There was a race this weekend but everyone’s focus was off the track. Sure, Lewis Hamilton lacked the mental fortitude to hold off teammate Nico Rosberg which allowed the German to close the World Drivers’ Championship to two points. However, the focus this weekend was on the silly season happenings that will affect Formula One going forward.
Italy
F1 Power Rankings: Italian Grand Prix
So #TeamLH technically didn’t come out on top in the Belgian Grand Prix but he functionally did. There was some very good luck with that red flag that allowed him to claw most of his way up the field. I kept seeing headlines during the week like “How Lewis Hamilton scored a podium from 21st with only four passes” like F1 sites were cosplaying as BuzzFeed. This week, Louise (that’s a Hobbs-ism) will start up front. Can he keep from being slimstreamed into oblivion? The F1 Power Rankings tries to answer the question.
F1 Italian Grand Prix: I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Regardless of the drama of the Belgian Grand Prix, this season has been all about the battle of the Mercedes teammates. Nico Rosberg might be leading the championship right now but he still has fewer wins than teammate Lewis Hamilton. He also has fewer retirements than Lewis which is why he’s in the Championship lead.
But that doesn’t mean that Rosberg is untouchable. Just because luck and speed has been on his side for most of the season doesn’t mean that the championship is his. All it took was one big slip up for Rosberg to throw away the lead of this race and hand momentum back to Hamilton.
F1 Power Rankings: Italian Grand Prix
After the last race, all the Formula One fraternity and fans want to know about is whether Mercedes is about to implode. With Nico Rosberg haphazardly colliding with Lewis Hamilton with the early stages of the Belgian Grand Prix, the two seem ready to come to blows on track. I’d imagine that the pair are at great risk of doing something stupid. Daniel Ricciardo for 2014 World Drivers’ Champion perhaps? Well, not according to this week’s power rankings.
F1 Italian GP: I Wanna Go Fast
The fastest that a Formula One car goes during the season is about 210 MPH. That happens on the long front straight of the Monza circuit which is home to the Italian Grand Prix. It’s that speed which makes the Italian GP one of the more exciting during the season.
While one would typically associate high top speed with the Mercedes and Ferrari powered teams, it was the Renault powered Red Bull team that dominated the weekend with Sebastian Vettel picking up the win. I guess they’re fast on more than just the twisty bits.
F1 Power Rankings: Italian Grand Prix
Apart from Monaco, the most prestigious race on the Formula One calendar is the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. While Monaco has all the glitz and glamour, Monza is the heart of the sport. The fans at this race, mostly the tifosi, are the most passionate for the sport of any crowd of the season. Spraying champagne on a sea of red-clad fans is a highlight for any driver.
F1 Italian GP: Need For Speed
It wasn’t quite as perfect as what his teammate did last weekend but it was a victory from pole for Lewis Hamilton in the Italian Grand Prix. Lewis’ win could be considered all the more impressive because this weekend has seen Lewis’ name closely linked with a seat at Mercedes GP starting next season. The Tifosi had something to cheer for as Ferrari-powered cars finished second through fourth but were unable to match McLaren’s pace. Continue reading
F1 Power Rankings: Italian Grand Prix
This week’s power rankings were a little more difficult to put together than usual. Hamilton and Grosjean wrecking five cars at the start of the race and completely changing the complexion of the Belgian Grand Prix makes it hard to figure out who are the hottest drivers coming out of F1’s summer break. However, based on qualifying and the 11 races that preceded Belgium, we have another ranking of the hottest drivers in F1 right now. With such a compressed end to the season, momentum is critical to a driver’s chances for the championship. The question is: Who has the momentum? Continue reading
F1 Power Rankings: Italian Grand Prix
The proverbial fat lady is warming up. After picking up his seventh win from 12 races, Sebastian Vettel extended his championship lead to 92 points. At 25 points for a win, that’s nearly a four-race lead with only seven races to go. With the championship all but sewn up, the focus turns to the battle for second place. Four drivers are within 21 points of second spot in the World Drivers’ Championship. Something tells me that race will be a bit more exciting than the battle for the championship. Continue reading
F1 Italian GP: Forza Ferrari
In Italy, there is no team other than Ferrari. Sure, football (or soccer as it’s known in my half of the world) is the national sport but the national team is Scuderia Ferrari. The Tifosi were out in full force at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. And they went home happy as Fernando Alonso scored the pole and the win in his first Italian Grand Prix for Ferrari as the Scuderia put both drivers on the podium. Alonso’s win combined with poor outings for the championship leaders also gave us a much more interesting championship picture heading into the final stretch of the season. Continue reading
The Lowdown 