HAMILTON’S DIFFERENT PATH TO A FAMILIAR RESULT
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“It was a completely different journey to get the result we just got.” That was Lewis Hamilton’s assessment of his 97th Formula 1 career victory, at the 2021 Portuguese Grand Prix. But, really, his triumph at the Algarve Circuit last weekend did bear some noticeable similarities to his win at the same track last October.
In both races, Hamilton fell behind his key rival, and he also had to make vital passes to secure the lead in each event. The difference this time around, though, is that things simply mattered more in terms of the title fight when F1 arrived in Portugal.
Not only is the championship battle still barely getting going, but this time it’s clearly not an intra-Mercedes affair. Max Verstappen and Red Bull are firmly in the mix, and the Dutchman’s presence and pressure, allied with Valtteri Bottas beating Hamilton to pole, added up to a series of key tests the world champion faced before securing his second Portuguese GP win.
TEST ONE ACE THE RESTART (FAILED)
Hamilton made a slightly slower getaway from the front row than Bottas, but it wasn’t enough to give Verstappen a real chance going into the rapid opening corners. In fact, the main action on lap one came from further back, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr easily dispatching the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez at Turn 1 after the Mexican’s poor start (which he blamed on a lack of grid grip away from the racing line), and Lando Norris and Esteban Ocon exchanging bold passes. Norris braving things out around the outside of
