England: The Editorial Team’s Hits and Misses

The tops

Verstappen vs Leclerc and Bottas vs Hamilton duels: a grand spectacle!

Rightly so, we were able to harbor concerns before this tenth meeting of the season. On a circuit made of long, fast curves, it was normally difficult for drivers to follow each other and overtake without putting the tires at risk. Yet, we were treated to quite the spectacle! Two duels indeed captured attention at this Grand Prix in Silverstone. The main one, being this battle of young wolves, between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, particularly in the first 20 laps. While the Monegasque amazed with his tough defense, the Dutchman did not relent, sticking to the gearbox of the Ferrari, notably attempting an impossible overtake in a tiny gap at the 19th lap, at the end of the Hangar Straight, the second DRS zone.

The best part of the story is that this battle remained fierce yet fair, even though Verstappen’s overtake on the last corner of the 25th lap was made with all four wheels off the track, on the astroturf. But after the controversies arising from the stewards’ interventions, it was good to let these drivers fight on the track, as they are the future of Formula 1. For Leclerc, there is no doubt that this race will be a trigger after the showdown in Austria. And in the present, their duel adds spice to an otherwise dull season.

Box office 🍿#BritishGP 🇬🇧 #F1 pic.twitter.com/Tsqi93aL0g

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 14, 2019

But let’s not forget the showdown between the Mercedes drivers! Valtteri Bottas tried to prove he was more than just a supporting act. As a result, the Finn challenged his five-time world champion teammate like rarely before at the start. Their fourth-lap face-off will be remembered, with Bottas overtaking Hamilton at Copse corner. Unfortunately, the Safety Car favored Hamilton. It’s a pity; we would have liked to see Bottas take the lead again on his second stint, just to see what the bearded man is made of. If the Finn thinks the drivers’ championship isn’t settled yet, he’ll have to show us with races like this.

No inch given between the two Silver Arrows

A brilliant mini-battle at the start of Sunday’s race#BritishGP 🇬🇧 #F1 (sound on) pic.twitter.com/ob8kKxm2So

— Formula 1 (@F1) 14 juillet 2019

Gasly, finally a silver lining!

We were eagerly waiting for it: here is Pierre Gasly’s first standout weekend in 2019. Verstappen’s teammate put everything together, starting off on the right foot during free practice, first in FP1 and finishing ahead of the Dutchman three times. Although Gasly was still behind during the crucial moment of qualifying, his deficit was not offensive, just four-tenths off pole. The same in the race where the 2016 GP2 champion even executed a nice overtake on Vettel. More pace, more aggressiveness, Gasly has regained part of his potential, aided by setups finally equivalent to Verstappen’s. Now that he has moved closer to the top tier, the Frenchman must continue his progression and not backtrack!

P4 👍👍👍
Enjoyed that one!
Thanks to the team for the great work all weekend.
📸: @KymIllman pic.twitter.com/7DySRJdbIX

— PIERRE GASLY 🇫🇷 (@PierreGASLY) July 14, 2019

Daniil Kvyat, the comeback of the Grand Prix!

Struggling in Austria, the Russian driver made the comeback of this British Grand Prix. Starting 17th, he is one of the big beneficiaries of the safety car, along with Carlos Sainz, who finished sixth. But unlike the Spaniard, Daniil Kvyat also made overtakes on track, passing Antonio Giovinazzi, Nico Hülkenberg, and even his teammate Alexander Albon. Struggling during qualifying, Kvyat showed more ease, according to him, by managing to extract everything from the car. The former Red Bull driver even engaged in a good battle with Räikkönen for eighth place, without success. After two tough races, Kvyat is reviving his season, especially as Albon finished in 12th place, disadvantaged by the tires at the end of the Grand Prix.

The flops

Sebastian Vettel continues his descent into hell

The 2019 season for the Ferrari driver is an endless ordeal. Clearly not comfortable in his car, Vettel is now being overshadowed by Leclerc on both Saturday and Sunday. His sixth place in qualifying is a sign of great powerlessness, with only a tenth improvement between Q1 and Q3. And just when his race was finally taking a positive turn, Vettel lost everything by foolishly colliding with Verstappen. A mistake for which the German is solely responsible, as he admitted after the race, apologizing promptly to his opponent. Yet, Vettel is decidedly too erratic for a supposed leader of Scuderia. The four-time world champion from the golden Red Bull era is no longer recognizable. Instead, we see the sometimes-approximate driver of 2010, running into his main rivals. At this pace, Vettel will lose his leadership at Ferrari to Leclerc. Could this make him consider other options? It’s increasingly difficult to believe in a Vettel world champion in a red suit.

*That* collision 👀#BritishGP 🇬🇧 #F1 pic.twitter.com/iJTkfTK0nL

— Formula 1 (@F1) 14 juillet 2019

Haas, the struggle continues as well

Another ordeal, another deep-seated problem. Another nightmarish weekend for the American team, lost in its settings! With surprising results and a Grosjean beating Magnussen with a setup dating back to Australia. But the icing on the spoiled cake was this start and contact between the two drivers right from the first corners, sabotaging their race. This did not escape the attention of future ex-sponsor Rich Energy, who literally trolled Gene Haas’s team on Twitter. Yes, the team from North Carolina is nowhere, especially in the race, totally adrift with the utilization of Pirelli. Not very reassuring for Romain Grosjean, who may feel his seat in danger, with interest from a Sergio Pérez potentially leaving Racing Point.

Racing Point increasingly overshadowed

Lawrence Stroll’s team is still there, but it’s difficult to talk about since it has been three races now that neither Pérez nor Lance Stroll have brought in points. The worst part at Silverstone was that Pérez had the chance to secure a few points, but he collided with Nico Hülkenberg upon the restart after the Safety Car, primarily due to brake issues. On the other hand, Lance Stroll made yet another comeback following a poor qualifying and a new Q1 exit. However, finishing in 13th place with insufficient pace doesn’t give much reason for celebration. Now, Racing Point is threatened by Alfa Romeo in the constructors’ standings, and it’s hard to see how the situation could be reversed.

Great race for the neutral but a disappointing day for us. So near, yet so far… 😪#MakeItCount #F1 #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/dn7SV9Xw3D

— SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team (@RacingPointF1) July 14, 2019