I think there is a lesson to be learned from the second restart, when the drivers were forced to start on the full wets instead of having a free choice. That could be a new rule. Of course, everyone now opts for the intermediates at the first start. They are harder to get up to temperature, involve greater risk, but are much faster. The full wets have deeper grooves, there is less rubber and therefore they overheat much faster. If everyone had started on full wets, they would not have had the grip problems they did.
And about Carlos Sainz’s crash: I have always found that curve dangerous, ever since I raced there in F3. In dry weather, that’s like a straight, easy flat. But when it rains it becomes treacherous, it is a small curve with a tyre wall on the outside with advertising signs. An impact with a crash barrier or a wall would be better than this option, the car would spin and slide on and that would be ok.
I understood very well the commotion about the truck on the track when Pierre Gasly still had to pass. Strictly speaking, the rules allow it, as the race was neutralised. In dry weather no one would worry about it, in rain it is a different story. Then this really should never happen. You cannot always see where you are, there may be cars driving around with damage to suspension, brakes or a flat tyre. Even at low speed, a collision with such a vehicle is very dangerous. That emotions ran so high I thought was only logical given the past history with Jules Bianchi.
The championship for Max Verstappen is obviously well deserved. Except for the first three races, Red Bull has been almost perfect. Ferrari collapsed after that, the team failing far too often, which also increased the pressure on Charles. He also made mistakes and then the question arises – would that have happened without the team’s blunders? His mistake when leading at Paul Ricard was ultimately crucial for the championship.
And yesterday it happened again in the final corner. Of course, Verstappen would have won it anyway but Red Bull did get the perfect ending this way. Winning in the land of Honda, as the ties are tightened again. They have been really super strong, made great progress. It may have looked easy, but make no mistake. I think the main difference has been that the RB18 does not eat up its tyres like the Ferrari does.
Leaving the standings aside, I have seen a good season with good racing. Last year was a thriller with the championship battle, of course, but this year we have also seen some great battles. Formula 1 has exploded, it is hugely popular with great races – and that is what we want.
