The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s tour continues, in the British version as the very hungry caterpillar. Red Rull Racing has now won eleven races in a row, ten this season, plus the last of the past. This equals a 25-year-old McLaren record from the Senna Prost era. For Max Verstappen, the triumph at the British Grand Prix is the sixth win in a row, even the Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, who was extremely successful this year, is amazed. Sunday’s pit guest at Mercedes would have liked to see Lewis Hamilton triumph, and his jump from seventh to third on the grid is also a small win – but nothing compared to second place for Lando Norris in the McLaren. A new color at the top, even a very eye-catching one: papaya.
First of all, the prelude to the Silverstone weekend was more dramatic than the race itself, with qualifying choreographed by moody rain showers. Even if Verstappen is in front again in the end: You don’t see the currently best Formula 1 driver hit the pit wall that often. Everything went smoothly after the faux pas, except for the front wing. And in the end, the Dutchman shows that his great strength is being able to quickly adapt to all conditions.
He decided before the start of the tenth World Championship round that he didn’t really care who started behind him – with the possible exception of Lando Norris. Note: The world champion is also strong in prediction! Because that’s exactly what happens at the start: Verstappen has slightly spinning wheels, immediately gets into the McLaren sandwich, and in the scramble Norris actually has the upper hand. So Verstappen under pressure: What a rarely beautiful start. “The McLaren are like rockets,” marvels Hamilton further back.
The record crowd of 160,000 spectators naturally wants to celebrate a British hero; Ahead of the race, Formula 1 made a guest appearance at Downing Street to demand more support from the Prime Minister for one of the last few industries in which Britain is a leader. The audience alone shows the importance of motorsport on the island. And indeed: for five laps the audience feasts on a compatriot who is in the lead. All eyes on Norris.
In England also applies: All eyes on Lando Norris
At 23, the Brit is one of the Verstappen generation and has had a racing car for a week that can catapult him from midfield to the front. From the side, the refurbished McLaren car of the traditional team looks a lot like the Red Bull race car, which is not really surprising, because technical director Peter Prodromou once went to school with Adrian Newey. “A wake-up call for us, too,” says Lewis Hamilton about the upswing in the racing team where he grew up. The performance of rookie Oscar Piastri shows how strong McLaren’s new interpretation has become. The Australian is gaining momentum so well that there is even a stable order: he is not allowed to attack Noris after he was overtaken by Verstappen again. Holding positions, protecting tires, taking optimal points with you. Piastri finishes strong fourth.
After a fifth of the race distance, there is an announcement that is very British, even in summer: rain is on the way. Unfortunately, the cloud watchers just don’t know when it’s coming or how strong it will be. In terms of strategy, a real vabanque game. The poker and jitters come just in time to perhaps unravel the cemented positions, even if the showers fail to materialize at the end. Ferrari’s strategist radioed “Plan B” with the usual excitement in his voice, and Charles Leclerc countered, confused but calm: “What was Plan B again?” Apparently coming into the pits after a third to change tires and risking fourth place. The Mercedes tacticians react to this and let George Russell out much, much longer – but the Monegasque remains in front because the Briton’s late pit stop goes wrong. Victory for Plan B, but only for now. With fresh tires Russell still counters the Ferrari. That’s the nice thing about Verstappen’s dominance: you can calmly study individual, good duels further back.
After 31 of the 52 laps, the Dane Kevin Magnussen rolls out in the rear of his Haas racing car with the engine blazing, the safety car comes. Leader Verstappen saves a lot of time at his mandatory stop. Chaser Norris too, Hamilton in third is the big winner of the neutralization. Everyone gets closer, and at Ferrari the pit radio is discussed again. “Status four” is the new announcement. Whatever that means, it goes wrong.
Restart with 13 laps to go, Verstappen is on the run again. Hamilton chases Norris, the popular duel of generations, soaked in adrenaline and characterized by the greatest possible aggressiveness. But the McLaren driver holds back three times in an explosive situation. Then he’s done. Strong at the start, strong at the end. This is what a happy Sunday looks like in central England.
