There aren’t many things left for Lewis Hamilton to prove on a Formula 1 racing circuit. During the British Grand Prix, Hamilton had to dig deep to show his skills as he limped over the line to victory. The driver showed just how good he was by winning the British Grand Prix on only three wheels.
Leading From The Front
In just the fourth race of the Formula 1 calendar, it looked like Hamilton had already wrapped up his next world title. The British driver led from the front from the very beginning, although he did concede he was pushed to his limits by his teammate, Valtteri Bottas. There didn’t seem to be too much trouble for Hamilton until he got to the final lap of the race.
Blowing A Tire
On the final lap, Hamilton’s tire blew with half of the lap left to complete. If it wasn’t for the fact Bottas’ tire had also burst a few laps earlier, Hamilton’s place at the front could have been in danger. As it was, Hamilton managed to limp home to victory. The driver said his final lap with just three tires was “one of the most challenging laps I have ever had.”
More Tire Troubles
At the following race weekend, the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, also in Silverstone, Hamilton again had tire troubles. He was chased down by Max Verstappen, who was on a harder tire compound to Hamilton and Bottas.
Mercedes was expected to dominate again, but even after switching to hard tires, Hamilton and Bottas struggled with blistering. That left Verstappen to lead from the front and show the rest of the pack that Mercedes isn’t entirely invincible after all.
It is now up to Lewis Hamilton to respond to the latest challenge from Max Verstappen. Their rivalry could get interesting if Mercedes continues to burn out its tires too quickly.
Kyle Larson Wins the NASCAR Championship on the Back of a Clutch Pit Stop
It’s not all about the driving speed! The Phoenix Raceway has witnessed an amazing pit stop at the 2021, NASCAR cup series by the Hendrick Motorsports crew, making Kyle Larson the winner of the championship. All it took 6 crews and their lightning-fast efficiency in changing tires to make the ultimate difference. Who says NASCAR is not a team effort?
The Ready Backdrop
Larson was in the fourth position, when a yellow flag flew late, bringing most of the field into the pits. All the four competing drivers had to stop for tire changing and splashing of fuel. On the day before, Larson pulled up a blazing single lap run, qualifying for the pole position. This gave him the advantage here to choose the first pit stall for the race. This stance made him the last one in but crucially ensured a clear shot ahead while pulling back onto the track.
The End-Defining Moment
Most of us have seen the scene from the animated movie Cars, where Lightning McQueen’s one-man crew Guido completed an eerily speedy feat to keep the hero on the championship race’s lead lap. The NASCAR moment on Phoenix reminded the scene, when Larson’s crew pulled off a similar performance, by completing an almost perfect stop at an unbelievable speed of just 11.8 seconds. As soon as he came off, it was a clear way for Larson to beat till now leading Denny Hamlin to the first position.
The Grateful Reaction
After the victory, Kyle Larson gave full credit to his pit stop crew for their game-changing skill. He confessed that there were several points on the race when he himself was doubtful about winning the championship. His pit crew on that last stop changed everything and turned the race. Larson also got emotional when he mentioned his pit crew as the real champions and considered himself blessed to be part of the group.