The Spanish Grand Prix in Formula 1 is widely recognized as a true assessment of car performance, and despite some forgettable weekends, there were several standout performances. Edd Straw provides his assessment of the drivers’ performances throughout the weekend in Barcelona.
The rankings are determined by evaluating various criteria, including pace, racecraft, consistency, and the ability to maximize the car’s performance potential. It is important to note that these rankings reflect the drivers’ performance throughout the entire weekend, with qualifying playing a crucial role in setting the foundation for the race. The rankings are not a reflection of the drivers’ overall qualities, but rather their performance in a specific weekend. Therefore, the rankings can vary significantly from one weekend to another.
Verstappen, starting in second and finishing first, demonstrated his excellence as the competition intensifies. Despite not securing the pole position, Verstappen’s difference from Norris was minimal. He executed a flawless race, making a crucial overtake at the start of the race on Russell and securing a more comfortable victory than expected. Verdict: A masterful performance.
Gasly, who had a challenging start to the season, showcased his skills in qualifying and executed an excellent race to achieve the best possible result. Although Perez overtook him on the final lap, Gasly’s significant disadvantage in terms of tires and car made the DRS overtake inevitable. Verdict: His best performance of the season.
Norris delivered an exceptional qualifying performance, gaining crucial time in the high-speed corners to surpass Verstappen. However, a spin at the start and the inability to overtake Russell in the first stint cost him a possible victory. Nonetheless, Norris deserves credit for his overall pace and intelligent decision-making to avoid a collision at Turn 1. Verdict: Insignificant details hindered the win.
Hamilton’s season seems to be coming to life as Mercedes improves. Despite not being completely comfortable with the car, Hamilton’s qualifying performance was on par with Russell’s. Although a poor start presented challenges, he managed to secure a strategically placed third position by running long enough in the middle stint to switch to soft tires in the final stint. Verdict: Finding his form.
Leclerc and his teammate Sainz were closely matched, facing similar limitations with the car. Leclerc narrowly outperformed Sainz in qualifying and ultimately prevailed in the race due to a strategic advantage that allowed him to avoid using the harder tires. However, Leclerc’s miscalculated move resulting in contact with Norris in FP3 was an unnecessary error that counts against him. Verdict: Maximizing Ferrari’s potential.
Bottas, with a Sauber that performed better on a track with fewer demands for corners, delivered an impressive qualifying performance. However, a poor decision to use a second set of soft tires in the middle stint proved detrimental, forcing a long final stint on harder tires. As the only driver not to use the medium compound, Bottas missed out on any opportunity to score points. Verdict: Fast but unlucky.
Russell, almost as fast as Hamilton in qualifying, showed strong performances in both the race and qualifying. However, his pace and tire management were not at the same level as his teammate. Despite finishing with harder tires in the final stretch and falling behind Hamilton, Russell’s calculated maneuver on the outside of Turn 1 added excitement to his race. Verdict: Strong performance in both the race and qualifying.
Sainz demonstrated a similar pace to Leclerc, with little difference between them. His overtaking move at the start, which his teammate was not happy about due to contact and the belief that they should conserve tires, briefly put him ahead. However, a divergent strategy caused him to fall back again. Verdict: Very close to Leclerc.
Hulkenberg did an impressive job putting the Haas car firmly in Q2 on a track that doesn’t favor its qualities. He held 10th position for most of the first stint but was destined to stay behind the Red Bull. His 11th position, close to Ocon, was the best possible result considering the circumstances, although a blockage in his final pit stop resulted in a penalty. Verdict: Extracted the best from Haas.
Ocon, the second-best driver in Alpine, had a good weekend, qualifying well and securing a point. Despite struggling with a car that confused him during the race, Ocon managed to secure his position in the points, even with an expected loss of downforce. Verdict: Good performance, but second best in the Alpine team.
Alonso, despite not qualifying for Q3 in a car that was not a top 10 contender, remained surprisingly satisfied after qualifying. However, a difficult first stint, which included an exit at Turn 1, hindered his quest for points. Alonso finished behind Ocon and Hulkenberg, but with a perfect race, he could have secured a point. Verdict: Decent performance, but not Alonso’s best.
Ricciardo had a slightly below expected performance in qualifying, but executed well in the race despite a challenging situation. He effectively led the group of drivers at the back of the pack, given the significant gap to the cars ahead. As he encountered blue flags, he inevitably fell behind. Verdict: Performance in line with expectations for an RB in Barcelona.
Piastri struggled to replicate his usual form in Barcelona, lacking confidence and consistency throughout the weekend. Although his seventh place was respectable, he was not satisfied with his performance. Verdict: Struggled in a winning car.
Perez openly admitted to having difficulties finding balance, resulting in a performance below expectations. A three-place grid penalty further complicated his race, especially in the early stages. However, Perez persevered with a three-stop strategy and salvaged some points, highlighting the difference between him and Verstappen in terms of extracting performance from the car. Verdict: Like Piastri, had difficulties in a winning car.
Zhou, after making changes to the car, expressed confidence and comfort. Although he faced understeer issues, he had a solid race with a conventional strategy. Zhou managed to outperform his faster teammate and successfully defended against Stroll in the middle section. Verdict: Improved performance after the car changes.
Stroll finished less than a quarter of a second behind Alonso in qualifying. Despite overtaking his teammate at the start, he finished 16 seconds behind due to being overtaken during the first round of pit stops. Stuck behind the Sauber in the middle section, Stroll’s attempt to overtake himself resulted in a longer final stretch with harder tires. Verdict: Solid performance, but nothing exceptional.
Tsunoda had a race where everything seemed to go wrong. He lost positions in the first section, made an early pit stop, and received a penalty for speeding in the pitlane. Although he felt something was wrong with the car, it is unknown whether it was a limitation of the car or a technical issue. Verdict: The race slipped away from him.
Albon had low expectations for Williams’ performance in Barcelona, but expected more. He failed to qualify for Q2 for the first time this year, mainly due to the limitations of the car rather than his own driving. Starting from the pit lane, Albon performed well in the race but encountered a setback when he went off track at Turn 4. Verdict: Facing a tough battle.
Magnussen, despite complaining about traffic, especially from his own teammate, struggled to keep up with Hulkenberg’s pace in qualifying. An early start resulted in a penalty, ensuring a difficult race buried at the back of the pack. Verdict: Another inconsistent weekend.
The excitement of Sargeant about the new lightweight floor turned into frustration when it didn’t deliver the expected downforce. Although it’s difficult to accurately assess his performance due to this problem, his deficit compared to Albon in qualifying and the race was smaller than it seemed on paper. Sargeant described the weekend as painful and disastrous. Verdict: A challenging weekend.
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Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen achieved an impressive victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday. Verstappen, from the Red Bull Racing team, showcased his exceptional skill by overtaking his competitors and securing first place on the podium.
The race started with Verstappen in third position, behind Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. However, the young Dutchman wasn’t intimidated and quickly demonstrated his talent by overtaking Bottas and taking second position.
Verstappen continued to chase Hamilton, who was leading the race, and finally managed to overtake him in a bold maneuver at turn 4. From that moment on, the Red Bull Racing driver dominated the race and crossed the finish line with a comfortable lead.
With this victory, Verstappen is getting closer to championship leader Hamilton. The difference between the two drivers is now only 12 points, with only two races left in the season.
The next race will be the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which promises to be exciting as Verstappen is determined to continue his winning streak and clinch the world title. It will be a fierce battle between the two drivers and Formula 1 fans can’t wait to see who will emerge as the champion.
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