What Happened to These Teams During the Dutch Grand Prix?
It is that time again: the Dutch Grand Prix has come and gone, and the impact it gives these teams is vital. Starting off strong with Ferrari driver, Lewis Hamilton, who unfortunately did not finish the race. This is Hamilton’s first time not finishing a race since his sudden move to Ferrari, replacing Carlos Sainz. Hamilton put his wheel on a wet white line due to the light rain and lost control, forcing him to hit the barrier, ending his race on the 23rd lap. However, this gave the other drivers a Safety Car, which was the perfect opportunity to change tires. For some, it went well, and for others, well, let’s just say it was not a boring race.
This was a rough race day for Ferrari, as Charles Leclerc was clipped on his front wheel by Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc found himself in a near-catastrophic crash, but fortunately, he remained safe and upright. Leclerc’s car snapped back, only taking the right tire off. With this collision, Antonelli was given a 10-second penalty, pushing him down to P16, with Pierre Gasly separating him from the three drivers who did not finish the race. Additionally, Antonelli sped in the pit lane, earning himself another five-second penalty.
Before this incident, Leclerc had an issue with the number one Mercedes driver, George Russell. It looked as if Russell gave Leclerc little to no space to make his turn, pushing him off track. Leclerc is an experienced driver, one of the best, so he was able to make a quick comeback. It was an extremely disappointing moment, not just for Leclerc but for the whole Ferrari team.
Yuki Tsunoda’s issues were less worrisome, as his Red Bull car lost some power, yet he overtook rookie driver for Kick Sauber, Gabriel Bortoleto. After this, came tragedy and the end of a streak of five-time one-two wins for McLaren. Lando Norris’ McLaren car ended up having an oil leak and mechanical issues, which forced his portion of the race to come to an end. With such a devastating loss, he can rest somewhat easier knowing that the Racing Bulls rookie, Isack Hadjar, has officially earned a spot in pole, sitting at P3 behind Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen. A huge congratulations to Oscar Piastri for yet another win this season with McLaren. Make sure to stay tuned for the Italian Grand Prix on September 7th.
