The past three weeks of the Formula One championship have been way more exciting than anyone could have thought. Not only have there been three different winners, but we’ve had drivers on the podium that wouldn’t normally finish up there.
At the Austin Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) finished first, marking his third race win of the season. His teammates Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) finished second and third. This is great for Verstappen, since it helps him maintain his lead in the Driver’s Championship. Verstappen also gained points from the sprint race, in which he finished first.
Next was the Mexican Grand Prix. Sainz was able to accomplish a win with his two former teammates, Lando Norris (McLaren) and Leclerc (Ferrari), who were second and third. While Sainz’s win did not affect his standing in the Driver’s Championship, it allowed Ferrari to pass Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
This week ended the triple-header with the Brazilian Grand Prix. While the other races have been interesting recently, this Grand Prix was the most chaotic. Five drivers didn’t finish the Grand Prix, including Sainz.
It was clearly going to be a chaotic weekend from the beginning, when qualifying was delayed until Sunday morning, rather than completed on Saturday like usual.
Verstappen did not start in a position to win this race, but was able to successfully win for the first time since Barcelona. He started from 17th on the grid but was quickly able to make up the places and achieve first place despite many of the red flags and safety cars after the crashes.
Norris was not able to finish the race in a better place than Verstappen, so he now is further behind in the Championship. However, the two Alpine drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, were able to win first and second. This will help the team gain more money for the next season to improve the cars.
Next, we’re on to the Las Vegas Grand Prix for a night race!
The “High-Octane Herald” is written by Ava O’Donnell and details the latest Formula One news regarding races and current events.