Fat gray clouds hang over the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack.

The fog lingers in the valleys.

It rains on Friday.

The temperature has dropped to 13 degrees Celsius.

In the grandstands, Formula 1 fans have wrapped themselves in raincoats or are huddled under open umbrellas.

In the High Fens, autumn is approaching at the end of August, cool, damp.

In Formula 1, it should be a hot one.

Anno Hecker

Responsible editor for sports.

  • Follow I follow

Lewis Hamilton came into the paddock with his coat billowing.

The world champion jumped the steps to the motorhome of his Mercedes team on Thursday.

He looks combative, ready for the second half of Formula 1 after eleven of the 22 planned Grands Prix and a good three-week summer break: "The holiday was good."

Hamilton had gone on vacation with the best feeling.

As a soldier of fortune from Hungary, he finished second behind Esteban Ocon in the Alpine after the chaos at the start.

And yet again very first in the race for the title in 2021, because Max Verstappen was only ninth because of the mess.

Within two Grands Prix, the Dutchman's beautiful lead (33 points) turned into a deficit: eight.

That is little in view of twelve outstanding races.

But there is more to the change in leadership than the usual pendulum movement, which can trigger small fluctuations in technique or daily form in a head-to-head race. During the (punished) full contact in Silverstone in July, Hamilton gave Verstappen an insight into the mindset of a top dog who claims to be world champion, i.e. record champion, for the eighth time: I don't leave you an inch! It was the most conspicuous signal for the expansion of the combat zone to the upper room. World titles are won in the brain.

Verstappen's outrage about the small penalty (ten seconds) despite the shooting down and the zero lap for him while Hamilton won, is interpreted in the paddock as an indication of a rematch at the next opportunity. Especially since the now 23-year-old rose from the super talent of Formula 1 without a license to drive on public roads to Hamilton's first challenger with well-groomed displacement tours.

He left little room for maneuver on the slopes, even at 300 km / h, neither for himself nor for others. In this respect, a full contact competition between the two seems programmed, optionally at least brought in by the protagonists of the big party with a flair for drama: Are we experiencing a re-edition of the famous hostility of the world champions Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost? A good thirty years ago the tatters flew, racing cars were transformed into the destructive tools of a conviction: I am the champion!

In Formula 1, things rarely turn out as expected. Before the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday (3 p.m. CEST in the FAZ live ticker on Formula 1 and on Sky), the characteristics of the track will slow down the desire to be too close. The respect for the high-speed track with its incredibly “fast” full-throttle corners such as Eau Rouge or Blanchimont is high. The memory of the fatal accident in Formula 2 two years ago when the Frenchman Anthoine Hubert was killed is fresh. In addition, the slope allows overtaking maneuvers.

The race is neither won nor lost on the first lap. And yet the racing teams give full throttle, purposefully, in the hope of a hit, at least off the track. “George is very quick. And he can't stay where he is forever. He deserved more, ”said Verstappen on Thursday when asked about Hamilton's compatriot at the Williams. George is George Russell, 23 years old, managed by Mercedes. At the latest since his brilliant performance in Bahrain last year for Hamilton, who tested positive for Corona, he is considered the first candidate for a place next to the chief pilot in the coming season.

Why did Verstappen address a sensitive issue with his request for a promotion? Because Hamilton had different ideas about which teammate he wanted to end his project, maybe his career, with. "I have always stood up for Valtteri," said Hamilton at Spa about Russell's prospects, "because we are a wonderful team." Valtteri is Valtteri Bottas from Finland, since 2017 at Hamilton's side, fast but not consistently enough to agree to Hamilton endanger. A pleasant passenger. And finally a useful assistant when he cleared competitors at the start in Hungary and ruined Verstappen's prospects of leaving Hamilton behind again.

Whether Russell Hamilton, who is taciturn but happily looking into the future, could attack, even outperform, is an exciting question.

The only thing that is certain is that Verstappen will allow his big opponent as much sideline activity as possible.

It can suppress Russell's arrival, which now only appears to be a matter of time.

But not the consequence: the liberation of Botta from the team game that forces every co-driver of a champion who is put in their place to serve the first man in the racing team in good time.

To make room like Rubens Barrichello Michael Schumacher once ordered from the team leadership: "Do it for the championship."

In the strategic game, teammates can sometimes be used for a profitable tempo drag. Verstappen can be sure of the support of Sergio Perez. Red Bull announced on Friday that the Mexican's contract would be extended by one year until the end of 2022. For the time being, the Hamilton pursuer gets the rest he needs. In training on Friday, Verstappen set the fastest time, just ahead of Bottas (0.041 seconds behind) and Hamilton (0.072).