If any individual defines dominance in modern sports, then it is Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton. The Briton has been shattering records left and right, winning world titles on the trot. However, many in the F1 community question how much of that is actually down to him.
F1 is a unique sport where the equipment defines the majority of a sports person’s excellence. So, most fanatics discredit Hamilton’s success simply because of his superior machinery. However, Ross Brawn is not one of those people.
The former Ferrari engineer points out to his gobsmacking drive in Turkey, where he defied the odds to take the victory, to make a case for his greatness.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Mercedes’ W11 wasn’t up to its usual tricks on the slippery track, meaning the defending champ started the race down the grid. But he displayed his tire-management skills and won by a margin of almost half a lap.
“Lewis drove a brilliant race. If anyone questions that ‘he’s got the best car, he ought to win’, they ought to watch that race because that was a masterpiece,” said Ross Brawn.
Turkish Grand Prix: The Directors' Cut 🎬
It was voted by fans as the best race of 2020, now you can sit back and enjoy extended highlights of that thriller in Istanbul 🤩#TurkishGP 🇹🇷 #F1
— Formula 1 (@F1) January 5, 2021
Even his peers acknowledged his wizardry for a change. But the officials drew some flak from the drivers at the Turkish Grand Prix weekend. The reason for that was the newly furbished track which coupled with the rain, made it difficult to control the car.
However, on the bright side, it produced arguably the most exciting race of the 2020 F1 season. “We had some very negative comments about the grip levels and the conditions. And we had one of the greatest races of the year.
“I think everybody took something away from that. It was interesting to me to see the more experienced drivers come to the fore there.”
Lewis Hamilton Turkey masterclass may be a blueprint for future F1 races
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The lack of grip slowed the cars down tremendously. But nobody couldn’t care less as it enthralled viewers with some unpredictable outcomes. And this hasn’t flown under the radar of the key stakeholders.
“That’s another thing that we’ve sort of taken into consideration, that it doesn’t necessarily follow that producing the fastest lap time is going to produce the best race,” said Brawn.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Hopefully, we witness these exciting races regularly in the future, albeit not at the safety of the drivers! Maybe the 2022 regulations sprinkle their magic and we don’t have to rely on some rain and a botched tarmac next time.
READ MORE- Would Lewis Hamilton Be Regarded Differently Had He Not Won the 2008 World Championship?