Lucky or Unlucky?

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Sunday saw a race that some thought was going to be an inter-squad battle at Silverstone between none other than the Silver Arrows (not sure if that's the term being used now). And whilst it was for the majority of the Grand Prix, Silverstone failed to disappoint us as there was yet another twist in the tail - a common theme to every Grand Prix thus far in what has been the most unique season of Formula 1 we have ever witnessed. 

A stunning ending to the British Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton clinch victory from the jaws of defeat as youngster Max Verstappen made up 30 seconds on him in the final lap to take second, with Charles Leclerc rounding up the podium positions with a very respectable third - something Ferrari could have only dreamed of. Just like in Austria, they managed to pull the Houdini act to keep up with the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull (many believed would be impossible). 

Whilst the Ferrari garage may have been filled with elation, two drivers deserved nothing but sympathy as luck seemed to turn against them. Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz both suffered tire delamination's in the closing stages of the Grand Prix forcing them to pit and compromise P2 and P4 respectively. With their teammates finishing well in the points, it was unfortunate for both constructors - especially McLaren as they have been engaged in what seems to be a mouth-watering battle in the midfield. 

On the flip side, Renault had a race to remember with Danny Ric crossing the chequered flag in a brilliant P4 - matching his best-ever finish for the team - and Esteban Ocon in P6, proving that the men from France are a formidable force to be reckoned with in the midfield. In the same boat of happiness and joy was Pierre Gasly. The Frenchman drove a stunning race to finish P7 ahead of Alex Albon - the man who took his seat at Red Bull midway through last season. Whilst it wasn't all sunshine and daisies for the Thai driver, colliding early on with Magnussen, he progressed through the field well to claim P8 - a stark contrast though to his teammate who has made it 3 podiums in 3 races. 

The same must be said about the Scarlet Prancing Horses. Sebastian Vettel has had a far from perfect start this season with the SF1000 performing far poorer than it was the same time last year however the ability of his teammate (Charles Leclerc) to crunch out result after result as the less experienced driver shows that the spotlight is well and truly on him now. With a lot of the season still left to go, Sebastian Vettel, I'm sure will look to stamp his authority as the leading driver even though he may be leaving the team at the end of 2020. 

There have been rumors that the 4-time world champion will be taking Sergio Perez's seat at Racing Point next season - a very interesting development considering the amount of revenue the Mexican brings to the team through the Slim family. Aside from all this, Checo Perez was unable to participate at the British Grand Prix this weekend as he was tested positive for Covid-19. We wish him all the very best on his road to recovery and hope to see him back in his Racing Point as soon as possible. In Perez's absence, there was a stir in the paddock as to who would take his seat and to the joy of many, it was none other than Nico Hulkenberg. All the hype that came with the Hulk being back in F1 was crushed as he did not even start the race with an issue on his car forcing him to sit it out. Fortunately, he's going to be racing again next weekend which I'm sure will be a sight for some sore eyes. 

We are only a few days away from the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix and there are a couple of things to consider. Firstly, this is the latest that a grand Prix has ever been held at Silverstone which means that tires will be under far more stress given the higher temperatures of both the track and the air. Secondly, with softer tires being offered this coming weekend, it is almost certain that the race will be a 2 stopper for most as tire degradation will play a big role throughout. How teams manage to work their way around this is a mystery to both you and I, however, I am thoroughly looking forward to how it plays out. 

Lewis Hamilton was "a lucky boy" as Christian Horner put it last weekend and whilst his teammate may have not been as fortunate, I am sure he will be back with vengeance next week as we celebrate 70 years of Formula 1 once again as we race through Maggots, Becketts and all the way to Stowe.  


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