Lewis Hamilton’s win in Hungary after an unexpected change of tyres increased pressure on Valtteri Bottas while Carlos Sainz showed Red Bull what they’re missingHamilton’s drive to victory was superb but it was the Mercedes decision to opt for a second stop that really stood out. After they gambled on fresh tyres there was no real opportunity for Red Bull to react; their only hope lay in Max Verstappen making his rubber last and, valiant as his effort was, just trying to stay ahead pushed them over the edge. The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, described Hamilton’s driving as in “another dimension” but notably paid homage to his team’s strategists. With just over 20 laps remaining they might have settled...
The track drew praise from several drivers after Sunday’s British GP for encouraging competitive racing and it also benefited from the stewards allowing hard but fair racingWith the signing of a new contract to host F1 for a further five years there was a celebratory air at Silverstone. That F1 had done the right thing was confirmed in spades on Sunday, when the old airfield delivered a marvellous race. The drivers revelled in it and the opportunity for genuine racing it affords. F1’s problems in following closely have not gone away but they are negated on good tracks. Silverstone’s layout encourages a fight and several of the corner sequences give drivers the chance to come back during an attempted pass...
Silverstone is as British as it gets, but Formula One cannot escape the divisions gripping its homelandIs there anything more quintessentially British than the Grand Prix at Silverstone? A petrol-fuelled romp in the heart of the Midlands couched among country lanes and English villages, the 52-lap race is an unmissable fixture in the sporting summer. This weekend delivered excitement, nostalgia and glory, all wrapped in a neat carbon‑shaped package.The 10th round of the Formula One world championship faced stiff competition this year, with both Wimbledon and the Cricket World Cup scheduled for the same Sunday. Such clash of commitments suggests that major sporting event planners should coordinate timetables; if not for viewing numbers, at least to ease the FOMO (fear...
Max Verstappen won the Austrian GP but by the time he was declared the victor there was almost nobody left at the circuitFor a sport in which speed and quick reaction time go hand in hand, the torturously slow wait for the winner of the Austrian Grand Prix to be declared seemed almost wilfully perverse. More than three hours passed after Max Verstappen had taken the chequered flag before he was officially confirmed as the victor, by which time everyone bar the packer-uppers and journalists had left the track. Related: Ferrari reluctantly accept stewards’ call on Verstappen incident Continue reading...
Title leader underlines dominance at French Grand Prix, while fellow Briton takes the eye with slick manoeuvre and McLaren put Renault to the swordLewis Hamilton may have been almost apologetic after his dominant French Grand Prix win as he appealed for the drivers not be blamed when F1 served up an uninspiring afternoon. However he also pointed out that it had not been easy in the cockpit, nor would there be any relaxation of his overwhelming desire to win. His authority is already stamped on the championship. Sebastian Vettel has fallen away and what threat Valtteri Bottas posed has faltered, perhaps irretrievably. Related: Lewis Hamilton insists rule makers should ask drivers to help improve F1 Related: Lewis Hamilton: F1 governance...