JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia —
Max Verstappen may have led
Charles Leclerc across the line to confirm the identity of Formula One's 'new
era' protagonists, but Sunday’s thrilling Saudi Arabian Grand Prix posed plenty
of questions for the future.
اضافة اعلان
The world champion's victory by half a
second in a cat-and-mouse duel with his fellow-24-year-old tyro to finish a
close contest between the
Red Bull and Ferrari teams kept fans and spectators
enthralled.
It left a few doubting their credentials as
this year's main title contenders. However, it was unable to hide a brooding
unrest in the pit lane and paddock after a weekend of high-speed crashes,
safety, and security concerns following Friday's nearby missile attack and an
uneasy disquiet over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
If the close racing, frequent overtaking,
and swapping of positions signaled the second 'ground effect' era in
F1 was
delivering the sought-after entertainment levels on track, it also supplied
surprises.
The loss of competitiveness of
Mercedes,
after eight consecutive championship-winning seasons, undermined seven-time
champion Lewis Hamilton's hopes at the floodlit Jeddah Street Track and may
wreck his bid for a record eighth driver's title.
The 37-year-old Briton, who finished 10th,
was one of many drivers who spoke in favor of a boycott during four hours of
late-night talks on Friday following the missile attack.
He remained despondent on Sunday night,
admitting: "I am so happy this weekend is done”.
"I am so happy that everyone is safe. I
am just looking forward to getting out. I just want to go home…."
'A lot of guarantees'
The missile strike at an oil plant within
sight of the circuit intensified feelings on human rights — most recently
brought into focus by the Saudi state's execution of 81 men on March 12.
While many drivers were reluctant to voice
their views, Hamilton spoke with careful precision about a need to highlight
the issues raised in the paddock about 'sports-washing' and the perils of
racing in
Jeddah.
F1 management and team bosses, mindful of
the commercial aspects of a race worth a reported $900 million over 10 years,
argued that 'the show goes on' and cited local security guarantees.
Verstappen made clear the story was not over
when he spoke after his first win of the season following a late retirement in
Bahrain’s season-opener.
"We had a lot of guarantees that it
would be safe, but after this weekend all the drivers together will speak with
F1 and the team bosses to see what happens in the future."
The prompt cancellation of the
Russian Grand Prix following Russia's invasion of Ukraine showed that F1 can take action and
drew attention to the issues surrounding not only Saudi Arabia's role in the
seven-year war in Yemen, but also the inclusion of Bahrain on the race calendar.
Other events will be examined carefully.
For the sport, having reinvented itself this
year as a high-speed high-tech global media entertainment, there is a need to
clarify its position as more race promoters jostle to join the feast in a
bloated calendar.
More questions are expected at round three
in Melbourne next month when Mercedes will hope to have found an answer to
their performance problems in a bid to catch Ferrari and Red Bull before it is
too late.
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