Lewis Hamilton secured his 106th profession victory – and his maiden win for Ferrari – at Sunday’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton is now 41 factors behind championship chief Kimi Antonelli, who retired from the race.
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Mercedes’ George Russell was second and McLaren’s Lando Norris third, making it the primary all-British podium because the US Grand Prix in 1968.
BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson solutions your newest questions after Barcelona.
Does Lewis Hamilton’s return to type imply he’s now again in rivalry for an eighth title? Does it imply Ferrari might quickly be placing their efforts in direction of him for the championship? – Liam
Lewis Hamilton is the primary non-Mercedes driver to win a race this yr, and he’s now second within the championship – 41 factors behind Kimi Antonelli – following Sunday’s victory in Spain.
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Nevertheless it’s too early to make any definitive judgements about Hamilton as a title contender.
Earlier than his triumph on the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, the concept of him or Ferrari being title contenders regarded fanciful, given how Mercedes had dominated the season.
A major aerodynamic improve on the Ferrari was sufficient, although – together with all different components at play – to make Hamilton and Ferrari the quickest driver and automobile on observe on Sunday.
However a number of circumstances aligned. For one, Mercedes compromised their technique by masking Hamilton’s early first cease.
They determined to deviate from their optimum cease instances for a two-stop race to lock in observe place. Arguably, from that second on, Hamilton’s three-stop was the quicker technique.
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Then, the digital security automobile gifted Hamilton an affordable cease that allowed him to pit and retain the lead.
With out that, he would have nonetheless been the quickest automobile on observe, however to win he would have needed to move Lando Norris’ McLaren in addition to each Mercedes – or perhaps just one, given Antonelli retired late on.
On prime of that, for now, Ferrari are missing energy in comparison with Mercedes. Barcelona isn’t an particularly power-sensitive observe. And the Ferrari is the quickest automobile within the corners, particularly the kind of corners in Barcelona.
However the subsequent three races – Austria, Britain and Belgium – are all on power-sensitive tracks. As issues stand, it is unlikely Ferrari might beat Mercedes there.
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Having stated that, phrase on the road is there’s a Ferrari engine improve coming quickly, now they’ve been formally declared to be allowed two for each this season and subsequent. How a lot distinction will that make?
In brief, Hamilton’s Spain win was sufficient to make the concept a fairly logical dialog piece, however it’s going to take extra proof from extra races earlier than anybody can say definitively he’s a title contender.
Are Charles Leclerc’s present struggles throughout qualifying because of strain from Lewis Hamilton’s revival in type? Or is he genuinely battling braking issues? – Rob
To handle this query, it is vital to separate out Spain from the 2 races previous it.
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It is undoubtedly the case that Charles Leclerc was struggling in Canada and Monaco, notably with the braking traits of the Ferrari.
He had been utilizing completely different brake discs from Hamilton and so they weren’t working as he needed.
For Spain, it is believed he switched to Hamilton’s brake set-up and was a lot happier.
He was faster than Hamilton by way of follow, his race simulation instances on Friday afternoon impressed Mercedes, and he was faster than Hamilton within the second session of qualifying.
Leclerc then crashed on his first lap in Q3.
He described Flip 4 as his “weak spot” all weekend – when in comparison with Hamilton. And it appears he tried to brake as late as Hamilton there. It labored on entry, nevertheless it carried him large by way of the nook, he obtained off line on exit, the automobile snapped, and he ended up within the wall.
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As Hamilton put it: “I used to be braking very late into Flip 4, which had been seen, and I believe Charles in all probability tried to hold a number of pace into that nook and sadly it did not work out for him.”
Within the race, Leclerc needed to make up floor from tenth on the grid, and he did so impressively within the opening laps. Then, in line with group boss Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari modified Leclerc’s technique mid-race, which suggests he began aiming for a three-stop and transformed to a two.
Whether or not that was an evidence for his lack of tempo in comparison with Hamilton, which different groups seen, isn’t totally clear.
Vasseur stated after the race: “He had an excellent feeling with the automobile, he was in confidence, he was in a position to combat for the pole place yesterday.
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“Then the truth that we modified the technique in the course of the race, it was tough for him. He pitted as soon as once more one lap earlier than the security automobile. However I believe the method and the sensation is a lot better for Charles as we speak than it was three weeks in the past.”
Over the season as a complete, whereas Hamilton is 6-4 up of their qualifying head-to-head, Leclerc is definitely barely faster on common, by 0.025secs.
Mercedes have two drivers who’re battling one another for the world championship. This can be an issue, with administration of the drivers’ on-track behaviour, however is having two drivers battling one another an excellent downside to have? – Robert
If a group is in a scenario the place solely their two drivers are in rivalry for the championship, with no rivals, it is nervy nevertheless it’s what most group bosses would confer with as “an excellent downside to have”.
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That seemed to be the scenario Mercedes had been in over the primary six races, and the group had agreed to let Kimi Antonelli and George Russell combat it out on observe.
After their on-the-edge battles in Canada, Russell stated the drivers had instructed group principal Toto Wolff they knew what they had been doing and to please depart them to it.
Even so, in Canada and in Spain on the weekend, the group did intervene. In Barcelona, it was to warn that their battle was slowing them down and was making their try and beat Hamilton harder.
In order that they backed out of their combat for some time, though they obtained again to it late on, as soon as Hamilton was out of attain, and Antonelli handed Russell for second earlier than the Italian’s retirement.
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Afterwards, Wolff stated the group would have a discuss method issues sooner or later now Ferrari appear extra of a menace – and remember Lando Norris was within the image on the entrance within the McLaren on Sunday as properly.
Wolff stated: “There’s a third celebration now getting concerned within the championship combat – constructor and and driver. And in that respect, we are going to talk about internally with the 2 drivers how we need to deal with a scenario the place we threat holding one another up. I believe it isn’t going to be an issue. It is simply perhaps we have to recalibrate.”
Though it appears the vibration points at Aston Martin appear to be mounted, the automobile appears to be standing nonetheless and even going backwards. Has the group given up on this season’s automobile and placing their efforts into subsequent yr? Moreover, if that is taking place, how would it not have an effect on Fernando Alonso’s determination for subsequent season? – Brendan
Aston Martin have undoubtedly not given up on this season.
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They’re falling again as a result of they’ve to this point introduced virtually no efficiency upgrades to their automobile, whereas all the opposite groups have.
That is as a result of they’ve determined the perfect use of their assets within the context of the price cap is to introduce one main improve in a single go, somewhat than drip-feed smaller ones over a sequence of races.
That improve is anticipated across the time of the Belgian Grand Prix – in three races’ time.
A revised and improved Honda engine has additionally been promised. Honda will not say when it is because of arrive, however sources within the group have instructed BBC Sport it’s more likely to be after the summer season break, across the time of the Dutch Grand Prix.
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Aston Martin’s downside is that even when that aerodynamic improve makes the automobile two seconds a lap quicker – and if it did, it could be one hell of an improve – it’s going to solely transfer them as much as Racing Bulls/Audi territory.
That is a minimum of respectable somewhat than embarrassing, which is what they’re now, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a good distance from the place they need to be.
The improve is vital on various completely different ranges, together with within the context of Fernando Alonso’s future.
From a group standpoint, this can be very vital that it really works, as a result of the story of the previous three years at Aston Martin has been the introduction of upgrades that on paper an enchancment in efficiency, just for that efficiency to not materialise after they went on the automobile.
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They’re hoping, following the arrival of design legend Adrian Newey and the introduction of their new wind tunnel, that upgrades will any more be extra dependable.
Alonso is out of contract on the finish of this season, and says he’ll take a choice on his future “after the summer season”.
It appears he’s ready to see how the upgrades on automobile and engine end up earlier than making a choice as to what to do.
He is 45 on the finish of subsequent month. He has made it clear he would favor to not finish his profession after such a miserable yr as he’s having for the time being. And he has repeatedly stated he believes he’s nonetheless driving at a really excessive degree.
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On the identical time, he will not need to keep solely to undergo one other yr like this.
If he decides Aston Martin do not appear to be they may enhance subsequent yr, his choices for racing in F1 subsequent yr should not that attractive, as he virtually definitely will not get a drive in a top-four group.
