There were world titles that Lewis Hamilton celebrated with less emphasis than the victory he won at Interlagos today.
The weekend’s script was a perfect script to allow the seven-time world champion to build a feat: super pole on Friday, then relegation to last position just before the start of the sprint qualifying, exceptional comeback in yesterday’s 24 laps and tenth position at the start of today’s race.
Hence another exceptional comeback, which allowed him to take one of the most exciting victories of his career.
Putting Hamilton in the conditions of those who have nothing to lose is dangerous (for the opponents) and in the space of twenty-four hours it has been seen very well. A Lewis in a state of grace, for speed, race management and coldness in bringing the attack to his rival number 1, or Max Verstappen.
But in addition to Hamilton, a stellar Mercedes was seen at the weekend in Sao Paulo, especially the one with the number 44.
If Lewis managed to complete the most exciting overall comeback of his career it was also thanks to a monstrous top speed, which Mercedes explained mainly with the use of a new ICE, the fifth seasonal V6 fitted to Hamilton’s car on Friday. morning.
Obviously, and it could not have been otherwise, the direct opponents were dubious about this level of performance.
“The fresh engine makes a big difference – commented Toto Wolff – and since the beginning of the year we have a car with a limited drag. Our opponents are free to lodge a complaint, we will be available and we can also give them a rear wing to put in the living room, or if they prefer to cut it into a thousand pieces “.
“The speed on the straight is really impressive – was the post-race comment of Christian Horner – especially when we consider that they have fitted a rear wing style… Monaco. It’s very, very impressive, and even a rider like Max has no weapons to defend himself in this situation. We have seen that among the other single-seaters to overtake at the end of the straight you had to take it at most half a second behind the opponent, Mercedes could do it with 0.9. Let’s say they have a very powerful weapon at their disposal ”.
The 2021 World Cup has by now accustomed us to continuous changes of hierarchies. Analyzing only the last few races we saw Mercedes dominate in Turkey, then Red Bull able to overturn the situation in the USA and Mexico, but the blow scored by Mercedes in Brazil does not seem to be a ‘bonus’ linked only to the characteristics of Interlagos.
And this particularly worries Red Bull, which on a track on which it was supposed to be able to make a full loot (on paper), found itself having to give up ten points in the Constructors’ classification (Mercedes is now at +11), while Hamilton has at -14 from Verstappen. All in a weekend in which Lewis served 25 penalty positions, also stocking a new engine.
The climate is hot, and not just on the track. Horner plays his cards, Wolff obviously replies and at the end of the Brazilian weekend it was the Austrian manager who was most nervous about what happened over the weekend.
It is now difficult to understand if the attacks are such or if they are functional to the defense. Each story becomes a battleground, not least (over the weekend) the close contact on the track when Hamilton brought the first attack to Verstappen.
The Dutchman ‘accompanied’ the opponent on the escape route, and only the large external space allowed both cars to resume the track without consequences.
“There was no contact – Horner commented – and for some time now the philosophy has been to let it go”.
“It was a really bad defense on Max’s part – Wolff replied – over the edge. He did it to defend himself, but it was a maneuver that should have resulted in a penalty of at least five seconds, it’s ridiculous ”.
The FIA for its part helped little, since after the race the race director Michael Masi explained that it was not possible to investigate the episode due to the lack of images from Max’s onboard camera …
In the long journey that will accompany Formula 1 to Qatar, there will be no shortage of topics for discussion, but woe to try your hand at predictions in view of the Doha weekend.
The Mercedes seen at Interlagos in the hands of Hamilton is scary, and the power unit number 5 will allow Lewis to complete the season without further penalties. On the same front, next weekend Verstappen could have to serve 5 positions on the starting grid if the decision to mount the fifth V6 is triggered.
But will it really be like this? Only seven days ago, after the Mexican triumph, Red Bull and Max seemed to have got their hands on the world championship, a scenario that was later modified by the sensational Brazilian verdicts. Better not make predictions, and enjoy a 2021 season that is offering the best possible menu to all Formula 1 fans.
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