UK: post-race analysis 2022

 

I’d had my eye on Perez’s odds even before the weekend started, and as things turned out it came good, through a very exciting end.

Ahead of the start most had opted for medium tyres except Verstappen who was on the soft. Off the line, this gambit paid off and he snaffled pole. Hamilton and Alonso made up places while Perez went backwards.

One driver (AlphaTauri, I think, forget whom) was unlucky to be the meat in a sandwich which caused a massive incident at the start and collected multiple drivers, causing multiple DNFs. Among these were Albon, Russell, and Zhou Guanyu, whose Alfa Romeo ended up upside down, careering through a gravel trap then over the crash barrier. Thankfully, the promising Chinese driver appears to be totally ok. This caused a red flag and an hour long wait for the restart. Because not everyone had passed a certain point the grid was to reformed as it started, which was lucky for Perez and not so lucky for Verstappen (who had switched to medium tyres, many others also using the red flags for fresh rubber), Hamilton, and Alonso. 

This time, Sainz battled hard and kept Verstappen behind him off the line. Perez started well and passed Leclerc, only for the Monegasque to make an uncharacteristically clumsy move on the Mexican, damaging both cars’ front wings. The damage to Perez’s was substantial enough to force him to pit early. 

Up the road, Sainz could not shake Verstappen and made an error that allowed the Dutchman through. Leclerc was soon right behind. Hamilton was in pretty good form too, maybe 5s back. 

Then weirdness occurred. Verstappen went off-track, and lose a lot of pace. He thought it was a puncture, pitted for new tyres, but after this he had a serious lack of grip and while the car could continue the lack of rear downforce removed him from podium contention. 

So Ferrari inherited a 1-2 lead with Sainz less than a second ahead of Leclerc who, even with damage, looked faster. Meanwhile, Ferrari were faffing about instead of issuing a team order and Hamilton was closing in. Verstappen was bobbling around the lower end of the points and Perez was carving his way through the field but still a long way off the podium. 

The Ferraris came in earlier than Hamilton for their pit stops (Sainz a few laps ahead of Leclerc) and retained track position when the Briton finally pitted (slightly surprisingly onto hards given he was around 28 of 52 laps in when he did so). Perez had gotten himself up to around 4^th but would have to pit. 

And then Ocon’s Alpine stopped working on the straight and brought out a safety car. Cue a rush for soft tyres, but the Ferraris were so close the team didn’t stack them and gave Sainz the fresh rubber. Bit rough on Leclerc, especially given the title situation, but it’s hard to begrudge the Spaniard a shot at a win.

There were about 10 laps or so left when the safety car peeled in, Leclerc remarkably calm given his old hard tyres were rather rubbish as a prospect for defending against three chaps on new soft tyres right behind him. 

Sainz pounced immediately, got past his team mate and scampered into the sunset for a maiden victory. Great for him, yet for the team’s title hopes this was the wrong call. 

Leclerc did his team mate a massive favour by putting up a defence that was not so much staunch as incredible, fending off Perez and Hamilton for a long time, the three cars trading paces in fantastically exciting racing. The Mexican got himself into 2^nd and was able to build a secure gap so that when Hamilton finally hauled himself onto the podium 3^rd was all he could hope for. Despite ending up 4^th, I think Leclerc should be driver of the day for that incredible defensive performance. 

Right behind him was Alonso, which is the upside of a mixed race for Alpine, while Norris started where he finished (6^th). Ricciardo was anonymous, finishing 13^th, second to last of those still running. Verstappen had an entertaining and tight battle with Schumacher but held onto 7^th and Schumacher got his first points in 8^th. Vettel and Magnussen also scored.

Bottas and Gasly both recorded DNFs for six retirements this time out.

 

I did have tiny bets pre-weekend in Sainz at 14 and Perez 10.5 (both each way), and one weekend tip came off in the minor rather than major way, but luckily that’s enough for the race to be green. Fluky? Probably. But I’ll take a slice of luck when it falls my way.

Verstappen 181, Perez 147, Leclerc 138, Sainz 127

Still looking tasty for Verstappen and Red Bull. If Mercedes join the competitive mix that will probably help Red Bull. But we shall see.

 

Next race is Austria, in a week.

Morris Dancer