Written by Sofia Costantino, Edited by Sasha Macmillen
Are you ready to dive into the high-speed world of Formula One? Whether you're a seasoned fan or a newcomer to the sport, there's never been a better time to catch up with everything happening on track this year. This article has got you covered, from the latest race results and driver standings to the biggest shocks and controversies. So buckle up and get ready to experience the thrill of the race like never before!
In the latest race in Barcelona, we saw Max Verstappen take his third career Grand Slam, putting him on track to potentially surpass Ayrton Senna and the five drivers with more race wins than him. His talent has proven his mettle; with an unstoppable pace and courage, Max Verstappen has proven he is already part of F1's history, and gives us the enormous gift of witnessing his talent. Not only that, but also with the out-of-this-world and extraordinary car the Red Bull team created, the team has the perfect mix to achieve the ultimate goal: becoming(once again) world champions. The team achieved an impressive record of seven consecutive wins at the start of the campaign, putting them on track to beat the 11 set by the unbeatable McLaren with the Senna-Prost duo, winners in 15 of the 16 contests of 1988.
Verstappen's dominance in Barcelona was clear from the very beginning, with him leading from the start, taking the fastest lap, and finishing first; Verstappen's performance puts him comfortably in first place in the drivers' standings with a total of 170 points, 53 more than Pérez. Verstappen is on track to win the championship, but Pérez is still a possible contender, with two of the team's seven wins. However, he has been inconsistent with three starts out of the top 10 and unable to maintain a pace similar to that of the Dutchman, especially in Catalunya.
The revamped Mercedes team also put in a strong performance in Barcelona, with Lewis Hamilton finishing second and George Russell third, which could spell a return to competitiveness.
Talking about Mercedes, it's essential to acknowledge how they managed to create a practically new car to compete with the Red Bulls. But, even with all these improvements, their car is still at least 30 seconds behind Red Bull over a race distance, so they still have significant work in their hands if they want to fight for either world championship.
Meanwhile, Aston Martin and Ferrari struggled in the race, finishing behind Red Bull and Mercedes. Ferrari took a considerable turn this past weekend when everyone expected to see Carlos Sainz on Sunday's podium or at least with a smile on his face, given that it was a home race for the Spaniard.
During Saturday's qualifying we saw both ends of the tie; on one end, Charles Leclerc was knocked out in Q1 (his worst qualifying since Monaco GP 2019) and started from pit lane on Sunday, and on the other hand, Carlos Sainz started P3 on home soil, but fell behind on Sunday to finish P5. Everyone expected to see the “smooth operator” on the podium or even a better strategy, but it was far from what the public expected. The plan this past weekend failed them to a level that had us all thinking: what will happen to Ferrari?
With some drivers out of place on the grid, including Lando Norris in third and fellow Oscar Piastri tenth, they were joined by Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon in 4th and 7th respectively, with Nico Hulkenberg of Haas qualifying in 8th place.
Looking forward to the upcoming race in Canada, season 2023, we can expect Verstappen to continue leading all the events, from the free practice, qualifying for the starting grid, and the race (non-stop action as we saw in Monaco). The Canadian race is an entirely different circuit with its own challenges, but Verstappen's Red Bull team is in top form and ready to take on the competition. Nonetheless, with a now improved Mercedes and the innovations Aston Martin is taking on, Canada is sure to be one of the best races this year.
All these exciting things to look out for and more will surely make the Canadian Grand Prix an exciting event for Formula One fans. Be sure to tune in to see how it all unfolds on the track.
