F1 News
Conclusions after GP Austria: Hamilton loses connection with Verstappen after P4
- GPblog.com
Three wins in a row give Max Verstappen a comfortable lead in the championship, but that wasn't the only thing that happened at the Red Bull Ring. Behind the Dutchman, there was plenty to talk about. Lewis Hamilton's damage, Mercedes not being able to keep up with Red Bull Racing and the FIA handing out quick penalties. What conclusions can we draw from the Austrian Grand Prix?
Red Bull handles favourites well
Verstappen said after the race that Red Bull's performance was still great despite the pressure. After the victory at Paul-Ricard, all eyes were on Red Bull for their double home race and they handled that very well. With two wins for Max Verstappen, it is clear that Red Bull have the fastest car this year.
Hamilton loses valuable points in pursuit of Verstappen
Damage to the car, which was not Hamilton's fault, cost the British driver valuable time. In the end, he had to let Lando Norris and Valtteri Bottas pass him and as a result, lost seven valuable points to rival Verstappen. The gap to Verstappen is now 32 points, while his lead over Sergio Perez is not much bigger: 46 points.
A lot has to happen at Mercedes
Verstappen eventually finished fifteen seconds behind Bottas but did so with an extra pit stop. In fact, the Dutchman's lead could have been more than thirty seconds. Mercedes seem to have better upgrades on the way for Silverstone, but they are already wondering if it will be enough.
Red Bull are also known for their seasonal development and they will be aiming for the same this season. So there's plenty of work to be done in the Mercedes factory in the coming months.
Stewards were too strict in Austria
Some penalties were simple facts, like the two of Yuki Tsunoda. He crossed the white line twice at the entrance of the pit lane. Antonio Giovinazzi's penalty was also explainable. The Italian went into the pit lane but overtook Fernando Alonso who stayed on the track.
The penalties for Lando Norris and Sergio Perez however are too heavy. Of course, Hamilton had the same fate a year earlier with Alexander Albon, for which he also received a penalty. The stewards will undoubtedly have cited that situation, but in all cases this year, the overtaking driver had not yet passed the car in front of him. However, after handing out the first penalty, the FIA had little choice with the other incidents and had to remain consistent.