Track Torque: Max makes Mercedes mad
Teammate Valtteri Bottas was only another eight seconds behind Hamilton but was running out of tyre grip.
The Silver Arrows team had their feathers ruffled this weekend when Red Bull’s good strategy and Max Verstappen?s brilliant drive beat the Mercs by 11 seconds. It was a very interesting race with Lewis Hamilton also putting on a great chase towards the end to finish in second spot. Teammate Valtteri Bottas was only another eight seconds behind Hamilton but was running out of tyre grip. I suggested last week that the Emirates Grand Prix might be one of tyre strategy because of the British heatwave and it certainly was.
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Verstappen made a great choice when he decided in qualifying two, to use hard tyres while everyone else went for mediums or softs.This allowed him to start on hard tyres which eventually outperformed all the others. I actually won a couple of bets by predicting Verstappen?s win at R10 a time. Charles Leclerc again demoralised his very accomplished teammate. He was home in fourth after a very good drive while Sebastian Vettel this time could do no better than 12th position. They still need more Prancing Horses under their bonnets.
Alexander Albon did well finishing fifth, just ahead of Lance Stroll in the first Racing Point Mercedes in sixth, while new teammate Nico Hulkenberg concluded a great weekend, finishing an unlucky seventh.
He had been higher in the pack and was devastatingly fast in qualifying. In line astern behind Nico were Estaban Ocon, only nine seconds behind, Lando Norris in the McLaren was another second behind, and Danill Kyvat finished along side Norris at the flag, in 8th,9th and 10th places respectively. We have some wonderful races ahead of us with the Spanish Grand Prix this Sunday (16th), followed by Spa and Monza in quick succession. No let up in excitement.
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