Max Verstappen makes Formula 1 exciting again. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas have to find answers after the shock for Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari are diverging more and more.
Silverstone (AP) - Sebastian Vettel drags himself from low blow to low blow in his Ferrari farewell season. After finishing twelfth in the second England race of Formula 1, he even complains about the strategy of the once proud Scuderia.
VETTEL'S RELATIONSHIP CRISIS: Sebastian Vettel did not hold back. "You know you screwed it up," he said after his first pit stop on the radio. Despite ninth place and a free run, he had to come into the garage and put on fresh tires. After that he got stuck in traffic and missed the points again in twelfth place. The relationship to Scuderia shows ever deeper cracks in Vettel's farewell season. "Something is missing, but I'm not sure what it is," said the four-time world champion when asked what was different about his car than that of stallion rival Charles Leclerc. Vettel remains only fatalism before the next Grand Prix: "I think from where I am, it can't get any worse."
HÜLKENBERG IS READY: Nico Hülkenberg sees the checkered flag in his second temporary assignment for Racing Point. A week after his premature retirement due to a clutch damage, the replacement for Corona case Sergio Perez even races into the points in seventh place. Only vibrations and tire problems probably cost him an even better position in the final phase. You can rely on Hülkenberg and maybe he will also be used in Barcelona. After working on the simulator, he wants to arrive in Spain on Wednesday or Thursday. "Then we wait for good news or the end," said the 32-year-old flippantly. Should Perez not get clearance, Hulkenberg will be back in the car.
VERSTAPPEN'S ADVANCE: Max Verstappen drove masterfully and Red Bull clocked the tires masterfully - and all of a sudden the World Cup has grown in tension after the Dutchman's first win of the season. "We had enormous pace and actually no tire problems," he summed up after a smooth ninth career success. Despite a failure in the opening race, Verstappen is now in second place in the drivers' standings, 30 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton. Can he hit the Silver Arrows next week too? "We'll see it in Barcelona. At the moment we're happy that we won," said Verstappen.
MERCEDES IS AWESOME: The victory dominance of the Silver Arrows this season has been broken. Defending champion Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas struggled with the durability of their tires at high temperatures; they crossed the finish line in second and third. After a flat tire a week ago, the Briton also recognized the increased air pressure on the tires for the 70th anniversary Grand Prix as an obstacle. "It wouldn't surprise me if that affected us," said the 35-year-old, who is now the first to pursue the World Cup with Verstappen. "Everyone thought it would be a walk in the park, but it won't," said team boss Toto Wolff about public expectations after the strong Mercedes start to the season. The Silver Arrows now have to work through deficits in tire management and strategy.
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Formula 1 driver field
Racing calendar
Pirelli on the blowouts
Timetable in Silverstone
Information about the Silverstone course
Race report
Verstappen statements
Vettel scolding
