F1: The five key moments of the 2021 mid-season

Formula 1 is preparing to make its comeback with the Belgium Grand Prix on August 29th. Before that, let’s look back at five highlights of the mid-season. From Esteban Ocon’s victory to the duel between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the 2021 season is already exceptional.

A new French victory

It didn’t take 24 years to see a French victory in F1 again. Following Pierre Gasly’s win at Monza in 2020, it’s now Esteban Ocon’s turn to shine. At the Hungarian GP, Ocon took the lead on the third lap after Lewis Hamilton’s late pit stop. Throughout the race, the Frenchman wasn’t intimidated by Sebastian Vettel only two seconds behind him. A well-deserved first place after a complete weekend from the driver.

Ocon can also thank his teammate, Alonso. The British driver was making a spectacular comeback, but Alonso resisted Hamilton for ten laps. Without the experience of the Spaniard, Ocon certainly would not have finished first. It’s not just a victory for a French driver, but also for a French team. Alpine, formerly Renault F1, had not won a race since… 2008 with Alonso.

Bottas’ carnage

Ocon’s victory came from the chaos at the first corner of this Grand Prix. On a wet track, Valtteri Bottas braked too late, hitting Sergio Perez’s car, then Lando Norris’s and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Bottas was not the only one at fault in these accidents. Lance Stroll made the same mistake by misjudging the distance between him and Charles Leclerc. As a result, the Canadian violently collided with Leclerc. In the end, five drivers had to retire from the race right after the first corner. Stroll and Bottas both received a five-place grid penalty for the Belgian GP.

Hamilton alone on the starting grid

This is probably the image of the mid-season. After all the accidents and the red flag deployed, Lewis Hamilton appears on the grid for the second start. But the other drivers have all gone to the pit lane to put on slicks, as the track has dried. Hamilton therefore resumes the race alone on the track.

EVERYONE PITS on the formation lap!

Lewis Hamilton is the ONLY driver to take the start 😱#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/PQuuy5nfUe

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 1, 2021

A surreal scene that will have serious consequences for the British driver. The driver finally realizes that he should have followed the competitors’ example. Mercedes then decides to bring him in to change the tires, but Hamilton finds himself in last position after his stop. This didn’t prevent the seven-time world champion from making a spectacular comeback and finishing second in the race, after Vettel was disqualified.

Pierre Gasly’s podium in Baku

He was missing a place on the podium on his record. After finishing second in Brazil in 2019 and winning in Italy in 2020, Gasly finishes in third place on the podium in Baku. While the race seemed complicated for the Frenchman, Verstappen’s crash due to a tire problem causes a second red flag on the final lap of the race. During this third start, Hamilton completely misses the turn and goes straight, allowing Perez, Vettel, and Leclerc to take the top three positions. The third position, held by the Ferrari driver, was within reach. On the final long straight, Gasly finally overtakes Leclerc to add a new trophy to his F1 career. This surely won’t be the last.

The Verstappen/Hamilton duel.

One could not talk about the mid-season without mentioning the duel between Verstappen and Hamilton. The two drivers are engaged in a close battle in the driver’s standings. While the Dutchman has won more races (5) than his rival (4), it is the British driver who leads the championship with an eight-point advantage. Verstappen had a 32-point lead after the Austrian GP. The last time Hamilton faced such difficulties was in 2018 against Vettel and his Ferrari.

This time, it is a completely different rival who is opposing him. Verstappen never leaves room for doubt and intends to come back stronger after the summer break. The Dutchman has only scored two points in his last two races. However, he has the advantage of having a more powerful and reliable car than Mercedes. It is up to him to push the limits and win his first world championship title. The ultimate dream of all drivers.