Previously, on Formula One 2020.
"It's lights out in Bahrain and away we go, Romain Grosjean hit the barrier the car exploded the race was stopped and the medical crews saved the Frenchman, Lance Stroll flew and rolled to DNF, Sergio Perez dominated the top rows only to retire and let go of the podium that he would snatch in several more laps leading Racing Point to a tragic double DNF, giving the glory to the lucky Alex Albon! What a race!"
Gotta admit, Bahrain GP was something.
Not because of the blast, because no one would ever want to witness that. I literally screamed when that Haas car slipped to the edge, hit the barrels and actually BLASTED! I've never seen a fire like that in an F1 race before, and the view was a total horror. Thank God Romain Grosjean made it out and the scene where he jumped out from the blaze remained sanctity to me it never failed making me cry. Such a miracle to see that happening in front of my very eyes...
So yea, Bahrain GP was something, but totally not because of the blast. It's what follows afterwards that made things went saucy.
Lewis Hamilton was tested positive for Covid-19.
That's another news we didn't want to hear, really, though gotta admit the idea of not having Lewis in a race was somehow exciting. But still, speedy recovery, Lewis! Then rumors of who to replace the champ to compete in the upcoming Sakhir GP went like all over the air. First strong candidate was Stoffel Vandoorne, because duh, he was the actual reserve. Then of course Nico Hulkenberg's name surfaced too because he'd been doing that this year for like, thousands of times. But the one that really tickled most of everyone, because we really REALLY wanted it to happen, was George Russell.
Britain's next F1 talent. A driver we knew more than capable enough to sit that Mercedes throne, a driver whom we agreed deserves a better car than that Williams kiddy ride. We wanted him. More than anyone else. And so they heard us.
George Russell was to replace Lewis Hamilton.
I just loved the vibes. Everyone suddenly became a fan of Mercedes, forgetting that they're not a big fan of Lewis. Everyone? Or it was just me? Haha. Predictions on where Georgie would start, whether he'd snatch pole, and ultimately, whether he'd win the race, blew up like crazy. People were also curious on how Bottas would deal with this sudden change, challenged by a fresh, aggressive driver.
Sakhir GP, though took place at the same circuit as Bahrain GP but with different track layout, sadly was broadcasted at night -- meaning that I would have to stay up late. But I didn't care. I watched the quali anyway because I wanted to see how far George would break his own record. I wanted to see him out of Q1 with not much struggle as usual, out of Q2 for the first time, and even strike pole if he could. Well eventually he couldn't but he was second! George Russell would start on the front row, set only .0026-ish below pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas! CRAZY ENOUGH TO START THE GP WEEKEND? YE BET!
Because the actual race was out of the world.
Oh my God. This is going to be all over the place. And too much. Because seriously, the race itself was mindblowing. From the very first lap, even from lights out! It was a freaking 87-lap race but GOD DID I HAVE NO TIME TO BREATHE??
Okay. So let's talk about lineup first. Bottas, Russell, Verstappen, Lecrerc, Perez, Kvyat - like, whaaatt??? - Ricciardo, Sainz, and so on and so on I forgot the rest. But just look at this top 5. Four top teams were there. Then followed by the favorite mid-tiers. WHO DIDN'T FREAK OUT WITH THIS LINEUP? I mean, even if Russell messed things up, which would be fine, because he was only a reserve driver and that car belonged to you-know-who, there were still Max, Charles, Sergio, and Daniel. AND CHARLES!? Literally everyone rejoiced to see him back up there, casually starting fourth like a good ol' fashioned Ferrari! THIS WAS LIKE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF F1 FANS FANTASY LINEUP! Oh the idea of seeing two Mercedes, a Red Bull, a Ferrari and a Racing Point run in a very interesting almost square-like track it gave me a mini o*gasm already.
You can't tell how excited I was when the time was already reaching close. When coast was clear and all twenty cars did their formation lap. And then lights out.
For a split second it was all over the place. Some drivers were still on their current position but already running, until I saw both Mercedes were side by side entering the first corner... revealing that George exited first to snatch the lead.
George Russell. Snatched. The Lead.
AND I WAS INSTANTLY LOSING MYSELF. I screamed as if he was my favorite driver. George Russell led the race, and after overtaking Bottas, he fled away, creating some distance between him and his temporary team mate and then BOOM! Crash happened just behind them Mercedes.
One crash. That made the top three contenders swept away, two of which even had to retire early. Lecrerc booped on the back of charging Perez, sending the pink car spinning and the red car widened to the direction of Max Verstappen. Max and Charles DNF-ed instantly after both ended up kissing the barrier, and Sergio Perez, dropped from almost P3 to P18. FVCKING CRAZY TO THINK THAT IT ALL HAPPENED IN JUST THE FIRST LAP, AND ALL OUR FAVORITES TO BE TODAY'S CHAMP JUST GOT SWOOPED AWAY IN AN INSTANT. Phew. As the competitors fell, now the mid-packers were feasting to get the empty spots.
Things went smoothly for Georgie. Most fights happened in the middle pack, as usual, and both Mercedes swayed on the far front, as usual, but the feeling was unusual. Because I enjoyed it this time. EVERYONE, must've been enjoying that this time. We wanted George to keep on running and just wrap up the race so we could see him as the winner of Sakhir Grand Prix. We did want that, we really really longed to see that, and we were actually seeing that happening.
This time was thanks to Jack Aitken's crash, causing his front nose break and debris all over the track. Thanks to Jack Aitken, which was driving a Williams car. A Williams car which seat was free, because the driver moved to Mercedes. George's usual car.
George entered pit during this period. It was fine until Mercedes decided to do double stack pit, and suddenly... they're being doofus. The crews messed up the tyres set, giving Bottas' tyres to George and the other way around, sending him out of pit in an instant not knowing their errors because Bottas was waiting. They realized they made a mistake when they did Bottas, and that was why it took them forever to do his pit. Long story short, after one lap George was recalled to the pit to switch the tyres again.
Oh my God. I swear when it happened, I'm losing my knees it feels like both of them were disjointed I couldn't stand again. It's as if I was the one being robbed. The best F1 team made a very foolish mistake that looked so unprofessional. COULDN'T YOU FREAKING BELIEVE THAT?? And for that sort of stupidity to happen when the seat was filled by a promising reserve driver, not when His Majesty Lewis Hamilton was onboard it felt like... DID YOU GUYS DO THAT ON PURPOSE???
I was so gutted here. It was lap 64, and all of my excitement towards George was for what? Seeing him now several places behind where he should be, and even worse, behind Bottas?? Seeing that super dumb tyre mixed-up made me question Mercedes' strategy, and whether they'd want to let Bottas give way to George later on. I didn't care about Perez, Ocon, and Stroll in front of them because I thought they hadn't pitted and that they'd give the P1-2 back somehow, but, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE GEORGE FINISH SECOND!
Race resumed, and as expected, George fought for the 4th place. Against Bottas. This was really REALLY concerning because a little mistake would create an unnecessary contact and SWOOSH! Bye bye both Mercedes. I was curling so hard on my couch like a cold cat, not sure how to react to every single too-much-too-bald moves from George. Because hey, it's not his car and it would be easy for him to lose grip!
But that kid really was a crazy son of a Brit. After a few laps, George took on Bottas, closing in, and FOR FUDGE'S SAKE A BIT TOO CLOSE, and finally OVERTOOK BOTTAS YET AGAIN WHICH MEANS THAT HE DID THAT TWICE IN JUST A SINGLE RACE! OH MY FREAKING GOD! I WAS LITERALLY SQUIRMING AND ROLLING HERE AND THERE WHEN THAT HAPPENED! I SWEAR I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE CHEERING FOR A MERCEDES CAR LIKE THIS! THE FACT THAT HE'S AN UNDERRATED DRIVER GIVEN A CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF REALLY MADE ME LOWER MY EGO AND WOULD WANT TO SUCK UP TO THE TEAM I LIKE THE LEAST! GOD HOW COULD F1 DO THIS TO VICKY AMIN!?!? HAHA!
I skyrocketed from being uber upset to super excited! For a split second I completely forgot about the foolishness Mercedes did, because Russell was now ahead of Bottas. It was just a matter of time until he could kick the three worms off of his way, and there he did! He gained back to P2 in just one lap. Meanwhile Bottas, after getting overtaken by Russell, seemed to be losing it and got raped by Sainz, Danny Ric and even Albon.
But I guess I've made one too many jinx out of George. All of us F1 fans did jinx the poor guy. And we forget the fact that this is 2020, the year of fuckery. Also the fact that this was not Lewis Hamilton, whose luck was divine and beyond compare.
Just before Russell got the chance to take on Perez and snatch back his place, a crazy thing happened. A crazy thing that made me decided that this race was a fucker because it really played with my emotions. From up there being all too excited, crash landing to earth thanks to the idiotic double-stacking-gone-wrong, to high up again until I feel like I reached the climax, now back down even deeper than the center of the hell.
George was called back in.
He got puncture, they said, sending George back to pit for a total of 4 stops which until now I really can't comprehend on why, WHY, did that have to happen??? Why did this have to happen to a pure fresh talent hungry for a boost that could make him go even further??? WHY ON EARTH ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WHEN IT WAS NOT LEWIS HAMILTON WHO WAS THEIR DRIVER, WHEN HE WAS NOT ONBOARD, WHEN HE WAS NOT FIGHTING FOR HIS YET ANOTHER WIN!?!?
That cost Russell his chance to win. He even almost lost his chance to score points because out of pit, he joined the pack on 14th place. Thank God he still made it to the points sector and finished 9th, giving him a sad 2-point finish which happened to be his first ever points. At least he got something but, what's the beauty in that, after for 60 laps or so was looking at the grandeur of being the race winner? I don't know how it was like to be him. I really don't, and I hope I don't ever have to. I feel so terrible, and it wasn't even on me. It wasn't even my favorite driver. I was just being a human.
But then the human side of me wasn't all completely devastated. Because although the man we wanted the most to win the race eventually didn't, the place went to the second-best deserving driver whom I'm sure no one would ever be against it.
The Overlooked Sergio Perez.
The real hero of Bahrain last night. The real driver of the day, if it wasn't for everyone thinking Russell would win, or everyone voting him out of pity. Sergio started 5th originally, and then the crash made him drop to 18th, only above Max and Charles whom both DNF-ed, which means that he was basically at the bottom. But he crawled back up there, slowly but steadily, all while all of us were swooned by George's charm and smooth operation.
From the bottom of the pack to the points sector, Sergio's first meaningful fight was against the weirdly-underperforming-throughout-the-weekend Norris and obviously-not-deserving-an-RB-seat Albon for 9th place. Passing those two, it was apparently fast for him to get even higher. Having an early pit after the crash surprisingly gave him all the benefits as the others started to pit and struggle between medium or hard strategies, Mr Perez went on with the yellow tyre.
His last decisive maneuver was when he overtook both Lance Stroll and then Esteban Ocon, which would stay like that until the end of the race. Little did he know that Mercedes had a plan to "destroy" George's chance to win, and eventually gave free space for him to be the race leader, making his supposedly P3 a winning spot.
Sergio Perez finally won his maiden Grand Prix.
Esteban Ocon got his first podium, Stroll got his second of the year which made it double podium for Racing Point, but I didn't care. I didn't really care about all those additional sugar icings because the main cherry on top was Sergio Perez. He deserved every little second up there on that podium.
And for some time we were really distracted from the sorrow of George's big loss. He was robbed, big time, and we felt really REALLY crushed for him, but honestly, we couldn't ask for a better consolation. Sergio Perez winning Sakhir Grand Prix is the only thing that could really cure our heartbreak and no one would complain about that.
Frantic. Mental. Insane.
We've been waiting for this race, for George Russell specifically, actually, and it gave us endless insanity. I swear I've never been so stuck to a race before I mean, I usually got distracted for like a total of quarter of the race. This time, my eyes were fixed almost all the time.
Well we've been waiting for Mr Russell, but good luck wasn't with him.
But again it's okay. It's MORE THAN OKAY, because the result was as much fulfilling.
Eventually I'd say the same anyway:
That Sakhir was Sick!