How Max Verstappen and Red Bull pulled off biggest F1 2020 upset

0:46 “I’m not just sitting behind like a grandma!”: Max Verstappen wanted to attack Lewis Hamilton at the 70th Anniversary GP despite his team’s urges.

It was a reply of passion from a driver who, despite his best efforts, hadn’t truly been in contention for a win all season. And after Bottas and Hamilton then pitted, an unlikely Max victory looked like more and more of a possibility.

Advantage Verstappen as Mercedes tyre out

Mercedes pitting onto fresh hards while Verstappen was running on the same, but older, compound, would normally result in the W11s eating into Red Bull’s new race lead. But that simply didn’t happen.

“I was putting the pressure on and they boxed – from then on my tyres just picked up and I had even better pace,” explained Verstappen to Sky F1 after the race. “So I just kept going and going.”

2:18 Max Verstappen shocked Mercedes to end the world champions’ winning run in the 2020 season in an intense and thrilling race at F1’s 70th Anniversary GP.

Mercedes, meanwhile, had blisters on their tyres soon after fitting them, and Hamilton in particular was struggling, dropping out of range to Verstappen even if he decided to pit.

Verstappen did so after a few laps of pushing for more pace on that hard tyre, leading to the next pivotal moment in his race.

Max has the lead, as Bottas bemoans strategy

Red Bull’s pit crew are so often speedier than anyone on the grid but Sunday’s first stop was around a second slower than usual, which meant Bottas just crept into the lead. But struggling on his tyres, that lasted only a matter of corners as Verstappen darted around the outside of Woodcote with a new medium tyre advantage.

This was the first point of the race which frustrated Bottas, who was adamant he could have had a race win, let alone second place, on Sunday with more favourable strategy.

1:17 Max Verstappen overtakes Valtteri Bottas for the race lead during the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

“When Max got ahead of me I had no information to push harder, so we ended up pretty much side-by-side when he pitted,” he said. “If I knew before that I could pick up my pace, I had my pace in hand.”

Bottas’ view was that track position was crucial, and the fact he was matching Verstappen soon after his stop seemed to back that up. If Bottas was given the hurry up by Mercedes, would Max have been able to pass him?

Verstappen was just 2s ahead of Bottas when both pitted again at the same time, onto hards, launching Hamilton into a race lead.

The finishing touches to an F1 upset

The final stint was Verstappen’s most comfortable, and one where it became clear that he was now the race favourite – even with Hamilton more than 10s up the road.

“I never really had any trouble with my tyres so as soon as Valtteri started accelerating, I was accelerating,” explained Max. His lead was extending by around 0.5s per lap to Bottas.

“Then they told me Lewis might go to the end so I had to speed up a bit more, but then quite quickly it was over a second I was gaining [a lap] I felt comfortable, and then he boxed.”

From there, it was pretty much mission accomplished for Max – and the fact Mercedes were allowing their two drivers to race behind would have been more music to the ears.

In another blow to Bottas, he was then a sitting duck for Hamilton who, posting fastest laps on his new tyres, easily overtook his team-mate for second place.

Mercedes reacting to Verstappen with their lead car turned out to be his downfall.

“The last stint was too long for me, while Lewis went longer in the middle stint which worked out better,” said the Finn. “For me, it was sub-optimal.”

Hamilton, meanwhile, thanked his team for his strategy – adding that he was “really grateful” for a longer second stint. He is still 30 points clear in the championship, but now has Verstappen as his closest rival, rather than Bottas.

What now for F1 2020?

Given Mercedes’ big one-lap advantage at Silverstone and the fact they have been pretty comfortable throughout every qualifying session and race so far – until Sunday – it would be foolish to suggest they are no longer F1’s dominant force.

But the 70th Anniversary GP did at least show that the team, who have been asked all season whether they could last the year undefeated, can be vulnerable. Hot temperatures, with softer tyres, brings Red Bull back into play.

1:52 Lewis Hamilton said it was a “real shock” for Mercedes that they struggled on their tyres compared to Red Bull at the 70th Anniversary GP.

“We’ve seen we’ve had this deficit in very hot temperatures,” said team boss Toto Wolff. “Today we got confirmation. That is something we need to get on top of and understand.

“Clearly you can say we’ve been an outlier to the whole field. We were not quick enough and the gaps have shrunk.”

With a Spanish GP in the middle of August unlikely to bring with it any chilly respite, Red Bull – who for the first time this season seemed to get the most out of their package – can look ahead with promise.

“Let’s say last week we would have won because of their tyre blowouts, OK it’s a win but it’s not very satisfying,” said Verstappen. “Today was very satisfying because we did beat them on pace.”

Verstappen also urged his team to pick up the pace in qualifying – while Hamilton insists he’s eager for the challenge.

“I want to have races where they’re challenging like today so I’m excited to watch this race,” added the six-time champion. “Obviously the Red Bull seems to be quite close in race conditions to us and obviously today is stronger so it shows they don’t have as bad a package as perhaps people had said in the past but I think it’s good.

“It will be interesting to see the progression through the rest of the year and I definitely will not overlook them.”

Sourse: skysports.com