When the lights went out we saw Max Verstappen just fly next to Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari. After a couple of corners Verstappen took the lead but Vettel and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was just behind. All three of them had contact! Verstappen continued in the lead but Bottas overtook both Hamilton and Vettel for 2nd place. Now it was clear that both of them got damage and had to pit. Vettel broke his front wing and Hamilton had a flat tyre. Both of them dropped to the back.
This made the race a bit more interesting but when you thought about it for a while it started to look like there was not much Vettel could do anymore. He had to be 2nd or the championship would be over. He started overtaking cars one by one and did a great job. Hamilton on the other hand could not get anywhere from last position for a long period of time. Was he playing it too safe or what was the problem? Somebody said that Hamilton had floor damage but that was just assumptions. No official information about that.
Red Bull had problems again with the engine! Daniel Ricciardo had to retire the car. First part of the season Verstappen was retiring races a lot and now it's Ricciardo. Toro Rosso and Renault also had problems. Same engine manufacturer so not difficult to guess the problem there....
Vettel could get up to 4th place but was too far away from the two Finns to keep the championship alive. Hamilton crossed the line in 9th place and became a four time world champion! Only 5 drivers have done what he just did (HAM being the 5th); Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost and Juan Manuel Fangio. A big congratz from me and the rest of F1-4-LIFE! Hamilton really deserved it. He has been much better this season than he was last season.
The last thing I must mention is that every time Daniil Kvyat gets replaced Max Verstappen wins a race! The third time already this happens. So weird!!
That's about it for today and now let's see my predictions and results:
Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - WRONG. He was 3rd and Vettel got pole.
Race:
Fastest lap: Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - WRONG. Vettel was fastest.
Surprise: Sergio Perez and Felipe Massa might get good results here - Perez was 7th and got points but Massa was 11th just outside of the points.
Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - WRONG. He was 3rd and Vettel got pole.
Race:
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - WRONG. He got a puncture, dropped to the back and Verstappen was 1st.
- Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - CORRECT
- Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - WRONG. He retired and Räikkönen was 3rd.
Fastest lap: Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - WRONG. Vettel was fastest.
Surprise: Sergio Perez and Felipe Massa might get good results here - Perez was 7th and got points but Massa was 11th just outside of the points.
Post your own predictions to our F1-4-LIFE PREDICTORS LEAGUE!
The rules:
POINTS: 1st - 3 2nd - 5 3rd - 10
HOW IT WORKS: the aim of the game is simply predict who comes where in the race (top3). A total of 18 points can be won on a race day. If you get winner and and 3rd place right but 2nd wrong you get 13 points same if you get 1 correct. eg. 2nd you get 5 points. If a driver wins the race and you said he would come 2nd or 3rd no points would be awarded. Same if he came in another position, and you predicted that wrong. A table will be posted up every race weekend. The point scoring system will change once the cars become more competitive. Everyone will say a merc 1,2 so it won't be close or fun.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PREDICTIONS: send an email to f14lifeblog@gmail.com or message the Facebook page to submit your predictions. You have until lights out to make them. If you submit them when the race has started they won't count. So be quick! like the Mercedes.
THE PRIZE: the winner of the league will win themselves a admin place on the F1 4 LIFE page along side AE, JT, MW, MH, JI and PM. If you don't want to be an admin you are welcome to participate anyway. We may also come up with some other prize if it helps.
If you want to send me feedback then email me: f14lifeblog@gmail.com
