On Sunday the Red Bull Ring played host to a Formula 1 race for the second successive week, this time under the Styrian Grand Prix banner, and the Austrian location provided another cracker. We choose the winner and losers …
Winner: Lewis Hamilton
Superb. That was one of many adjectives you might have utilized to explain Lewis Hamiltons qualifying lap in soaking conditions on Saturday, as he secured lead by 1.2 s. The Mercedes chauffeur remained in another league.
LEARNT MORE: Styrian GP victory a great way to recuperate after opening weekend struggles, states Hamilton
On Sunday, he was able to build a gap at the start over Max Verstappen and after that manage the pace efficiently, never ever requiring to hit his leading equipments. It was a controlled and dominant performance from the ruling world champ.
The victory was his 85th, just 6 except Michael Schumachers all-time record, and his 51st from pole position. It was also his 152nd podium, moving him to within 3 of Schumachers record of 155. After a tricky opening weekend of the season, Hamilton was back to his best.
Hamilton 85th profession win puts him in touching distance of Michael Schumachers record of 91 wins
Loser: Sebastian Vettel
Fifteenth in the motorists championship with simply a singular point from two rounds was not how Sebastian Vettel would have anticipated to start his last project for Ferrari.
READ MORE: We cant conceal behind the accident states Binotto after worst conclusion to a very bad weekend
An absence of efficiency in the first race was his own fault, but the four-time world champ was blameless throughout the Styrian Grand Prix, as his group mate Charles Leclerc attempted an audacious lunge up the within at Turn 3, then slid into Vettel, swindling his rear wing and ending the Germans race.
There were some rays of expect Vettel this weekend, in that he discovered a much better balance with the car, and felt the upgrade package was an advance, however he cant pay for outcomes like this as he browses for a drive for 2021.
All the Angles: Vettel and Leclerc collide in Styria
Winner: Lando Norris
Not even physical pain could stop Lando Norris provide a maturing performance for the 2nd successive race, the McLaren driver stretching out his opening stint on the softs to provide him fresh medium Pirelli tires later on in the race.
LEARNT MORE: WATCH: Enjoy Lando Norris amazing P8 to P5 charge on the final two laps of the Styrian GP
The Briton then used that benefit to eliminate his method up through the field, having actually begun ninth after a three-place grid charge for stopping working to slow sufficiently under yellow flags, to fifth– with 3 of his overtakes inside the final 2 laps.
It was an exceptional efficiency, not least because he was taking painkillers for discomfort suffered when he braked during Friday practice, and indicates he keeps 3rd in the chauffeurs championship standings.
Norris is third in the championship after his P5 finish in the Styrian GP and a podium in the season opener
Loser: Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc was a star of 2019, his first season with Ferrari, however the Styrian Grand Prix weekend was not his finest hour. The Monegasque had a hard time in qualifying to miss out on Q3 and was handed a three-place grid penalty to compound his suffering for impeding AlphaTauris Daniil Kvyat.
Eager to offset lost ground, he attacked in the opening series of corners, but was overambitious with his effort at a hand down Vettel, breaking his own front wing in the procedure.
READ MORE: I let the group down, says Leclerc as he accepts blame for first-lap clash with Vettel
That indicated both Ferraris stopped working to reach the chequered flag for the 2nd time in 4 races, after Vettel and Leclerc likewise clashed in Brazil last year.
Though he pitted for a fresh nose, the damage was too high and he was required to park the vehicle.
Charles Leclerc retired quickly after that lap one crash with Sebastian Vettel
Winners (for now): Racing Point
The duo struggled to get the finest out of the RP20 in a wet qualifying, but on Sunday, Perez battled his method through the field brilliantly to complete 6th– which should have been fifth and perhaps even 4th if he hadnt made contact with Alexander Albon when attempting to pass the Red Bull chauffeur.
Racing Point continued to provide on the promise of winter season screening, with Lance Stroll and, in particular, Sergio Perez revealing the real pace of the vehicle in dry conditions.
FOUND OUT MORE: I was very lucky to only lose one position on final lap admits Perez after Albon clash
The damage incurred dropped him to sixth, simply 0.066 s clear of group mate Stroll, however the reality they were racing a Red Bull was an impressive accomplishment and they now sit fourth in the fabricators champion. The success was tinged, though, with the stewards deeming Renaults protest concerning the legality of the RP20 admissible, activating an investigation. Enjoy this space.
Could Renaults protest over the legality of the Racing Point RP20 ruin the pink teams resurgence?
Losers: Renault
The weekend started favorably as both Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo made it into Q3, but regardless of an enhanced total performance of the cars and truck, the race wasnt kind to them.
LEARNT MORE: He forced us both off the track– Ricciardo irritated with Stroll relocation as race falls apart in last 2 laps
Ocon retired with the same issue they experienced last week. Worryingly, the analyzed the parts at Enstone and sent it back to the track but confess they plainly missed something following a repeat of the failure.
Sure Ricciardo completed 8th, so it was some points on the board, however he lost a number of positions in the closing phases– and this team had expected to be performing better after a strong pre-season.
Ricciardo retired in the first race; Ocon retired in round 2 as Renault have plainly dealt with dependability
Winner: Alex Albon
Qualifying half a 2nd behind his team mate Verstappen was not perfect, nor was having a hard time for performance in the opening stint of the race as his Red Bull group mate conveniently held position.
LEARNT MORE: I was having Hamilton flashbacks!– Albon delighted to survive late Perez assault on P4
And though he ended up 11 seconds adrift at the flag– which would have been significantly more had Verstappen not made a late stop to attempt an attack on fastest lap– 4th location still equalled his career-best surface.
Sure, Red Bull would like him to be faster, however the bare minimum is finishing inside the leading four, now that Red Bull seem the second-best team on the grid, and Albon– who still just has 23 starts under his belt– did simply that. An excellent bounce back from the frustration of losing out on a very first podium at the previous round after contact with Hamilton.
Albon equalled his career-best P4 surface in the Styrian GP
Twelfth and 13th may not look like much on paper, those positions do not use points after all, however there was reason to be joyful for Haas.
Loser: Russell
He preserved and made a fantastic start position up until Turn 6, where he attempted to hang on around the edge of the corner– where theres little grip – however lost control of the cars and truck and ran into the gravel, dropping to the back of the field.
It was afternoon over already, however he continued and at least crossed the line 16th for his very first surface of the season.
After a double-DNF in the season-opener, not just did Haas get both cars and trucks to the finish, however both chauffeurs felt they had an automobile that while not fast enough was a huge enhancement on the previous weekend.
Not a terrific day for George Russell but Haas handled to complete 12th and 13th to put their double-retirement of the very first GP behind them
Most importantly, they understand the cars and truck better and it is even more foreseeable and constant, which means they now have a platform in which to construct more performance in.
Winners: Haas
From winner to loser in the space of 24 hours. George Russell showed his class and guarantee for the future as he maximised the chance a damp qualifying provided to protect the 12th-fastest time– a career-best result– which became 11th since of Leclercs penalty.
Max Verstappen: Were pressing as tough as we can
Loser: Max Verstappen
A podium is nothing to smell at, but its a procedure of how far Verstappen has come that completing 3rd is disappointing.
Verstappen will have intended to have left from the 2 Red Bull Ring races with a chunkier points amount to, provided he had won the previous 2 Grands Prix there, so hell be expecting far much better when F1 lands at the tight and twisty Hungaroring.
The Dutchman pushed Hamilton hard in certifying, before losing his vehicle at Turn 9, and still started the race from second. His Red Bull wasnt quite fast sufficient to hold off Valtteri Bottas Mercedes– however he gave it a really excellent go, running side by side with the Finn through numerous corners and trying to come back at him when Bottas eventually moved by with the aid of DRS.
FOUND OUT MORE: How one crucial Red Bull-Honda deficit blunted Verstappens obstacle to Mercedes
The damage sustained dropped him to 6th, simply 0.066 s clear of group mate Stroll, however the fact they were racing a Red Bull was a remarkable task and they now sit fourth in the constructors champion.
The victory was his 85th, simply six short of Michael Schumachers all-time record, and his 51st from pole position. After a difficult opening weekend of the season, Hamilton was back to his really best.
That was one of many adjectives you could have utilized to describe Lewis Hamiltons certifying lap in soaking conditions on Saturday, as he protected pole position by 1.2 s. The Mercedes chauffeur was in another league.
