best f1 races recent time

The Most Exciting F1 Races In Recent Memory

Formula 1 is theatre on wheels. There have been almost a hundred races in recent years, but some stand out for their dramatic overtakes, tense battles, and thrilling finishes. These are some of the most tension-filled, exciting, unpredictable, and even curious F1 races that you should to rewatch again. Which one is the finest? You’ve got to choose.

f1 calendar 2022

2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: Tension from Start to Finish

Approximately one hour before the start of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 2021, the sky turned dark. It was 100% wet at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Strategy comes first. The right time to switch tyres was key to winning.

Max Vertsappen’s charged spaceship attacked Lewis Hamilton’s overtaking attempts aggressively. During the first half of the race, there were many battles, filled with high-class driving in wet conditions.

Nicolas Latifi became the first victim of the weather. He crashed into the wall. Mick Schumacher followed the same path.

The 31st lap of the Emilia Romagna GP 2021 ended Mercedes’ hopes. Hamilton pulled George Russell (Williams) off the track and Valterri Bottas crashed heavily into the wall. The race was stopped. Bert Mylander moved his safety car to check up on the 33rd lap. In order to find the best “pit time”, F1 teams brainstormed.

After restarting the race, the drivers raced as if on ice. Everyone was making mistakes, because there was only one small line that was dry. There was no place for errors outside.

Lando Norris Driver of the Day

As if by magic, as the track became more dry, Lewis Hamilton overtook Lance Stroll and Daniel Ricciardo. With three laps to go, he caught up with Lando Norris for third place. But still it wasn’t enough, as in this way he had the same 43 points overall with Verstappen.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2021 was full of tension, making it one of the best races in F1. Hamilton finished second and earned the fastest lap point.

Max Verstappen won the Emilia Romagna GP 2021 and Lando Norris took third and became the Driver of the Day, basking in the rays of deserved glory.

2021 Monaco Grand Prix: The Hellion Nut Or How Red Bull Taught Mercedes A Lesson

When things didn’t work according to plan at Mercedes, the team descended into chaos. The 2021 Monaco Grand Prix was one such case.

After the 2021 Spanish GP, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner made it clear Sergio Perez must work as hard. The team needed tactical skills against Mercedes. How else can they overcome them? Only together!

At that time, there were rumors about vacant seats in F1 teams and George Russell was expected to replace Valtteri Bottas. Today it’s clear that these weren’t just rumors, but confirmed facts, which impacted on Mercedes’ teamwork.

On Thursday, it was obvious that the Mercedes cars lacked pace. According to qualifying, Hamilton finished 7th and Bottas finished 3rd.

Mercedes Amg F1 team, Monaco Grand Prix 2021 by motorsport.com Photographer: Giorgio Piola
Photo by Giorgio Piola

The Nut Ruined Valtteri Bottas’ Hopes

What a rogue screw! Bottas had been racing second. He was five seconds behind leader Max Verstappen when he pitted on lap 30 to change tires.

Unfortunately, however, mechanics were unable to retrieve Bottas’ right front tire in the Mercedes pit, leaving him stranded. James Allison explained the problem was because the nut had been milled on to the axle with the wheel gun, causing her to get stuck.

Lewis Hamilton had his poorest qualifying since Hockenheim 2018, starting and finishing the Monaco GP 2021 in seventh place. Valtteri Bottas did not finish the race at all.

At the Monaco Grand Prix in 2021 F1 fans watched Red Bull maintain discipline. Additionally, the team still holds the record for the fastest pit stop at 1.82s. Team unity is one of Red Bull’s greatest strengths. They seem to be obsessed with one goal.

Red Bull Racing is often accused of being quite cruel to F1 drivers. A lot of drivers have been through this: Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Daniil Kvyat, Daniel Ricciardo. But whether we like it or not, a certain policy is a guarantee of order in the race and off the track.

The ability to follow a clear plan and be ready for every situation without deviating from the main goal, passion and the will to win. The Monaco GP 2021 was one of the best races in F1, as demonstrated above.

Silverstone grand prix 2022

The Silverstone Grand Prix 2022 – One Of The Best F1 Races Of Recent Times

Silverstone’s golden race is 52 laps of full tension. Three cars crashed immediately after the start.

Mercedes’ George Russell, Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly and Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu rolled out of the race at Turn 1. It was like a chain reaction. Zhou Guanyu suffered a great deal of damage. His hitter George Russell rushed to check if the Alfa Romeo driver was okay.

For twenty minutes, there were no repeats of the crash. After a while, news spread that Zhou Guanyu was feeling well. F1 fans thanked Halo again for saving Guanyu’s life. Meanwhile, Zhou was taken to the hospital.

Max Verstappen faced technical problems on lap 12 before F1 fans felt breathed. RB18 started losing speed, causing all of his positions to disappear. Moving forward, Max Verstappen fought until the last lap of the race at Silverstone.

The Ferrari drivers started the 2022 campaign with a lead, but the team often made mistakes. Red Bull drivers just waited until Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc made new mistakes. And there was no need to wait long. 

Max Verstappen’s Brilliant Race

After a while the gearbox of his Red Bull acted up, but with varying success. They decided to continue fighting. Max Verstappen was in a difficult position. He sometimes managed the car and sometimes the car managed him.

As soon as Max Verstappen tried to cope with his gearbox, two Scuderia Ferraris caused nervous drama inside the team.

Being one-two, Carlos Sainz tried to maintain the lead, while Charles Leclerc was already stepping on Sainz’ heels. What a dilemma! To skip ahead of Charles could be a massive blow to Carlos’ confidence, but the Spaniard still didn’t have enough pace. Carlos Sainz was given a chance, but the team spent a lot of time thinking. As a result Ferrari lost points, while Hamilton was already in third place on lap 31.

Sergio Perez rushed even faster. Weighing in the pros and cons, Ferrari decided to ignore Charles Leclerc, who was competing for the championship lead. Carlos Sainz won the Silverstone Grand Prix in 2022.

Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher engaged in a beautiful battle on the 52nd lap. Red Bull driver finished seventh. Lewis Hamilton took third place, while Sergio Perez finished second. Charles Leclerc was only fourth.

Thus, the Silverstone Grand Prix 2022 is one of the best F1 races in recent years that you need to watch again.

Max Verstappen British GP 2021, huge g-force in F1

Verstappen And Hamilton Crashing At Silverstone In 2021

The Silverstone Grand Prix 2021 was far from thrilling F1 races. However, in the sense of leaving us with a logical puzzle without a single answer that was the race that divided the Formula 1 Paddock into two quite opposing opinion options.

The incident occurred at Turn 9 (Copse Corner) on lap 1. As a result of a collision with Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen hit the barrier sideways. Verstappen struggled with the F1 G-force for the 51G impact! However, the Dutch F1 driver suffered no major injuries, but was taken to hospital for checks.

The crash cost the Red Bull team 750 thousand euros, excluding engine damage.

Hamilton Verstappen collide opinions
Hamilton Verstappen crash opinions

The official verdict on who was at fault for the Hamilton Verstappen crash at Silverstone 2021 stated that Hamilton was found to be “predominantly to blame for the incident”. While we still believe it was a racing incident, we encourage you to rewatch this moment.

Sergio Perez, F1 Austria 2021

2021 Austrian Grand Prix: Nerves Were Raw Till The Chequered Flag

Another one from greates F1 races over the past few years was the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix. It would be more accurate to call it a nerve-racking moment since most of the drivers had to recover their nerves.

Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo, Peirre Gasly, Nicholas Latifi, Nikita Mazepin and Antonio Giovinazzi got the portion of penalties. FIA penalties in the form of five seconds rained down during the whole race.

Lewis Hamilton’s car lost almost 30 points of downforce as a result of the kerb damage. He had advanced to second place in the first stint of the race after starting from fourth position on the grid and overtaking Valtteri Bottas and Lando Norris.

The battle was so fast that Hamilton sustained damage to the left rear of his car, which cost him downforce. Hamilton finished fourth.

Valtteri Bottas was like a robot. He put pressure on Lando Norris and Sergio Perez. As a result he finished third.

During the race, George Russell got out of his skin to overtake teammate Nicholas Latifi to finish in the top ten, but in vain. The nerves of Fernando Alonso lay bare already on Saturday, when Sebastian Vettel inadvertently ruined the battle for a starting spot.

Vettel had just celebrated his 34th birthday and pulled Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen off the track. However, that did not prevent Fernando Alonso from fighting George Russell and finishing 10th.

Lucky Max and Super Lando

As the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix was filled with battles at different places, it earned its place among the best races in F1. Ferrari was in the grasp of other drivers.

Charles Leclerc was in the center of the action. Sergio Perez was fearless in anger, as he was ready to accelerate and devour the entire free space at the Red Bull Ring. As a result he got two five-second time penalties!

At the restart of the race, after the withdrawal of Esteban Ocon, Perez attacked Norri twice, but Lando stood firm in his defense. Sergio ran wide into gravel to take 10th place. However, he was determined to make up for lost time with even greater force! The Mexican finished the race in Austria in fifth place, but dropped to sixth due to penalties.

At the Austrian Grand Prix 2021 we saw how strong Verstappen’s nervous system is. The rest of the hurricanes, including the rain, passed him by. Verstappen won the race to the delight of local fans.

In Norris’ case, it was like he knew the magic word to his car. Lando fought back against Hamilton, Bottas, and Perez in his McLaren! He became the Driver of the Day, while we started to call him SuperLando.

Baku Grnad Prix 2021 one of the most exciting F1 races

2021 Baku Grand Prix Is A Multi F1 race You Have To Rewatch

F1 Baku GP 2021 was both strange and amazing. Sunday’s race included two completely different races from a seemingly boring start to a thrilling finish.

Baku was the continuation of the Monaco Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc took pole, while Lewis Hamilton was second on Saturday.

Due to red flags on the track, Max Verstappen couldn’t achieve his best result, which would have placed him far ahead of Charles Leclerc. Sergio Perez was also stopped by red flags.

Sergio Perez still needed the highest results in his first season at Red Bull. His position in the team was as unstable as a chair on three legs.

On the eve of the race weekend there was a serious scandal – the question of flexible wings at Red Bull was not giving the Mercedes team peace of mind.

However, as much as Lewis Hamilton tried, he could only get a bit closer to Sergio Perez. Red Bull cars had speed advantages in turns – that’s the crux of the matter!

Baku GP 2021

Pirelli’s Poltergeist Or The Baku’s Double Race

Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc pulled away with Hamilton, Verstappen and Sergio Perez, but Leclerc dropped back to P4 a lap later and Perez overtook the Ferrari.

Max Verstappen took the lead after a crucial sequence of pit stops. Lewis Hamilton started this sequence on lap 12 with a slow switch to Hard. Verstappen pitted a lap later. He was followed by Perez. The Dutchman seemed to have the win in his bag! But Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll suffered a terrible accident on lap 35.

Max Verstappen had been leading comfortably on lap 47, when he faced something really strange and fast. His Pirelli tyre burst at high speed! He spun. Uninjured but shaken, Max Verstappen waited for Bert Mailander. On lap 48, the race was stopped by the safety car.

Second Part Of The Race In Azerbaijan

The race would have continued quickly, but Christian Horner informed Michael Masi that the problem was clearly with the tires. All teams immediately changed their tire sets. Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton were already looking at each other, when on lap 50 the race was restarted. This was how the Azerbaijan GP had to end.

Lewis Hamilton was apprehensive about changing tires before the restart. As a result, on the penultimate lap, he blocked the car heavily and finished 15th, leaving Perez to celebrate the victory, Vettel in second and Gasly third.

The most unpleasant things a F1 driver can hear – Sebastien Vettel has heard them all. Despite this, the German F1 driver finished an impressive second due to an overcut F1 strategy.

As Max Verstappeb said, the problem clearly lay with the Pirelli kits. While Mario Isola was almost certain that the reason for the dramatic finish was debris and foreign objects. We added another point, as Baku City Circuit has a specific layout.

The Baku Grand Prix in 2021 was an unexpected F1 race that turned from almost boring to maximum risk in the blink of an eye.

Bahrain Grand Prix 2022

2022 Bahrain Grand Prix: The Battle That Kept You On Your Toes Until The Finish

In 2022, the Bahrain Grand Prix earned a spot on our list of the best F1 races. It was the season’s first race, and it was a successful start. As a result of these 57 laps, you find yourself alternating between laughing and crying.

There was no doubt that Scuderia Ferrari cars would add pace due to their updated engines, but no one expected them to be so effective!

On Saturday Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz set the fastest lap record at Sakhir as a one-two.

Former Red Bull driver Alex Albon, who raced for Williams, passed through in Q2. Kevin Magnussen, who broke agreements with Cadillac and Peugeot in order to gain illusionary chances in Formula 1, was confident in placing sixth on Saturday.

F1 fans were astonished to see Lewis Hamilton’s yellow T-bar camera on his car, which meant that Hamilton was Mercedes’ driver number two. But in fact, there were simpler reasons for that. He explained that he started the 2022 F1 season with a new yellow helmet design and needed the same-color T-bar camera. Taking a look ahead, he was the most stylish man at the grid.

It seemed a bit unfair that Haas F1 chose Kevin Magnussen instead of Nico Hulkenberg. Nico started the weekend as a replacement for positive covid-tested Sebastian Vettel, but qualified only 17th overall.

As the race began, Verstappen, Perez, Hamilton, and Russell chased Ferrari. They accelerated like rockets. Kevin Magnussen held onto his eighth place, ready to bite everyone!

On lap 5, Lewis Hamilton climbed to fourth, while there were more than three seconds between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen on lap 11.

Hamilton pulled into the pits on lap 12 as it was clear a change of tactics was needed, but the medium compound didn’t work, and “there is no grip!” he claimed.

Verstappen became obsessed with Charles Leclerc on lap 16. He made the fastest lap of 1:36,905 and rushed to set a new lap record of 1:36,634 on the second attempt! The Red Bull driver sped into space like a rocket and was almost overtaking Leclerc, but Charles found extra speed and kept the lead. It was the 16th and 18th laps of the Bahrain Grand Prix 2022 that made it the best F1 race in recent times. Max Verstappen had been keeping a 0,5 second gap with Leclerc during that time.

The furious Red Bull accelerates at full throttle and…. Max Verstappen was locked-up.

Sergio Perez rushed to help his teammate in his fight against Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, understanding that “one cannot fight alone”. The Mexican driver set the lap record on the 20th lap. Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Russell, Magnussen were in the top 10.

“From Zero To Hero”

On the 28th lap Lewis Hamilton dared to launch the second “pit wave”. Max Verstappen followed on the 31st lap. Sergio Perez continued to find purple sectors! The orange grandstands erupted in celebration as Ferrari and Red Bull battled it out!

Charles Leclerc’s second pitstop came on the same 31st lap. He pulled out of the track a second ahead of Max Verstappen! Red grandstand cheers Scuderia Ferrari! Max Verstappen was indignant. What is inside this SF-75 Ferrari? Despite the fact that there was more than half the distance of the Bahrain Grand Prix 2022, it was still impossible to overtake Charles Leclerc!

Lewis Hamilton overtook Pierre Gasley for seventh place. Kevin Magnussen proved Haas made the right decision and jumped into the top 6 again!

“Free to push” – Max Verstappen got clear instructions from the Red Bull team. Carlos Sainz rushed to the third pitstop, George Russell followed.

After the 44th lap, Max Verstappen was still trying to move Charles Leclerc. Sergio Perez headed to the pits. There was a ten-second gap between the Mexican driver and Lewis Hamilton.

The tension was heating up as Carlos Sainz also turned into the pits to protect his second position. In the meantime, Max Verstappen had been facing a problem with the battery charger. Lewis Hamilton has already understood that there is a chance! Mercedes driver accelerated, pulling out of the pitlane. Bom! Pierre Gasly’s Alpha Tauri broke down and fired up on lap 48.

Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Russell, Magnussen, and Bottas passed the safety car on lap 51.

As if he were on the loose, Carlos Sainz attacked Max Verstappen for second position. Hamilton rushed on Perez with the same passion. Sainz doubled the lead ahead of Red Bull. Sergio Perez set the fastest time on the 52nd lap.

“That’s not a battery,” the team yelled at Max Vertsappen. This was the end. With joy, Carlos Sainz overtook an exhausted Red Bull.

“We can do nothing,” Red Bull said. The race for Bahrain Grand Prix 2022 continues with Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Russell, Magnussen, and Bottas.

“If it rains before seven, it will clear by eleven” – as they say, or Sergio Perez had been losing power on the 56th lap. Perez was flattened out in Turn 2. There was real drama: the orange grandstand was almost crying. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, moved up to third!

The Bahrain Grand Prix 2022 was won by Leclerc, Sainz, Hamilton, Russell, Magnussen and Bottas. Red Bull did not receive any points. Leclerc became the Driver of the Day.

Consequently, the Bahrain Grand Prix 2022 is exciting and one of the best F1 races you should rewatch. It was a drama-filled game, with the battle between nearly three teams and emotions out of control!

Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff

Penalties Rain At The 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix

Maybe the most curious F1 race in recent memory is the Brazilian Grand Prix 2021. Lewis Hamilton won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Overtaking all drivers, he made it twice. Besides, his sensational battle with Max Verstappen made the Brazilian Grand Prix 2021 one of the best F1 races that we recommend you rewatch.

The weekend started with a scandal over a logistical issue. The transport of cargo and Formula 1 cars from Mexico to Brazil was becoming a logistical nightmare.

The fog caused a delay in the departure of cargo planes from Mexico City. From Mexico to Brazil, each team sent a plane loaded with 26 to 28 tons of cargo and F1 cars.

Cargo arrived only on Thursday afternoon! Employees from all F1 teams worked through the night to prepare the cars for Friday’s practice. Besides sleepless nights and overtime, each team paid half a million dollars to move from Mexico to Brazil.

Against The Predictions

So, it seemed that everything was ready to start. However, the gap between the upper and lower parts of Lewis Hamilton’s car was wider than it should have been when DRS was on.

Lewis Hamilton’s car at the Brazilian Grand Prix failed the test four times. The first test involves checking the gap when DRS is off. It must be between 10mm and 15mm. The car passed this part of the test. The active DRS lifts the upper element of the wing to a flatter position. The gap must be between 10mm and 85mm. The maximum distance is measured by pressing an 85mm track with a maximum load of 10N into the gap.

Lewis Hamilton knew he would get a five-place penalty for his engine. He was fastest in Friday’s qualifying. Red Bull F1 Team’s Christian Horner and Helmut Marko noticed Mercedes was too fast and turned to the race stewards. Max Verstappen seemed so surprised that he decided to touch Lewis Hamilton’s car with his own hands to check.

Max Verstappen led the field in Saturday’s 100km sprint race after Lewis Hamilton lost his position. So it seemed that the Red Bull crew could breathe a sigh of relief, but no one could touch the car without permission. In the end, Max Verstappen was fined 50,000 euros for touching Lewis Hamilton’s rear wing at Parc Ferme.

The race stewards announced their verdict on Hamilton. These were 5,000 euros and a further 20,000 euros suspended until the end of 2022. He also received a penalty for loosening his seatbelt on the introductory lap at the end of the race. This was when he grabbed a Brazilian flag from a marshal before the victory lap.

George Russell and Sergio Perez Sakhir Grand Prix

2020 Sakhir Grand Prix Is One Of The Best Races In F1 With The Consequences

After Lewis Hamilton tested positive for Covid 19, Mercedes started looking for a replacement. The search didn’t last long, as George Russell (Williams) was eager to take the wheel of the fastest car on the grid.

George Russell had a high chance of finishing on the podium at the Sakhir Grand Prix, but something went wrong. This was one of the dramas that made the Sakhir Grand Prix 2020 one of the most exciting F1 races of recent times.

After coming to Bahrain as a reserved Mercedes driver, Stoffel Vandoorne was hoping to get into his desired car number 44. However, moments later the team announced Lewis Hamilton’s car would receive the 63 number and allowed George Russell to catch Sakhir’s night lights.

With a positive attitude, Russell posted the fastest times in free practice on Friday and Saturday. Despite qualifying second behind Valtteri Bottas, the gap between the two Mercedes cars was 0.026 seconds!

george russell best f1 race sakhir

Did George Russell Fail The Mission?

Russell’s start at Mercedes was so good that even Bottas was nervous. George Russell had a very strong race for more than half of the race: he took advantage of Valtteri Bottas’ mistakes to drive away from him. Until lap 61, it was a pure success.

By a stroke of luck, Jack Aitken replaced George in the Williams F1 car and spun in the last corner after hitting the guardrail. The car lost its front wing – but it stayed on the track. Mercedes decided to make a double pit stop while a safety car was on the track. If Russell’s car was serviced fast enough, Bottas’s pit stop lasted 27 seconds.

The problem came from a tyre mix-up. Valtteri Bottas had to go back for the old tires and finished fifth. After a few seconds George Russell’s Mercedes was called back to the pits again to get the right tires. The Mercedes team later received a fine of 20,000 euros for the tyre mix-up. 

The engineer informed Russell of a puncture on the rear left wheel and he changed the tires again on lap 78. He returned to the track in 14th place, where his next goal was to finish in the top ten. The Briton crossed the line in tenth place on lap 86 after beating Pierre Gasly.

It looked like a big defeat for George Russell, but it was actually a defeat for the whole Mercedes team, not just George alone. The Sakhir Grand Prix 2020 served as a thorough test for George Russell, where team principal Toto Wolff made the decision to sign Russell with Mercedes even more certain.

Sergio Perez Secured His Future In Formula 1

Sakhir Grand Prix 2020 unexpectedly offered the chance to another driver. Racing Point (Aston Martin) announced that Perez’s contract wouldn’t be extended for the 2021 season. Obviously, the Mexican driver was going to leave Formula 1. The chain of unexpected crashes, rushes in the team led to both Racing Point drivers taking the podium, while Sergio Perez won the race at Sakhir. Eventually, Red Bull announced they had signed a contract with the Mexican. His victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix 2020 proved crucial to Red Bull’s decision. In some ways, it saved his career.

As one of the best F1 races in recent memory, Sakhir Grand Prix 2020 was full of racing tension, emotions, tears, and happy smiles. Knowing all of the background means you have to rewatch.

Romain Grosjean’s Crash At Bahrain International Circuit In 2020

Remarkable that previously held at Bahrain International Circuit, the Bahrain Grand Prix was also noted for its horrific crash. That is still one of the most terrible F1 car crashes of the past decade. On lap 1, the Haas F1 driver was traveling 192 kph (119 mph) when his car hit a metal barrier, causing an explosive fire. Grosjean miraculously escaped the fire. He spent more than 20 seconds struggling to free himself from the burning wreck. Read about Grosjean’s crash in Bahrain in 2020.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021

Epic 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: A Roaring Finish

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 will live long in the memory of F1 fans as well as the FIA. The rivalry between Merced and Red Bull was beyond any control, but it wasn’t the first time.

The race decided the F1 championship between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Both cars were fast but in different ways. Red Bull had better downforce, while Mercedes had a higher average speed. Therefore, both teams adopted quite different strategies.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 In Simple Terms

At Red Bull they made a bet on super-fast, but quickly deteriorated Soft tires with a few pit stops. To play long-term, Lewis Hamilton selected slower, but more endurance-oriented Medium and Hard compounds. That is why Hamilton lost his qualifying pole, as he had a lack of speed, but that was the plan.

Hamilton overtook Verstappen quickly, and that was predictable. One thing wasn’t in Mercedes’ plan – the safety car.

However, the real safety car appeared at the Yas Marina Circuit on lap 50 when Nicholas Latifi crashed after a scrap with the Haas of Mick Schumacher. In terms of safety that was right.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez changed tires for the new soft. Lewis Hamilton worked hard to save the lead.

Toto Wolff vs Michael Masi: The final lap of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021

On lap 56 Michael Massi decided to restart the race.

He informed the lapped drivers between Hamilton and Verstappen that they could overtake the leader and the safety car on the same lap. The case was about drivers between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen only, while the other lapped drivers didn’t get the same instructions despite the FIA regulations.

In anticipation of Lewis Hamilton’s advantage dissipating, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff began consulting with F1 race director Michael Masi to avoid interfering with the battle. There was a real controversy when Red Bull’s team principal joined the conversation!

Abu Dhabi GP 2021
Max Verstappen Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021

That is what happened on the last 1.5 laps of the 2021 Formula 1 season. After the restart, Max Verstappen used fresh tyres to overtake Hamilton.

What did Michael Masi say to Toto Wolff?

“No, no Michael – that was soo not right,” replied Wolff. Masi’s condescending response did little to ease the tension.

“It’s called a motor race,” noted Masi.

Hamilton had been trying to reclaim coveted first place for a few more turns, but failed. Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 and became the youngest ever Formula 1 world champion.

What happened next is impossible to describe and makes no sense.

The Investigations After The Abu Dhabi Race

Despite the special F1 commission investigating the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021, it wasn’t easy to reach a final decision quickly. Initial steps to clarify the situation were unsuccessful.

Both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen showed remarkable performance and sportsmanship after the season ended.

The safety of all involved and the integrity of the sport are the primary responsibilities of the FIA.

What has happened will be discussed with all teams and drivers and clarified for the participants, media and fans about the current regulations in order to preserve the competitive character.

The Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has provoked a multitude of reactions from all over the world.

Following the report on the sequence of events following the incident on lap 53 of the Grand Prix, the FIA President proposed a detailed analysis.

The FIA will set this in motion within the Formula 1 Commission to give the Sporting Advisory Committee, with the support of Formula 1 drivers, a clear mandate for studies and proposals.

Article 48.12 of the FIA rulebook which states that “any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car”.

Should the race be ended by a safety car? As it was before the restart, Lewis Hamilton would be the winner and for the eighth time F1 champion. Could the race be decided like that? That’s the point. According to FIA regulations, Michael Masi was supposed to instruct all lapped cars to pass leaders. The safety car had to complete one lap and finish the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. That’s the hot topic and also the most difficult conversation about Michael Masi and Toto Wolff.

Although, 82% of F1 fans believe that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was not rigged against Hamilton, the situation is heating up. Furthermore, most experts around Formula 1 claimed that an end to the fight for the World Championship is not an option for Lewis Hamilton. Former champion Mario Andretti believes Lewis Hamilton would be doing himself a “disservice” if he did not return.

We had rewatched the race several times. Each time, we got a different opinion on what was right or wrong. To find your own point of view, you must rewatch Abu Dhabi GP 2021. This is the most exciting F1 race in recent years and is among the five most debatable F1 controversies.

F1 Saudi Arabia 2022

2022 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix: Dangerous Jeddah Catches The Eye

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix debuted in 2021. Then, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton turned upside down the FIA rules system. You can read about it on Hamilton And Verstappen deliver FIA as MaFIA In Jeddah.

However, the few changes in the layout led Verstappen to describe Jeddah as the most dangerous track in Formula 1.

A circuit resembles one long, straight line, but this is the biggest mistake. As the road line wavers, F1 drivers become real racing surfers.

As such, Saudi Arabia 2022 was full of tension and risks, making it one of the best F1 races in recent memory.

The weekend started with Mick Schumacher suffering a horrific 170mph crash in Jeddah. He lost the back end of his Haas VF-22 and spun heavily into the wall in Q2 of F1 qualifying. Schumacher faced an incredible 33 G-force impact. Haas F1 Team estimated the damage to the car at $1 million.

Sergio Perez took pole i, while Charles Leclerc was second and Max Verstappen third. Lewis Hamilton did not even qualify for Q2.

The Main Battles Of The 2022 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix

We highly recommend you to rewatch F1 Saudi Arabia 2022 Grand Prix as the race was full of racing battles.

Alonso demonstrated his champion skills against his Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon. Despite his Alpine being retired because of engine problems, he still placed 9th.

But the main fight was Ferrari versus Red Bull. Additionally, Max Verstappen demonstrated the champion’s model of driving at every corner of the track as he battled Charles Leclerc. Moreover, victory was decided on the final laps, when Nicolas Latifi crashed the car again.

Verstappen deservedly won the F1 Saudi Arabia 2022 Grand Prix. Possibly this is one of his best races of his career.

Lando Norris’ Drama At The 2021 Russian Grand Prix

Russian Grand Prix 2021 was that one, in which heavy rain did its own bidding a few laps before the finish. Lewis Hamilton described Lando Norris’s race as “worst nightmare”.

The most exciting aspect of the race was just how close Lando Norris was to winning the Russian Grand Prix 2021. However, the most dramatic part was how it turned out.

Already on Saturday McLaren wowed F1 fans with Lando Norris taking pole, while Daniel Ricciardo placed fifth.

Moreover, another huge shock was the phenomenal third place of George Russell. No matter what, he made it behind the wheel of the Williams car. Carlos Sainz started second.

The pundits predicted rain before, during, and after the race, but no one knew when it would start.

Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz and George Russell took the lead. After a short time, Lewis Hamilton stood second. Norris had no doubts about winning the race in Sochi. That is how it should be, as on lap 48/53 Norris was almost 50 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton!

A few moments later at the Fisht building, Max Verstappen complained indignantly – “rain!”. This was the fundamental dilemma, as no one wanted to risk five laps to finish.

Russian GP 2021 starting grid

Rain Made The Sochi GP 2021 One Of The Most Exciting F1 Race

The trio reacted differently. Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris had hesitated and delayed making their decision. While third placed Sainz immediately rushed to the pit for intermediates.

Ricciardo gave clear instructions about changing tires. Even Hamilton felt a lot of water under the wheels, but Norris was certain. “No need” – he switched off the team radio. McLaren engineers frantically closed their eyes and begged Lando Norris in vain to come to the pits.

As a result, the gap between Lando and the others melted like a candle from 50 to seven seconds when he entered lap 50/53.

Just a few moments later, heavy rain sat in at the Sochi Autodrom and ruined all McLaren dreams of victory.

Ultimately, Lando Norris was forced into the pits, when there was so much water that he skidded. But his chances of reaching the podium were long over. He ran wide at turn 5, then spun at low speed in turn 7, while Hamilton raced past.

Lewis Hamilton had led just three laps and claimed his long-awaited 100th career victory. Lando Norris finished the Russian Grand Prix in 7th place. He came to congratulate Lewis, but he didn’t take off his helmet. It wasn’t just raindrops, it was tears of unfulfilled longing. After a while, the McLaren driver commented.

George Russell finished the race in 10th. The dilemma of Lando Norris, however, made the Russian GP 2021 one of the best F1 races in recent years.

The Golden Battles of the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix

Austrian Grand Prix sets in top of best races of the Formula 1 2022 season because it unwrapped with many unpredictable battles. 

Thus the lap 24, we saw the epic five-car battle. Orange fumes filled the grandstands as Kevin Magnussen, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso, Mick Schumacher, and Zhou Guanyu competed for points. George Russell and Sergio Perez had grappled on lap 26. Perez came outside to the gravel but returned to the race before he was forced to retire with technical problems. Mercedes driver George Russell got a five-second penalty.

When Max Verstappen overtook him for a third position on Lap 18, Lewis Hamilton felt Deja Vu—the impossible speed advantage, like it was before with Mercedes, but for now with Red Bul. However, it didn’t prevent bringing joy into the team, as after both crashed their vehicles during Saturday’s sprint race, the team had fully repaired both W13S in just six hours!

The F1 community saw Mick Schumacher show the teeth and become the driver of the day. He battled fiercely against Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso and finished sixth place. The Austrian GP 2022 is one of his best.

2022 Austrian GP winners
2022 Austrian GP winners

Charles Leclerc Wins In The Orange Fog!

However, the main adornment of the Austrian Grand Prix was the victory of Charles Leclerc, who successfully survived Max Verstappen’s attacks. 

We had two leaders heading to Austria: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Verstappen won the Austrian F1 sprint race easily and took first place at the start of Sunday’s race. Leclerc’s attempts to press Red Bull were unsuccessful.

However, he broke out after the start. On Lap 12, the Monegasque F1 driver took the lead. On lap 26, Leclerc pitted, and Verstappen headed the line in front of the grandstands of the Red Bull Ring. There was one thing that helped the Ferrari driver again. Verstappen couldn’t handle the tires well, and Leclerc grabbed the lead quickly on Lap33.

 Lap 38, the Dutch driver was given the order “free to push,” and it seemed that everything already had been decided. But at that moment, all his dreams immediately faded as he faced problems with the gas pedal.

The Monegasque driver had lost pace. Unbelievable silence covered the Red Bull Ring. The gap between Leclerc and Red Bull’s home hero Verstappen reduced every second. Three minutes, two minutes. But he survived! Charles Leclerc struggled with all the problems and made an incredible win in front of all the fans of Max Verstappen! That was brilliant!

However, Carlos Sainz retired from the race on Lap 51. His Ferrari lost pace and brought the fumes into the orange fog of Spielberg. The car stalled, and the Ferrari drove down the track while the Spaniard couldn’t get out of the vehicle.

Fernando Alonso Canadian Grand Prix 2022

2022 Canadian Grand Prix That Outdid The Expectations

At that time, Formula 1 returned to Montreal for the first time since 2019. No one among 300,000 fans came together expected to see the Canadian Grand Prix 2022 become so thrilling. 

The first one to surprise was Fernando Alonso, who made a breakthrough in wet qualifying sessions. Alonso set the record for Alpine with his second place. F1 fans thought it was just a temporary luck, but he secured the pole with 1:24, 848 in Q3. The Spaniard started the Canadian Grand Prix 2022 in second place. Despite Alonso’s promises to attack Max Verstappen in the first turn, he raced as the lion for over twenty laps before Hamilton overtook him on lap 24.

However, the Alpine driver finished the race in seventh place. One says the brilliant Alonso’s job was hurt by the offensive strategy because the pit stop was wrong. He lost more than won.  

After fixing the porpoising of their cars, the Mercedes team was full of hope. Therefore, Hamilton overtook Alonso more easily. He claimed his podium and finished third, while his teammate George Russell was fourth. 

Another team to surprise was Haas. Kevin Magnussen had held in the top 5 in Montreal, while Mick Schumacher finally found the pace, and both finished qualifying on P5 and P6 respectively. However, the race was full of rise and fall. Unfortunately, Haas drivers failed: Magnussen went to the pits after an accident with Lewis Hamilton. Mick Schumacher faced technical problems and retired from the race.

Canadian Grand Prix 2022 results

The Epicenter Of Racing Battles

Despite Verstappen winning the race, the retirement of Sergio Perez was a defeat for Red Bull, as the Mercedes team scored with two cars. However, he was not the only one to feel bad luck. 

McLaren’s Lando Norris faced technical problems during qualifying, but Daniel Ricciardo failed to get enough out of the car’s pace, and he finished out of the points. 

Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou made a brilliant race and ninth-place finish. The Chinese driver showed proper battle throughout the entire Canadian Grand Prix. Another hero of the race was Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. 

With a ten-place penalty, Leclerc had battled for each ten of the second. Carefully, he overtook cars one by one and took P5 from the last of the grid! His teammate Carlos Sainz climbed to second place!

Canadian Grand Prix 2022 is worthy of rewatching and is deservedly suiting its place as an exciting race due to the many racing battles and classical overtakes.

Alonso Bahrain GP 2023

2023 Bahrain Grand Prix: The Rise Of Aston Martin

The 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix launched the new season and impressed even the most pampered F1 fans. Thus, we got used to the dominance of Mercedes, the following lead of the Red Bull team, and fewer or more attempts of Ferrari to answer these two. However, that was the 2023 season when two new teams started this chat too. That was a really unexpected turn.

So, Aston Martin’s driver Fernand Alonso set the fastest time on Friday and Saturday but finished qualifying fifth. Despite nursing a wrist injury, Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll qualified eighth. The fact that AMR23 had the pace caused Mercedes and Red Bull to reflect on the eve of Sunday’s race. That was for a reason.

Fernando Alonso Is Back In The Game

After the race started, Alonso was comfortable waiting for the right moment to attack. Hamilton went to the pits to swap on hard on lap 13. Ferrari responded by double-stacked a lap later. Russell followed but was too slow, and Alonso overtook him after pitting on lap 15. Bottas made it as high as sixth, having taken new tires earlier, but Alonso overtook him easily on lap 17.

Already on lap 30, Bottas ran for another set of hards, and Hamilton and Stroll reluctantly followed suit one lap later. Russell pitted for hard on lap 31 and emerged behind Hamilton. Stroll, whose tires were warmer, cruised past Russell for P7. Sainz pitted, and Leclerc stayed out on lap 34.

So, don’t open the highlights, but rewatch the race since lap 35 when Perez and Alonso switched tires. Alonso collected purple sectors and moved up to Hamilton with new tires. There was almost a four-lap battle between the Spaniard and Lewis Hamilton for fifth place throughout four laps. It seemed he was already set for P5 on lap 37, but he suffered a snap of oversteer on the exit and lost the place.

With F1 fans staring at once, Alonso overtook Hamilton on lap 40 very clearly. Due to engine problems, Charles Leclerc retired on lap 41. He came to a stop at the penultimate corner. A Virtual Safety Car launched.

The third position was more than just a dream for Aston Martin because being third, another Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz had struggled for traction as the tires were out. 

After 44 laps, Alonso started a battle against Sainz. He got within DRS range of Sainz and almost ran into the back of the Ferrari, making very slight contact on lap 45. With a technically best exit out of Turn 10, plus DRS, Alonso swept up the Ferrari, setting a third-place finish for lap 46! He became the driver of the day, while Sainz finished fourth and was mad with it. After 46 laps of the 2023 Bahrain GP, good relations between the two cracked a bit. 

As for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, he destroyed Aston Martin’s dreams of a pole when he outjumped the others in Saturday’s qualifying. Setting themselves comfortable on 1-2 – Verstappen and Perez charged to lead the Bahrain GP 2023. His lead had grown to almost 14 seconds by lap 30 and reached a 37-second lead when he pitted from softs to hards on lap 37. Max Verstappen won the Bahrain GP 2023, while Sergio Perez finished second.

Bahrain GP 2023 results

McLaren Failed The 2023 Season Start

McLaren’s rookie driver Oscar Pisatri started the race 18th. He was so close to the top ten when he had to change his steering wheel due to an electrical issue. After fixing those on lap 13, he was stuck in the pits for two laps before retiring.

Another McLaren driver, Lando Norris had been racing at the back throughout the Bahrain GP. Norris did not succeed with McLaren’s late gamble on soft tires. After pitting six times, he finished the race 17th.

However, fans were treated with thrilling emotions of Bahrain GP 2023. Perhaps Red Bull’s dominance was not something to argue about shortly, but it became clear the cars of the following league, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, were already stepping on the Bulls’ heels.

Instead of an Afterword

Formula 1 is theatre on wheels, with elements of drama, thriller and even horror! And you never know which element will be the focal point. All the cards may be played according to plan, but sometimes Formula 1 races are held in an unexpected manner.

It may depend on human mistakes, as hundreds of people are involved. It may be a technical issue. Even the weather can throw a plan out of whack. That is what is being called Formula 1. It is for that reason that millions of fans from around the world are waiting with bated breath for the coveted weekend. They hope that this race will be thrilling!