Sunday Debrief: Verstappen becomes a 3-time world champion, While Piastri becomes a F1 race winner
- mallikarull
- Oct 8, 2023
- 5 min read
Verstappen joins the greats as a 3-time consecutive F1 world champion, whilst also picking up a hattrick in Sundays Race. McLaren putting in another brilliant weekend as Piastri takes a first F1 win in the sprint, while finishing Sundays race in P2 with Norris in P3, a second consecutive double podium for McLaren.
image: motorsport.com
Saturdays Sprint:
A slight delay to Saturdays Sprint race, as drivers were sent out at the start of the sprint shootout for 10 minutes of familiarisation practice laps. The track changing overnight with Turn 12 and 13 being revised. Pirelli looking to conduct tyre analysis following Saturdays Sprint to decide if any further action will need to be taken for Sunday’s race. As it stands ahead of Sundays Sprint, all drivers will be obliged to perform 3 pit stops during the race.
A disappointing qualifying for Hamilton as he struggled to make his way out of SQ2 for the third time in 6 sprint races, Hamilton starting the race from P13 after having a lap time deleted. McLaren continuing to impress as Piastri takes pole position for the Sprint in his rookie season for the team, followed by his teammate Lando Norris who qualified alongside his teammate on the front row in P2.
image: motorsport.com
While the McLarens looked to impress in qualifying, it was a disappointing start for Lando Norris who dropped down into P6 after the first few corners, while Verstappen also missed out as he was passed by both Ferrari’s and the Mercedes of George Russell but managing to gain a place on Norris in P5. An early incident with Liam Lawson saw him out of the race, Lawson losing control of his car and going off track into the gravel bringing out the first safety car of the race on Lap 1. The safety car going back in shortly at the end of Lap 2.
At the restart, Piastri did well to get away, but Russell did even better to pass the current race leader at Turn 6 moving his Mercedes into P1. Not long after the first Safety Car period, the Safety Car was brought back out on Lap 4 after Logan Sargeant was next to park his car in the gravel, Marshals were quick to clear away the Williams allowing cars to get back to racing at the end of Lap 6.
Russell with an excellent get away, building a gap of around 1.5 seconds by the end of Lap 7 between himself and Piastri. Behind the front runners, Verstappen was making his way back up the order as he made his way past Leclerc going into Turn 1 on Lap 9 before breezing past Sainz a lap later, moving back into podium places.
Piastri looking to claim back his lead, swept past Russell on Lap 11, his teammate making the move on Leclerc at Turn 2 on the same lap. Norris and Leclerc continuing to swap places throughout the sprint.
The Safety Car was brought out for a third time this race after a racing incident between Ocon, Perez and Hulkenberg. Ocon making contact and taking Perez off track with him, Perez who needed to finish in the top 3 to keep the championship title battle alive . Hulkenberg getting sandwiched between the Alpine and Red Bull, unlucky to get caught up limped back to the pits before retiring out of the race. The safety Car was brought back in at the end of Lap 14.
image: motorsport.com
With 2 laps to go and his teammate out of the race, Verstappen made a move on Russell hoping to finish with both a race win and the championship title. Lando who was passed again by Leclerc on Lap 15, made the move again on the Ferrari to move back into P5 before sweeping past Sainz a few corners later for P4. Norris now hunting down and passing Russell on Lap 17.
A brilliant closing 3 laps for Hamilton as he made up 4 positions in the closing stages of the race to finish in P5, passing Gasly, Alonso and both Ferrari’s in the closing stages of the race.
As they crossed the line it was Piastri who took the win for the first time in F1 in his rookie season, and it was Verstappen to claim his third consecutive world champion title.
image: motorsport.com
Sunday’s race:
Max Verstappen lined up on pole for Sundays a race for the first time as a 3x F1 world champion. Behind him the two Mercedes lined up in P2 and 3 with Russell keeping Verstappen company on the front row. Carlos Sainz missed the race after fuel issues with his Ferrari leaving an empty grid spot, which opened the door for Hulkenberg to take a 5-second penalty for mistakenly lining up his Haas in the empty spot of Sainz. After issues with tyres, Pirelli have announced ahead of the race that there will need to be 3 mandatory pit stops, along with an 18-lap limit on any set of tyres.
Early troubles for Mercedes going into Turn 1, as Russell and Hamilton make contact, Hamilton’s tyre coming off in the collision as his car was left parked in the gravel. Russell managed to get his car back on track, while he noted damage to his Mercedes, before coming back into the pits. Russell now at the back of the gird but making up a few places while others pitted under the safety car. Verstappen with an excellent get away at the restart on Lap 4, as he built a gap between himself and Piastri in P2, pulling away from the rest of the grid.
image: motorsport.com
Verstappen came into the pits on Lap 18 with a gap of 23 seconds between himself and Albon in P2, Albon taking the lead as Verstappen leaves the pits in P2. Albon making a mandatory pit stop and pitting at the end of Lap 18. Piastri making his way back behind Verstappen on Lap 19 with a 7 second gap between the pair. Piastri coming back into the pits after reaching the end of his second 18 lap stint, returning to the track in P8, Verstappen yet to make a second pit stop.
Perez was the second to receive a 5-second penalty. Perez taking the penalty for exceeding track limits and coming in to serve his penalty on Lap 32. Perez with another penalty later in the race for track limits, followed by Gasly, Albon and Stroll. Not a good day for Perez as he took a third penalty, finishing in P10.
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