Powrót Formuły 1: Skupienie na Lewisie Hamiltonie
Tyref💥ne: The End of Verstappen’s Dominance in Formula 1?
The title of the formidable weapon belongs to the Dutch driver of Red Bull, Max Verstappen, who has clinched the Formula 1 championship in the last four years and has a chance to become the second driver in history to be a five-time world champion in a row. Previously, only the legendary German Michael Schumacher achieved this feat (2000-04). Is this the end of Verstappen’s domination?
However, the second half of the last season indicated that the dominance of the 27-year-old Dutchman may be coming to an end. Out of the last 14 Grand Prix races, Verstappen only won two. For comparison, in 2023, he won 19 out of 22 races.
„Motivation is not lacking, especially since in the previous season, victory was not a given. We had some spectacular wins in a few races, but not as many as we would have liked,” admitted Verstappen.
The weaker performance of Verstappen, as well as the even worse results of Mexican Sergio Perez, led to Red Bull not being able to enjoy a third consecutive constructor’s world championship title. Perez even lost his place among the 20 race drivers, and was replaced by the less experienced New Zealander Liam Lawson. Many consider Lando Norris as the favorite.
In the constructors’ standings, McLaren claimed the top spot, winning their first title in the 21st century. This year, Briton Lando Norris and Australian Oscar Piastri will continue to represent the team. Norris is seen as Verstappen’s main rival and is even considered by some as the top contender for the title.
„We would really like to believe that we are the best, but in a sense, we would prefer to still think of ourselves as the underdog. A long fight awaits us. I know that many people see me as the favorite and our team as the favorite. Fortunately, I always perform better under pressure. It helps me focus better,” Norris said in February.
What about Hamilton?
It will be a mystery how seven-time world champion Hamilton, after 12 years with Mercedes, will now try his luck at Ferrari. Italian fans are hoping that the Briton will help secure the team’s first constructor’s world championship title since 2008. If Hamilton were to win the driver’s championship, he would be the only person in history with eight individual titles. For now, he shares the record with Schumacher, who also won seven times.
„The passion I see here cannot be compared to any other. Ferrari undoubtedly has all the ingredients needed to win the championship. Now we just need to put it all together,” emphasized the Briton.
Many „green” drivers
This year’s lineup will include six drivers who have not completed even a single full F1 season. The most experienced among them is Lawson, who has competed in 11 races so far. British driver Oliver Bearman (Haas) has participated in three races, Australian Jack Doohan (Alpine) in one, and three drivers will make their debut on Sunday: Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Frenchman Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), and Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber). For the first time since 1989, there is not a single Finnish driver in the race. After several years of racing, Valtteri Bottas will be a reserve driver at Mercedes. Thanks to Bortoleto, a Brazilian driver has returned to the grid. The last Brazilian driver in F1 was Felipe Massa, who retired in 2017.
After a few years’ absence, an Italian representative is also returning. Antonelli will be the first Italian in the lineup since Antonio Giovinazzi made his last appearance in 2021.
Penalties for swearing
One of the issues that may come up during the upcoming season will be penalties for… swearing. The President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has announced fines of at least €40,000 for drivers who use vulgar language during races in radio communication with race engineers. These conversations are available to the public, and the FIA chief emphasizes that drivers should set an example.
In the case of repeated violation of this rule, penalties may even include point deductions or suspensions in the next race. This will also be the last season for Renault as an engine supplier.
This season is also expected to be marked by another event that the entire Formula 1 community may be discussing – the premiere of a film about the „king of motorsports” with Brad Pitt in the lead role. The movie is likely to hit theaters at the end of June.
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