Category: Viewpoints

Rival Formula 1 teams are really good at trying to increase expectations on each other, particularly when there is a car with an advantage.

After it was Red Bull for so long, McLaren has become that team over the past six months, and certainly this year after standing out as the likely frontrunner as early as pre-season testing.

That testing took place at the Bahrain International Circuit, so the strong showing in February naturally led to increased expectations of a McLaren victory this weekend at the same venue. And there was little to dispel that impression in the practice sessions as McLaren topped all three, showing particularly strong pace in FP3.

But the beauty of Bahrain is how little representative running there is, with FP1 and FP3 taking place in extremely high temperatures compared to the floodlit track time for qualifying and the race itself. While the margin the McLarens had in FP3 did not translate into the same gap in qualifying, Oscar Piastri’s advantage over Lando Norris did.

“I’m very happy,” the Australian said after securing his second pole position in three races. “I think the car all weekend has been in a good place. Maybe not in FP1 — but I don’t think anyone’s car was very good in FP1.

“Since then I’ve felt very comfortable. This morning, given the track conditions, it was a pretty solid performance and the car was very similar this afternoon, so I’m very, very happy with the job we’ve done. I’m proud of the job that I’ve done. I feel like I’ve put in a lot of good laps when I needed to and to come away with pole is obviously very nice.

“I think the performance we had in FP3 was even a mystery to us and we knew everyone would get a lot closer. It’s been kind of up and down for everybody. One session seems to be Charles [Leclerc] that’s challenging us, then George [Russell]. Max [Verstappen] was quick at certain points…

“It sort of seemed like everyone was peaking at different times. Still had to be on my toes because a tenth and a half was a bit closer than I expected after this morning, definitely.”

After the FP3 performance — when Piastri was 0.6s clear of Norris, who had aborted his first qualifying simulation after an error — there were impressed faces in the McLaren team. Piastri’s step forward over one lap in particular has not gone unnoticed, and there was a growing feeling that Norris had — understandably — been focusing more on Verstappen in recent months and would now have to turn more of his attention to his teammate.

With Piastri delivering on Saturday while the car offered such potential, it was Norris who didn’t handle the metaphorical heat put on by the Australian.

“It was just every lap, honestly — I’ve been off every lap this weekend, just not comfortable,” Norris said. “No big complaints — the car’s amazing. The car’s as good as it has been the whole season, which is strong. I’ve been off it all weekend. Don’t know why, just clueless on track at the minute. I just need a big reset or something.

“I don’t know [what the reason is], because Oscar’s doing a great job, so I can’t complain. I’m not going to have the excuse that I can’t drive my car. It’s my job to drive whatever car I’ve got, whether it’s easy or hard. And I’m not doing a good-enough job.

“I’m not comfortable. It doesn’t drive the way I like, but that’s not an excuse. The driver’s job is to drive whatever car they’re given, and I can’t drive this car quick enough.”

While the pressure has so far been ramped up by McLaren’s rivals, Norris — who is often harsh on himself — even adds a bit more on his own shoulders by talking up how good his machinery is.

“I just don’t know how to approach it. I can’t figure it out,” he admitted. “Every time I try something, it’s good for one session and then it’s the wrong thing for the next session, because the winds change. I just can’t flow with the car, and when I can’t flow, I’m not very quick.

“I’ve just got to work on myself. I can’t follow the team, and the car is the best by a long way. But clearly, I’m just not clicking at the minute.”

The insistence from Norris is that he’s not concerned about Piastri’s performance in the context of the drivers’ championship, but similar comments were made when he was asked about Verstappen and the title picture at times last year. While Norris dismissed it then, he later admitted how he’d been buying into the growing momentum and took the turnaround in Brazil particularly hard.

“Couldn’t care less. Like I said, I [only] care about myself. I don’t care about what the others do,” he said. “I’ve always known Oscar’s good — he’s quick and he’s doing the job I know he can achieve with the car that we’ve got. So, yeah, well done to him. But I’m more worried about my own performance than others. I don’t care about the rest of it.”

Last year, Norris starting consistently providing answers to doubters as he started winning races and taking regular pole positions, but he is clearly not high on confidence at this point in the season. Sunday provides him with a chance to answer back once again, but it’s now against a teammate who is looking increasingly capable of putting together a full championship challenge.

The race weekend in Bahrain was already set to be a political one after confirmation there would be discussions relating to future power unit regulations on Friday.

Bringing together the power unit manufacturers, interested parties from teams, the FIA and representatives from Formula 1 to discuss the direction the sport heads in can be intense at the best of times. But when some are describing the meeting itself as “a complete waste of time” — to quote one expected attendee — there could be some significantly opposing views.

The discussion will center around the length of time the incoming set of V6 regulations run for, against a backdrop of certain stakeholders pushing for a return of a V10 engine running on sustainable fuel in the near future.

There’s a clear split between manufacturers that are and are not interested in such a discussion, but the topic was floated — in public anyway — by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and could become a key point of contention.

Not that Ben Sulayem and the FIA need any more of those right now.

24 hours before that meeting was due to take place, FIA deputy president for sport Robert Reid announced his resignation, citing a “governance crisis” that he could no longer be associated with. The press release from Reid described “a fundamental breakdown in governance standards within motorsport’s global governing body,” in perhaps the most powerful message from a departing member of Ben Sulayem’s team so far.

One of the reasons it was so powerful is because of where Reid stood within the organizational structure. He had been a significant figure within Ben Sulayem’s campaign and extremely senior within the FIA alongside Senate president Carmelo Sanz de Barros and deputy president for automobile, mobility and tourism, Tim Shearman.

But just before Ben Sulayem was set to make his first appearance of the year at a Formula 1 event — a high-profile platform for the president — he was seeing his leadership come under attack.

Only a day earlier, David Richards, the Motorsport UK chairman who had already publicly voiced his concerns, had used stronger language in claiming that “the governance and constitutional organization of the FIA is becoming ever more opaque and concentrating power in the hands of the president alone.”

The topic of infighting within the FIA naturally become a topic throughout Thursday, but George Russell — a spokesperson for the drivers in his role as Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) director — seemed almost apathetic towards the situation.

“Unfortunately, I think every time we hear some news from that side of the sport, it’s not really a big surprise,” Russell said. “It’s clearly a real shame to see, somebody who’s very well respected within the sport and been there for so long — as we keep saying, it’s like, ‘What’s next?’ So, it’s a shame to see, and hopefully we get more stability sooner rather than later.”

But as is often the case with Russell, he was still willing to elaborate. The Mercedes driver stated his apathy is shared with a wide number of his peers on the grid who feel like their involvement is not having an impact in many scenarios, but also — whether intentionally or not — suggesting there is a line that has the teams and F1 on one side and the FIA on another.

“He [Reid] did reach out — he sent a letter to the drivers just explaining his decision,” Russell said. “We’ve yet to talk with him; obviously it was news to us this morning. That’s at least when I found out about the news, and it was sort of shared among the drivers.

“Ultimately, it’s getting to a point now where these things are happening so often, and as drivers we were trying to get involved in the past, we didn’t really make much headway, and things seemed to continuously be going in an unstable direction.

“So I’ve got to be honest: We’re getting to a point now where our actions are having little impact with those guys, and we’ve got to trust in the teams and Formula 1 to work with the FIA to come to a common ground. If we can help, we want to be there, but often it just seems like things are going in their own direction.”

Russell’s stance extended to the situation Carlos Sainz finds himself in, having received a fine for being late to the national anthem ceremony in Japan while struggling with stomach discomfort. Sainz could face another fine heading his way after then swearing in the FIA press conference while discussing the topic, and Russell made a very pointed comment about where the “trust and faith of the drivers currently sits.”

“It’s a pretty expensive poo,” he remarked. “Look, we’ve been talking about this on and off for six months now. In all honesty, I don’t even want to give it any more airtime. From my own personal perspective, because we’ve sort of said everything we had to say over these months, unfortunately it has had little or no impact.

“All of the drivers have 100% trust and faith in Stefano [Domenicali, F1 CEO] and F1. We know that they work together with the teams. It’s in all of our interests to make something come out of all of this and just see stability and collaboration. Moving forward, we just want collaboration. It doesn’t make any sense to be fighting on these topics.”

But as has been pointed out, the fighting has been going on for a number of months and many on the drivers’ side feel they are not listened to, in much the same way the likes of Richards and Reid also criticize the governing body’s approach to decision-making.

Ben Sulayem’s presence in Bahrain will allow the president a right to reply as we move deeper into an election year, but it’s certainly shaping up to be a weekend where the off-track politics could threaten to overshadow the on-track competition. And that’s not a good place for either the FIA or F1 to be in.

Red Bull came into this race weekend with a huge spotlight on the team. It was largely on the second seat and the driver change that had taken place, but it very much captured Max Verstappen in its glare, too.

Verstappen had clearly not been happy with the decision to drop Liam Lawson after just two races. The Dutchman got on well with Lawson, had seen what he was capable of in the Racing Bulls car, and was certain that the issue was not with the driver alongside him, it was with the car.

That was an extension of the feeling from Verstappen when Sergio Perez was replaced at the end of last season, too, and with Red Bull still appearing to lag behind McLaren, it could easily have been interpreted that he was frustrated with the situation.

But far from letting that become his overall demeanor, he had already made very clear that how he feels on a personal level and how tough his RB21 is to drive do not have a direct correlation.

“I hear this all the time but for me nothing changes,” Verstappen told Sky Sports in China of whether he has patience with the team. “I’m actually very relaxed — I’m very positive in my mind. I’m enjoying life.

“So every time I jump in the car I just try to do the best I can, and I’m not thinking about anything else, to be honest, because I feel good in life in general — if that’s in the car, outside the car — and that’s actually what matters the most.”

What also matters to Verstappen, though, is winning. On Saturday in Suzuka he pulled out a stunning qualifying lap that gave him a chance to do some more of that, and on Sunday he took that opportunity with both hands.

Decisively retaining his lead off the line, Verstappen always had enough of an answer for the lurking McLarens behind him, navigating the pit stop phase and then pulling out the extra few tenths of a second he needed whenever Lando Norris threatened to come within DRS range.

The superlatives were flowing, with his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase calling it “perfection,” team principal Christian Horner saying it was “one of Max’s best weekends that he’s had.” And while those words do mean something to the four-time world champion, it’s also what his actions to earn that acclaim represent.

“It also means that I really care, even though of course it’s not been the easiest start to the year for us,” he said. “We are not where we want to be in terms of performance. I think that’s no secret.

“But this weekend has been really, really nice. Sometimes you have those kind of moments where you get some really great laps out of it. And luckily also the balance got a bit more together throughout that qualifying.

“So we just have to keep on working. I mean it’s nice, but I’m a person who doesn’t listen to the positives and the negatives. I’m just in the middle. I just focus on my own performances and just keep working, keep grinding.”

Through that approach, Verstappen was able to deliver a result that went a long way to moving the focus away from the potentially negative aspects of Red Bull’s handling of drivers, and the far more positive celebration of the final Japanese Grand Prix of the Honda partnership.

The 27-year-old was already a legend in Honda’s eyes due to the four drivers’ championship he has won with its power units, but to win at Suzuka in a tribute livery when it never looked on the cards only cements its adulation for him.

“It means a lot to me,” Verstappen said of the significance of the result. “It was in the back of my mind as well. On those last few laps, I was like, ‘Well, I need to try and stay ahead – it would be a great story.’ Our final kind of farewell race together with Honda here in Japan. I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved over all those years together. And I think this is like a perfect send-off.

“Already yesterday was a very beautiful day for us. And then of course to follow it up with a win is just fantastic. Honestly, the relationship that we’ve had with Honda has been amazing. I’ve really enjoyed my time with them — how they also work, how professional they are and how dedicated they are.

“They’ve given me so much. Together we’ve won four drivers’ championships and two constructors’. It’s been unbelievable and also, of course, something you’ll never forget.

“I said it would be insane to win here today, also for Honda on their track as well. So maybe it gave that extra motivation to try to stay ahead. But it’s a proper send-off. I mean, we couldn’t have wished for a better weekend, to be honest.”

Perhaps having Tsunoda on the podium too would have been the only way to top the last 24 hours from a Honda perspective, but from a Red Bull one its main priority is Verstappen’s pursuit of a fifth consecutive title.

Closing the gap to Norris to just a solitary point after three races provides a clear indication that the team and car can be a threat even while not operating at its best. But the team is surely going to be grateful to Verstappen, who made the difference behind the wheel to ensure he’s firmly in that spotlight for sporting reasons heading to Bahrain.

“Only he can do it.”

High praise indeed for Max Verstappen, especially when it came from a smiling multiple world champion.

Fernando Alonso did not hide his admiration when Verstappen crossed the line and bested the two McLaren drivers to pole position at Suzuka. The Spaniard has long been a fan of Verstappen’s abilities, but even he appeared to be doubly impressed by what he had just seen.

“He’s an outstanding driver,” Alonso said. “He’s proving it every weekend. Hats off for him. I think the lap he did today is only down to him. I think the car is clearly not at the level to fight for pole or even the top five. But he manages to do magical laps and magical weekends. At the moment, he’s the best — he’s the reference for all of us, and we need to keep improving to reach that level.”

It really was a remarkable lap. Verstappen had no right to be in the mix for pole position, and I don’t think anyone in the right minds would have picked him as the Q3 runs began. Even though it’s Max Verstappen.

But the way he not only committed so much to his qualifying lap, but he executed too, was stunning to watch.

Let’s not ignore the fact that both McLaren drivers could have beaten that late time. Maybe they even should have beaten that lap time. Had Lando Norris put together his first lap better then he would have been in position to attack his final run with less jeopardy, and Oscar Piastri’s sub-par first sector proved too costly to negate, despite the fastest overall next two sectors.

But they didn’t, and it’s hard to find many other drivers who would have been capable of giving them such a time to better than Verstappen had in the first place.

“We seemed to have a very competitive car today,” McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said. “Strong laps by both Lando and Oscar in Q1 and Q2, [and] in the first run of Q3 by Oscar. So it looked like we were on the way to pole position. Lando managed to improve significantly on his second set…

“But I think with Max I have stopped being surprised. He is such an incredible driver. And for me this is one of the many cases in which we have to just acknowledge and say hats off to Max. Well done in putting together, I guess, what was the potential of his car in conditions that were tricky with the wind and the grip a little inconsistent.

“Even if there was high grip and the lap times are actually I think the fastest times ever in Suzuka — which in itself is for some petrolheads is sort of an interesting piece of data, because actually I discussed this with the engineers and we thought we’re never going to beat the 2019 cars. And instead this happened, which is good.

“It would have been good if it was a McLaren but it’s Max.”

I must admit, I’ve had a feature titled “Verstappen’s primed to do something special” half-written since after the Australian Grand Prix, but have never completed it because other matters at Red Bull have taken over, never more so than this weekend. Maybe it’ll still get finished at some point, but you don’t need telling he might do something special now — he’s shown you he might.

If it goes to form, Verstappen is not going to win on Sunday. The McLaren is clearly quicker over one lap, and has both drivers ready to attack directly behind. The team can utilize the fact it has two cars in the fight — compared to just Verstappen from a Red Bull perspective — to try something different strategically if overtaking appears too tough in the opening part of the race.

But fortunately for all sports fans, competitions don’t always stick to form. The weather looks set to play a part in some way, and Verstappen in the wet is a tough combination to beat regardless of the car he is driving.

Suzuka is also not the easiest track to overtake on — although not impossible — so Verstappen is not likely to wave a McLaren by at any stage. His final stint in China showed that there is a chance his car can compete with any in certain conditions and on certain tire compounds, and that same compound he was quick on is in use this weekend again as the medium.

I’m the first to admit it was boring when Verstappen was winning everything with ease, even if such a level of performance was impressive. The same was true of Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, whether the car was in a dominant phase or not — seeing the same name at the top of the timing screens at every race weekend is not always the most exciting situation, certainly when it comes to keeping a wider fan base engaged.

But Verstappen starting from pole position this weekend is an extremely enticing one, as it puts the pressure on the two McLaren drivers to do the chasing, as well as finding a way to beat each other.

The weekend started with huge scrutiny for the Red Bull driver situation, and I was also putting the focus on Verstappen’s frustrations with line-up changes when the car clearly has weaknesses that need addressing.

Those weaknesses have not gone away, but Verstappen continues to handle them and has served up the perfect reminder of why Red Bull would make such a brutal move with the Dutchman’s championship chances — and future with the team — in mind.

As Alonso said, he can produce something magical.