Formula 1 has bounced back after 'vitriolic' criticism

Formula 1

Formula 1 has bounced back after 'vitriolic' criticism

Three great races in a row!

Martin Macdonald

Tuesday 30 July 2019 16:30

Formula 1 has responded in the best possible fashion after the huge criticism following the dull French Grand Prix, according to Liberty Media’s Ross Brawn.

The race at the Circuit Paul Ricard was labelled as one of the most boring races in recent memory, and certainly the worst of the 2019 season so far, as Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory with virtually no opposition.

However, since then we have been entertained by three brilliant races in a row in Austria, Britain, and Germany.

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The first saw Max Verstappen win his first race of the season, the second saw Hamilton win but with a titanic battle between Verstappen and Leclerc thrown in, while the third, another win for the Dutchman, was chaotic after rainfall made the track slick.

Brawn is happy the sport is gaining some good press after the negative comments surrounding the race in France.

“What a show,” he wrote in his F1 column.

“The German Grand Prix was incredibly exciting, from first lap to last. It had everything, overtaking, mistakes, less than perfect strategies, immense bravery, crashes and a podium line-up – indeed a top ten order – no one could have predicted after qualifying.

“The points placings featured drivers from eight different teams, and on a day when the big guns faltered wholly or in part, only Toro Rosso and Haas managed to get both drivers in the points.

“It has to be said that intermittent rain really made the spectacle, but it can’t be denied that for different reasons, all three recent races have been hugely entertaining. It’s the best possible response to the unfortunate criticism the sport received after the French Grand Prix, some of it surprisingly vitriolic.”

No less than seven drivers were forced into retiring at Hockenheim, while a significant portion of the grid including Hamilton, Leclerc, Kimi Raikkonen, Lance Stroll, and Carlos Sainz all slid off the surface either hitting or nearly hitting the barrier at the final turn of the lap.