With his contract at Mercedes secured for 2021, Valtteri Bottas showed why he is valued by the world champions, taking pole position for tomorrow’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone.
It’s a boost to the Finn’s beleaguered championship campaign, with Bottas sitting 30 points behind his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, who missed out on pole by just 0.063 seconds.
There’s been plenty going on off-track too after it was announced on Friday that Racing Point had been found guilty of copying the brake ducts from last year’s Mercedes W10. They have been fined €400,000 ($659,576) and have had 15 constructors’ points docked.
Racing Point will appeal this decision on the basis that they have always followed the regulations. Meanwhile, Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, and Williams are appealing the decision on the basis that Racing Point’s punishment isn’t harsh enough.
This case is not closed, and we will be hearing plenty more about it in the coming weeks.
On Thursday July 30, Nico Hulkenberg was sat in a café in Cologne having a pastry and a coffee when he received a phone call from Racing Point Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer requesting his services at the British Grand Prix as the replacement for Sergio Perez, who had tested positive for COVID-19.
Now, on Saturday August 8, Nico Hulkenberg has had his best qualifying at Silverstone and will start third on the grid tomorrow.
Here’s hoping that the Hulk has a better Sunday this time around than he did last week. He will have a fight on his hands, having not been able to complete a full grand prix, but it’s shaping up to be a good race for Hulkenberg.
Behind him comes Max Verstappen, starting fourth with Red Bull taking an alternative strategy and choosing to start on the hard tyre while those around the Dutchman have opted to start on the mediums. Daniel Ricciardo rounds out the top five.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the teams approach their strategies after the tyre delaminations of last week. The two-stop looks to be an option that many will take as the tyre compounds are one step softer than those used last week.
Whilst safety car periods may alter some strategies, hopefully all teams are clear as to what happens when the tyres are pushed to their limits in terms of durability.
Ferrari continue to be in strife. Charles Leclerc could only qualify in eighth, while Sebastian Vettel was knocked out of Q2 and will start 12th tomorrow.
Vettel was 0.369 seconds adrift of his teammate in Q2, and that is the closest he has been to his teammate in terms of lap time so far this weekend.
(AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
You cannot sugarcoat how poor Ferrari are at the moment.
It is not entirely clear why Vettel was off Leclerc’s pace, but it is definitely clear that it will be another difficult afternoon for the Scuderia tomorrow. A double-points finish is the best they can hope for.
It’s not a great position for a team like Ferrari to be in, a team who have taken 11 pole positions at Silverstone, a record they jointly hold with Williams.
Williams also haven’t been going through the best of times recently, but things are on the up with George Russell getting into Q2 for the fourth consecutive race weekend.
Russell is confident that Williams have improved their race pace enough for them to put in decent performances on Sunday afternoons, just like they do on Saturday afternoons.
Even if they’re not scoring points just yet, it’s still pleasing to see Williams continue to improve, having hit rock bottom last season.
Apart from Mercedes locking out the front row once again, it’s a mixed-up grid for the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. The Ferraris and the McLarens are out of position on the grid, while the potential for a battle between Nico Hulkenberg, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo looks tantalising.
There’s plenty of jostling for position to be expected in a race that gets going at 11:10 pm (AEST).
Simoc
Guest
Well its worked for Red Bull. They'll be wrapt that in MotoGP their team KTM came up with their first Moto GP win with a 23 year old South African Brad Binder. If F1 was like Moto GP Williams would be winning one week, Mercedes the next., then Racing Point ( probably because Marquez is out injured). But if you're number 2 in an F1 team, even if its not official policy, you're fitting in and need to adapt quickly or be moved on as Gasly was. I'm pretty sure development happens quicker with a dominant demanding number one driver and the leading teams have them. Obviously Vettel and Ferrari just aren't happening anymore.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
See comment below Micko for the answer to that one. If you're Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull, adapt your driving style so you can be like him, almost. A similar situation can be found in Supercars with Scott McLaughlin and Ludo Lacroix ruling the roost at DJR Team Penske. These things happen when you've got a talented driver in your team.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
It'd be quite a statement!
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
Bottas was on pole for last year's British Grand Prix and there was a good battle between the two Mercedes teammates in the opening stages. Hopefully, we get similar today but it could come down to strategy. And remember the only people to blame for this 'boredom' are Red Bull and Ferrari, who haven't stepped up to the plate for various reasons.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
It's a mindset thing. Gasly was under a lot of pressure at Red Bull, especially with Max Verstappen as his teammate. And this is not completely Gasly's fault. I mean, yeah, you need to put in as best a performance as you can but the environment in the Red Bull team did not suit Gasly. Red Bull hold Verstappen as their boy wonder and everyone else must be able to match him, which is not always possible. Gasly is in a better place at AlphaTauri and long may his success there continue. It's a shame things didn't work out for him at Red Bull but that's Dietrich Mateschitz and Helmut Marko for you.
Micko
Roar Rookie
True, but it makes me wonder: how much does a team tailor a car to suit a specific driver i.e. in this case Max Verstappen?
Dexter The Hamster
Roar Rookie
Hoping beyond all hope that Nico gets a podium. Will be worth sitting up watching another Mercedes 1-2 just to see him on that third step.
Dexter The Hamster
Roar Rookie
Yes Micko. It also shows how easy it is when you are the "next in line". Much harder to be in the hot-seat and having to produce....
Dexter The Hamster
Roar Rookie
Deserves it.
Micko
Roar Rookie
And Gasly is going from strength to strength since being demoted to TR/AT! :shocked: :thumbup: It's amazing how good someone goes in a car they feel comfortable in.
Micko
Roar Rookie
The most important thing for this race is probably Bottas winning to at least reduce the margin, otherwise it's going to be boring if he can't push Hamilton all the way, since Mercedes have effectively wrapped up the Constructors championship already.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Hulk getting his first podium would be great.
Simoc
Guest
I'm picking Albon as the big improver from last week. I can't see Hulk lasting the distance given his lack of racing and the fitness required. He has shown up Stroll though and the Racing Point management. They don't have the best available drivers in their cars and it's costing them. How NH can jump in a foreign car and easily beat an incumbent driver would indicate the car is capable of more. Question is why are McLaren so far back again. Gasly had the most fun of his life last weekend and celebrated as if he'de won the WDC. He very much enjoyed passing Vettel. If the Mercs take each other out and Verstappen has a mechanical problem it will be a great race.