DESERT REGION – LAS VEGAS CHAPTER
2nd Quarter 2019
And, so, what we have here is the second quarterly report for 2019 on the happenings of the Las Vegas Chapter of the Ferrari Owners Club. Yes, it does seem the last one of these was published just last week, but that just goes to prove the adage…time flies. And I can say that it seems to fly faster as I get older. So, start your engine, put on your driving gloves and Piloti shoes, and don’t forget your bifocals, because we are going to take a cruise through the second three months of 2019.
OPENING COMMENTARY
Well, things have certainly settled down…mostly. The Mueller Report is still simmering on the back burner, but it seems unlikely that it will ever boil over. With the 2020 election coming into focus, impeachment now seems unlikely. The Democrats and Republicans are still fighting like cats and dogs, but that really isn’t news. Several weeks ago the menagerie of democratic presidential hopefuls grew to the bursting point, but no one new has thrown their hat into the mix recently, so I can now say I know about half of them by name and face. The first debates were must see TV in late June, and I would guess that the field will be reduced in short order based upon the perceived winners and losers. Meanwhile, the stock market has consolidated its first quarter recovery and is aiming at new all-time highs, so the well-off seem to be prospering, which always bodes well for Ferrari prices.
Clouds on the horizon? They’re always there. The hawks in the administration are rattling their sabers, as they are often wont to do. Iran…China…North Korea….Mexico? All I can say is that many of these peoples do not react well to being pushed around by bullies or being marginalized. My advice: don’t get into a fight with an adversary that has nothing to lose. Enough said.
Getting back to Ferrari prices, I notice a change in the marketplace for new and relatively late model Ferraris. People no longer seem to be desperate to buy a brand new Ferrari from a dealer, and then trade it in on the next new model. And those who are unable to purchase a new car no longer seem willing to pay original MSRP, or even more, for a car that is virtually new, but officially second hand. I believe that this has happened because there are suddenly so many more cars exotic cars (new and especially used) available for sale. Ferrari is building more cars every year. Lamborghini is building more cars every year, and some of them are really nice. McLaren, new to the market, is building desirable cars, and expanding production. Aston Martin production is up, especially in sport models. Porsche and Mercedes are suddenly building top-of-the-line models that can be seen as competition to Ferrari. But of greater significance is the number of used cars available. Over the last 10 years or so the number of new cars being produced (see above) has increased greatly. Most of these cars are now with second or third (or more) owners and they have depreciated significantly. But they are still desirable and have performance far greater than most of us can use. And to the common man they are essentially indistinguishable from the new models being produced. These cars are a very viable alternative to buying something new, or near new. In the end, there are only so many people in the world who can afford (or even desire to own) an exotic plaything. In summary: Ferraris were once very rare and desirable toys; now, they, and their exotic siblings, are beginning to glut the market.
Spurred by the enthusiasm of Dan and Jan Fogle, the second quarter of 2019 saw some very good events and social encounters for fun, food, and drink. Oh, and driving too! Recaps of some of those are listed below. If you missed all or most of them, you missed some good times. With the hot summer upon us, the number of events in the third quarter may be fewer, but they will be as good or better. In any case, we hope to see you at an event soon. With that in mind, let’s have a look at what happened in the recent past.
April 14: Drive to Death Valley
With eight Ferraris and 12 people participating, this was a very strong turnout, and everyone seemed to have a good time. Among the attendees were potential new Las Vegas Chapter member Howard Robinson and Andrew Williams, a visitor from the UK who rented a brand new 488 to join us for the ride. Andrew especially seemed to have a wonderful day, and his enthusiasm was contagious. We thank him for brightening everyone’s experience. Road work traffic on the way to Pahrump was a bit of an issue, but it was clear sailing once that bit was in the rear view mirror. It is good to see that there is interest in doing some of these longer drives, so more may be in the offing in the months ahead.
April 25: Social at Marche Bacchus
A surprisingly low attendance was experienced at this event. Moreover, the members that did attend complained of slow and indifferent service. Perhaps this once ultra-popular hot spot is losing its mojo? Or maybe it was just an off day? We shall see.
May 8: Board of Directors Meeting at the home of Jan and Dan Fogle
As is becoming the norm, this Meeting, held at a private home, was well attended by both Board and regular members. These meetings are becoming akin to mini-socials in their own rights. We thank Jan and Dan profusely for again hosting the Board and for the fabulous spread of food provided. Items for discussion ranged from the usual and mundane (dates and venues for future Socials, review of financials, and potential new members) to the more involving (planned activities, the website and its calendar of events, and the upcoming National Meet in Phoenix to be held on November 6 through 11). We again urge you to attend the Meet, and to reserve you hotel rooms ASAP. Also of note from the Meeting: it seems that the Concours at Red Rock Country Club is being revived. This event, which our members enjoyed in prior years, will be held on September 28.
May 23: Social at Table 34
Given that this spot is a favorite of our members, it was no surprise that we had an excellent turnout for this event. Nearly 20 attended, including elusive Deshawn, who is always a pleasure see. Also of note was the presence of Bev and Keith Evans, and of Marshall Buck. The only possible fly in the ointment was the prediction of poor weather, especially important as we generally begin our culinary journeys at Table 34 outside, and because many members generally drive their Ferraris to this venue. Well, despite threatening clouds (which certainly severely curbed the number of Ferraris in the parking lot), we were able to enjoy our appetizers and pre-dinner quaffs with nary a raindrop. However, we did move inside for the main course. Seated at two large tables, the conversations were lively and the food sublime. An excellent evening; we take our hats off to Elda and Bianca for making it all happen.
June 1: Drive to Nelson Landing and Tour of the Techatticup Gold Mine
Five cars and 10 people ventured off on a spectacular Saturday morning for a drive south to Nelson Landing and the T-Gold Mine. Included in the number were the elusive Juan Valdez and his gracious wife (on their first event with our group I believe), ensconced in a highly factory-customized 458; it is a beauty. In a minor change to our agenda, the first stop was at Nelson Landing, where a highly suspicious, and perhaps otherwise unoccupied, member of the local police force questioned our motivation in taking photos, of all things. Sounds like a major felony to me. Later, this same guardian of the peace was spotted lurking, waiting to pounce and write a few tickets for ‘them strange foreign cars.” Fortunately, his efforts were thwarted by sharp eyes and strict adherence to the speed limits while under his watchful glare. The next stop was the T-Gold Mine, a very interesting spot to visit. This mine was opened in the mid-1800s, and remained in operation through WW2, when it supplied less precious, but essential, metals for the war effort. Finally, our group headed to Milo’s Restaurant in Boulder City for some great food and drink, and some reminiscing on a day well spent. Many thanks to Chuck Damus and Kerri Howard for making the effort required to pull this event off.
June 27: Social at Tuscany Grill
Fourteen members set forth on a simply marvelous early summer evening in Las Vegas for the southern portion of Henderson to enjoy Italian food and great company at this well know establishment. I have to say 2019 has shone in the weather department. Spring and early summer have been wonderful…cool and moderate. Let’s order these temperatures every year. And, speaking of ordering, we all seemed to order full plates, and the verdict on the food and the atmosphere of this restaurant was ‘wonderful – let’s do it again.’ We thank Lindsey Freeman for suggesting that we give it a try.
Put it on your calendar!
Here is a list of upcoming events. For more information please see our website at ferrariclubvegas.com
July 10: Board Meeting at Tommy Bahama’s in Town Square
July 14: Drive and lunch – Mt. Charleston
July 25: July Social at the Grapevine in Summerlin
And finally: The Red Rock Concours is scheduled for September 28. In the past, attendees have enjoyed this show very much, so we encourage you to be there. Contact Dan Fogle for additional information or see our website ferrariclubvegas.com
FORMULA 1 NEWS
The Situation in April
With only two races in the books, the situation already looks poor for Ferrari. Despite having perhaps the fastest cars, they have yet to win a race, or even finish second. Instead of challenging Mercedes for ‘best,’ they are battling Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for ‘first runner up’. Much of the failure rests with Vettel’s sudden inability to get the job done: being behind his sophomore teammate in the points is unacceptable. Failing to run at or near the front with a clearly competitive car is worse. Losing races that could have been won is painful. I would also note that the new management regime at Ferrari seems to be lost, lost in the early stages of climbing the competitive curve to running out front in F1. How long will it take them to climb that curve? That remains unclear. Meanwhile, new team principal Mattia Binotto looks baffled.
On a grander scale, some things are clear. The cars are more competitive than ever. Lap time differentials between the fastest cars and those in the mid-field have shrunk by at least 20-30 percent. The ‘fast/top 6’ (Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull) are no longer guaranteed to dominate the front placings. Special mention is due to the Toro Rosso team (especially young driver Alex Albon), which seems on the cusp of challenging the ‘fast 6’ for the big points positions.
With that in mind, let’s have a look at the races run in April-June. But first, let’s recap the points situation after two races:
Drivers Manufacturers
Bottas 44 Mercedes GP 87
Hamilton 43 Ferrari 48
Verstappen 27 Red Bull 31
Leclerc 26
Vettel 22
Raikkonen 10
With that, we move on to races 3 through 9.
April 14: GP of China (3)
This, the 1000th GP ever held, demonstrated a new reality: The M-Bs are fastest in the corners, while the Ferraris are fastest on the straights, exactly the opposite of last year. In any case, due to high tire degradation, it seemed the teams were planning a two stop race over the 56 laps of the 3.4 mile circuit in Shanghai. The fast 6 all tried to get through Q2 on the medium tires, and succeeded in doing so, meaning that the front of the grid would be on slower (than the soft tires), but longer lived, rubber. Qualifying was very tight, with the final order Bottas, Hamilton (0.1 second behind), Vettel and Leclerc (both 0.3 second in arrears), and Verstappen (0.5 second).
Race dawned cool and cloudy with a good chance for rain, conditions that were unexpected and that invalidated all of the data gathered during practice. Moreover, the wind direction had changed dramatically, throwing another variable into the equation. Bottas made a poor start, so much so that he disrupted Vettel (directly behind) as well. At the end of lap one, the order was Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, Vettel, Verstappen, and Gasly (in the second Red Bull). By lap 10, when the first of the soft tire runners were making pit stops, Vettel had passed Leclerc and was in position to challenge the two M-Bs ahead.
Verstappen was the first of the top runners to pit (lap 18), followed closely in the succeeding laps by Vettel (19), Bottas (22), Hamilton (23) and Leclerc (also 23). All chose to continue on the hard compound tires, hoping to make it to the end on them. Immediately after their stops, Vettel and Verstappen staged an epic battle over fourth place, a battle ultimately won by the German. The running order at lap 25, after the pit stops, was Hamilton, Bottas, Vettel, Verstappen, and Leclerc, who was reeling in the Red Bull ahead of him.
The folly of contemplating a one stop strategy was demonstrated when the leaders began making their second pit stops on lap 35 (Verstappen was first to do so, and Leclerc last, on lap 43), all going to the medium tires. From there forward, there were many interesting fights in the mid-field, but no real changes in the running order at the front. The final order was Hamilton, Bottas, Vettel (12 seconds behind the leader), Verstappen, and Leclerc. Of note: rookie Alex Albon (Toro Rosso) drove an exemplary race; he started last and finished 10th.
Mirroring the grey skies of Shanghai, this was a dull race. The Ferraris weren’t bad, but they clearly were unable to mount an attack on the front running M-Bs.
April 28: GP of Azerbaijan (4)
This race, run through the streets of the Baku, the capital city, is always interesting. In some ways, with the cars slithering through tight, barrier-lined corners, it harkens to Monaco. In others, namely a very long straight where the cars topped 210 mph, making passing easy, it could not be more different. Given the long straight, it was not surprising that the Ferraris topped all the practice sessions on the 3.7 mile circuit. However, when Qualifying began late Saturday afternoon, it was suddenly cool and dank, making it difficult to get temperature into the tires, in turn making fast times elusive. To make matters worse, big accidents in Q1 (Kubica) and Q2 (Leclerc in his Ferrari) further delayed proceedings into early evening, and even cooler temperatures and even more difficult conditions, conditions that favored the M-Bs. When it was all over, the tip of the starting grid was Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, and Verstappen. Leclerc in the repaired second Ferrari would start 8th; he and Gasly (Red Bull) were the only ones of the fast 6 on the medium tires (all others would be on the softs).
Then, race day dawned sunny and very hot, throwing out much of the data gathered during practice. The cars made a good, tight start. Perez (Racing Point) got off well and jumped to 4th place, while Leclerc did not, dropping to 10th. However, Leclerc then put on a clinic, passing Ricciardo (lap 2) for 9th, Kvyat (lap 4) for 8th, Sainz and Norris (lap 5) for 6th. He was up to 5th by lap 7. Meanwhile, Gasly in the second Red Bull (who was also moving up fast) was running 8th by lap 11.
Vettel stopped first, on lap 12, with Bottas, Hamilton, and Verstappen following in close order. All chose to continue on the medium tires. This meant that by lap 15, Leclerc, still running on his original medium tires, was leading the race, followed by Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Gasly (who also had not yet stopped), and Verstappen, all about 20 seconds behind. From this point forward, the field, on newer tires, began reeling Leclerc in: Bottas caught him on lap 29. He passed the Ferrari on lap 31, followed by Hamilton two laps later. Leclerc finally made his first stop on lap 35, choosing to continue on the soft tires.
At this point, everyone was expecting fireworks. Leclerc, on brand new soft tires, should have been much, much faster than the cars ahead of him on worn mediums. Everyone was expecting him to quickly catch the cars ahead, pass several of them, and perhaps even win the race. It didn’t happen. Instead, Leclerc made some ground on the leaders, but not nearly at the expected rate. He was unable to catch any of them. In the end the finishing order was Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Verstappen, and Leclerc. The only plausible explanation for Leclerc’s failure to challenge those ahead of him was that Leclerc’s car was exhibiting some mechanical issues and he was taking it easy to ensure finishing the race.
With four races in the books, things continue to look bad for Ferrari. While they have been competitive, and at times fastest, the M-Bs have dominated when it counted, in Qualifying and especially in the races. Four races…four 1-2 finishes for the Germans. Things look bleak for 2019.
May 12: GP of Spain (5)
Bar-ce-lo-na…Bar-ce-lo-na…to Ferrari, it must sound like the tune of a snake charmer. A few short months ago the Ferraris were dominating winter testing at this very same track. How promising the season looked. Now they are hoping to get on the podium at the 2.9 mile track where 66 laps were to be run.
All the teams brought aero (and some engine as well) upgrades to the first race on the European calendar. Friday was warm in the southeast of Spain, but nothing of much interest happened in either P1 or P2. Times were close, but Mercedes was definitely quickest. P3, on Saturday morning, was run in cool, cloudy weather, which seemed to more suit the Ferraris. But Hamilton was still quickest of all. Qualifying on Saturday afternoon saw the clouds floating away and the return of the sun and warm temperatures. Perhaps the changing conditions contributed to Leclerc having a big off in Q2, damaging his car, and dooming his hopes to start at the front. The starting grid did not look good for Ferrari with Bottas and Hamilton on the front row, followed by Vettel, Verstappen, Leclerc, and Gasly (second Red Bull).
Race day dawned sunny, very windy, and very hot, which meant that the tires would degrade even faster than might have been indicated in Practice. Virtually all of the cars started on the soft tires, those which degrade fastest, leading to whispers that two pit stops might be necessary.
Bottas made a poor start while both Hamilton and Vettel did the opposite. As a result, the cars were three abreast into the first corner. Vettel was forced to concede, and hit the brakes hard, which flat-spotted his tires and compromised his entire first stint of the race. It also permitted Verstappen to pass him for third place. “If it wasn’t for bad luck…” Given Vettel’s woes, it was no surprise that Leclerc was hot on his tail by lap 5, at which point the team should have ordered the German to give way to his faster teammate. But no, management did nothing, causing both of the cars to slowly fall away from the leading group. This was shockingly bad strategy. Leclerc was finally let through on lap 12, by which time it was too late to really do much good. By this time, Vettel was complaining about his damaged tires, and he was the first to stop for new (medium) rubber (on lap 20). All of the other leaders soon followed Vettel’s lead, with the notable exception of Verstappen, who opted for a new set of the soft tires, meaning he now had to stop at least one more time, and Leclerc, who opted for the hard compound rubber, clearly hoping to make it to the end without stopping again. It must here be noted that both Ferrari’s pit stops were quite slow, dropping the red cars a few spots further down the running order.
After the pit stops, Vettel (finally) drove like a man on a mission. He was clearly fastest of all and was soon on Leclerc’s tail (no surprise since Leclerc was on the slowest, hard compound tires, and trying to make them last to the end). Leclerc should have been directed to move aside and let Vettel, who was on a completely different strategy, pass. Didn’t happen. Instead, the Ferrari brain thrust froze and did nothing. Bad strategy…again! As a consequence, Vettel was forced to (relatively slowly) follow in his teammate’s dirty air for a half dozen laps, degrading his tires and losing ground to the leaders. Leclerc was finally directed to move aside on lap 36, but by this time the damage to Vettel’s chances had been done.
By about lap 35-40 the die had been cast, and it was clear that everyone (except perhaps Leclerc) would need to make a second pit stop. Vettel was the first to do so, on lap 41, and by lap 46 everyone had done so except Hamilton, who was now leading the field, albeit on severely worn rubber, and Leclerc, who was cruising on worn hard tires. Was Hamilton waiting for a miracle? Hoping for a safety car? Well, the lucky dude got it: an accident caused the safety car to be deployed which allowed Hamilton to stop for new rubber and still retain the lead. This guy is lucky and good…a tough combination to beat. The racing resumed on lap 52, but, despite the bunched up pack, nothing much happened from there to the end. The final finishing order was Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, Vettel, Leclerc, and Gasly.
Well, that hoped for podium failed to materialize, in large part due to Ferrari’s terrible strategy and miss-management of the proceedings, and botching the first pit stops of both cars. When you don’t have the fastest cars, it is incumbent on the race team and the management team to make excellent decisions. When you don’t have the fastest car and you make slow pit stops and you miss-manage the strategy, you fail to make the podium…again.
May 20: Death of Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda, one of the best Formula 1 drivers of all time and current consultant with Mercedes Benz, has died. Lauda, born in 1949, stormed onto the Formula 1 scene in 1971 with back-marker March, but his abilities soon saw him promoted to Ferrari (1974). After the inevitable falling out with the Scuderia, he then moved on to Brabham (1978) and finally to McLaren (1982). In the process, he won the F1 championship three times, twice with Ferrari (1975 and 1977) and once with McLaren (1984). He is best remembered though for the horrific accident and fire he suffered while driving a Ferrari in the 1976 Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, which left him permanently disfigured, and the stunning comeback he made just weeks later to contest the 1976 championship to the last race, with McLaren driver James Hunt. This was such a compelling story that it was recently made into a major motion picture (RUSH). Check it out.
May 26: GP of Monaco (6)
Monaco, the crown jewel of the F1 season, also presents one of the most taxing races of the season. The track is short (just over 2 miles), narrow, very curvy, and relatively slow (average lap speeds are just over 100 mph), making it difficult (or impossible) to pass.
The Mercedes were quickest in both Practice 1 and 2, but Leclerc managed to pip them in Practice 3, which was notable for Vettel’s hard collision with a barrier and ensuing damage to his car. Ferrari was lucky to have it repaired in time for Qualifying later in the afternoon. The lap times in Q1 were very close and falling fast as the track rubbered up, increasing grip. Leclerc put in a quick time early in the session, a time that the Ferrari strategy crew determined was fast enough to get him into Q2. Meanwhile, Vettel was pussy footing around on his newly rebuilt car, shaking it down and looking for problems. As the session progressed, Vettel got faster and was soon near the top of the charts, while Leclerc was lolling in the pits. Unfortunately, all the cars were getting quicker, and by a lot. As a result Leclerc was soon only 15th fastest and on the bubble for a Q1 elimination. One last fast lap by a mid-field runner and Leclerc was eliminated from proceeding to Q2. Just another giant mistake by Ferrari race management. When the qualifying dust had settled, the starting order was Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, and Vettel. Leclerc would start 15th.
Virtually all of the front runners started on the soft tires, with Leclerc, obviously looking for a different approach, one of the few to begin on the medium rubber. After a relatively clean and uneventful start, the early laps settled into parade mode, with the front runners circling in the same order as they started. Meanwhile, Leclerc, mired in the mid-fiield, managed to make a few successful passes, and then crashed trying to make the next one. He dropped out shortly thereafter, while the Safety Car was deployed to allow the marshals to clear the track of his debris. This led to all of the front runners making unexpectedly early pit stops, with Hamilton opting for medium tires while most others chose the hards. In the pit stop confusion, Red Bull released Verstappen just as Bottas was approaching his pit box and the cars banged wheels. As a result, Verstappen was given a 5 second penalty and Bottas was forced to stop again to switch out a damaged tire. Racing resumed on lap 15.
While rain threatened throughout the day, it never materialized. Instead, what transpired was a tense battle among the front runners that unfortunately never exploded into any real action. From about lap 25 onward, it was clear that Hamilton was not pushing, but instead nursing his medium tires, hoping to get them to the end of the race (still some 50 laps away). He was lapping very slowly, more slowly than the cars in the mid-field. Meanwhile, Verstappen, Vettel, and Bottas, all on the longer lived hard tires, had caught Hamilton, but could not seem to find a way to pass him. Lap after lap was run with the top four essentially nose-to-tail, all cruising while being held up by their leader, whose tires were visibly in deep doo-doo. It was all very tense, but in the end nothing happened. Hamilton won, with Vettel second, Bottas third, and Verstappen fourth (after his 5 second penalty was added).
Ferrari’s poor strategy in Q1 and the nature of the circuit doomed Leclerc to either finish out of the points or to crashing in an attempt to move forward. Vettel, on the other hand, drove well and the team made the right move when they switched him to the hard tires (instead of the anticipated mediums). He deserved his second place finish and the points gained from it. It still isn’t good enough to challenge the superiority of the Mercedes-Benzes. Better strategy and more pace is needed.
June 9: GP of Canada (7)
The track at Montreal may be a street circuit, but it is a damn fast one, with top speeds easily exceeding 200 mph, and average lap speeds close to 140 mph. That means that the cars are lapping the 2.7 mile track in just over 1 minute and 10 seconds!
Practice 1 saw a very dusty the track (from lack of use and recent construction), and the Mercedes posting the quickest times. Practice 2 was far more eventful, with both Hamilton and Verstappen smacking the walls and suffering damage to their cars. In addition, by this time it had become obvious that the soft tires were degrading rapidly, leading to speculation that the fastest cars would run Q2 on the mediums, if they could achieve times quick enough to get to Q3 on them. It also raised the possibility of a two stop strategy. But there was some good news as well: the Ferraris (fastest on the long straight) were one-two in this session. And then there was more good news, the Ferraris were also one-two in Practice 3.
Qualifying was run in high heat (considering that it was Canada) and before a massive crowd. After an uneventful Q1, the fast guys, as anticipated, set their first fast times in Q2 on the medium tires, hoping to start the race on them as well. The Ferraris and the Mercedes were able to post sufficiently quick times on the mediums to get into Q3, but the Red Bulls were not, and had to revert to the soft rubber. Then, just as everyone was on their last fast laps before the red flag, a fly flew into the ointment. Magnusson had a massive crash just a few corners from the finish line, and that ended the session before many of the drivers had completed their last and fastest lap. Verstappen suffered the biggest blow; he failed to make it to Q3. After an uneventful Q3, the grid order was Vettel, Hamilton, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Gasly, and Bottas, with both the M-Bs and the Ferraris on the medium tires. Meanwhile, Verstappen was 11th, but then moved up to 9th after penalties were assessed. With freedom to choose any of the tires, he opted to start on the hard rubber, while all of the other fast cars, save for the Mercedes and Ferraris (on mediums), were to start of the softs.
Sunday was exceedingly hot, and they guys running the soft tires expected to stop early, and perhaps twice. The start was clean, and absent of any significant passing or accidents. Even Verstappen, albeit on the hard tires, was finding difficult to move up the order. The reality of the soft tires then settled in: Gasly (Red Bull) was the first to stop, on lap 8 (of 70)!, followed closely by Ricciardo (lap 9). An accident on lap 10 slowed the field, leading many more to hit the pits early, most going to the hard rubber. Meanwhile, the M-Bs, Ferraris, and Verstappen motored unperturbed on their medium and hard tires. The running order at lap 17 was Vettel, Hamilton, Leclerc, Bottas, and Verstappen, none of whom had yet stopped.
Vettel was the first of the leaders to stop for tires (lap 26), followed closely by all the others save Verstappen (on the hard tires from the start). Everyone chose to continue on the hard tires at this point. At lap 34 the running order was Vettel, Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc, Ricciardo, and Bottas. By this point Verstappen’s original hard tires were going south, allowing Leclerc to pass him for third place. A few laps later Bottas passed Ricciardo for fifth. But the real action and intrigue was at the front, where Hamilton was slowly reeling in race leader Vettel. By about lap 50 the Mercedes was looking for a place to pass and take the lead.
Meanwhile, Verstappen finally stopped for new tires (mediums) on lap 49, coming out into seventh place. He immediately began a charge back to the front, passing both Renaults (Hulkenberg and Ricciardo). However, the real action remained at the front, where Vettel made a small mistake and ran over the inside curb, allowing Hamilton to make a move on the outside of the corner. But Vettel regained control quickly and managed to make it around the corner without hitting anything and without losing much of his momentum. Suddenly Vettel and Hamilton were in a fight for the same tine piece of real estate, with Hamilton giving way to the still slightly ahead Ferrari. After that, Hamilton seemed to concede victory to Vettel: he never mounted another serious challenge. However, the stewards, in their divine wisdom, announced that it was judged that Vettel had made an unsafe re-entry to the track and would be penalized 5 seconds, handing the victory to Hamilton. GGrrrrr. The final ‘official’ finishing order was Hamilton, Vettel, Leclerc, Bottas, Verstappen, and Riccardo. Of note was youngster Lance Stroll who, in need of a good showing, finished 9th. Well done by him.
Ferrari seems to be truly snake bit this year. Sort of like the Warriors in the NBA finals. The red cars can’t seem to win a race…even when they have it in their grasp. Canada was a perfect example: everything was well in hand, but Vettel made a tiny error, and then the stewards penalized him for it (of interest – all of the commentators were surprised they did so). Meanwhile, Hamilton continues to be…lucky…AND…good. And so we see Mercedes win again and hope for 2019 fade into the sunset.
June 23: GP of France (8)
The Circuit Paul Ricard, located just outside the village of Le Castellet in Southern France, played host to the circus in late June. Paul Ricard is a long (3.6 miles) track with a long, long straight and a couple of very slow chicanes, resulting in fast lap speeds and many overtaking opportunities. The number one topic of discussion on Friday was still the events of Canada, namely Vettel’s penalty and ensuing second place finish. Appeals were filed, of course, and appeals were rejected, again, of course. In the end, Vettel was forced to suck it up and proceed, but he was visibly distraught, despite the fact that he had gotten married the weekend before.
It was very hot throughout the three Practice sessions. To no surprise, Mercedes dominated all three. However, the lack of grip, the rapid degradation of the soft tires, and the resulting spins and slides, were big surprises, and alarming ones. It was only after the track rubbered-in mid-way through Practice 3 that the cars showed any inclination to behave. Another surprise: the McLarens were consistently faster than the Red Bulls!
Qualifying was also run in very warm conditions, conditions that the weather reports stated would be in force during the race. This, and the data that had been gathered during the Practice sessions, prompted most of the field to run Q2 on the medium rubber, meaning that the soft tires would generally not be used at all during the 53 lap race. Instead, most everyone planned to start on the mediums and then switch to the hards. Qualifying produced a strange result: Vettel (still suffering from his honeymoon/penalty hangover?) was only 7th fastest, just behind BOTH McLarens. Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, and Verstappen snatched the two front rows.
The drivers managed a good, clean start, without much change in the order of the cars, despite many attempts to the contrary. It took Vettel nearly 10 laps to pass the two McLarens ahead of him, and by that time he was more than 20 seconds behind the leading group of Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, and Verstappen. The few cars on the soft tires mostly stopped for new rubber between laps 8 and 15, but the guys on the mediums didn’t get much more life out of their rubber; they started heading for the pits around lap 19, and most had pitted by lap 30. Everyone of note switched to the hard tires. After that, it turned into a parade, and not a very interesting one. The top 5 or 6 cars circulated about 6 to 10 seconds apart for the rest of the proceedings, with not much excitement or fanfare. B-o-r-i-n-g. The final finishing order was Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, Verstappen, and Vettel.
Of note: both McLarens finished in the top 10, with Sainz 6th and Norris (despite mechanical issues) 10th. This should be good news to everyone that is a true racing fan. We welcome the orange cars back into contention after several years in the netherworld. Well done to Zak Brown, who has undertaken the massive effort needed to turn this ship around.
June 30: GP of Austria (9)
The Red Bull Ring near Spielberg Austria is a short (2.7 miles) track with only 10 very quick turns, meaning that lap times were just over 1 minute, and averaging near 150 mph.
Conditions during Friday and Saturday Practice continued the weather theme of the past several races…it was hot, hot, hot. Europe is suffering through a heat wave of epic proportions (100+ degrees in normally cool Austria), perhaps the worst ever recorded there. It certainly had its impact on the cars, drivers, and especially the tires. But, the show must go on, and so it did. The Ferraris, based in warmer southern Europe, seemed least affected by the temperatures, and posted good times. The Mercedes, meanwhile, were suffering from overheating, both of their tires and engines, and were not their dominating selves. Grip was at a premium, as demonstrated by massive crashes from Verstappen and Bottas, and a near miss by Vettel. By early Saturday afternoon it looked that the Ferraris were the class of the show.
Qualifying revealed that Ferrari had chosen a quite different strategy than the other front runners. They would start the race on the soft tires, while everyone else of note would start on the mediums. Clearly, the red cars hoped (based on their excellent showing during Practice) to dominate the front row(s) of the grid and then jackrabbit off on the faster, soft tires to big leads before finishing the race on the hard rubber. But, poor Vettel was, unfortunately, snake bit again. He made it into Q3 without problem, but then suffered mechanical issues that prevented him from posting a Q3 time. So, he was forced to start in the mid-field (9th) on the soft tires, not a good combination…plans dashed. Meanwhile, all of the other fast guys were out at the last minute looking for slipstreams and pole position. When the dust had settled, and after the penalties for engine changes had been assessed, the top six of the grid were Leclerc, Verstappen, Bottas, Hamilton, Norris (McLaren!), and Raikkonen! (Alfa Romeo). As noted, Vettel was 9th.
Race day saw a huge crowd in the grandstands, many of them (an estimated 50,000) dressed in orange to cheer on Dutch countryman Max Verstappen. Race day also marked the hottest day of the weekend, with track temperatures over 125 degrees. It also marked a big change in anticipation…it looked to be a competitive battle for a change, with real questions as to who would win. All the announcers were excited; all were predicting a great race.
At the start, a groan went through the crowd as Verstappen nearly stalled his Red Bull on the starting line. He dropped from second to seventh before the first corner; given the circumstances he, and everyone behind him, was very lucky that a serious accident was avoided. Meanwhile, those who had made good starts were scrambling for position (while trying to avoid Verstappen’s laggard Red Bull) with many wheel-to-wheel battles of passing-and-re-passing in the offing – good stuff. Vettel, notably, made a great start, and was sixth by the end of lap one, when the running order was Leclerc, Bottas, Hamilton, Raikkonen!, Norris!!, Vettel, and Verstappen. After the exciting start, things settled down a bit, but then both Vettel and Verstappen began to work their way back up toward the front. By lap 8 the order was Leclerc, Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, and Verstappen. As the tires began to wear, the cars in the mid-field were running close together and were staging some exciting battles for position. There was more overtaking and then re-overtaking in laps 8 – 12 than there had been the entire race in France. Moreover, at this time it also began to become apparent that the Mercedes were experiencing overheating issues with both their tires and engines. The Silver Arrows were slowing and falling away from the leaders.
Bottas was the first to stop for new tires (lap 22), followed closely by Vettel, who had a terrible stop; he was stationary for more than 6 seconds, an eternity in F1. They both chose to continue on the hard tires, as did most of the others who stopped soon thereafter. Hamilton, who had damaged his front wing running over the curbs, took on a new nose during his stop, causing him to rejoin behind Vettel. By lap 32 everyone that mattered had stopped and all of the leaders were on the hard tires, hoping to make them last until the end of the 71 lap race. The advantage was clearly with Verstappen, who had stopped last of the lead group; his tires were as many as 10 laps newer than his foes’. At this point the running order was Leclerc, Bottas, Vettel, Verstappen, and Hamilton.
Verstappen, on his fresher tires, was able to slowly reel-in Vettel, and finally catch him on lap 48. Naturally, the youngster immediately pressed to pass the veteran, and, after a good battle, he accomplished his goal on lap 50. Verstappen then immediately set his sights on Bottas, whom he caught and passed, after another good wheel-to-wheel fight, on lap 55. Then, Verstappen began to run down Leclerc, the race leader. Verstappen caught Leclerc on lap 65, but passing the Ferrari, even with the benefit of DRS, proved to be difficult. They went at it quite hard for four laps, but in the end, with a debatably legal/illegal move, the Red Bull took the lead. Meanwhile, Vettel caught Hamilton and passed him, and then caught Bottas, but after some good racing was unable to pass him. The final order was Verstappen, Leclerc, Bottas, Vettel, Hamilton, and Norris (McLaren).
Of note: the two Alfa-Romeo drivers, Raikkonen and Giovinazzi were 9th and 10th, marking Giovinazzi’s first points in F1.
Watching this race was like coming out of the darkness and into the light. After several races that could best be described as ‘ho-hum’ watching this barn burner was a revelation, and a cause for new hope that F1 can once again be exciting. More of this, please, because the GP of Austria was truly must-see-TV. But, in the end, it was another lost opportunity for Ferrari. With the Mercedes struggling with cooling problems, the race was there to be taken. Losing it to a Red Bull in the final laps is tragic.
Wrap-Up – Races 3 through 9
Seven races were run in this three month span, and Ferrari didn’t win a single one of them. Instead, the German cars continued to be faster and the German team continued to be smarter…and much luckier. The Mercedes were definitely quicker in China and France, but the Ferraris were very competitive in the other five races. But, they have little to show for it because in Azerbaijan they qualified poorly on a track where it is difficult to pass, in Spain and Monaco they pursued poor strategies, in Canada they were robbed by the stewards, and in Austria they had bad luck in Qualifying and were beaten by a Red Bull in the final laps.
Consolation Prize: Austria was a great race and maybe that bodes well for good racing in the future.
Of note: The awarding of one point each to the driver and team that produces the fastest lap of the race seemed like a cheap gimmick to me, but the teams and drivers have embraced it and it has provided some late-race interest. This looks like a good move.
Also of note: The McLaren-Renaults are moving up the pecking order quickly. I welcome their resurgence. How long will it be before we see one of the orange cars on the podium…hopefully not at the expense of Ferrari?
So, let’s have a look at the points situation after nine races are in the books. And yes, it does look grim:
Drivers Manufacturers
Hamilton 187 Mercedes GP 338
Bottas 151 Ferrari 198
Vettel 111 Red Bull – Honda 136
Verstappen 100 McLaren – Renault 39
Leclerc 87