The F1 season, returning from the summer break, continues this weekend in Holland. Sports expert Jukka Mildh believes that with the Dutchman leading the World Series by far With Max Verstappen there is no other option but to win at home.
– The Dutch competition is a big national celebration when everyone – including the royal family – is there, says Mildh.
According to him, there will be a fascinating race this weekend because the Zandvoort track is small and narrow. The challenging track is above all known for its Tarzan curve.
Mildh urges in the competition to follow the performances of the teams that changed their power relations after the beginning of the season, Mercedes and Aston Martin. In addition, for example, the McLaren drivers who surprised in Hungary can bring interest again.
Mildh tells three things that should be followed during the rest of the season.
1. You look at Las Vegas
Mildh says that the penultimate race of the season in Las Vegas is very important for the future of F1. The last time an F1 series was held in Vegas was 41 years ago.
– The competition is the most significant investment in the F1 organization for many, many years. Maybe even the biggest investment in the history of the series.
American Liberty Media owns Formula 1. The company has invested a lot of money in the Las Vegas track and its infrastructure. Usually, the tracks are managed by the companies responsible for them, but Las Vegas is the bet of the series owner. The company has already invested more than 500 million dollars in the competition to be held in November.
– In terms of the future of Formula 1, the race must be successful. The goal is the growth of the market for the entire sport, when Liberty Media builds Monaco on the American continent. It’s a luxury race – ticket prices are sky high.
Financial Times tells, that a three-day ticket costs $500, while a five-day “extremely high-end” ticket costs $15,000. According to the magazine, the first batch of tickets was sold out in 45 minutes.
This season, three of the 22 races of the World Series will be held in the USA: Miami (5th race), Austin (18th) and Las Vegas (21st).
Mildh says that F1 has gained a good foothold in the United States, but for the rest of the season popularity will be determined in Las Vegas.
– South and North America are important markets for both Liberty Media and car manufacturers. For as long as I’ve been following the sport, F1 has been trying to enter the American market and gain respect there.
2. Power relations still speak for themselves
Mildh says that the development of the cars and the power ratios are still the focus in the final season. At the end of June, for example, a British driver driving a Mecedes Lewis Hamilton pointed out that the reigning champion gets an unfair advantage for future seasons.
This season, Red Bull has won all 12 races. The team is on its way to a second consecutive manufacturers’ championship, with a gap of up to 259 points to the second-placed Mercedes.
– Red Bull is currently so strong that it can already start transferring resources to next season. However, the ranking of the manufacturers’ series is so important that it brings interest to the rest of the season, Mildh estimates.
For example, he raises the previously mentioned Aston Martin. Formula champion Fernando Alonso took six podium places in the first eight races of the season. In the same period, team mate Lance Stroll finished in the top ten five times. Since then, the duo’s rankings have dropped a bit.
Mercedes has gained a little balance for the fluctuation of the early season. Hamilton and teammate George Russell bring points to the team at a steady pace. Ferrari, on the other hand, is in really big trouble, even though expectations were high before the start of the season.
– It shows that the responsiveness of manufacturers and team teams still means a lot. What each team can still do during the rest of the season brings color to the competitions.
– It doesn’t mean that Red Bull is slowing down.
Development competition can be seen, for example, in the talent market. Among other things, Ferrari attracted the performance director of Mercedes to his team next season Loic Serran. According to Mildh, there is a fierce competition for recruiting talent.
– I believe it will also accelerate between the top teams, because challenging Red Bull requires really big investments.
– At this point, all the teams have to make strategic decisions about whether to continue the development for this season or whether to invest already in next season.
3. What does an early championship mean?
Verstappen could secure the championship very early if he wins race after race. The Dutchman has won ten races and is a teammate Sergio Perez two.
Some have declared that the interest in formulas has declined when one driver and team dominates the series. However, Mildh reminds us that throughout time there have been superior teams and individuals in F1: McLaren and Ayrton SennaFerrari and Michael SchumacherMercedes and Lewis Hamilton.
– I don’t think that the superiority of Red Bull and Verstappen will reduce interest.
On site, the races are basically sold out and spectators buy tickets to the events very early. Mildh says F1 is still a big deal, with people traveling all over the world for the races, for example.
For Red Bull, the key is to seal the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships as quickly as possible. According to Mildh, it is clear that the team strives for perfection, i.e. victory in all competitions.
– If Verstappen secures the championship early, the team will certainly start securing points for their second driver Perez. It won’t really change the dynamics of the games at all, but the season will be completed with Red Bull in charge.