Hamilton 2, Verstappen 1—Four Thoughts

1. So it’s really Lewis Hamilton vs. Max Verstappen, right? All season?

Hamilton won again to take a 2-1 lead in the season series. Honestly, I’d be ok with the two of them winning every single race. I’ve also yet to watch an F1 race, though, so if you’re some omnipotent motorsport deity maybe prioritize other people’s feelings over mine.

2. I’m curious about the aerodynamics here.

I’m probably just making this too similar to NASCAR, or there was more of a leadup than the video I’m seeing (I’m gonna watch soon, guys—I promise—I’m trying over here), but I was surprised at how easy it looked for Hamilton to pass on the outside of Turn 1:

3. Distracted driving is bad.

4. Spain next week. I like Spain. But I might have to do something different for church than normal.

The Sunday morning aspect is a little challenging. We’ll figure it out, though. We’ll figure it out. Never been to that part of Spain but I like the parts I’ve been to.

NIT fan. Joe Kelly expert. Milk drinker. Can be found on Twitter (@nit_stu) and Instagram (@nitstu32).
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2 thoughts on “Hamilton 2, Verstappen 1—Four Thoughts

  1. Re: Point 2

    Yes, Lewis Hamilton overtook his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas with relative ease. The key here is the Drag Reduction System, or DRS.

    Look closely at the rear wing of Hamilton’s car at the very beginning of the video. You’ll see that a flap is open, allowing air to pass through the wing. Now look at Bottas’s rear wing. You’ll see that the same flap is closed (i.e., where the word “PETRONAS” appears).

    As the name would suggest, DRS reduces aerodynamic drag on the vehicle, rendering it a lot quicker. Designed to facilitate overtaking, DRS can only be enabled by a driver under certain conditions. First, the DRS window must be open. (Typically, the race controllers wait a few laps after the race has started or after a safety car period has concluded before activating DRS.) Second, a driver may only enable DRS when they are within one second of the car that is in front of them. Third, a driver may only enable DRS when they are driving through pre-determined DRS zones. (Most tracks feature two DRS zones, typically found on their long long straightaways.) Finally, the driver has to activate DRS themselves using a button on their (exceptionally button-filled) steering wheel. Engineers/strategists on the pit wall cannot activate DRS on a driver’s behalf.

    Although it has been around for years, DRS is still rather divisive. Some find it gimmicky while others feel as though it increases the excitement of grands prix. Not unlike replay review in other sports, people definitely complain when a DRS-enabled pass hurts their driver, but love it when it helps their own driver actually do the overtakin’.

    1. Wow, thank you! That is enlightening. Will have to watch for that (when I watch I swear I’m gonna watch one of these grands prix).

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