‘Mad Max’ and Silverstone: The reigning champion will be buffed on the first pitch

Come whatever, ‘Mad Max’, 24, will be the leader At the legendary Northamptonshire county course, after signing in Canada two Sundays ago, he earned his sixth victory of the year, which included the last offensive of the Spaniards. carlos sainz (Ferrari), the second one, World Cup leader with 175 points46 more than its Mexican partner Sergio Perez -Retired at Montreal- and with a 49-point advantage over ‘Scuderia’ fellow rider Monegasque charles leclerc.

Young Dutch star among 26 wins in freshman year None count at the British Grand PrixAlong with Italy, he is the only one ever present in Formula 1’s 72 years of existence. won at Silverstone two years ago: Recurring to restructure the pandemic World Cup calendar, citing the first race in F1 history ’70. One of the circuits that organizes the annual GP.

[Consulta la clasificación general del Mundial de F1]

ferrariShining in the pre-season and making a very good start to the World Cup, he handed over four races ago and in Montmeló (Barcelona). Verstappen and his team, Red Bull; It also leads the Constructors’ World Championship with 304 points, 76 points from Sainz’s team, which is fifth in the individual overall standings with 102 points, and 116 points according to Mercedes.

Having set a historic milestone by winning the last eight Constructors’ World Championships, the German team – but still far from before – had to take third and fourth places for the best trophy in Canada. drivers, seven-time British world champion Lewis Hamilton and his compatriot George Russell: Fourth in the World Cup, 64 points behind the leader.

Home to the British Air Force, an RAF (Royal Air Force) airfield during WWII, Silverstone is a fast and complex ‘pilot’ circuit of 5,891 meters, some with 18 corners (eight left). , legendary, like police Y Links of Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel. with a piece very abrasive asphalt which, therefore, On dry ground, it will roll with tires of the hardest compound range.: C1 (hard, recognizable by white stripe), C2 (middle, yellow stripe) and C3 (soft, red).

Free practice will begin this Friday. As is customary, for the tenth of the 22 races that make up the World Championship, which will conclude on 20 November in Abu Dhabi.

Rehearsals will be completed on Saturday, hours before the qualifiers; This will line up the starting grid for the Sunday race, which is scheduled as 52 laps to complete a 306.2 kilometer course.

sainz27 and his compatriot Fernando Alonso The (Alpine) 40 shared the limelight in Canada two weeks ago, where they attended Verstappen’s festival two days in a row to present their candidacy to renew the title.

In Montreal, the double Asturian world champion showed himself on the wet and finished second in qualifying – his best position on the grid in a decade – in second place: the Madrid driver’s occupation on Sunday as he approached his first victory and it made him sweat, but excellent was as infallible as a “Mad Max”. His first teammate in F1 is at Toro Rosso (now Alpha Tauri).

[Consulta el calendario del Mundial de F1]

alonso, again with the bad luck that had followed him since the start of the season – this time due to reliability issues and the safety car entering (at the wrong time for his interests) – crossed the finish line seventh. But zigzagging to defend the position, Penalized with a five-second penalty and placed ninth. However, he moved up to tenth place in the World Cup, which he covered with 18 points.

sainzHe signed his fifth podium finish of the year in Canada, equaling his best finish at Silverstone by finishing sixth last year, eleventh since running in the gold category. Y confirmed his fifth place in the competition24 points behind partner Leclerc; He rising from the bottom of the grid, played a role in the return of the day -he was punished for changing parts in the power unit- to the last fifth place.

Returning to Formula 1 last year, Alonso achieved two of his 32 first-class victories (32 of Spain’s F1 history) at Silverstone: in 2006, the year that reaffirmed his title, Renault- and 2011′ with Ferrari.

“Silverstone always brings back good memories. It’s a nice circuit with very fast corners. Wins at this circuit are special because it’s like the home of Formula 1.. All the teams are from there. Sport is very British, F1; and winning there means a lot”, the brilliant Asturian driver explained in an interview with Efe, which took place in Austria last year. He also signed all three of the 22 ‘polos’.

Hoping to straighten course again in England Mexican PerezHis retirement in Montreal does nothing to tarnish his sensational season. “Taking a weekend break after a tough race like in Canada is always complicated, so I come to Silverstone with the desire to fix things and get back on the podium,” said ‘Checo’, who was born at 32. Guadalajara (Jalisco) has won three times, including one in Monaco this season, and 20 podiums in F1.

But Its Dutch counterpart, who has an even greater unfinished business with Silverstone. It’s the race that Hamilton took off the track last year – dethroned on the final lap of the final race by ‘Mad Max’, who ended up at the track clinic that day, before raising his own historical record. Eight wins at the British Grand Prix. “Sir” Lewis is just one of the active drivers to build on Alonso’s two victories at the legendary British circuit, which was won twice by Sebastian Vettel, now four-time German world champion at Aston Martin.