What a bore! Possibly the dullest race of the year, with the same positions held from start to finish. But this time, at least behind the dominating McLarens, there are two Ferrari cars. That’s a satisfaction worth enjoying fully, especially since it might mark the beginning of something. After Ferrari introduced the new floor on the car, performance improved, and many positives were visible during the race. In fact, halfway through, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton managed laps faster than Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, although Charles eventually finished 19.8 seconds behind and Hamilton, in fourth, 29 seconds off.
Ferrari is still not a winning car, and Charles Leclerc once again complained about “missing pace,” despite his risks and smart driving style. However, there are signs of awakening, as shown by Mercedes’ George Russell, winner of the previous Canadian GP, finishing more than 40 seconds behind the leading Ferrari. Granted, Max Verstappen was absent after being hit by Kimi Antonelli on the first lap, so Red Bull was missing, but Ferrari still had the consistency to keep the Austro-British car behind.
Lando Norris’s victory came from mental focus that hadn’t been there before. The Briton usually struggles at the start, but at Zeltweg he was flawless. Around lap 10, a fierce battle erupted with Piastri, who passed him with cold precision. Norris reacted and overtook his teammate, forcing him to give up. Then came a tense moment on lap 20 when Oscar attempted an almost impossible late braking and narrowly avoided colliding with Lando. The team gave a sharp warning to the Australian, who, although closing in on Norris again later, didn’t dare to try again. Now, with Piastri leading the championship and Norris chasing, there is a 15-point gap. Nothing is decided. The battle remains open, and these two will keep us on edge starting next Sunday at Silverstone.
The others were not competitive, but Kimi Antonelli’s apology to Max Verstappen was a nice sporting gesture, with the four-time world champion kindly accepting the incident with a conciliatory remark that carries extra weight coming from him: “These things happen, Kimi is an honest person.” He also added that he already feels out of the title fight, given the 61-point gap to Piastri. A lie, knowing him. But it also reflects a Red Bull running inconsistently (like Mercedes), putting Max Verstappen’s future in doubt. These are somewhat predictable and banal talking points. Because no one expected a McLaren this strong, and all rivals are struggling and already thinking about 2026. Will the British GP, just days away, offer something different to wake us from this torpor and the stifling heat?
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