Jul.12 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen on Saturday set themselves apart from the rest of the Formula 1 field in Austria’s rain, according to Ralf Schumacher.
“They were in their own league,” the former F1 driver, referring to the respective Mercedes and Red Bull drivers, told Sky Deutschland.
“The difference to their teammates was clear,” Schumacher added.
Indeed, Hamilton’s advantage over championship leader Valtteri Bottas was a huge 1.5 seconds, while Verstappen was half a second clear of Alex Albon.
However, Red Bull’s Verstappen was a full 1.2 seconds behind Hamilton.
“I don’t remember when there was such a gap in Formula 1 between first and second,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told ORF.
But Red Bull boss Dr Helmut Marko said that, given the conditions, the big gap is “not meaningful”, even though he admits Hamilton has the advantage for Sunday’s race.
“The weather forecast is bad news for us,” he said. “In the heat, the chances would be 60:40 for Verstappen. In cooler conditions, it’s 60:40 for Hamilton.”
Wolff insisted: “Max is on the front row, so anything is possible. He can win the race.”
As for Bottas’ 1.5 second deficit, another former F1 driver, JJ Lehto, said the conditions and traffic are no excuse.
“It may not have been optimal for him, but you can’t hide behind that,” he told Iltalehti newspaper.
Wolff said the rain painted an illuminating picture of the current state of F1.
“In a session like that, you really can see the driver talent we have out there,” he said. “It’s not just Lewis and Max, but Esteban Ocon in fifth, Carlos Sainz with third place, and George Russell P12 in the Williams.
“That was a great performance by the young drivers,” Wolff added.
October 25, 2020 C.O.T.A.
Guests of Grand Prix Tours will be treated to a complete and thorough race weekend that includes an invitation to our private F1 Celebrity Hosted Talk Show. During the event guests will receive insider information regarding all things Formula 1 and firsthand perspective into team preparations leading up to the race. Follow the link above to learn more about our trip to the United States Grand Prix.
September 20, 2020 Marina Bay
Join Grand Prix Tours as we head to Singapore and the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the only true night race on the Formula 1 calendar. One of only 4 street circuits on the F1 calendar the beauty of the modern Formula 1 cars are on full display under the bright lights of the Marina Bay street circuit. Follow the link above to learn more about our trip to the Singapore Grand Prix.
November 1, 2020 Mexico City
The Mexican Grand Prix is always a great test for Formula 1 drivers and teams alike. With extreme heat and the high elevation drivers have to be physically prepared and mechanics have to be mentally ready for anything. The atmosphere created by the fans at the Mexican Grand Prix rivals that of races like Japan and Italy. The passion and pride for local drivers is nearly unmatched.