Transfer apart, Babe Ruth.
When the checkered flag flew on the finish of the Belgian Grand Prix, it introduced the curtain down on the primary act of the 2024 Method 1 season.
If the Grand Prix is any indication, the second act will probably be one thing much more magical than the primary.
Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix had every little thing the game has to supply, and extra. Thrilling overtakes, assorted technique calls, and drivers pushing themselves and their machines to the restrict amidst a number of the most iconic scenes in Method 1.
Ultimately, it got here right down to a driver who known as his shot early within the race and his teammate, one of many sport’s dwelling legends, operating on the entrance of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton capitalized on an unbelievable begin to seize the lead early within the Belgian Grand Prix, whereas teammate George Russell was one of many first contending drivers to come back into the pits for a brand new set of tires, all the best way again on Lap 10. However shortly after the halfway level of the Grand Prix Russell known as his shot, asking his group to think about going in opposition to the traditional knowledge — one thing Alex Jacques described on F1TV as “completely audacious” — and making this a one-stop race.
Because the laps ticked down Russell was within the lead, together with his solely true menace Hamilton behind him. His tires had been dropping grip lap over lap, and the seven-time champion was throughout his rear wing. If there was any grip left in these worn exhausting tires, it was time to extract each little bit of rubber from them.
“How can this be potential from George Russell,” questioned Jacques on the penultimate lap.
However Method 1 in 2024 is the 12 months of the unattainable turning into potential.
By some means, a way, Russell fended off all of his rivals as the one driver to tug off a one-stop technique, taking the win by half a second over his teammate. Over the closing laps, Russell rocketed round Spa on tires that by the checkered flag had been 34 laps outdated, and as Russell coasted into Parc Ferme the tires had been smoking.
However they had been smoking in entrance of the placard designated for the racewinner. Hamilton got here in second, adopted by Oscar Piastri, the winner the final day out on the Hungarian Grand Prix, in third.
“It mustn’t have been potential to win the Grand Prix on a one cease,” declared Jacques.
Once more, the unattainable turning into potential.
“Superb consequence, we undoubtedly didn’t predict this this morning in our technique assembly,” mentioned Russell to Guenther Steiner trackside after the race. “The tires felt nice and I saved saying ‘I believe we are able to do the one-stop. I believe we are able to do the one-stop.’
“We rolled the cube, however it was solely potential as a result of the automobile was feeling nice.”
For Mercedes, it was their first one-two because the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix. Whereas Hamilton conceded to Steiner trackside that Mercedes becoming a member of a real F1 Constructors’ Championship combat alongside Purple Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari is likely to be an excessive amount of to ask, the Silver Arrows have been in beautiful kind these previous few race weekends. Courting again to Russell’s stunning victory on the Austrian Grand Prix, Mercedes has gained three of the final 4 races, an unbelievable run of kind that has upended your complete grid.
Now, that grid will go quiet. The summer time shutdown is upon us, and when the grid involves life once more the 2024 Paris Summer time Olympics will probably be over, the NFL and school soccer seasons will probably be on the verge of starting, and summer time will probably be slowly giving option to autumn.
And this sport, and its followers, can have had an opportunity to catch their breath, with good purpose.
As a result of the second act of the 2024 F1 season seems to be to be one thing extraordinary.