This was probably the slowest month for the F1 universe, fans teams waiting for the summer break to come to an end. We can not wait to see what happens next in the Hamilton vs Verstappen Saga. Will it be record-breaking Championship number 8 for King or will he be dethroned.
With the financial cab very much in play this season, how will teams figure out the way forward for the second half of the season? Endless questions and plenty of fantastic storylines in play already over the first 11 races. Will you get some of the key highlights from the first of the 2021 season. Let’s highlight the big stories lines of this season so far
Hamilton vs Verstappen
There is no doubt how important this battle is for both teams and the drivers are definitely putting on a great show. The gap is close, the stakes are high, the skills are unmatched. You could argue for hours about the possibilities, but these are 2 of the best drivers of this generation. This is a real battle.
Lewis Hamilton:
- Current Standing – 1st (195 pts)
- Race wins – 4 (Bahrain, Portugal, Spain, Britain)
- Pole Positions – 4 (Spain, Italy, Britain, Hungary)
- Career Achievements – 7-time World Drivers Champion, 99 race wins, 101 pole positions, 173 podium positions
Max Verstappen:
- Current Standing – 2nd (187 pts)
- Race wins – 5 (Italy, Monaco, Styria, France, Austria)
- Pole Positions – 3 (Austria, Styria, France, Bahrain)
- Career Achievements – 15 race wins, 8 pole positions, 50 podium finishes
Will the King reign supreme? Can Max put an end to Mercedes’ domination? The triple-header starts with the Belgian GP at Spa, and is a great test of the driver’s confidence, in himself and the car.
Mclaren vs Ferrari
This is not just about what happens in 2021. They are one of the oldest rivals in F1. The mid-table battle is pretty heated up between McLaren and Ferrari. Their drivers are capable of winning races and have been in the podium mix throughout the season.
Both teams are tied in 3rd with 163 points and if the second half-season continues the same way. It could be a tie till the very end. Charles Leclerc was able to collect 2 back to back poles in Monaco and Baku but could not make much of it.
Lando Norris got unlucky in the Hungarian GP before the break started. He missed out on a point finish for the first time in 15 races, a Mclaren driver record. Ferrari have issues around their car but have still managed good finishes.
Daniel Ricciardo has what it takes to win races and McLaren are yet to see him at his best. And Carlos Sainz will only get better with time. The battle at the front might be for the records, but this is for the history books.
Driver transfer market
The summer break is usually when teams finalize their drivers for the next season. The reason is to get done with the decision and focus on the current season. With teams racing a new car next season, the focus is now more on driver quality
The Mercedes mystery continues and there is still no confirmation about Valtteri Bottas or George Russell. Fernando Alonso has confirmed he will continue in Alpine for 2022. Red Bull have retained Sergio Perez for another year. McLaren and Ferrari are confident with their line-up.
There are some seats open in the smaller teams. Williams and Alfa Romeo are yet to confirm even a single driver. Aston Martin will continue with Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll. Will this be Kimi’s last year in F1? Where will Pierre Gasly go if that second Red Bull seat is not available?
