As is often the case, the Abu Dhabi finale produces a spectacle of style over substance.
Image credit: Getty Images
Max Verstappen took his second victory of 2020 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, during a weekend where, for the first time this year, Red Bull clearly had the outright fastest car.
Qualifying on Saturday was close – the top three separated by less than a tenth of a second – but surprisingly it was Verstappen who came away with his first pole of the year. And on Sunday, he simply drove away into the setting sun. It was a performance reminiscent of the Red Bull glory days of 2010 – 2013 but now with Verstappen at the wheel rather than Sebastian Vettel. Unfortunately it proved to be yet another sopirific race at the Yas Marina circuit.
The Mercedes behind never looked a threat and it was telling that Alexander Albon was challenging them in the final laps, rather than battling midfield cars. An off-colour Lewis Hamilton – clearly still struggling as he recovers from contracting Covid-19 – meandered round to third before saying, “I’m destroyed – I do not feel good. But I’m happy, I’m grateful. I’m alive, and I live to fight another day.”
In addition to housing a less-than-100% Hamilton, the World Champions had detuned their engines after discovering a reliability concern with their MGU-K. They had also struggled with balance throughout the weekend and were losing three tenths per lap in Turns Five, Six and Seven alone.
Image credit: Getty Images
Most importantly, though, Mercedes – after seeing the level of their dominance early in the year – abandoned development on the all-conquering W11 to concentrate on next year’s car about halfway through the season. Technical director James Allison has pointed out that 2021’s regulations aren’t quite as copy-paste as many would have you believe.
“Actually, you can design an entire new suspension on next year’s car. You can spend your allowable tokens on quite considerable upgrades. You could be permitted to put a new gearbox on your new car if you use your permitted development tokens for that, or a new chassis.
“These are not small twiddles to an existing package. They are quite large ones. If we showed up with the first iterations of this modified regulation set, we would go from pole position to more or less last on the grid. So, there is a lot of work to do.”
If they are truly to challenge, Red Bull must put to bed their recent habit of starting the season slowly, with a tricky car which they slowly gain an understanding of. And a second driver who can consistently challenge at the front wouldn’t hurt either…
The Battle for the ‘Best of the Rest’
After last weekend’s shock win – and double podium – for Racing Point, third place in the constructors’ standings looked theirs to lose.
But things started to unravel when they discovered an engine issue on Sergio Pérez’s car – one that, in fact, came perilously close to denying him an emotional maiden win. The Mexican would have to start the race from the back of the grid. This problem for the Pink Panthers was then compounded by the McLarens’ excellent performance in qualifying, with Lando Norris starting in fourth and Carlos Sainz in sixth.
Image credit: DPPI
On race day, Norris inevitably fell behind the rapid Red Bull of Albon but, from there, those in papaya didn’t put a foot wrong and came home in fifth and sixth for a crucial haul of 18 points.
The other Racing Point of Lance Stroll could only struggle to a single point for 10th and, with the Renaults in seventh and ninth, the unofficial title of ‘best of the rest’ – and more importantly, the extra prize money – went to McLaren.
Racing Point’s 15-point deduction back in the summer for illegally copying the Mercedes 2019 car proved crucial in the end. But they start afresh next year – rebranded as Aston Martin, with four-time world champion Vettel leading the team – and will look to push on towards the battle at the front.
A Race of Farewells
Abu Dhabi saw the end of many chapters. As mentioned, Pérez leaves Racing Point to be replaced by Vettel; the Ferrari driver was given a guard of honour by his mechanics and honoured via a special helmet design from teammate Charles Leclerc.
Image credit: James Moy
It was also Daniil Kvyat’s last race for AlphaTauri. The Russian’s Red Bull rollercoaster ride is finally over, but he is determined to find a spot on the grid elsewhere in 2022 and – after a mediocre start to the season – his performances of late have shown that he still has the potential to shine if given the right car.
The Sainz-Norris bromance at McLaren was heartbreakingly torn apart as the former prepares for his move to Ferrari. They signed off in trademarkstyle though. And a Ricciardo-Norris partnership is unlikely to be dull.
Finally, it was farewell to the Haas drivers. It has been an underwhelming year in terms of performance, but Kevin Magnussen has shown a characteristic fighting spirit throughout. And if we’re talking of fighting spirit… Romain Grosjean was sadly unable to compete in his final race, but the images of him escaping that terrifying fireball in Bahrain will last forever. He may even have bagged himself a drive in the fastest F1 car of all time to see off his career. There are far worse ways to end a career and I’m sure many of them ran through his mind during those excruciating 28 seconds.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 60 Seconds
Answering the Burning Questions
Will Lewis Hamilton experience any knock-on effects from the virus? Apparently so. He certainly didn’t seem his usual self.
How will George Russell readjust to the Williams after a taste at the front? All the usual talk of being happy to be back and he performed at his usual high level.
Who can go into the winter break on a high? Verstappen, Red Bull and McLaren.
Which team will claim third in the standings and which driver will claim fourth? Pérez held on for fourth, despite his retirement contributing to McLaren snatching third from Racing Point.
George Russell | “Obviously as a driver you always believe in yourself, you always have confidence in yourself. Being at Williams the past 18 months, not even being able to fight for points, deep down you think you’re doing a good job but you never quite know until you get that chance to prove it.”
Sergio Pérez | “I’m not fully in control of my future at the moment and it’s something that bothers you, I think any human being in this position would struggle a bit. But given it’s not in my hands, given the victory came, it took a long time but it came, I feel I made the most of my opportunities. If I have a seat for next year it’s great but if not, I’m willing to come back in ’22.”
Valtteri Bottas | “Many factors in this sport, sometimes it’s luck, sometimes it’s what you get from the car. All I can say is that if I look art the last four races, I need to do better.”
Nikita Mazepin | “I would like to apologise for my recent actions both in terms of my own inappropriate behaviour and the fact that it was posted onto social media. I am sorry for the offense I have rightly caused and to the embarrassment I have brought to Haas F1 team. I have to hold myself to a higher standard as a Formula 1 driver and I acknowledge I have let myself and many people down. I promise I will learn from this.”
The man who finished the opening lap in last place somehow ended up taking a maiden victory. And that sums up a crazy night under the lights at the Sakhir Grand Prix.
In the absence of Lewis Hamilton – who is isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 – Mercedes protégé George Russell was given a shot in the champion’s car, narrowly managing to squeeze his 6’2″ frame and size 11 feet into the cockpit. Over the course of three days, he made quite an impression.
Whilst there were mitigating circumstances for Valtteri Bottas on Friday, such as a damaged floor and deleted lap times, the young Briton immediately found himself at the top of the charts during the first two practice sessions. Bottas recovered to claim pole position on Saturday but only by the smallest of margins. And when the lights went out, he was on the back foot again.
Despite his fears of unfamiliarity with the Mercedes clutch and start systems, Russell got away the better of the Mercedes pair and passed his vastly more experienced teammate into Turn 1.
Image credit: Getty Images
As was the case seven days ago, the run through Turns 3 and 4 produced much incident. Kimi Räikkönen spun through a full 360° towards the back but carried on. Charles Leclerc – after a stunning qualifying lap had seen him start fourth – made an ambitious dive up the inside of Sergio Pérez but hit the Racing Point and broke his own front-left wishbone in the process. Max Verstappen attempted to avoid the spinning Pérez but, in doing so, found himself in the gravel and on an unavoidable trip to the wall.
This brought out the safety car, allowing Pérez to pit and rejoin at the back of the pack. Russell aced the restart and opened out a two-second lead, which he would maintain comfortably for the entirety of the first stint.
Once Russell had pitted on lap 45, Bottas extended for a further four laps and came out nine seconds behind his new teammate but, crucially, with fresher tyres. The Finn started to close the gap. It had come down to four seconds by lap 61 and we appeared to be in for a titanic inter-team scrap for the win, with Bottas looking desperate on a weekend where his credibility had taken quite a hit. But then came the incident that changed the race.
Debutant Jack Aitken clipped the barriers and lost his front wing at the exit of the final corner. The abandoned chunk of Williams was sitting on the racing line and, with no clear gap in the traffic for a marshal to retrieve it, a safety car was called. Mercedes chose to do a ‘safety stop’ and bring both cars in, wary of being followed by cars on fresher, softer tyres in the final laps.
But nothing about these pit stops was safe. A last-second panic led to Bottas’s tyres being fitted to Russell’s car. In scenes reminiscent of the shambolic Hamilton pit stop in Germany last year, mechanics ran around as they realised the correct tyres were missing and, after nearly 30 seconds stationary, eventually fitted the old tyres Bottas had arrived on back onto his car. Russell was then forced to come in again for the correct tyres and found himself in fifth, immediately behind Bottas.
Mercedes are so often infallible, but when they mess up…it’s usually calamitous.
Bottas struggled with his old tyres for the rest of the grand prix and Russell soon pulled off an excellent move around the outside of Turn 6. The chance of a stunning victory was still on. It was not long before Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon – in third and second respectively – were dispatched and Russell then set about catching Pérez who, astonishingly, was in the lead.
The Mexican had expertly driven back through the field whilst looking after the tyres in his signature style and was now coaxing a set of hards to the chequered flag. So, which fairy tale was it to be: the youngster winning during his stand-in appearance for Mercedes or the veteran of 190 grands prix finally getting his first win after many an opportunistic podium?
The answer came on lap 78 as Pete Bonnington radioed Russell to say that he had a slow puncture and would have to pit once again. Heartbreak for the 22-year-old as he trundled down the pit lane for a fourth time and rejoined in 15th. He fought bravely and would at least recover to ninth to gain his first ever points, but that will be scant consolation when he could taste a victory in the most extraordinary of circumstances just a few minutes earlier.
Whilst one fairy tale had turned into a nightmare, the other was unfolding perfectly. Pérez extended his lead over the remaining laps and came home to become the first Mexican winner in F1 for half a century. He also now holds the record for the most races contested before a maiden grand prix victory.
Image credit: Motorsport Images
The paddock – whilst clearly gutted for Russell – was overjoyed for ‘Checo’, who struggled to hold back tears as he stood on the top step of the podium and heard his country’s national anthem ring out. It was also joy for Ocon, taking a maiden podium, and Racing Point who – with Stroll also holding onto third – have reclaimed the high ground in the battle with McLaren and Renault for third in the constructors’ standings.
A truly fitting result for the man who was instrumental in saving the team just a couple of years ago.
Uncomfortable Questions to Answer for Bottas
It was a messy weekend for Bottas. He never looked totally at ease with the car around Sakhir’s tricky, bumpy ‘Outer Circuit’ and questions will surely be asked when a stand-in driver from Williams is able to come in and perform at least as well as an established team member of nearly four years.
It appeared that the pressure was getting to Bottas. He always does his best to project the ‘unflappable Finn’ stereotype but we have often seen, when it really counts, he fails to deliver.
Russell clearly did an exceptional job, but Bottas will likely now be secretly hoping that Hamilton is unable to return for Abu Dhabi next weekend so he can have a shot at redemption. With the 2022 Mercedes seat very much available, and Russell surely running out of patience at Williams, those in charge will have some big decisions to make next year. And the young man from King’s Lynn just gave them something to think long and hard about.
Image credit: LAT Images
He may not have got the win he deserved this weekend, but he certainly increased his chances to be competing for many more in the future.
The Sakhir Grand Prix in 60 Seconds
Answering the Burning Questions
Will George Russell seize his chance to impress in the Mercedes? Could he beat Valtteri Bottas?! Absolutely!
How will Pietro Fittipaldi and Jack Aitken fare on their F1 debuts? Both did a solid job throughout the weekend, aside from Aitken’s one mistake, which ironically proved very costly to the man whose car he was borrowing…
With such a short lap, how will qualifying play out? It was surprisingly uneventful.
Will any of the drivers take the ‘regular’ Turn 4 out of habit?.. Sadly not.
Will George Russell seize his chance to impress in the Mercedes? Could he beat Valtteri Bottas?!
How will Pietro Fittipaldi and Jack Aitken fare on their F1 debuts?
With such a short lap, how will qualifying play out?
Will any of the drivers take the ‘regular’ Turn 4 out of habit?..
The Track
The Stats
Track Length: 3.543 km
Laps: 87
Race Distance: 307.995 km
First Grand Prix: 2020 (Sakhir GP) | 2004 (Bahrain)
Race Lap Record: n/a
Outright Lap Record: n/a
Most Driver Wins: n/a
Most Constructor Wins: n/a
The Weather
The Quotes
Lewis Hamilton | “I’m gutted not to be able to race this weekend but my priority is to follow the protocols and advice and protect others.”
George Russell | “Nobody can replace Lewis, but I’ll give my all for the team in his absence from the moment I step in the car.”
Pietro Fittipaldi | “To race in F1 was my dream since I was a kid and my debut didn’t come in the best circumstances but nonetheless I’m grateful for it and will do my best!”
A truly terrifying moment, but ultimately a miracle escape and a triumph for the halo.
Image credit: LAT Images
Lewis Hamilton produced another commanding performance to add an 11th victory to his 2020 tally at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and in doing so matched his personal best in one year despite this truncated season.
But that was not the headline news from Sakhir.
Just three corners into the race, Romain Grosjean speared into the barriers and, upon impact, produced a fireball the likes of which had not been seen in the last three decades of Formula 1.
Grosjean was towards the back of the field as the cars emerged from the first sequence of corners and could see chaos developing in front of him.
Lance Stroll had run well off the track and was bouncing back on from the right-hand side, Kimi Räikkönen was at least as far off the track to the left, coming perilously close to the barriers, and Lando Norris was showering those behind him with sparks from a damaged front wing after contact with Esteban Ocon.
Grosjean’s explanation will hopefully shed more light on the situation eventually, but it would appear that he saw an opportunity to the right of the pack on the run down to Turn 4. Crucially, though, Daniil Kvyat was seemingly in his blind spot. The Frenchman cut across sharply, leaving the AlphaTauri no chance of avoiding contact, and was sent into the barriers in a manner akin to the US police ‘PIT maneuver’.
Credit image: XPB Images
The Haas somehow pierced the barrier and split in two behind the driver, leaving the cockpit embedded in the twisted metal. Grosjean miraculously extricated himself from the inferno and a relieved audience was eventually shown images of him sat in the medical car, after a harrowing two-minute period without any information.
The drivers’ on-board footage showed numerous double-takes as they spotted the huge blaze in their mirrors and Charles Leclerc’s radio, in particular, reflected the feelings of most watching on.
Grosjean spent the night in hospital under observation as a precaution, but his injuries appear to be limited to second-degree burns to his hands and feet. Without doubt, the best-case scenario considering the ferocity of the incident.
The Show Must Go On
After a delay of over an hour, whilst the wreckage was dealt with and a new barrier installed, the drivers lined up for a second time.
The order for the second grid was taken from the order at Safety Car Line 2 during the original start. A poor getaway had dropped Valtteri Bottas from second to fourth, with Max Verstappen taking that second place, Sergio Pérez up from fifth to third and Norris up from ninth to seventh.
As he had done at the first time of asking, Hamilton took off from pole position like a rocket and left the rest of the field in his wake. Behind him, most of the drivers held their starting positions, but there would be barely half a lap of racing before another incident brought out the safety car.
Credit image: Getty Images
Kvyat was unfortunately involved again, as a clumsy move up the inside of Stroll resulted in front-to-rear tyre contact and the Racing Point being pitched upside down. Thankfully the Canadian was unhurt and able to climb out, but his run of poor luck – dating back to that tyre failure in Tuscany – continues.
There were no issues for Hamilton at the restart and, from there on, it was simply a case of managing his tyres and keeping the chasing Verstappen at bay. The gap between the two would stick at around five seconds for the remainder of the race, with Verstappen frustrated by some of his team’s strategic decisions but aware that they would likely always have struggled to threaten the World Champion.
Bottas’s day went from bad to worse as he picked up a puncture during the safety car period and dropped to the back of the field. Not for the first time this season, he struggled to make progress through the midfield and ultimately came home eighth; Verstappen has now reduced his deficit in the drivers’ standings to just 12 points.
Pérez looked to be en route to a second consecutive podium, only for his engine to fail in fairly spectacular fashion with just a handful of laps remaining. A disaster for Racing Point in their battle for third in the championship, with the retirement promoting the McLarens of Norris and Carlos Sainz to fourth and fifth – an impressive recovery from the Spaniard who had started 15th after a brake failure in qualifying. Pérez’s misfortune also saw Alexander Albon inherit a spot on the final step of the podium and a much-needed boost in his quest for a Red Bull seat next year.
Credit image: Wilhelm
For the second time, a stranded Racing Point brought out the safety car, under which the race would finish, but not before there was one final, unnerving moment as a marshal ran across the track in front of Lando Norris. At points, things had started to feel a little too reminiscent of Imola 1994 and it was honestly a relief to see the chequered flag wave with all the drivers and crew intact.
A Triumph for F1 Safety?
Romain Grosjean was able to suffer a 137mph crash – the instant retardation producing an impact measured at a force of 53G – and then immediately crawl from a pile of burning wreckage to safety. That is thanks to years of tireless research and hard work in the pursuit of safety in Formula 1.
Any remaining debate around the halo was emphatically put to bed as it quite clearly saved a life. The photos of the scraped top surface show how Grosjean’s halo effectively parted the gap in the barriers, as the front half of the Haas acted as a £10 million can opener, and spared his helmet that impossible job.
The ever-improving fireproof overalls now provide around 30 seconds of protection and, thankfully, the Frenchman was able to haul himself clear in around 28. Long-term saviours in the shape of the titanium safety cell around the cockpit and the HANS device also played crucial roles in this modern-day miracle.
That being said, this was not quite the unanimous triumph for f1 safety that some have painted it to be.
It was absolutely a freak accident, but questions must be asked about both the quality and placement of the guardrails. We have not seen a car spear through a barrier since the 70s. That situation infamously resulted in the tragic deaths of François Cevert and Helmuth Koinigg in consecutive years at Watkins Glen.
Also, were Grosjean not to have miraculously remained conscious after the initial impact, would the medical team have been able to do enough? FIA doctor Ian Roberts and medical car driver Alan van der Merwe are rightly being lauded for their rapid response and brave contribution, but had Grosjean been unconscious and still strapped into the car, would they have been able to extract him when they aren’t kitted out with even a full-face helmet themselves?
We can, at least, be sure that Formula 1 and the FIA will investigate these matters and learn from any mistakes, as they have done after every major incident in the past.
It is those lessons learnt in the past that saved Romain Grosjean’s life yesterday and both Professor Sid Watkins and Charlie Whiting can look down with great pride upon their legacy and their hand in this story of survival.
Who will have the strongest weekend in the battle for third in the Constructors’ Championship? After a painful weekend for Racing Point, McLaren now have a 17-point cushion.
Can Valtteri Bottas bounce back after a tough race in Turkey? …no.
Will Alexander Albon produce a performance worthy of a 2021 Red Bull seat? Whilst still a fair way off Verstappen’s ultimate pace, fourth on the grid and a spot on the podium (inherited or not) is much closer to Red Bull’s expectations.
Who will have the strongest weekend in the battle for third in the Constructors’ Championship?
Can Valtteri Bottas bounce back after a tough race in Turkey?
Will Alexander Albon produce a performance worthy of a 2021 Red Bull seat?
The Track
The Stats
Track Length: 5.412 km
Laps: 57
Race Distance: 308.238 km
First Grand Prix: 2004
Race Lap Record: Pedro de la Rosa | McLaren | 2005 | 1:31.447
Outright Lap Record: Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 2019 | 1:27.866
Most Driver Wins: Sebastian Vettel | 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018
Most Constructor Wins: Ferrari | 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018
The Weather
The Quotes
Lewis Hamilton | “It’s not sunk in. I think it’s because I’ve still got three races to go so you’ve still got to kind of keep one foot in the circle and one eye on the ball at least. I’m still in that competitive mindset. Perhaps at the end of the year things will hit home a little bit harder.”
Lewis Hamilton | ” [Being linked to a knighthood] is definitely a surreal experience. But as far as I’m aware, there’s a lot of talk and so not really thought a lot about it. But it would be an incredible honour. There is no greater honour I think than your country recognising you and honouring you with such an award.”
Sergio Pérez | “At the moment the short-term plan is I want to continue in the sport. I think I’m at the peak of my career, I’m 30 years old, so I think I have my best years ahead of me. But it’s not in my hands. So if I’m not here next year I will be at home taking a year out and seeing if I really miss this life and the racing and so on, then take a decision on what I’m going to do next.”
In honour of Lewis Hamilton clinching a record-equalling seventh championship in some style last weekend, I have revisited and updated a post from around a year ago.
Once again, let’s discuss his standing in the annals of Formula 1.
Credit image: Mercedes
The Greatest of His Generation?
Hamilton burst onto the scene in 2007 and made about as big a mark on the sport as is possible in a rookie season. He had built up some hype through his stellar junior career, but he would be going up against Fernando Alonso – the reigning double world champion and the man who had just dethroned the great Michael Schumacher – as his McLaren teammate. Expectations were that he would be a solid number two driver whilst he gained some experience and learnt the intricacies of Formula 1.
The then 22-year-old should probably have won the championship but for a bizarre moment in China – McLaren leaving him out on tyres that were down to the canvas led to the driver sliding agonisingly into the gravel trap upon entering the pit lane – and some technical gremlins in the last race. But, whilst one point shy of the first rookie title in the sport’s history, Hamilton still finished ahead of his illustrious teammate, who promptly left for Renault.
Hamilton would right some wrongs and claim his maiden title the following year with the infamous ‘Is that Glock?‘ moment but then followed something of a dry spell. Brawn turned the sport on its head in 2009 and the beginning of the 2010s were a tale of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel dominance.
McLaren provided Hamilton with cars that were fast but often fragile. That, combined with frequent operational errors in the team and an annus horribilis for the driver himself in 2011, meant there was never a sustained title challenge.
Around this time, the popular consensus was that Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel were the three biggest talents of their generation. But the order was up for debate.
Then came the hybrid era, however.
Hamilton’s move to the Mercedes team, a year earlier, turned out to be arguably the best career decision in the history of the sport as McLaren – ironically, with Alonso back at the helm – stalled with underpowered Honda engines and Mercedes took up their now perennial position as the class of the field.
Add to that, Hamilton combining his undeniable speed with a new-found maturity and he has become near untouchable in the years since. He has won 72 of the 135 races – a little over 50% – and every world championship bar 2016, when he was denied by a lot of bad luck with mechanical issues and some impressive consistency by then teammate Nico Rosberg.
The 2017 and 2018 seasons were billed as the battle for supremacy between Hamilton and Vettel with Mercedes and Ferrari finally closely matched. In the end, it was the man from Stevenage who consistently landed knockout blows, as Vettel’s challenges faltered and there is now no real debate as to which of the two men is top dog.
Some have pointed to Alonso as the most complete driver, but surely Hamilton has proven his worth in all areas by now. And Alonso’s notoriety when it comes to being hard to work with, along with the path of destruction he has left in his wake throughout his career, must be factored in. There is a point at which career choices are no longer poor by coincidence but that there are reasons for each failure.
Lewis Hamilton is the greatest driver of his generation.
The Greatest of His Nation?
This is where things start to get particularly tricky. It is incredibly difficult to compare drivers across different eras of the sport as Formula 1 today is near unrecognisable when compared to the 60s. The cars, the technology, the safety, the media – it is simply a different beast.
Image credit: Getty Images
The two other obvious contenders for ‘Best Brit’ would be Jim Clark and Sir Jackie Stewart. But then Stewart is quite adamant that Clark was a superior driver to himself so let’s focus on the two-time world champion.
Clark is still frequently referred to as the best ever by some. Even the great Juan Manuel Fangio himself described Clark as “outstandingly the greatest grand prix driver of all time”. We will never know what the Scot could ultimately have achieved, as his life was cut tragically short at 32 with a crash at the Hockenheimring, but he was undoubtedly the phenom of his era.
Out of the car, Clark was an introverted, simple farm boy from Scotland who was notoriously on edge before a race. Jack Brabham recalls that a doctor taking pulses and blood pressures before the race start thought that Clark was “in such a state that he shouldn’t start” But once behind the wheel, he was transformed. Ferociously fast with the deftest of touch; he had an absolute natural ability.
Whilst Clark’s career was obviously far shorter than Hamilton’s, the two men’s statistics are somewhat comparable once converted to percentages. Win percentage is very close with 34.72% for Clark and 35.61% for Hamilton. Clark has an advantage when it comes to pole position percentage (45.83% to 36.74%) whilst Hamilton has the lead in podium percentage (61.74% to 44.44%).
Ultimately, even those statistics are fairly meaningless as they are intrinsically linked to the subtleties of the sport at that time. For example, Hamilton will claim more podiums through better reliability whilst qualifying held less importance and was given far less attention in Clark’s day. Nonetheless, they make it clear that both men were the class of their respective fields.
I fall back to my point that it is basically impossible to definitively say whether a driver from the 1960s or 2010s is better, but Hamilton certainly doesn’t fall short of Clark’s incredibly high standards when it comes to piloting a racing car.
The Greatest of All Time?
Image credit: Reuters
G.O.A.T. (or Greatest Of All Time) is a term that is thrown about far too often on the internet these days, to the point that it is now used facetiously about as often as it is genuinely. But is Hamilton actually the G.O.A.T.?
As per the aforementioned point, comparing drivers across 70 years of F1 history and trying to conclusively choose the best ever is basically impossible. Fangio in the 50s was a winning machine and every driver racing today still has the utmost respect for him. Hamilton referred to him as the ‘Godfather’ upon matching his five titles in 2018 and Schumacher partied into the night having surpassed that former record.
Beyond Fangio and Clark, however, the two most commonly proffered names are Schumacher and the late, great Ayrton Senna. Whilst now spanning more than thirty years, all their careers narrowly overlapped – Senna and Schumacher between 1991 and 1994, Schumacher and Hamilton between 2010 and 2012 – and I think this period of time can be considered as modern Formula 1 and thus they are just about comparable…ish. So, let’s give it a shot.
The Numbers
Over the course of the last six months, Schumacher’s many records have gradually been eclipsed by Hamilton and his Silver Arrows steamroller. The conversation obviously extends far beyond numbers, but they are at least a foundation.
The German racked up 91 wins, 155 podiums, 68 pole positions, 77 fastest laps and, of course, seven world championships over the course of 307 grands prix. Those are simply ridiculous numbers and ones that many thought would never be beaten. But then came Hamilton.
It is the consistency of both Hamilton and his team in the hybrid era that has made it possible to surpass those hitherto unassailable records. If all seasons are converted to the current points system, Hamilton also moved past Schumacher’s tally at this year’s Belgian Grand Prix.
It is well noted that it is easier to rack up the numbers now as the F1 calendar has expanded and the quota of races each season has gradually increased. But when analysing Schumacher’s numbers, it is also worth considering his consistent status as clear number one driver.
Senna experienced this to some extent with Gerhard Berger for a couple of years and Valtteri Bottas has been Hamilton’s ‘wingman’ on a handful of occasions, but Schumacher had outright number one driver privileges throughout basically his entire career at Benetton and Ferrari. Many of his teammates struggled to challenge him anyway, but they were certainly not allowed to on the occasions where they were able to do so.
Senna’s career was another cut tragically short in 1994 – I went into great depth in hypothesising what he potentially would have achieved – but once the statistics are converted to percentages, the three drivers are fairly evenly matched. Hamilton probably has a slight edge when looking as a whole, but there is not much in it and obviously his percentages could go either way between now and the end of his career.
Schumacher was undeniably the greatest driver statistically for over 15 years. And yet, generally, more people seem to have considered Senna the greatest when the debate has arisen. That’s because being the greatest of all time goes far beyond the numbers.
Going Beyond the Numbers
There are two main components to being an incredible racing driver: raw speed and racecraft. There are other attributes, of course, such as technical aptitude, discipline, focus, being able to build a team around you and so on. Senna, Schumacher and Hamilton obviously all excel at these, but who comes out on top?
Raw speed is best demonstrated in qualifying; man and machine pushed to the absolute limit over the course of one lap. And this is where Senna and Hamilton are arguably a level above Schumacher. They have both produced laps that are scarcely believable.
Some have said that Schumacher’s qualifying record was hindered by the rules that had drivers qualifying with their race fuel in the car during the years when refuelling was a part of the sport, thus making qualifying more strategic and less about outright speed. But that was only the case for 4 of his 19 seasons.
Image credit: XPB Images
Racecraft is something that is tricky to define but – simply put – it is a driver’s ability to manage the entirety of a grand prix and everything that may be thrown at them. So, that’s measuring their pace and the toll it is taking on the car, wheel-to-wheel racing, strategy calls, etc.
This is where Hamilton and Schumacher perhaps have a slight edge over Senna.
Schumacher’s ability to produce lap after lap at full qualifying pace during the race is well-known and, if he was on pole position, it was very unlikely anyone would be able to find a way past him.
Once again, the goalposts have moved slightly when it comes to racecraft these days. With the current car and tyre designs, drivers are rarely pushing flat-out on a Sunday and it has become predominantly about tyre conservation. Hamilton has transcended his reputation – from a decade or so ago – of being blisteringly quick but not quite as smart during races, and is now famed for his racecraft; Paddy Lowe describing it as “unparalleled among the F1 greats”.
His ability to eke out the life of his tyres has been demonstrated numerous times recently. Just last season, he had to manage most of a race on ancient tyres in Monaco, Mexico and the US, coming away with two victories and a second place.
And then, at the very last race in Turkey, he transformed his inters into slick tyres during a 49-lap stint that ensure he took his seventh world title in the most impressive style. Sure, he may moan most of the way but, boy, does he get the job done…
Whilst discussing some of the technical ways in which Hamilton manages his car, Mercedes Technical Director James Allison – a man who has also worked with Schumacher and Alonso – describes his “instinctive ability” as “remarkable”.
When it comes to the other factors, it is hard to separate them. All three are famously relentless in their pursuit of perfection, leaving no stone unturned. It is possibly what sets them aside from the rest of the greats. All are very technically minded and each built a hugely successful team around them – McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes respectively.
Hamilton, Schumacher and Senna are all incredibly good at basically every aspect of the sport. Of course. But there is something else beyond speed and ability that should be considered.
Going Beyond the Speed
There is undoubtedly a level of ruthlessness that is necessary to become a champion. But there is also a line. Senna and Schumacher crossed that line on multiple occasions, most famously in the two images above.
Whilst Senna’s infamous crash with Prost can be understood to some extent when you hear the full story of the politics with Jean-Marie Balestre, he still intentionally crashed into another driver to win the title, in an era of much-reduced safety. Senna’s intensity and unflappable self-belief often resulted in uncompromising driving to the very edge of acceptability and, on more than one occasion, beyond it. It was part of what made him so great, but he sometimes went too far and that has to be seen as a negative.
Schumacher has an unfortunately long string of misdemeanours. His attempts – one successful and one unsuccessful – to take out a Williams in the title decider were the biggest blots on his copybook. There is no doubt in my mind that both his collision with Damon Hill in 1994 and the one with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 were fully intentional. He was disqualified from the entire 1997 season for his actions but somehow escaped unpunished with his world championship intact in 1994.
Off the track, things weren’t squeaky clean either. There were plenty of rumours – some proven – regarding the 1994 Benetton’s legality, Ferrari used every trick in the book (including threatening to end a Sauber driver’s career) to hinder Villeneuve in 1997 and their team orders in the early 2000s brought the sport to its knees.
These varying forms of misconduct are something we have never really seen from Hamilton.
Of course, there has been the odd drama. Off the track, there was ‘lie-gate‘, where he was instructed to lie to the stewards by his McLaren Sporting Director, and his tweeting of sensitive telemetry. But these were reasonably minor indiscretions and, on track, Hamilton can only ever fall under the category of firm but fair.
Even during his prickly relationship with teammate Nico Rosberg, as the German set about all-out psychological warfare, he would push his wheel-to-wheel racing to the limit but never beyond.
Image credit: Getty Images
This is what really sets Hamilton aside from the two other great champions. He has that steel and the relentless will to win…but he is also truly committed to winning the right way.
So…the Greatest?
Well.
I’m not going to be quite that definitive…not yet anyway. But he is well on his way.
Hamilton now holds most of the records the sport has to offer. He is accepted as one of the very fastest ever when it comes to raw speed and has, in recent years, added maturity, technical prowess and experience to create a winning machine.
Wolff says that the media, and people in general, should “recognise the opportunity [to] see maybe the best driver that has ever existed on an exceptional journey”. He has a point. It may be easy to grow tired of seeing the same driver win again and again but it will always be looked back upon with nostalgia and misty eyes. We are witnessing history being made.
It is worth remembering that Hamilton’s story has been something of a fairy tale. From a council estate in Stevenage, he fought through the ranks the hard way, funded by his father working multiple jobs, and has now reached the very pinnacle of his sport. He has also broken down barriers as the sport’s first black driver – even having to deal with racist abuse early in his career – and brought F1 to a whole new audience through his numerous extracurricular activities and massive social media presence.
He has taken that onto another level this year with his push for F1 activism. He is a leading light in the #WeRaceAsOne initiative and launched ‘The Hamilton Commission’ with the aim of increasing diversity within motorsport.
Did anyone expect this when a fresh-faced Hamilton showed up to Melbourne in 2007? Probably not. Although, there is a surprisingly prophetic quote from Schumacher on the eve of Hamilton’s first title the following year.
I will stick by my opinion that defining a clear ‘G.O.A.T.’ is near impossible, but there is nobody that I consider to have a better claim than Hamilton any longer.
And there is still more to come. As the man himself says, “I am working on a masterpiece and I haven’t quite finished it yet”. When he has finished, maybe we will have a definitive answer.
On a challenging, grey day in Istanbul, Lewis Hamilton took his 94th grand prix victory and, in doing so, claimed a record-equalling seventh world championship.
As the Mercedes pulled up to the specially marked ‘World Champion’ board, it looked as though it had been to war – intermediate tyres warn down to effectively become slicks, the usually glossy, black finish now matte thanks to a layer of grime and bitumen. In many ways, it had been a war. And Hamilton’s battling performance was one thoroughly fitting of becoming the most successful driver in the history of the sport.
It all started on Friday, with the Mercedes unable to get any heat into their tyres as they – and the rest of the field – slid round what was for all intents and purposes an ice rink, before rain arrived on Saturday to add yet more jeopardy. It speaks volumes that Hamilton was happy with sixth on the grid. Teammate Valtteri Bottas qualified ninth – as Lance Stroll took an incredible maiden pole position – and Hamilton appeared likely to clinch the title, but in an unusually low position.
As the lights went out, the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon struggled to get away and fell back down the field. The pack emerged from the first corner with a Racing Point 1-2, ahead of Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, up from 11th on the grid. Esteban Ocon had been spun by his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, and Bottas also found himself spinning in sympathy as he reacted to Ocon pointing in the wrong direction.
Halfway around the first tour, Hamilton would make his only error of the day as he missed the chicane of Turns 9 and 10, suffering with cold brakes, and fell back to sixth behind Vettel and the recovering Red Bulls. Those at the front then fell into something of a holding pattern until around lap 10 when the drivers decided to switch their wet tyres for inters, with Verstappen jumping Vettel through the pit stops.
By lap 18, Verstappen was closing up rapidly on the leading pair. The Dutchman had been the bookmakers’ favourite for the race, having looked the most comfortable throughout the weekend, but his impatience would get the better of him. Following Sergio Pérez too closely through the high-speed kink of Turn 11, Verstappen ran wide onto the extra slippery run-off area and performed an unwanted 540° pirouette. To compound his problems, he was then forced to retreat to the pits to replace his flat-spotted tyres.
Stroll continued to lead from his teammate past the halfway point and was displaying some impressive maturity for his first experience heading a grand prix. The track was continuing to dry, though, and his tyres were beginning to struggle. It was the Racing Point’s ability to heat its tyres sufficiently that had produced the surprise pole on Saturday but, as the race progressed, Stroll was now experiencing the other side of that double-edged sword. Pérez and the third-placed Albon were closing in.
Albon would spin on lap 34, however, and thus released the increasingly confident Hamilton. The World Champion started eating into the gap at a rate of about one second per lap and Racing Point made what would turn out to be the poor decision to pit Stroll. He never got the new inters working – the tyres even graining within just a couple of laps – and fell all the way back to eventually finish a hugely disappointing ninth.
So, it had become a battle of F1’s two ‘tyre whisperers’ at the front. The overtake would not take Hamilton long, though, streaking past at the end of the back straight and clearing off into the distance. Within five laps he had built a gap of 15 seconds.
Image credit: Motorsport Images/Shutterstock
Further back, Charles Leclerc, who had been steadily working his way through the field, aided by some nicely timed pit stops, passed Verstappen for third place. Verstappen immediately headed into the pits for his third stop of the day, which promoted Vettel into fourth, and the two Ferraris set about closing the gap to Pérez.
To add one final twist to an extraordinary race, rain started to fall again in the final few minutes, with a downpour predicted for the very last lap. Verstappen and Kimi Räikkönen spun in tandem and Mercedes decided to bring Hamilton in for a ‘safety stop’. With thoughts of his infamous 2007 pit stop in China at the forefront of this mind, Hamilton overruled his team and brought the car home without incident for a victory that had required absolutely all of his skill and experience.
On the final lap, meanwhile, Leclerc had passed Pérez after he ran wide at the chicane, only to outbreak himself and lose not only second to the Mexican but also the final podium place to his teammate. A bitter pill to swallow for Leclerc, who was characteristically hard on himself for the mistake, but joy for two drivers, in Pérez and Vettel, who have had tough years for varying reasons. The Mexican makes yet another compelling case for a race seat next year.
The McLarens recovered very well from a disappointing qualifying and were the fastest cars on track at the end of the race. Carlos Sainz very nearly added extra salt to Leclerc’s wounds, crossing the line just a few metres behind, whilst Lando Norris recovered to take eighth and the fastest lap. The Red Bulls filled that McLaren sandwich, with Verstappen ahead of Albon, and Ricciardo secured the final point.
Image credit: LAT Images
Despite being over a pit stop behind the leaders in the early stages, Hamilton crossed the line with his second-largest winning margin ever of 31 seconds. It was a performance reminiscent of his largest winning margin at Silverstone in 2008. A masterclass in truly testing conditions and there were certainly shades of Felipe Massa as Hamilton’s only title rival, Bottas, spun no fewer than six times, before eventually being lapped by his teammate.
It felt very apt that Vettel should be on the podium to celebrate such a momentous occasion with Hamilton. The two have grown close through their title battles and Vettel was the first to congratulate the Briton as he sat, visibly overcome with emotion, in the cockpit. Vettel could be heard saying “it’s a privilege to be witnessing you making history, man”. They have now shared the podium more than any other pairing in history.
Image credit: Getty Images
Amid the Drama, an Alarming Error
Whilst there was undeniably a lot to deal with on Saturday, there was another worrying mistake made by Michael Masi and those in charge. When the cars were released from the pits for the start of Q2, a group of marshals and most importantly a recovery crane were still completing the removal of Nicholas Latifi’s abandoned Williams.
Alarmingly, Masi then doubled down on the error by later saying, “It was quite close to the barrier, the crane was on its way, and we were given assurances that it would be well and truly clear. Looking at everything, I was more than comfortable with the local assurances on that basis.”
For all his questionable safety cars and red flags this season, when there is a genuinely dangerous situation, the cars were sent out. A perilously wet track and a crane removing a car in the gravel trap should give anyone involved with F1 a sharp shot of PTSD and Martin Brundle sounded noticeably uncomfortable and shocked at what he was witnessing. And for the sake of what? A delay of a few seconds in restarting the session? It should be incredibly simple – the race does not restart until any recovery vehicle is beyond the confines of the circuit.
A final word for the man who became – at the very least, statistically – the greatest F1 driver of all time.
Lewis Hamilton very rarely lets his emotions come to the fore these days. So, it was particularly moving to see him totally overwhelmed by what he has achieved. With the frequency at which his wins come these days, it is easy to forget just how much he has had to overcome to get to this point; to realise his wildest dreams.
For, whilst he often plays down these milestones ahead of the event, he did admit that he had “probably secretly dreamt” of one day matching Michael Schumacher.
In fact, many of the parallels between Schumacher and Hamilton’s achievements are quite astounding. They both achieved their seventh title at the 14th round of their 14th year of Formula 1. And all this, whilst fighting what he describes as the “bigger fight” for equality and diversity.
Can Lewis Hamilton wrap up a record-equalling seventh World Championship? Yes, and in some style.
Will the track grip up over the course of weekend or will they continue skating around as per Practice 1? The rain came and made conditions even harder for the drivers.
Can any of the teams battling for third open up a gap to the others? It was a good weekend for Racing Point, who now have a slight advantage over McLaren in the standings.
Will we see any Vettel-Webber-esque teammate dramas this weekend? Nothing really, aside from the Renaults coming together at the first corner.
Can Lewis Hamilton wrap up a record-equalling seventh World Championship?
Will the track grip up over the course of weekend or will they continue skating around as per Practice 1?
Can any of the teams battling for third open up a gap to the others?
Will we see any Vettel-Webber-esque teammate dramas this weekend?
The Track
THE STATS
Track Length: 5.338 km
Laps: 58
Race Distance: 309.396 km
First Grand Prix: 2005
Race Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya | McLaren | 2005 | 1:24.770
Outright Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya | McLaren | 2005 | 1:24.770
Most Driver Wins: Felipe Massa | 2006, 2007, 2008
Most Constructor Wins: Ferrari | 2006, 2007, 2008
THE WEATHER
The Quotes
Lewis Hamilton | “The drivers’ title doesn’t necessarily impact people’s lives. Trying to improve conditions for people around the world – equal human rights – that’s the most important thing to me. Matching an icon like Michael; I’d be incredibly proud of that. But it’s more the message it sends to not just kids, but mostly kids, that you have to dream bigger than you think you can dream and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t go for that.”
Daniel Ricciardo | [On if there is any awkwardness racing against future team McLaren] Not at all. I looked at myself, and I really made a promise to them that I’ll do all I can before the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi and there’s no fun and games. Next year, when the page turns, I’m all in with McLaren – but until then I’m going to keep going at Renault.”
Lewis Hamilton took what had at one point seemed an unlikely victory at the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as his Mercedes team wrapped up a record-breaking seventh consecutive World Constructors’ Championship.
The World Champion was beaten to pole by teammate Valtteri Bottas on Saturday, later describing his lap as “piss poor”, and was then passed by Max Verstappen on the run to the first corner. The narrow Imola circuit proved very difficult to pass on, with the two-metre-wide behemoths of modern Formula 1, and the front three appeared to have formed an orderly queue that may well last the entire race.
However, it would transpire that Bottas had collected some Ferrari shrapnel on the second lap which was significantly affecting his aero performance. Red Bull pitted Verstappen on lap 19 and Mercedes immediately responded with a pit stop for Bottas to cover off the Dutchman. This released Hamilton who suddenly started producing a succession of fastest laps. His medium tyres seemed to be holding up well and Mercedes decided to extend his first stint with the potential to fit the soft tyre at the end.
As it became apparent just how much time Bottas was losing, Hamilton defied his aging tyres and increased his lead to almost the exact length of a pit stop. It would all become academic, however, as a Virtual Safety Car on lap 29, brought about by yet another mechanical retirement for Esteban Ocon, handed the lead to Hamilton on a plate. He re-emerged five seconds ahead of his teammate and Bottas was now forced to switch his attention to keeping Verstappen behind him.
After a couple of close calls, a lock-up into Rivazza allowed Verstappen to pull right up to the gearbox of the Mercedes and he snatched second on the run down to Tamburello. Once again, it appeared as if the order had settled in for the remainder of the race, but there was one more twist in the tail. On lap 51, Verstappen’s right-rear tyre suddenly let go and left him stranded in the gravel trap.
Image credit: Formula 1
That brought out a full safety car. Both Mercedes drivers pitted without incident – the team able to remove the piece of Ferrari from Bottas’s bargeboards – and, surpisingly, so did Sergio Pérez, who was due to inherit that provisional podium position after having made excellent progress from 11th on the grid. Those behind him did not, though, and the Racing Point driver found himself behind Daniel Ricciardo, Charles Leclerc and Alexander Albon.
This was the second of two crucial weekends for Albon and he once again failed to produce. It is looking more and more likely that he will not be retained for 2021 and, with F2 driver Yuki Tsunoda being strongly linked to the second seat at AlphaTauri, Albon is now fighting desperately for his F1 career – let alone the Red Bull seat.
Out front, Hamilton comfortably extended his gap to Bottas and sealed the extra point for fastest lap on the final tour. Ricciardo just about held off Kvyat for his second podium in three races and, behind them, Pérez was unable to pass Leclerc for fifth. The final points positions went to the McLarens and the Alfa Romeos, with Kimi Räikkönen frustrated that he had finally taken his only pit stop one lap before the safety car was called.
Mercedes wrapping up the constructors’ title with a few races to go has become the norm for many years now and, with many fans thoroughly bored of the dominance, it is possible to forget what an incredible achievement it is that we are witnessing.
With a seventh consecutive Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes have surpassed the record set by the dominant Ferrari team of the Schumacher-Brawn-Todt era. This is now arguably the greatest team in the history of the sport. As we all know, they nailed the hybrid engine regulations in 2014 and gave themselves a massive head start for those first three years. Dominating one set of regulations is not rare – Red Bull, Williams, McLaren and Ferrari have all done it in the past – but 2017 brought about another major change in the cars and Mercedes simply aced that too.
Smaller changes since then – even the ones introduced specifically to target them, such as this year’s ban on ‘qualifying modes’ – have done little harm to the Silver Arrows’ supremacy either. Would anybody honestly be surprised if they do the best job on the 2022 regulations too?
Their biggest threat appears to come from the two most respected members of the team – Hamilton and Team Principal Toto Wolff – seemingly considering their positions, as both have been openly pondering how much longer they will continue. Time will tell on that front, but Hamilton himself is usually the first to point out that he is just the last link in a very long, particularly well-oiled chain.
Admittedly, as ‘last links’ go, Hamilton is maybe the greatest of all time – the same could be said for Wolff – but there will be more drivers and more team principals in the years to come and, assuming Mercedes stick to their relentlessly efficient principles, they will be at the forefront of the sport for a long, long time.
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 60 Seconds
Answering the Burning Questions
How will a condensed two-day weekend affect the teams? There certainly seemed less prepared, particularly in terms of the behaviour of the tyres.
Can Mercedes wrap up a record seventh consecutive title? Of course they can.
How will Alexander Albon fare on a crucial weekend for his F1 future? Not well, sadly.
Which of the teams battling for third in the Constructors’ Championship will have the best weekend? Renault had marginally the best weekend and are now a single point ahead of their two rivals.
Will Kimi Räikkönen gain an advantage as the only driver to have previously raced at Imola? The veteran Finn had an excellent race and, with a safety car appearing one lap earlier, could have grabbed a large haul of points.
