“Edge-of-your-seat action across the field until the last second is a promising omen for the 2021 season. Race 2 can’t come soon enough!”
This week was the Bahrain GP and everyone here at Grid Girls could not wait to get back on track for 2021. It certainly delivered with Verstappen and Hamilton finally giving us the fight at the front we’ve always wanted. Hopefully, this means good things for the season to come!
Mazepin had a Mazespin… again:
It’s not unusual for rookies to struggle with the set up of the car in their first F1 season but Mazepin has once again made a name for himself for all the wrong reasons. The controversial driver was already going into this season with a tarnished reputation and his performance on track this weekend has done nothing to improve that. The Russian spun not once but twice in qualifying, arguably ruining a couple of drivers’ laps in Q1, before finally crashing out in just the first lap of the race. We would be lying if we said we didn’t have a bit of a chuckle at Nikita’s misfortune, but the driver is going to have to do a lot more to win the respect of the gird this season.
Safety Car Debut (someone’s not a fan):
One positive of Mazepin’s early retirement was that we got a safety car in the very first race of the season, and what a safety car it is! The racing green Aston Martin Vantage is certainly a hit with fans but Tea, a member of our Marketing Team was not amused, claiming she misses the Mercedes, and this new safety car is, and I quote, “ugly.” Sorry Tea, not sure the public agree with you on that one!
Sad Vettel Noises:
We all have a soft spot for Sebastian Vettel here at Grid Girls and we were super excited when at the end of the safety car he was running in 14th after a starting the race at the back of the grid. On a one stop strategy, he was even in 5th place at one point! However, it wasn’t meant to be and after finally coming into pit the German could not make up the places and eventually finished 15th. Hopefully, this isn’t an omen of what is to come.
Ghastly for Gasly:
Gasly surprised all of us in qualifying on Saturday, storming into P5, ahead of both Mclarens and Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari. We were all excited to see what he could do on race day. However, Gasly never got the chance and after losing his front wing early on to the back of Ricciardo’s Mclaren, the Frenchman faced an early pitstop from which he never recovered. He ended up retiring not long before the end of the race due to floor damage. However, Gasly’s greatest triumphs come after his darkest days so we can’t way to see him comeback fighting stronger in a few weeks’ time.
Manic Midfield:
"I loved the battle in the midfield and of course the battle for P1. It seems like there's a chance for everyone"
In recent year’s we’ve relied more and more on the midfield for racing action as Mercedes drove further into the distance. Even with a fight at the front this weekend it was hard to take our eyes off the ever-changing midfield. Norris finished best the rest, putting in an impressive drive and fending off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who’s own team surprised everyone with their pace. Norris’ new teammate by comparison struggled to keep pace, and Daniel Ricciardo admitted there was “plenty to work on” moving forward.
However, the driver of the day was undoubtedly Sergio Perez who, after starting in the pit lane due to a technical issue on the formation lap, yet again did what he does best and fought his way through the field to finish in 5th. After a disappointing qualifying, this result must’ve been a relief for the Red Bull’s newest signing. Just imagine what he could do from the front of the grid! Of course, its early days but maybe Checo has the potential to break Red Bull’s second driver curse.
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