F1: 5 talking points after Austrian GP 2019

It was an action-packed race that culminated with a great drive through the field by Max
It was an action-packed race that culminated with a great drive through the field by Max

After a rather uneventful Grand Prix in France, this was exactly what Formula One needed. Max Verstappen claiming the win in the closing stages over Charles Leclerc in what was a brilliant drive proved how good Formula One could be if the cars are closer to each other on pace.

On a weekend where the old guard in Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel had an off day, we had the youngsters in Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc stealing the show at the front. McLaren also put together a great weekend where Lando Norris finished P6 and Carlos Sainz came from the back to finish P8. Both the Alfa Romeos were also able to sneak into the points at P9 and P10. After the horror run in France, this was just the race that Formula One needed.

Here are the five talking points from the 2019 Austrian GP.


#5 Max is the driver of the season

Max has put together an almost perfect season in 2019
Max has put together an almost perfect season in 2019

This might be a controversial opinion for many but 2019 has been Max Verstappen's season. It's hard to point a finger at anyone who has done a better job than him. It's true as Max himself revealed earlier that something changed after his crash at Monaco last year. He's not finished behind his teammate since then.

He has completely demolished Gasly, a young bright star who came through the Red Bull program. On Sunday he was behind Gasly at the start but still ended up lapping him by the end of the race. That's what he did to a driver driving the same car. The best part though has been his consistency.

This season, while the senior statesmen like Lewis and Sebastian have had their off days you would need to rattle your brains to find a time when Verstappen had a bad weekend or put a foot wrong. This season, considering everything, Max has been the best driver on the grid.

#4 Ferrari just doesn't look like a championship winning team

It was one thing or the other going wrong for Vettel during the weekend
It was one thing or the other going wrong for Vettel during the weekend

It's becoming more and more clear that Mattia Binotto at the top of the proceedings at Ferrari is not turning out to be a good decision. Even on a weekend when they had arguably the best car on the grid Ferrari found ways to jeopardize their weekend.

First, using softs instead of mediums at the start compromised their second stint which ultimately came back to haunt them in the end. Then the engine issue with Vettel, the compromised pitstop for Vettel after he had reeled in Lewis, and the second pitstop for Vettel that should have been committed to at least a couple of laps earlier.

It all culminated in Ferraris finishing P2 and P4 in a race where they should have been P1-P2. The team lacks the finer details that makes one a world champion. You won't see Red Bull or Mercedes fumbling so much operationally and that's why they have racked up multiple championships in this decade.

There are glaring loopholes that have periodically emerged ever since Binotto has taken over the reins. It just seems that there is too much on his plate for now as he takes care of both the technical and operational side of the team. If Ferrari harbors hopes of putting together a successful championship campaign then it needs to plug these gaps as compared to the big teams.

#3 McLaren is the king of midfield

Mclaren is the fastest car in the midfield
Mclaren is the fastest car in the midfield

P6 for Norris and P8 for Sainz (coming from the back of the grid) is the result that should bring back some smiles at McLaren. It's not only the results though, but it's also the way that these results have been achieved is what makes it so special. It's becoming clearer now that McLaren has found something of performance advantage from somewhere that is enabling them to pull clear of the midfield.

If the races in France and Austria are proof of anything then they show that Mclaren has got some serious pace in that car. They're the fourth fastest team on the grid with the others currently jostling for positions. It's good news for F1 as well because a strong McLaren is always a great site and by the looks of it, this a strong McLaren.

They've pulled out a lead of 20 points on Renault and if the last two races are any indication, McLaren might just run away with it. The team has been boosted by a breath of fresh air in Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, both of whom have performed admirably with Lando hardly putting a foot wrong throughout the season.

#2 Red Bull have to look beyond Gasly

The gap between Gasly and Max is just not acceptable
The gap between Gasly and Max is just not acceptable

It does look like the countdown has begun for the young Frenchman driving the "other Red Bull". Being part of a ruthless system has its perks and its shortcomings. It worked for Gasly when he was promoted to the senior team in just his second year but it does look like it might just work against him as his pace is not even in the same ballpark as Max.

There was a point at the start of the race when Gasly was in front of Max but this is what makes it so disappointing that from that point on, Max was able to not only overtake Gasly but by the end of the race, lap him in the same car. It's starting to not make sense anymore if their second car cannot even beat the McLarens right now and Red Bull will be losing their patience and looking at options for the next season.

#1 F1 dodged a bullet in Austria

Max was able to hold on to his win as stewards decided not to take any action on the incident
Max was able to hold on to his win as stewards decided not to take any action on the incident

Everything was fine, it was a great race, there was some great action but just then the news came out of stewards investigating Max Verstappen's overtake on Charles Leclerc. Both drivers had their own opinion on this as Charles said Max didn't leave him enough room while Max put it down to hard racing. The problem though was this situation turning into another case of stewards interfering with the result on track.

With the hoax of a result and the aftermatch at Canadian GP still fresh in the minds of many, if this was going to be another such penalty, then a race which is heralded by many as the best for a long time might just have marred with controversy. In some ways, it shows that F1 is learning as it didn't shoot itself in the foot yet again.

Quick Links

Edited by Prasen Moudgal