After a much-needed break for the grid, Method 1 is again this week with the Canadian Grand Prix.
And there may be a lot to debate.
From some fascinating fights shaping up all through the standings, to at least one driver who’s on the cusp of a suspension, and one other who could also be compelled to overlook his residence race as a result of harm, there aren’t any scarcity of storylines.
Let’s dive into the foremost speaking factors for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Checking in on the F1 title races
With the most recent triple-header within the rear-view mirror, it’s time to verify in on each title races.
The Spanish Grand Prix provided the most recent twist to an enchanting F1 Drivers’ Championship combat. Lando Norris’ win within the Monaco Grand Prix pulled him to inside simply three factors of teammate Oscar Piastri atop the standings, however Piastri’s command efficiency in Barcelona pushed that hole again to 10 factors, as he completed up entrance forward of Norris as McLaren locked out the entrance row.
Maybe extra intriguing is what occurred behind them. Because the grid arrived in Barcelona Max Verstappen was simply off the tempo, solely 25 factors behind Piastri and 23 factors behind Norris. However as we’ll focus on in a second, Verstappen’s tenth-place end in Barcelona — coupled with the one-two efficiency from the McLaren duo — dropped him additional away from the entrance. Because the grid heads to Montreal Verstappen sits 39 factors behind Norris and 49 factors behind Piastri.
And with George Russell solely 26 factors behind Verstappen, the hole is closing up behind him too.
As for the Constructors’ Championship race, McLaren stays the category of the sector, because the Woking-based group has 362 factors on the season, placing them 197 factors away from the group in second.
That group?
Ferrari.
After all of the consternation in current weeks concerning the Scuderia a third-place end from Charles Leclerc and a sixth-place outcome from Lewis Hamilton pushed Ferrari into P2, six factors away from Mercedes and 22 factors away from Crimson Bull.
There’s a lengthy approach to go till trophies are handed out, however the fights on the entrance are fascinating certainly.
Whither Lance Stroll?
Within the hours main as much as the Spanish Grand Prix, phrase broke that Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll could be withdrawing from the race, citing ache in his arms and wrist. Stroll underwent surgical procedure forward of the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix after a biking accident throughout pre-season coaching, and made a surprising return to the grid for the primary race of the season, the place he completed sixth.
Nonetheless, his standing for this week, his residence race, is doubtful.
Mike Krack, the group’s Chief Trackside Officer, relayed that “Plan A” is for Stroll to be within the AMR25 this week. However Krack conceded that a lot is up within the air earlier than the groups head to Montreal.
“In the intervening time, it’s actually troublesome to inform you the way it’s going to go, and what will occur within the subsequent days, however we’ll discover out,” Krack mentioned to the official F1 web site.
And if Stroll can’t race this weekend, there are additional problems. Reserve drivers Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne are on standby, however each are slated to drive within the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which conflicts with the Canadian Grand Prix. Jak Crawford, who drives in F2 and is a part of Aston Martin’s driver improvement program, at the moment lacks the requisite factors on his FIA Tremendous License.
“It’s fairly easy, the ‘Plan A’ is to have Lance within the automotive – that’s the ‘Plan A’, and that’s what we’re working to,” mentioned Krack. “If the ‘Plan A’ doesn’t work, then we have to pull ‘Plan B’.
“Clearly we all the time knew that Le Mans was going to occur, so we additionally had plans in place that if we want a driver that’s doing Le Mans, we’ll deliver him, however in the intervening time this isn’t the one query,” added Krack.
“We wait what the subsequent days are bringing, after which we take a call.”
Max Verstappen on the cusp of an surprising trip
F1’s newest triple-header ended with a penalty, placing the defending Drivers’ Champion on the precipice of a one-race penalty ban.
Max Verstappen’s incident with George Russell within the closing levels of the Spanish Grand Prix resulted in not only a ten-second penalty from the race stewards for the Crimson Bull driver (which dropped him to P10) however a three-point penalty on his FIA Tremendous License. That elevated Verstappen’s present penalty tally to 11 factors, placing him one level shy of a one-race suspension.
Complicating issues is the truth that the subsequent factors to run out on Verstappen’s Tremendous License, the 2 he obtained for an incident with Lando Norris ultimately yr’s Austrian Grand Prix, don’t expire till the tip of the month.
Meaning Verstappen has to navigate each the Canadian Grand Prix this week, and the Austrian Grand Prix later this month, with out incident.
All eyes on Crimson Bull’s second seat … once more
Verstappen standing on the precipice of a one-race suspension isn’t the one main storyline at Crimson Bull.
It’s time to discuss concerning the second seat … once more.
Yuki Tsunoda, tapped by the group as a substitute for Liam Lawson after simply two races this yr, has not delivered the type of outcomes Crimson Bull is hoping for out of their second seat. Tsunoda has banked simply seven factors since his promotion to the senior group, a mark that has seen drivers resembling Alexander Albon, Carlos Sainz Jr., Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon and sure, Isack Hadjar, outscore him over that stretch.
Now there are rumblings that Hadjar might be the subsequent driver to earn a promotion to Crimson Bull. “There may be one driver who Racing Bulls assume has a really related fashion to Max Verstappen. I don’t assume he’s prepared but. However is Isaac Hadjar the reply to their issues?” requested Sky Sports activities F1’s David Croft in current days.
“If Hadjar is the closest factor to Max Verstappen, then he has the better activity of adapting to that automotive, which has been designed and developed extra to Max’s liking.
“Crimson Bull say as a result of Sergio Perez was a bit reluctant in coming ahead to offer suggestions final yr, so due to this fact, the suggestions was all Max’s, due to this fact, the automotive type of went in a Max route.”
The problem of the second seat at Crimson Bull has lingered since Daniel Ricciardo departed from the group after the 2018 season, and now even Verstappen is questioning why this stays an issue for the group.
“Yuki isn’t a pancake. This (with the 2nd Crimson Bull driver) has been happening for a very long time,” mentioned Verstappen on the Spanish Grand Prix.
“Possibly that’s an indication. Of what? That you would be able to resolve your self.”
Then there are the rumors that the group is searching for approval for 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad to obtain an FIA Tremendous License. Lindblad, who sits third within the F2 Drivers’ Championship standings and is coming off a win within the F2 Characteristic Race on the Spanish Grand Prix, is taken into account one of many sport’s brightest younger abilities. However as he’s but to show 18, he would wish approval from the FIA to drive in F1.
He turns 18 in August.
Would possibly this be a backstop ought to Verstappen obtain a penalty as outlined above? Consideration for an additional mid-season transfer?
Or simply extra fodder for individuals like me?
Is the front-wing saga settled?
Coming into the Spanish Grand Prix, entrance wings had been the discuss of the paddock.
With the game’s governing physique instituting stricter testing on entrance wings, to chop down on the “flexi-wing” saga that dominated the dialog the previous a number of months, there was rampant hypothesis that the brand new necessities would shake up the pecking order, and maybe knock McLaren down a bit.
The corresponding front-row lockout from Piastri and Norris ended that hypothesis, at the least for now.
Is the “flexi-wing” saga really over, or does Montreal spring a shock?
Has a brand new contender emerged within the midfield combat?
Williams anticipated a troublesome week in Barcelona, and people premonitions had been confirmed appropriate because the group endured their first point-less race week because the Bahrain Grand Prix. Nonetheless, they sit comfortably in fifth place within the Constructors’ Championship race with 54 factors, 26 factors away from Visa Money App Racing Bulls. Haas sits seventh within the desk with 26 factors, simply two behind the tally of VCARB.
However did a brand new contender emerge in Barcelona?
Nico Hülkenberg’s beautiful fifth-place end within the Spanish Grand Prix, which included an overtake of Lewis Hamilton on the penultimate lap, delivered ten huge factors for Sauber, propelling them as much as eighth within the standings. Regardless of coming into the Spanish Grand Prix sitting tenth within the Constructors’ Championship, that outcome introduced their season tally to 16, tying them with Aston Martin however giving Sauber the tiebreaker edge.
Can Sauber preserve that momentum getting in Montreal?
