Poetry, off track and on

by Guy Stimpson, Oct  15th 2020

Bloody Hamilton, 

he won again, that's no fun,

this is a Haiku.

I really didn't want to be writing about Hamilton again this week, but both his achievement in matching Michael Schumacher's record of seven world championships along with the manner in which he achieved it in Istanbul, demand it.

Few today were left unconvinced that Hamilton is a major force in F1, as he drove a masterful race in the wet on a slippery, newly laid surface. Though both he and the Mercedes W11 struggled in the more intense wet of the early laps, once the conditions began to evolve, Lewis Hamilton delivered what will surely be remembered as one of his most imperious drives. His ability to feel the behaviour of his worn intermediate tyres as they lost their tread and evolved into a previously unseen compound of their own, as well as his authoritative decision to stay out in the last few laps rather than make a "safety stop" for fresh tyres, were the factors which stood him out and showed why he should be given respect by any reasonable fan.

However, to give today's race solely to Hamilton would be a grave mistake. The vast majority of the field in the Turkish GP delivered an excellent spectacle with some serious showmanship as well as delivering some welcome results for delighted fans.

Lance Stroll perhaps deserves more praise, at least in terms of the entertainment he provided. All but his harshest critics would have been elated to see him romp to a shock victory after his impressive showing in qualifying on Saturday where he shot to a sensational pole position in treacherous conditions, and his promising start to an event filled race. In the early laps on Sunday he began fantastically, cruising to a commanding lead which he would hold onto for a large part of the race. In the end though, perhaps it was too much too soon for the often maligned driver. He certainly performed this weekend and at least demonstrated that his position in his father's team is warranted. He perhaps lacks the experience which might have encouraged him to save some of his admittedly impressive speed for later.

Sebastian Vettel delivered what was perhaps the most welcome of results from today's grand prix. Though little was expected of him in a race which Mattia Binotto, Ferrari team principal, did not consider attending. The four time world champion though drove a bold and experienced race, maintaining a coolness and a willingness to wait for what came to him. You might say he echoed Hamilton in that, and it was also heart warming to see his immediate congratulation of his rival after the race, even before celebrating his own well deserved success. There was a poetry too, more deserving of the name than the doggerel above, in Vettel's presence on the podium on the day when his idol's mightiest record was matched, and more in the gentlemanly and mutually respectful way in which Vettel conducted himself post-race. Ferrari will be encouraged by today's results, last minute quibbles notwithstanding, but it is Vettel I think who will garner the biggest boost from his performance today. I look forward to his time in soon-to-be Aston Martin, and I'm delighted he earned the fan's Driver of the Day award.

A satisfied Sebastian Vettel reminded us of his value in F1 in Turkey.

Also helping to buoy Ferrari's mood was Carlos Sainz who, not for the first time this year, gave the Scuderia something to be excited about whilst McLaren may be ruing the loss of Sainz, who has proven himself time and time again as a neat and precise driver with a flair for some thrilling overtakes. Luckily for McLaren they are countering the loss of Sainz with the arrival of recent podiumee Daniel Ricciardo. 

Staking his claim on his race and indeed his right to a career was Sergio Perez. Whilst doubts about not only his own future but that of Red Bull Racing driver Alex Albon swirling, both drivers were under pressure at this late stage in the shortened season to make the case for their entitlement to an F1 seat. Whilst we saw some excellent and flair-filled driving from Albon, who at one point was looking like a strong contender for the win, eventually what is becoming a characteristic twitchiness in the car led the young driver to spin out of contention, whilst Perez in the Racing Point cruised to a well deserved victory. Perez was yet another case of an experienced driver flexing his muscles where the greener drivers showed up their freshness.

Sergio Perez drove his Racing Point to a well deserved and perhaps career dependent second place.

There was excitement throughout the field, but one name perhaps conspicuous so far for its absence in this list is Max Verstappen. After failing to achieve a pole position in a wet qualifying on an uncharacteristically slippery track, there were big expectations for the highly regarded driver as he started from second on the grid. In the end though Max drove an uninspiring race, unable to unleash the raw speed and audacious innovation for which he has become renowned and making emotionally charged mistakes which left him unable to maintain a legitimate challenge for lead of the race. Next to the victorious Hamilton, the young pretender was shown up as hot headed and inexperienced on this wheat-and-chaff-separator of  a motor race. Verstappen needs to learn from these experiences if he is to grow into the champion that he is widely expected to become.

All in all though Formula One in Turkey in 2020 delivered a breathtaking spectacle, enjoyable for all fans regardless of allegiance to team or driver. Some will certainly have been disappointed that their driver did not triumph, or bitter that another driver did, but all must surely acknowledge that this race, along with many in this crazy, once-in-a-lifetime season, was exactly what we as fans want to see from F1. For the organisers, sponsors and teams involved in this premier motorsport, a failure to learn from the hand this year has dealt would be a terrible error. Time and again we have seen that unpredictability, a lack of data and imperfect conditions have led to some of the best racing in years. Formula One clearly thrives when it is forced out of its comfort zone, and as fans we should demand that F1 is never comfortable again.