Just like 2021, Verstappen chased by Lewis Hamilton in last two races. Don / Kennedy
Don Kennedy on Formula One
There is seemingly no way of stopping World Champion Max Verstappen repeating as champion, if his performance in winning the Hungarian Grand Prix, despite starting from 10th on the grid, is anything to go by.
After suffering with a power issue in Q3, Verstappen was forced to start from his worst starting position of the season so far.
George Russell in the Mercedes had taken his first pole position in F1, ahead of the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, and lead for the first third of the race, before being passed by Leclerc, who then looked set for victory.
But somehow with a strategy he couldn't understand, the team, instead of a possible 1-2 result, managed to clutch defeat from the jaws of victory.
With a relentless, charging drive to the front, Verstappen closed in on Leclerc and Russell, and took the lead. Behind him came Lewis Hamilton, who had qualified seventhh after incurring a DRS problem, and the plucky, and perhaps unlucky, Russell, who had hoped to follow his pole position with a first F1 victory.
Starting behind both Ferraris and Mercedes, Verstappen admitted he hoped he might get on the podium but instead took his 28th career victory and eighth win of the season. With Leclerc falling back to sixth place on hard tyres that just weren't working on the Ferrari, Verstappen's championship lead over Leclerc is now a whopping 80 points, the equivalent of more than three race victories, with nine races remaining in the championship.
"I was, of course, hoping I could get close to a podium," Verstappen explained to post-race interviewer David Coulthard. "They were very tricky conditions out there. But I think we had a really good strategy. We were really reactive and always pitting at the right time. I think we had some good out-laps. Then at the end, even with a 360, we won the race."
"I was battling a lot of guys, so it was a bit of fun out there. Crazy race and I'm very happy I won it."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was also happy to explain his team's winning strategy.
"We switched our strategy on the grid, "Horner told Sky Sports. "Going to the grid, both drivers felt they were struggling to generate temperature in the soft tyres, which were the tyres to get to the grid, and we were due to start the race on the hard tyres. So we switched it on the grid with the ambient conditions and a bit of rain around and so on, and the soft tyes went much further than we thought. So at that point we committed to a two-stop and went on to the soft-medium-medium.
"I think the key moment for the race for us was obviously as soon as we saw Charles go onto hard tyres, I thought 'okay, we've really got a chance now.'"
By contrast, there were huge question marks raised by the strategy adopted by Ferrari, who switched their drivers to the hard tyre which didn't perform for them, leaving . Leclerc perplexed.
"We need to speak with the team and understand the thought behind putting on the hards because I felt very strong on the mediums," Leclerc stated. "Everything was under control, and for some reason I don't know why we need to go onto hard, so I don't know.
"I said on the radio I was very comfortable with the mediums and that I wanted to go as long as possible with those tyres because the feeling was good.
"Honestly, the pace on my side, I was pretty happy. The only thing is obviously everybody will remember the last part of the race was a disaster for me, especially the hards."
However, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, who left the pit wall and disappeared into the Ferrari motorhome with several laps still to go in the race, explained the problem wasn't the team's tyre strategy, rather it was the car's performance that was the issue.
"Certainly, we didn't have the performance we were expecting as in whatever the tyres we were using, soft, medium or hard," Binotto said. "I think, at the end, the performance of our car was not as expected, and the car is not performing well. Whatever, because of maybe the weather conditions, it was a lot cooler today compared to Friday, so it is difficult somehow to try to have the right speed, the right pace and keep up the position on track."
Binotto's explanation doesn't add up in terms of Leclerc's comments about being comfortable on the mediums. However he might try to dress it up, it looks like it was a tactical error, rather than a lack of pace that saw Verstappen able to catch and pass both Ferraris, as did Hamilton.
Sainz, though, tended to agree with Binotto's assessment, noting he had stayed on medium tyres, but fourth was the best he could do.
"I think today we were a bit puzzled because we expected to have a very good race pace coming from Friday," Sainz noted. "Something to analyse, a day to probably look back, regroup, see what we did wrong for these kind of conditions and come back after the summer break with a better package."
Hamilton was more than happy to finish second for the second week running, and also to have both Mercedes drivers on the podium, as they were at the Paul Ricard circuit in France. But he also felt that with a better qualifying, he might have won the race.
"Great work, lads, what a result for the team, so happy for all of you and so grateful to you all," Hamilton said on the car radio.
"Would have had the pace to win it if we hadn't had that DRS issue. But either way, two seconds in a row, I'm really happy."
Hamilton has since suggested that Verstappen is winning because he has the best car, which is what most people said when Mercedes were winning between 2014 and 2020.
"The fact that Max stated 10th and spun and still was 10 seconds ahead says enough about their car," Hamilton quipped.
Russell, given he had a chance of winning his first grand prix starting from pole on a track notoriously difficult to overtake on, was surprisingly philosophical about his third placing.
"I think we did everything right for all the right reasons," he suggested. "It was going to go one way or another and so easily could have gone our way if the rain had stayed with us for let's say10 more minutes at the start."
"We'd have pulled out a gap, we wouldn't have had to pit so early and the last two stints on the mediums would have been stronger. So nevertheless, pole position, P3, a lot to be proud of."
Lando Norris in the McLaren finished 6th, behind the Red Bull of Sergio Perez, with the Alpines of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon 8th and 9th respectively on a one-stop strategy. Alonso was not impressed that his teammate tried to pit him into the pit wall at the start, and he had to take evasive action. He was on the car radio.
"Never in my life have I seen a defence like Esteban's, never," Alonso said.
His race engineer responded: "Still a long race but let's stay focused."
Alonso's reply: "Yeah, but we are still in the race because of me, guys," referring to his evasive manoeuvre.
Twelve months ago, Alonso's defence on Hamilton for 12 laps allowed Ocon to win the race, but Alonso is no longing playing the team game, and we now know why. Prior to the race, Sebastian Vettel's announcement he will retire from F1 at the end of the seasonspend more time with his family. This took the Aston Martin team by surprise, as they said they wanted Vettel to continue and had no "plan B." Alonso had also said he hoped to stay with Alpine and that "when two parties, they want to agree on something, it takes 10 minutes."
Behind the scenes Alonso was obviously negotiating with Aston Martin CEO Lawrence Stroll, because by Monday morning, Aston Martin announced that Alonso will join the team on a multi-year deal, and Alonso was quick to explain why he is joining the team.
"This Aston Martin team is clearly applying the energy and commitment to win, and it is therefore one of the most exciting teams in Formula 1 today," Alonso said.
"I have known Lawrence and Lance Stroll for many years and it is very obvious they have the ambition and passion to succeed in Formula1. I have watched as the team systematically attracted great people with winning pedigrees and I have become aware of the huge commitment to new facilities and resources at Silverstone." "I still have the hunger and ambition to fight to be at the front, and I want to be part of an organization that is committed to learn, develop and succeed."
"I intend to win again in this sport and therefore I have to take the opportunities that feel right for me."
Aston Martin CEO, Lawrence Stroll, was also complimentary.
He said he has "known and admired Fernando for many years" and "he has always been clear that he is a committed winner like me."
Aston Martin may well eventually succeed, but right now, the way Verstappen is driving, together with Red Bull's decisive race strategy, it will take a team with more than a winning commitment and expensive new facilities to Max and Red Bull continuing on their winning way. To start from 10th and win the Hungarian race was nothing less than exceptional, and it will take someone or something exceptional to stop the world champion.
Sources: F1.com.