Race Weekend Central

F1 Midweek: Is F1 Sending a Message to Max Verstappen?

MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 11: Second place finisher Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates in parc ferme during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo di Monza on September 11, 2021 in Monza, Italy. Lars Baron/Getty Images

(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

While Daniel Ricciardo celebrated by drinking the victory champagne out of his shoe at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend in Monza, Italy, the big story from the race – well, truly, the big story – is that Daniel Ricciardo won a race. A quick aside: Ricciardo’s win should not be cast aside too quickly. …

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F1 Review: Daniel Ricciardo’s Victory at the Italian Grand Prix Ends McLaren Drought

Daniel Ricciardo celebrates on the podium of the 2021 Italian Grand Prix Sept. 12.

(credit: McLaren Media)

For the second straight year, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (Sept. 12) provided an upset winner.  Last year, Pierre Gasly benefitted from an unusual set of circumstances that placed him in second on a restart after a red flag – a position from which he jumped to the lead and then held on for …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Peerless in F1’s Return to the Dutch Grand Prix

F1 Grand Prix Of The Netherlands

ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS - SEPTEMBER 05: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of The Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on September 05, 2021 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // SI202109051288 // Usage for editorial use only //

By the end of the first lap, Max Verstappen had cleared Lewis Hamilton by almost two seconds and from then on, he faced no challenge in claiming the win at the Dutch Grand Prix. Formula 1 returned to Zandvoort, Netherlands for the first time since 1985 on Sunday (Sept. 5) and the scene surrounding Verstappen’s …

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Slipstream Saturday: Max Verstappen Wins Pole for the Dutch Grand Prix

Max Verstappen

(Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

Max Verstappen ripped off a perfect lap to earn the pole for the Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort on Saturday (Sept 4).  Lewis Hamilton pushed his Mercedes to the edge in an attempt to deny Verstappen’s bid to lead the field at his home GP but came up .038 of a second short.  Valtteri …

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F1 Midweek: The Belgian Grand Prix Debacle & Silly Season’s Answers

Rain cut short the Belgian Grand Prix to just a single lap in a race won by Max Verstappen. (Photo: Getty Images)

Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB16B and George Russell (GBR) Williams Racing FW43B behind the Mercedes FIA Safety Car. Belgian Grand Prix, Sunday 29th August 2021. Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium.

The Belgian Grand Prix last weekend stands as the shortest “race” in Formula 1 history, as well as the most pathetic excuse of an event.  Even a few days after the GP, the sport is dealing with the fallout and recognizing that how it handled things in Belgium was unacceptable. Many drivers voiced their opinions, …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Wins the Belgian Grand Prix That Wasn’t

Race winner Max Verstappen poses after the rain-shortened 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. (Photo: Getty Images)

SPA, BELGIUM - AUGUST 29: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing, second placed George Russell of Great Britain and Williams and third placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 29, 2021 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202108290481 // Usage for editorial use only //

Max Verstappen earned his 16th Formula 1 win at the Belgian Grand Prix after turning just one lap at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on Sunday (Aug. 29).  There may be a prospect for confusion, a reason to question that one lap is the correct distance, but that is how the GP is officially scored. …

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Slipstream Saturday: The F1 Summer Break, Checking the Waters

F1 Grand Prix Of Hungary

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 01: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda with a broken bargeboard during the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 01, 2021 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202108010407 // Usage for editorial use only //

The Formula 1 show is on hiatus for the next few weeks, taking the customary summer break and allowing all the drivers time to flock to their yachts and relax. The series has raced 11 times thus far, and Lewis Hamilton has managed to find himself atop the standings once again, even if he is …

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F1 Review: Esteban Ocon Awesome in Hungary; Fernando Alonso Mimics Younger Self

Esteban Ocon from F1 on track at the Hungarian Grand Prix. (Photo: FIA Images)

Esteban Ocon on track at the Hungarian Grand Prix (credit: FIA Images)

Esteban Ocon benefitted from calamity at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix and then a major gaffe by Mercedes to earn his first Formula 1 win on Sunday (Aug. 1).  Ocon, however, was not gifted the victory and was forced to hold off Sebastian Vettel for almost the entirety of the race.  Vettel appeared …

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F1 Midweek: The Battles Shaping the Hungarian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton inside Max Verstappen at the start of the 2021 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1

Start of British GP at Silverstone (Photo: LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1)

The upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix marks the 11th race of the 2021 Formula 1 schedule and also the last before the summer break. When everyone in the sport goes and does whatever they do for the month of August, the sport will not even have reached its midpoint. The way this season is going, that’s …

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Slipstream Saturday: Red Bull Still Sore, Sprint Race at Monza & Valtteri Bottas Rumor

F1 Grand Prix Of Great Britain

(Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Formula 1 is taking this weekend off before heading to the Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Aug. 1.  That means everyone involved in the sport can lean back into comfy chairs, sip a cold beverage and watch The Olympics; leaving the worries of the F1 world to pass by. That’s not how F1 …

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Change Blanketing NASCAR at Every Corner

NASCAR Next Gen car

(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Each week, someone around here, usually Tom Bowles, writes a “Did You Notice?” piece that focuses on mentioning the trends that may or may not be claiming space in the NASCAR headlines. Consider this column an addendum, kind of. Rather than be an analysis of a trend or whatever else the DYN writer might pull …

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F1 Review: Peak Lewis Hamilton Wins British Grand Prix After Contact With Max Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton cheers after winning the 2021 British Grand Prix (Photo: LAT Images)

Lewis Hamilton 2021 British Grand Prix, Sunday - LAT Images

Lewis Hamilton made the most of his trip to his home track for the British Grand Prix.  After earning pole for the qualifying sprint race and losing the pole for the GP to Max Verstappen, Hamilton put together a classic performance in charging to victory Sunday (July 18). But his win at the British GP …

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