Race Weekend Central

F1 Review: Hamilton and Verstappen Taking Title Drama to Abu Dhabi

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sunday Lat Images

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sunday (credit: LAT Images / Mercedes AMG)

This past weekend, Formula 1 made its first trip to Saudi Arabia to break in the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a street course by the Red Sea designed by Hermann Tilke.  Highlighted as the fastest road course in the world, the narrow lively track provided wild theater for the penultimate race of the season. Lewis Hamilton …

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F1 Review: Hamilton Rising as Red Bull Undergo a Soap Opera Weekend

F1 Grand Prix Of Qatar

DOHA, QATAR - NOVEMBER 21: Second placed Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing stands on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 21, 2021 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202111210382 //

This past weekend, Formula 1 made its first-ever visit to Losail Internation Circuit in Qatar.  From that information alone, there should have been a good reason to believe that Lewis Hamilton would walk away with the win.  He has made a habit of winning inaugural races and followed this trend after doing so last year …

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F1 Review: Hamilton Brilliant in Brazil; Mercedes Motivation

2021 Brazil Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton waves Brazilian flag Jiri Krenek Mercedes

(Photo: Jiri Krenek via Mercedes AMG F1)

Lewis Hamilton scored his 101st Formula 1 win on Sunday in Brazil.  His stellar performance, starting from tenth and claiming the win, further fanned the fires for the driverʻs championship and closed the gap to Max Verstappen (332.5 – 318.5). The Sao Paulo Grand Prix featured a wonderful battle between the top two drivers, though …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Magnificent in Mexico, Lost Opportunities Aplenty

2021 Mexico Formula 1 Max Verstappen Lars Baron Getty Red Bull

(Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

Max Verstappen failed to earn the pole for the Mexican Grand Prix and it may have been a blessing in disguise. His third-place starting position allowed him to use the slipstream to blow past the Mercedes front row and then steal off into the distance. With P1 secure, he tore away from second-place Lewis Hamilton …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Wins USGP in Commanding Fashion

F1 Grand Prix Of Usa

AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 24: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal during the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on October 24, 2021 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202110250089 // Usage for editorial use only //

Red Bull and Mercedes used different strategies to give their Formula 1 drivers the best chance of winning the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday (Oct. 24). When the checkered flag waved on lap 56, Red Bull and Max Verstappen prevailed, giving him his eighth win of the year and …

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F1 Review: Steady & Smooth Valtteri Bottas Wins Wet Turkish Grand Prix

Valtteri Bottas celebrates winning the Turkish Grand Prix, drinking champagne, LAT Images

Valtteri Bottas celebrating his Turkish GP win (Photo: LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1)

Valtteri Bottas nailed the start of the Turkish Grand Prix and then set sail on his way to claiming his 10th win in Formula 1. Bottas’ last win came at the Russian GP in 2020 and he had struggled through some poor performances in 2021, but after starting from pole, he put together a clean …

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F1 Review: Sir Lewis Hamilton Extends His Excellence at the Russian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton emerged victorious at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix. (Photo: Steve Etherington / Mercedes)

Lewis Hamilton celebrates at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix, Sunday - (credit:Steve Etherington, Mercedes - AMG)

Lewis Hamilton started fourth, got squeezed heading into turn 1, fell back to seventh, and then started his climb through the Russian Grand Prix field.  By lap 2, he had taken sixth but could not make the gains that would be anticipated from his Mercedes in the early stages of the race. Instead, he held …

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F1 Review: Daniel Ricciardo’s Victory at the Italian Grand Prix Ends McLaren Drought

Daniel Ricciardo celebrates on the podium of the 2021 Italian Grand Prix Sept. 12.

(credit: McLaren Media)

For the second straight year, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (Sept. 12) provided an upset winner.  Last year, Pierre Gasly benefitted from an unusual set of circumstances that placed him in second on a restart after a red flag – a position from which he jumped to the lead and then held on for …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Peerless in F1’s Return to the Dutch Grand Prix

F1 Grand Prix Of The Netherlands

ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS - SEPTEMBER 05: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of The Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on September 05, 2021 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // SI202109051288 // Usage for editorial use only //

By the end of the first lap, Max Verstappen had cleared Lewis Hamilton by almost two seconds and from then on, he faced no challenge in claiming the win at the Dutch Grand Prix. Formula 1 returned to Zandvoort, Netherlands for the first time since 1985 on Sunday (Sept. 5) and the scene surrounding Verstappen’s …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Wins the Belgian Grand Prix That Wasn’t

Race winner Max Verstappen poses after the rain-shortened 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. (Photo: Getty Images)

SPA, BELGIUM - AUGUST 29: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing, second placed George Russell of Great Britain and Williams and third placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 29, 2021 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202108290481 // Usage for editorial use only //

Max Verstappen earned his 16th Formula 1 win at the Belgian Grand Prix after turning just one lap at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on Sunday (Aug. 29).  There may be a prospect for confusion, a reason to question that one lap is the correct distance, but that is how the GP is officially scored. …

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F1 Review: Esteban Ocon Awesome in Hungary; Fernando Alonso Mimics Younger Self

Esteban Ocon from F1 on track at the Hungarian Grand Prix. (Photo: FIA Images)

Esteban Ocon on track at the Hungarian Grand Prix (credit: FIA Images)

Esteban Ocon benefitted from calamity at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix and then a major gaffe by Mercedes to earn his first Formula 1 win on Sunday (Aug. 1).  Ocon, however, was not gifted the victory and was forced to hold off Sebastian Vettel for almost the entirety of the race.  Vettel appeared …

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F1 Review: Peak Lewis Hamilton Wins British Grand Prix After Contact With Max Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton cheers after winning the 2021 British Grand Prix (Photo: LAT Images)

Lewis Hamilton 2021 British Grand Prix, Sunday - LAT Images

Lewis Hamilton made the most of his trip to his home track for the British Grand Prix.  After earning pole for the qualifying sprint race and losing the pole for the GP to Max Verstappen, Hamilton put together a classic performance in charging to victory Sunday (July 18). But his win at the British GP …

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