The headlines of the Austrian Grand Prix were dominated by the high-profile accident between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris as they battled for the lead of the race. However, this only tells part of the story of the grand prix. It was a race in which a Ferrari didn’t score points, while Haas achieved an impressive double top 10. How much did Verstappen and Norris’ mistakes count against them in a weekend where neither of them was error-free? Here is Edd Straw’s assessment.
The drivers’ rankings are determined based on their performance throughout the entire weekend. This takes into account various criteria such as pace, racing skill, consistency, and whether they made significant errors. It also considers how close each driver came to achieving the maximum performance potential of their car. It is important to note that the rankings fluctuate significantly from one weekend to another.
George Russell’s high ranking is not only due to his race victory. It is mainly because of his third place that he was on track to achieve before the collision between Norris and Verstappen. This represented the best possible result for Russell in his most complete weekend of the season. He performed exceptionally well in the sprint stages and in the actual grand prix, surpassing his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Carlos Sainz may seem surprisingly high in the rankings considering his discreet weekend. However, he did a good clean job in a Ferrari that was not as competitive as some of the other cars. He avoided the misfortune that affected his teammate Charles Leclerc and performed well in both qualifying sessions and races.
The chances of Oscar Piastri getting involved in the battle between Verstappen and Norris were probably hindered by a small mistake in qualifying that dropped him from third to seventh on the grid. However, he still managed to finish second in both races, which was a commendable feat.
Nico Hulkenberg had a difficult start to the weekend, lacking confidence in the sprint portion and receiving a penalty for forcing Fernando Alonso off the track. However, he had a superb qualifying performance and had a flawless race, especially in defending against Sergio Perez’s Red Bull to secure sixth place.
Kevin Magnussen was one of the highlights in the sprint qualifying and the race, putting his Haas car ahead of the midfield pack. Although he couldn’t hold off Perez, his performance throughout the weekend was impressive.
Daniel Ricciardo faced challenges in extracting pace from his car, but executed the race very well to overtake the Alpines and hold off Pierre Gasly to secure some points. Overall, it was a good and hard-fought weekend for Ricciardo.
Pierre Gasly had a strong race, overtaking his teammate Esteban Ocon to claim the final point. Despite chasing Ricciardo with fresher tires, he couldn’t make a successful move. However, it was a solid race for Gasly.
Lando Norris’ qualifying is not affected by the collision with Verstappen, as he was not at fault for it. However, his qualifying is impacted by some shaky moments during the weekend, such as leaving the door open for Verstappen in the sprint race and receiving a penalty for exceeding track limits in the grand prix. These moments may have cost him the victory even though he was able to win on track.
The classification of Max Verstappen is affected by his response to Norris’ unexpected pressure. Although he was not responsible for the mistake in the pitstop, he caused an unnecessary collision. This turned a certain second place into fifth, which was disappointing considering his strong performance throughout the weekend.
Lewis Hamilton’s classification is slightly lower than Russell’s, as he still seems less comfortable with the car. He made a mistake that resulted in a penalty and suffered minor damage to the floor during the race. Overall, he was the second best Mercedes driver in Austria.
Esteban Ocon initially showed promise with a good start and surpassing teammate Gasly. However, the pace of his car was not strong enough to stay ahead of the midfield pack, and he lost out in battles and strategy, resulting in a disappointing outcome.
Alex Albon struggled at the beginning of the weekend, opting to start in the pits for the sprint race to make setup changes. Although he had a slightly better performance in qualifying for the grand prix, his hopes of scoring points were ruined by a penalty and questionable strategy.
Lance Stroll had a solid weekend considering Aston Martin’s difficulties. His performance in the sprint qualifying and Saturday’s race was particularly good. However, he faced difficulties in the main qualifying session and had a challenging race.
Valtteri Bottas had a difficult weekend due to the lack of pace in the Sauber car. He did what he could and finished 16th in the grand prix, benefiting from the problems of other drivers.
Yuki Tsunoda had a mediocre weekend, with decent pace but no extraordinary performance. He was slightly behind Ricciardo in the standings and faced challenges due to his strategy.
Charles Leclerc had a painful weekend with several problems, some of which were his own mistakes and others beyond his control. Despite showing good pace during the grand prix, his overall performance was affected.
Sergio Perez struggled throughout the weekend and was not at the same level as Verstappen. His ranking may seem harsh, but it reflects a significantly below-expected performance considering the potential of his car.
Fernando Alonso’s performance was affected by Aston Martin’s difficulties. He struggled to find pace and had an awkward collision with Zhou while trying to overtake him.
Logan Sargeant had a challenging weekend, with front wing damage and challenging races. Although his qualifying performance was good, his overall weekend was difficult.
Zhou Guanyu couldn’t keep up with his teammate Bottas’ pace and was hit by Alonso in the race. He faced difficulties throughout the weekend, indicating that something is still not right.
Overall, the rankings reflect the drivers’ performance during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, taking into account various factors such as pace, racing ability, and mistakes made.
© 2024
The Brazilian football player, Lucas Silva, is causing a stir in the football world with his impressive skills on the field. The young athlete, only 21 years old, has stood out as one of the sport’s promises and has attracted the attention of major European clubs.
Lucas Silva began his football career in the youth categories of Flamengo, where he showed his talent and caught the attention of scouts. In 2022, he was signed by Real Madrid, one of the biggest clubs in the world, and has since been a key player in the team’s midfield.
With his ability to control the ball and impressive game vision, Lucas Silva has been compared to great players of the past, such as Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho Gaúcho. His dribbling and playmaking abilities have delighted fans and football experts.
In addition to his talent on the field, Lucas Silva is also known for his charisma and humility. He is loved by his teammates and is considered an example of professionalism on and off the field. His dedication to training and winning mentality have been praised by coaches and colleagues.
At just 21 years old, Lucas Silva has a promising future ahead. If he continues to develop his game and improve his skills, he has the potential to become one of the best players of his generation. Football fans are excited to see what the future holds for this young Brazilian talent.
