Max Verstappen took his fourth win of the 2021 Formula 1 season in dominant fashion to beat Lewis Hamilton at the Styrian GP. Verstappen led from start to finish and was never threatened on his way to victory which extended his lead in the Drivers' Standings to 18 points. Valtteri Bottas held off a hard-charging Sergio Perez to claim third whilst Lando Norris was 'best of the rest' once again.
Verstappen will take some stopping
It was a fourth consecutive win for Verstappen and it never looked in doubt for much of the weekend. Verstappen is relentless and is never out of form which is exactly what's needed to beat Hamilton and Mercedes. The straight line speed of the RB16B is impressive too and the high-rake package coupled with a strong power unit is working wonders in every track. There's a long way of go to course but right now, Verstappen has to be the favourite for the title.
Mercedes must bring upgrades
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff suggested that the world champions will not be bringing any more developments to their car after the race. Lewis Hamilton feels that Mercedes should if they want to fight for the title. The seven-time world champion is right. Red Bull have the better car, an all-rounder. In qualifying, Verstappen is almost unbeatable but Mercedes should be a match for him during some races as they were in Paul Ricard. Red Bull look like they will continue to upgrade their car so Mercedes will too or else they will be relying on poor reliability or misfortune to hit Verstappen.
Norris is simply sublime
We have become used to Lando Norris finishing as the best non-Mercedes or Red Bull driver. He is driving as well as ever and it's very impressive. Delivering week in, week out, when it matters is difficult in any sport. But in F1, there are so many factors that can affect your weekend which is why most drivers can't sustain a high level of performance for a long period of time. This is exactly what Norris has managed to do and he is the reason why McLaren are still ahead of Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship. It's a question of how long can this incredible form go on for?
Relief at Ferrari
Following Ferrari's disaster at Paul Ricard, there will be relief at Maranello that there was not a repeat this time round at the Styrian GP. Carlos Sainz went long in the first stint to get to the front of the midfield queue whilst Charles Leclerc proved that there were no tyre troubles for Ferrari during his remarkable recovery to seventh place. Leclerc's mistake to give Pierre Gasly a puncture was clumsy but his comeback drive was spectacular. Straight line speed remains Ferrari's biggest weakness and the power-sensitive Red Bull Ring at altitude reaffirmed that frailty.
Ricciardo has a big problem
Daniel Ricciardo's poor form has to be the biggest mystery in F1 this year. It's utterly bizarre as to why he cannot get close to McLaren teammate Norris. Ricciardo is slower in every corner, especially on the exits and when he looks at the data, he will be confused and mentally it will be by far the toughest challenge he's faced in his F1 career. The Australian has no answers and eight races is more than enough to get to grips with a new car, especially for a driver as good as Ricciardo. Pressure is mounting and Ricciardo has to find a way to turn things around quickly.
Hearbreak for Russell
George Russell was excellent in France but he was even better this weekend at the Styrian GP. The Williams driver missed out on Q3 by 0.008 seconds, after an outstanding lap in the second part of qualifying. He was driving very well in the race too and was on course to score his first points in a Williams which has been a long time coming. Unfortunately, engine issues forced him to retire although his race was already done due to a slow pit stop. Surely, points will come though at some point this season. If Russell keeps performing like this, it will happen. Also, at a time when contract negotiations will be happening as to whether he drives for Mercedes in 2022, a weekend performance as he had in Austria will do a lot of good.
Most read
