BarcelonaEight points separate the two rivals for the World Cup. Hamilton has relentlessly won first place on the podium at the Qatar Grand Prix against a Verstappen that has risen from seventh place, following a penalty he met in the early hours. Despite the good result of the Briton, the man of the day, and who has shown the biggest smile of the paddock, has been Fernando Alonso. No one thought the Alpine rider who has returned to the World Championship this year could get a podium this season. He hadn’t done so since 2014, in his first stage driving a Formula 1. This Sunday he has achieved his 98th podium.
When the traffic lights went out Hamilton came out like a missile. Behind the British driver, Verstappen was cursed from seventh position. After receiving a five-position sanction for ignoring a double yellow flag in Saturday’s qualifying session, the Austrian driver wanted to cut positions as soon as possible to stick to the Mercedes driver at the head of the race. The Red Bull shot to the right and, in five laps, placed second, four seconds behind Hamilton.
The strategy on Mercedes asphalt for Hamilton has been defensive. The mechanics of the German team have copied the decisions of the team led by Christian Horner to counter any threat. The main danger was that, with the leader’s early pit stop in the World Cup, the Briton could lose his position. To defend himself, it took only a complete turn to change tires.
“The plan” works
With first place awarded to Hamilton and second to Verstappen, third place has been the reason for the struggle between the two squires of the drivers who are playing in the World Cup. While Checo Pérez has made a titanic comeback from the eleventh position from which he came out, Bottas has become Bottas again. The Finnish driver has been reunited with problems with the face-offs for overtaking. It took a touch of radio attention from Toto Wolff – Mercedes team manager – to react and start moving forward to fourth place. As the moment of the direct fight between the two approached, Bottas’s right front tire exploded. The rubbers have said enough and, with more than 33 laps of life, it has been disintegrating as the Finn returned to the pits as best he could without hitting the walls. Like Bottas’s tires, those of Russell’s Williams and Latifi have said enough after more than 30 laps.
Fernando Alonso’s “plan,” as he has dubbed it himself, has come out perfectly. Since returning to the World Cup, his improvement has been meteoric. Race after race he has had more security with his Alpine and in Qatar the reward has arrived, after an excellent start in which he has managed to fight the greats and return to the podium. Since 2014, the Asturian had not climbed the podium. “Ole, ole!” He shouted between laughter on the radio as he crossed the finish line.
