium.
Hamilton said: “Jeez, I gave it everything and more today, I pushed so hard, I really didn’t have a lot of pace.”
He continued: “Honestly, I think we were going faster than we should have.
“The Red Bulls were great today and they deserved the win, as they did a better job.
“I took a lot of risks, I gave it everything.”
Amazing statements from the six-time world champion.
What a race and what an interesting result.
With names like Gasly, Albon, Norris and Antonio Giovinazzi in the top-10, perhaps the younger guard is becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Certainly, the Renault engine of the McLaren has improved throughout the season but it is that Honda power unit that is the biggest surprise.
With tremendous improvement in reliability and now an apparent increase in power, the future for both Red Bull and Toro Rosso drivers is looking positive.
Verstappen’s fantastic drive was reinforced by the team, with two lightening-fast pit stops, both at an incredible 1.9 sec – it took me longer to type that.
Add perfect strategy calls from senior strategy engineer at Red Bull Hannah Schmitz, who certainly deserved her place on the rostrum, and it was a perfect day for the Milton Keynes-based team.
Verstappen’s comments after the US Grand Prix, when he suggested that Ferrari’s poor performance was the result of having been caught cheating, has created an interesting scenario between himself and Vettel.
The German answered Verstappen’s unfounded statement when he said: “I think that comment was very immature, I ignore it because it is irrelevant. We want to answer on the circuit.”
So I enjoyed the tongue-incheek comments of Vettel during his post qualifying interview.
He stated: “I was having a very good first attempt in Q3, but went a little bit wide in the final turn. I don’t think I was the only one, but I think Max’s second time was a bit far away.
“We have to admit that we got beaten fair and square today.”
Then he delivered the coup de grace: “It was a bit of a surprise to see them that quick on the straights – a little bit suspicious.”