JMax Verstappen’s disgust in his ears. He hadn’t heard it so strongly for a long time, living in the moment of victory. On Sunday, the chorus of compatriots resounded from the stands, resounding through the parc fermé, where the Dutchman parked his Red Bull for the first time a few seconds ago. Won again.
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After winning in the same place a week ago, it is now also the Austrian Grand Prix in Styria. This is the third time in two weeks. This time, his second place was Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and third place was Lando Norris (McLaren). The strongest opponent of the championship title, Lewis Hamilton, “Only” won the fourth place in the second silver arrow. As a result, the leading edge of the drivers standings has expanded again, from 18 points to 32 points (182 points). Could have been more.
Why is it so fast? Sergio Perez had to endure this problem. As Esteban Ocon crashed into the Alps on the first lap, the field was restored after the start of the race, and the Mexican came second with strength. In front of you, then by your side, Norris. Hold your breath. A chasing round passes through the curve. Perez wanted to quickly make up for a small mistake in Saturday’s qualifying match, surpassing the surprise guest Ben Norris in the front row and let Red Bull take the lead.
Damage limitation as a motto
Use a crowbar on the fourth lap of 71? Only enough tête-à -tête. On the outside of the fairway, Perez rushed to the dirty ground and was offside first. “He pushed me out,” the co-pilot called from the other side of the phone. Vistapan, Bought to protect the Dutch, always ranked second. Now he is hovering in tenth place. Missed orders, and more importantly: Mercedes made room without any big demand. Hamilton stood up in the rearview mirror of his famous young compatriot Norris, for the third time, full frame. After 14 laps, it was 6.3 seconds behind the leading Verstappen.
However, if he has to fight at the sight level of the year, which champion candidate is willing to “give” points to the winner? Especially in Austria’s Mercedes after relatively weak qualifications (Hamilton and Bottas finished 4th and 5th respectively), before the start of the competition, the damage limit was adopted as the motto. The track commissioner gave Perez the right. But Red Bull was happy to give up the penalty: Norris paused for five seconds.
At this stage, he could not keep his distance from the seven-time world champion. This is only possible for him at Red Bull. The unsuccessful Perez operation also pushed Bottas forward. Because the hasty Red Bull driver later dispatched the attacker Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari in Norris’s style, he received the same sentence: five seconds after the end of the race. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolf did not say, but he will think about it halfway through the Grand Prix: the company thanks.
Later the boss said to his own people. When Hamilton’s speed slowed down and Botta’s moment came: the overtaking permit passed the untouchable person. It is said that the aerodynamics of the left rear has been damaged.also Norris Slipped past. If Perez finishes his job, Hamilton will only finish fifth, and Bottas will not finish second.
The second Formula 1 race in Austria in a week met the expectations of (most) fans in the stands. The organizer counted 60,000. You have used the freedom of movement that has been in force in the Alpine Republic since July 1st: people who have been vaccinated, recovered and tested have unlimited access. The line was crowded with people wrapped in orange clothes, obviously the Dutch and other supporters of Verstappen, who had been in the best party atmosphere on his sovereign personal tour.
The finish line is 17.9 seconds ahead, so it doesn’t matter that this is not a big breakthrough. The game continues. If not for Perez’s third time.He pushed again Leclerc In the dust. The scolding from Monegassen, another traffic ticket from the route police, another five seconds at the top: sixth. Red Bull Sports Director Helmut Marko said: “There are more penalties than penalties.”
After all, this spectacle provides a solid trace of the car.Play in midfield Sebastian Vettel Due to the blocking of qualifying training, the initial judgment was a bit strange. He moved from eighth to eleventh on the grid, even though he was the last of a group of pilots to put him in a position worthy of punishment. “Seb did everything well,” said Andy Stevenson, the head of the Aston Martin team. The last one was bitten by a dog, in this case the track inspector?
“You tell us,” Stevenson told the trade magazine “Cars, Cars and Sports”, “otherwise too many people will be punished.” Vettel’s transfer did not prevent him from keeping a clean race on the final lap. Kimi Raikkonen, who attacked Alfa Romeo, ranked twelfth. When the Finn pulled in and let his partner off the track, Vettel was almost over: Heppenheimer found it “a bit redundant” and ranked 17th, ahead of Haas’s second-to-last Mik Schumacher. He always succeeded in what he always did in the slowest car. He surpassed his teammates.
