• Mercedes: The tyranny of 75%
  • Carlos Sainz. "We got Leclerc to give up"
  • Chronicle: Bottas does his job in Suzuka for the sixth Mercedes title
  • Leclerc. With one hand on the legendary 130R

They have something special these superdomingos in which Formula 1 is forced to concentrate in one morning what is usually done in two days. Less evidence, more risks , more haste, more stress and more likely to make mistakes or make them more expensive. Also more uncertain because after the passage of Typhoon Hagibis and having only as a reference the tests on Friday, nobody would have bet on Ferrari , not even them. However, in the morning classification the two red cars destroyed something that more than a trend was already a tradition: to see the two Mercedes on the first line of the grid in Suzuka.

Since the hybrid era began in Formula 1, the Silver Arrows had always been the two fastest cars on Saturday. Maybe the fact that this time it was on Sunday changed the routine. For the first time since Canada, Sebastian Vettel achieved pole . The red monopoly of that first line put fear in the body of Mercedes, who began to fear that the dominance shown by Ferrari after the summer break extended to a grand prize that was, unquestionably, his territory.

However, everything was quite clear in the first 30 seconds of the grand prize. Vettel made a mistake again . His finger escaped before the light went out and his Ferrari jumped. Not big enough to be sanctioned, but harmful enough for some cars to pass. Charles Leclerc was confused, perhaps influenced by the bad start of his partner, and left even worse than him. His bad start made him face up with Max Verstappen in the second corner. Touch, damage and the career of both ruined as soon as you start. Thus, after these 30 seconds Valtteri Bottas was leading a grand prize that was going to end up winning in the most boring race for the Finn of recent times.

In the absence of clashes and tension between the Ferrari drivers, the race was encouraged by a Lewis Hamilton who got angry. Winning the Ferrari is not good, but winning a Mercedes and not yours seems to hurt even more. Especially if the strategy doesn't just convince you. It was of little use for Toto Wolff to tell him that Mercedes was already mathematically world champion of builders for the sixth consecutive year. Lewis let out a cold " congratulations " and on the podium he did not take his disgusted gesture from his face for a second.

Mercedes has done it again. Six years of hybrid engines and six titles . Or rather 12, because if it is not in Mexico it will be in the United States, but that angry driver of the Suzuka podium will be world champion once again. His fifth title with Mercedes and his sixth in Formula 1. Hamilton should be very grateful to what the team has done for him and remember that in this sport of egocentric stars success depends on the talent of the pilot, but also the almost 2,000 people who work before you pursuing the same goal.

Maybe Hamilton forgot a little yesterday about all this. Maybe because he sees the end of the cycle approaching and that makes him nervous. Winning next year will not be so easy and the new 2021 regulations could change everything. In the end, Formula 1 is a sport of cycles and it is quite likely that Mercedes is reaching the end of its own. As Sebastian Vettel said when he was proclaimed champion for the last time with Red Bull in the United States Grand Prix in 2013: "We have to enjoy these days because they will not last forever." The Red Bull cycle ended that year, demonstrating Seb's visionary skills, just as in 2005 the Ferrari cycle was over.

We only have to cross our fingers so that one day not too far away can return the McLaren cycle and that day Carlos Sainz is still there. Another great brilliant award from Carlos who did everything right again: Ranking, starting and career pace. He finished fifth, climbed to sixth place in the Drivers' World Championship and further strengthened McLaren's fourth position in the builders table. Carlos is getting colder, getting more solid . In the garage they call him Smooth Operator , using the title of that extraordinary Sade song from the 80s. If we translate it into Spanish, it would be something like the "fine operator", something that contrasts with his other nickname: "Chili". Maybe that is the key. Fine and spicy at the same time. As Muhammad Ali said: "Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

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  • Ferrari
  • McLaren
  • Sebastian Vettel
  • Valtteri Bottas
  • Mexico
  • Max Verstappen
  • Lewis Hamilton
  • U.S
  • Canada
  • Formula 1

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