After what seemed like an eternity, F1 finally returned after nearly a month off and delivered one action packed race to whet our appetites for the rest of the season.
And while the result was a familiar one, it still doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to talk about. So let’s get back into the F1 talking points to help digest all the action from Zandvoort.
I think most F1 fans right now have become default Max Verstappen fans.
Yes, I know, that might be a stretch, but take a quick journey with me.
We are in the midst of the most dominant F1 season we have ever witnessed. Not only by a team, but by a single driver.
With 13 races in the books, we have seen a driver win 11 of those races, including the last nine in a row. That is a level of dominance never before seen, even in the uber-dominant eras of Schumacher/Ferrari in the early 2000s and Hamilton/Rosberg/Mercedes in the mid 2010s.
Even in 1988 when McLaren won every single race bar one, wins were shared equally between Prost and Senna.
Now why is this something that should make you a Verstappen fan?
Well it’s simple, how could you not be when we’re witnessing an iconic driver create iconic records that will probably never be broken? We live in a golden era of sport where we marvel at witnessing the likes of Messi, Federer, Brady, Williams, Bolt, Phelps and many more create seemingly unbreakable records and then bemoan their retirement as a sad moment in time. So why not Verstappen?
(Photo by Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
I stand by the fact that if Red Bull achieve the perfect season, it may be the single greatest achievement in sport. Period.
And the fact that Verstappen is at the very forefront of that history only makes the ability to jump on the bandwagon even easier.
These records are announced at every round now, but it’s always fun to join in and refresh memories of just where we’re at in this season.
With Verstappen’s win, he joins Sebastian Vettel as the only driver in history to win nine races in a row. Vettel achieved that feat in the final nine races of 2013 and then didn’t even come close to getting ten wins in a row at the beginning of 2014. Verstappen has a week turnaround to become the first ever driver to win a double-digit amount of races in a row. Incredible.
The win also extended Red Bull’s win streak to 14 races in a row, as well as the most ever consecutive races from the beginning of a season to 13. They now have also won 23 out of the last 24 races, with the only race in the last year they have failed to win being the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in November last year.
One interesting stat however that Verstappen has fallen just short of is the most wins in the opening 13 races of a season.
You would think winning 11 out of 13 races would be a record unmatched in history. However in 2004, Michael Schumacher had won an astonishing 12 out of the first 13 races. His only blemish? A DNF at the Monaco Grand Prix. Verstappen finished second in the two races he hasn’t won in those first 13 races.
With ever race that goes on, the records become more and more astonishing.
(Photo by Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
I become a broken record every time I complain about F1 turning into cricket with the lack of racing happening in wet conditions but to back my point up, look at the excitement we got in the Netherlands over the weekend.
The opening laps of the race were incredible drama, with action aplenty every step of the way.
The closing laps were exactly the same, and for a moment it seemed as though those mysterious full wet/extreme wets would actually be put to use for once.
Alas, modern F1 had to modern F1 and we got a red flag, but for those fleeting glorious moments of wet racing action, it showcased just why rain is so exciting in the sport we love so much.
Here’s hoping that the brief action we were allowed to see showcases to the powers that be that rain isn’t something to be afraid of in Formula 1.
A Ferrari pit stop bungle. Not exactly new is it? Ferrari dropping back into the pack? Also not exactly new either.
It’s amazing to see just how Ferrari constantly find themselves in familiar territory of the same old mistakes time and time again. Added to that the continued frustrations being expressed by both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, the pain continues to be real for all us Ferrari fans.
A week ahead of their home race in Italy, it’s hard to see just how 2023 can be salvaged into anything sensing a ‘success’ by the Scuderia. Fourth in constructors championship with only three podiums this season, there is very little time to turn it around.
Let’s just hope that they can find some tyres to put on their cars this weekend.
While every Aussie (and F1 fan) was sad to see Daniel Ricciardo already having to sit out a race given his recent return to the sport, very few would begrudge Liam Lawson from making his F1 debut on the weekend.
The Kiwi has been there and thereabouts in the F1 fray for several years and finally stepped up to the big time for AlphaTauri in the Netherlands. And considering just how quick he had to get up to speed, he didn’t do too badly.
Qualifying last, Lawson was able to make his way through the field and find himself on the cusp of points early on in the rain induced chaos, before driving a solid race to finish 13th, two spots higher than his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. He even was able to overtake Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari at one point, delivering a highlight that I’m sure he’ll show his grandchildren one day.
Will it be enough to secure him a spot on the grid next year? He’ll have at least one more shot to showcase his skills in Italy this weekend. Considering how much AlphaTauri loved a certain other Monza one off driver last year, it could be a perfect audition for Lawson.
Power rankings time again! Always an exciting moment to be able to attempt to bring a true reflection of just where we are for the 2023 F1 Championship, starting off with the teams.
As per usual, a slight disclaimer is needed. With any power rankings, these are subjective and based purely on opinion mixed with results.
Are these 100 per cent accurate? Inside my mind, yes! Outside of it, no. But it’s a nice way to spark some discussion, showcase some form and allow a conversation that brings F1 fans closer together – and maybe also further apart at the same time.
Fun, right? Always!
You can also check out my driver power rankings too for a similar analysis.
With all that in mind, let’s get into where the top 5 teams sit after 13 rounds in 2023.
Double points for the French team and a second podium of the season. They now only have one less podium than Ferrari in 2023. Incredible. If they can bottle that into some more consistent success, maybe some people might keep their job at the team longer than a few months.
Feel a bit mean dropping them a spot considering the team scored a front row but their race pace ultimately wasn’t there and they fell back slightly in the pecking order. It does continue to be very tight for the “best of the rest” title behind Red Bull, and this was a round that McLaren fell back ever so slightly in that group. Expect them to jump right back up in Italy.
Mercedes are just consistent. That’s what keeps them so high up here. Of all the “best of the rest” teams, they are the only one who seemingly are always just there. Never up too high, never down too low. And the only reason they have a drop off in a result is generally a bit of bad luck. For being so consistently consistent, they get third this round.
Fernando Alonso. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)
Fernando Alonso was back to doing Alonso things this round and very much could’ve won this race had Red Bull’s strategists chosen Perez instead of Verstappen for pit stop preferences. But alas, it wasn’t to be, and what looked like a long shot at a podium soon became a second place for the Spaniard. A much needed boost in pace and result for the team after having dropped off for a few rounds.
Only nine rounds to go till 100%. That’s as many races as Max Verstappen has won in a row. It’s getting ever more likely.
You’ve read the team power rankings, now let’s get into the driver power rankings!
The disclaimer here of course is the same. With any power rankings, these are subjective and based purely on opinion mixed with results.
To make it extra interesting on the drivers front, rather than rank all 20 drivers on the grid, I have made it more streamlined and easier by simply bringing the top 5 drivers.
As always this means that some drivers drop out, and a couple have jumped in after my last rankings.
Alright, with that out of the way, let’s get to it.
A front-row start for Norris looked likely to contribute to another strong finish but ultimately it wasn’t to be for the popular Brit. Still, seventh was a solid result for him given the race circumstances.
Just always there isn’t he? A poor qualifying was quickly rectified by a solid race result. Being consistent is just what he needs to keep doing to help Mercedes towards keeping second in the Constructors Championship.
(Photo by Michael Potts/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
Never ever count Alonso out. Just when you think he’s falling back into the midfield, BOOM! Second place. Could’ve very much won the race too, but second for him is a massive win considering his recent form.
Very much could’ve won the race had strategy been on his side by his team, but the fact he went from so far down on the grid to nearly a podium has to be applauded. Despite the criticism that follows him every race, he definitely has improved significantly over the last few rounds.
You would think with his ninth win in a row it’s just becoming all too easy for Verstappen right? Well given the conditions and challenges that came with his home race this year, this might be his most impressive win to date. And he just keeps finding ways to do it doesn’t he? Incredible.
What do you think of these rankings? Do you agree with the positions? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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