From his 2008 heroics in the Silverstone rain to winning from 14th on the grid at Hockenheim a decade later, Hamilton has delivered some unforgettable moments over the yearsHamilton’s greatest recovery drive may still be his fightback from 18th to second in Turkey at a GP2 race but then there was this outstanding win, his only victory from below 10th on the grid. He suffered a hydraulic problem in qualifying and started from 14th at Hockenheim with Sebastian Vettel – in a quicker Ferrari at that point in the season – on pole. Hamilton immediately hared off through the midfield and swiftly made it to fourth when the rain descended. Always supreme in the wet he was quickest on track,...
Valtteri Bottas’s win suggests the champion constructors will be ominously strong again this season and F1 deserves credit for the biosphere system which saw a Covid clear raceValtteri Bottas’s win in Austria might have been nail-biting for the team, given they feared his car was very close to a shutdown because of a gearbox sensor problem, but from the weekend as a whole Mercedes emerged ominously strong. Their car is comfortably once more at the front of the field, with their form bearing the hallmarks of one of those relentless Metallica riffs that churns on and on and on. Half a second up in qualifying, nearest competitor Red Bull had to opt for an alternate tyre strategy just to give...
Max Verstappen looks the closest rival as the British driver claims to be ‘ready for the challenge’ of the new seasonFormula One fires up in anger for the first time this year in Melbourne on Friday but there will still be few givens for the forthcoming season. Yet of one central player in the forthcoming drama there can be absolute certitude. Lewis Hamilton enters his 14th year in F1 motivated, focused and in the form of his career.Extraordinary records are within Hamilton’s grasp and his determination to prove himself the best is beyond doubt. Yet what he and every fan wants is a real fight. F1 needs it and, if the British driver is to match Michael Schumacher’s achievements, how...
Dutchman would have been in line to replace Hamilton at Mercedes if the champion moves to Ferrari but instead he may be the man who keeps Honda in the sportJust days into the new year, with many good intentions already falling by the wayside, Max Verstappen has displayed the boldest of resolve. The Dutchman’s decision to re-sign with Red Bull until the end of 2023 is a commitment of confidence in the future of the team that brought him into Formula One. He clearly believes they can deliver a title-challenging car and in a month marked by attempts to be abstemious, Verstappen’s signature is just the stiffener Red Bull and their engine supplier Honda required.Verstappen will enter his sixth season...
Hamilton’s sixth title and Leclerc’s brilliant debut season shone this year, while Williams were left licking their wounds Related: Ferrari’s historic penchant for a good crisis remains – 90 years down the track | Richard Williams Related: Lewis Hamilton is not only a peerless champion, he is the face of F1 | Giles Richards Related: Lewis Hamilton speaking to Ferrari about ending F1 career with team Continue reading...