In Canada while Verstappen dominates to entertain is Fernando Alonso

The coolest thing about Canadian Grand Prix it was an Alonso radio team. The Asturian is famous for his radio considerations with the box. Sometimes they’re funny, other times in the past they’ve been unpleasant (‘GP2 engine’ said of his McLaren’s Honda engine during a Grand Prix in Japan). Lap number 63, Alonso was second on a white tire while Hamilton was third on a yellow tyre. The Englishman was recovering lap after lap, giving the impression of being able to put his old rival in his sights in the very last few laps. From the Aston Martin box they open up with Fernando and tell him: “Lewis is 1 second and 9 behind”. The meaning was clear, Alonso was suffering from the recovery of the Mercedes and if he had gone under the second lead he could have succumbed to the Drs. Serene Alonso’s answer: “leave it to me”. Leave him and me. A declaration of battle that brings us back to the rustic duels of the past, those that today’s Formula 1 distils with frankly excessive parsimony. In a few laps, the Spaniard’s advantage was back to well over two seconds, up to 4 at the checkered flag. Alonso finishes second and takes home his sixth podium in eight races, with two second places in the last three.

Something about Max Verstappen? Well, the Dutchman’s 41st victory (which equals Ayrton Senna’s number of successes), with 224 consecutive laps in the lead (a series that began in Miami and continued in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Montreal) equals a record held by Nigel Mansell dated 1992. With the Canadian one, the Red Bull team reaches the 100th victory of its young history. The next target will be the 114 of the Williams. And if I tell you that there are 14 races left until the end of the season….?

So the Russell-theorem remains standing. In other words, the bulls will win them all. It is not said, above all because Sergio Perez has entered into crisis. The Mexican ended the third consecutive weekend off the podium and the feeling is that Verstappen’s prevalence has become oppressive for him. As soon as Perez reared his head winning in Baku, Max stamped 4 victories in his face. And he finished second only once, in Miami. To score 22 out of 22, Red Bull also needs Perez given that in the two times that Max didn’t hear the Dutch anthem it was his teammate who passed first under the checkered flag. Either Perez gets back on the waterline by the summer or I don’t feel like excluding that Daniel Ricciardo could have a chance in the fall.

Last note on Ferrari. Criticized for not having the courage to distinguish its strategy from the others in qualifying, the Scuderia was right in the race. With the safety car on the track due to a crash by Russell, the red wall guessed the decision to leave both Leclerc and Sainz out, going against the trend with the other teams. Getting two results. The first to make one stop less, the second to have insignificant tire degradation and to finally be able to keep a pace very similar to that of the rivals. You will not read a triumphal bass drum here, without that correct call from the wall the gap would have once again been cycling. But Ferrari must be acknowledged for having finally had a constant pace, without suffering tremendously from the tyres. For once, and it is a fact to bear in mind, Ferrari went better in the race than in qualifying. Because as the Founder always reminded us, points are made on Sundays.

Appointment in 15 days in Austria, at Red Bull’s house.