Formula 1 in Silverstone: When the Ferrari pit radio becomes a radio play – sport

Of course there is a lot to talk about the material after this British Grand Prix. About high-tech fences and titanium stirrups that were lifesavers. But also about the people sitting in the cockpits. The podium line-up reflects how chaotic and entertaining this tenth World Championship race was after the start. One each from Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes, that sounds more like force of habit. But then there’s Spanish understudy Carlos Sainz jr. for the first time after 149 failed attempts in Formula 1 at the top, alongside Sergio Perez, who was already hopelessly behind, and Lewis Hamilton, who came up again from nowhere. formula wrong.

It could have been the day of Sainz alone, but the story is different. The 27-year-old received the correct applause for his performance, but the experts among the 142,000 spectators asked themselves more: Why didn’t Charles Leclerc win on one of the rare days when his World Cup opponent Max Verstappen didn’t score big in seventh could. Pondering the tactical twists and turns of the Scuderia can tire you out over time. The crowd preferred to celebrate something like Lewis Hamilton’s resurrection. Third for the second year in a row, that’s just a numeric marginal note based on his stats.

But it shows that Mercedes can be expected again in the course of a season that has already been written off. Because the Briton was about to set another record with a ninth Silverstone victory. With the Austrian Grand Prix approaching halfway point next weekend, the British Grand Prix tells the story of one who could have won and one who should have won. What can be expressed even more simply: The wrong person probably won.

Racers who are frustrated and battered would do well not to complain about their team. Germany’s Mick Schumacher is a good example. The Haas racing team had spoiled his first point win too often, but now the home blessing has just come with eighth place. Schumacher junior has enough to do with fighting for himself and not against the team. He’s looking for his chance. Charles Leclerc, who lost out on the weaker tires during the permanent position changes on the last laps at the Silverstone Circuit, has now become routine in accepting his Scuderia’s mistakes. His fourth place and the seventh place of World Cup opponent Max Verstappen with a damaged Red Bull Honda brings him only six points closer to the overall leader, instead of the possible 19, there are still a huge 43 points to make up.

Why did Carlos Sainz get fresh tires – and not the more promising Charles Leclerc?

Immediately after the end of the race, Leclerc stormed towards team boss Mattia Binotto in the paddock. Raised fingers can be seen, the body language of both signals the highest level of tension. It doesn’t take much imagination to guess the topic of conversation: Leclerc may have asked why colleague Sainz and not he got fresh tires in the decisive safety car phase. Binotto appeased, the Italian has great experience in this. There was nothing to discuss. Leclerc later said that the repeated questionable tactical decisions were “not good” for his chances, but he didn’t want to be taken out. And if you please, one should rather write about the first victory of the teammate.

But even in the first part of the race, the Ferrari pit radio was a radio play in which people haggled about holding or swapping positions. There is something like that between Verstappen and Perez occasionally, but at the Red Bull command post, a quick and cold tabula rasa is made in favor of the title favorite. Sainz wasn’t fast enough at first, showed nerves, Lewis Hamilton was already pushing from behind. In this situation, explaining to your own pilots that they are allowed to drive freely is a huge risk, almost negligent. Just like sacrificing the brave Leclerc at the end because of the worse rubber. Binotto doesn’t want to know anything about it in the de-briefing: “All our decisions were right at the time!” This determination has something of Enzo Ferrari, the great commendatore. Only: they were due to the pure safety considerations. But neither Leclerc nor his racing team are in this position, they have to attack unconditionally. “Every team thinks differently,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner comments on the competitor’s tactics.

A balanced Silver Arrow: Lewis Hamilton has a car again with which he can put pressure on

Before the home game, Lewis Hamilton welcomed his Hollywood buddy Tom Cruise, the maverick from Top Gun, in the Mercedes garage. This fits symbolically quite well, because the record world champion likes to compare the feeling of a Formula 1 driver on the former Silverstone airfield circuit with that of a jet pilot. Hamilton drove the fastest lap of all on Sunday, the retreaded Silver Arrow was for the first time in practice as balanced as in the simulations of the aerodynamics. Suddenly he has a car again with which he can put pressure on.

Had it not been for the neutralization in the last quarter of the race, he would have had a good chance of battling with and passing the Ferrari drivers thanks to better tire use on his car. After all, halfway through the race he was able to lead a World Championship race again for the first time this season. So far, the 37-year-old has won at least one race in each of his 15 Formula 1 years. He has long since internalized and just exemplified what Mattia Binotto gives the disappointed Leclerc: “It’s difficult to be happy now, but it’s important to stay calm and positive.”