Last time in Austin: Mercedes party nearly disrupted by Verstappen
F1 News
- GPblog.com
With six races to go, we are approaching the finals of the Formula One Championship. The next race scheduled is the United States Grand Prix, which was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus. For that reason, we look back to 2019: How did the previous edition of the race in Austin go?
The man with the best papers was Valtteri Bottas. He could start from pole position, with Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel next to him and Max Verstappen in his wake. The Dutchman had qualified in third place, just ahead of Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton had to settle for fifth on the grid.
Mercedes party nearly disrupted by Verstappen
It promised to be a Mercedes weekend, but Verstappen was in the action upfront from the first free practice. In the race he managed to stay close, forcing Mercedes to adjust their strategy on the Dutchman to prevent him from taking the win.
Hamilton openly questioned his team's strategy choice on the radio when he saw Verstappen in his mirrors, but reversed it when the strategy proved good enough for second place and the world title. In the closing stages of the race, the Briton led but had to let Bottas pass him. Hamilton crossed the finish line with Verstappen hot on his heels, with the Red Bull Racing driver just eight-tenths of a second behind the world champion for a podium finish.
Ferrari missed the mark
For Ferrari, it was a weekend to forget. The Italian team was severely censured after the FIA intervened in the 'grey area' the team was using, making it the strongest car in the field. The clever technique was declared illegal, causing Charles Leclerc to cross the finish line more than fifty seconds behind Verstappen.