Tops
Austrian cars are here and there. Max Verstappen scored his first hat trick of the season (pole position, victory and best lap). The Dutchman hit hard from the start with an astonishing pace, pushing the competition back by more than twenty seconds. The three-time world champion simply managed the start before escaping very quickly. His tire management is a model and the Batavian was obviously delighted at the end of the race. Very good mention also for Sergio Perez. The Mexican started fifth and finished second with also great pace. He thus offers a first double this season to Red Bull. Perfect start to the season.
We were waiting for Charles Leclerc (4th) but we finally got Carlos Sainz (3rd). The Spaniard was impressive throughout the race, the only one to sometimes be on the Red Bull’s pace. Starting 4th, the Iberian lost time behind Leclerc in the first part of the race but then he raised his voice. He defeated the Monegasque then George Russell to secure a place on the podium.
Third on the grid, George Russell had a first run of great quality. He overtook Leclerc and took a short ride into second position. Efficient on soft tires, the Briton suffered more as soon as his Mercedes was on hard tires. During the second part of the Grand Prix, Russell was unable to follow the Ferraris but still finished fifth. Mercedes’ place at the moment but above all ahead of Lewis Hamilton, only 7th.
Flops
The Blues are in trouble. On the last line at the start (Ocon 19th and Gasly 20th), the French suffered unsurprisingly. The car is heavy and sorely lacks performance, which is never forgiving in Formula 1. Both drivers tried strategic moves but finished more than a lap behind Verstappen and that hurts a lot. In the end, Esteban Ocon took 17th place just ahead of Pierre Gasly. And we don’t see how Alpine can progress before Saudi Arabia, which arrives next weekend…
At this time in 2023, green cars were the early season attraction. Aston Martin has returned to the ranks at the start of 2024. Fernando Alonso had tasted the podium in Bahrain last season and this time, he is content with a modest 9th place while he started sixth. His car lacks pace in the race and this should be a real margin for improvement for Aston Martin. Tenth, Lance Stroll managed to save a point after a chaotic start to the race where he spun. Three points for Aston Martin is too few.