The bonus level for quickest lap is not any extra. Six seasons after reviving the decade-old rule, Components 1 will not reward whoever units the quickest time over a single lap in a race.
F1 claimed the rule would add new intrigue to grands prix. Did it considerably improve the motion or was it an over-complicated distraction? And was F1’s unexplained choice to drop it appropriate?
Out of the 128 grands prix which have been held because the rule was launched, listed here are 10 instances it proved a noteworthy dialogue level – together with the unusual case which appeared to immediate F1’s choice to scrap it.
2019 Australian Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Valtteri Bottas
The introduction of the bonus level for quickest lap in 2019 meant groups might now take a most rating of 44 factors from races. Mercedes did it the primary time of asking, Valtteri Bottas amassing the bonus as he romped to victory 20 seconds forward of Lewis Hamilton.
This was regardless of workforce principal Toto Wolff telling each drivers earlier than the race they have been forbidden to push for the purpose. “They ignored me,” he admitted afterwards.
Earlier than the weekend started there was appreciable hypothesis over whether or not groups would pit their drivers to suit contemporary tyres on the finish of the race in pursuit of the bonus. Charles Leclerc mentioned he anticipated his workforce to do exactly that, however when the possibility got here they selected to not.
“We had the window to pit Charles for brand spanking new tyres [and] attempt to go for the quick lap,” mentioned workforce principal Mattia Binotto after the race. “However I feel at that stage everytime you pit it might be a danger and I feel for us it was extra essential for us to carry the automobile residence, rating the factors.”
2019 Spanish Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Lewis Hamilton
By the fifth spherical of the season, Mercedes had come round to the concept of letting their drivers battle for the quickest lap bonus level. Nonetheless they have been nonetheless ready to get them organized to not relying on the circumstances.
In Spain, chief Hamilton took the bonus level for quickest lap following a late restart. Bottas behind was at all times going to have a tough time beating it, so Mercedes informed each to handle their tempo till the top.
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2021 Monaco Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Lewis Hamilton
Two years later, Hamilton and Max Verstappen have been locked in a battle for the championship wherein each level counted. In Monaco, Hamilton circulated a lowly seventh whereas Verstappen cruised to victory.
“Don’t miss the chance to get quickest lap as a result of I want that time,” Hamilton urged his workforce with 10 laps to go. “We’ve already misplaced a ton right this moment.” Mercedes have been hesitant to pit him a second time as Bottas had retired after they had been unable to take away a wheel from his automobile within the pits.
Nonetheless they took the chance and Hamilton salvaged yet one more very important level on a poor day.
2021 Dutch Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Lewis Hamilton
On the Dutch Grand Prix, Hamilton took the quickest lap level early on and Mercedes urged Bottas to not take it from him. However after his pit cease, Bottas lit up the primary two sectors and regardless of backing off on the finish of the lap nonetheless took the bonus level off Hamilton.
Nonetheless Hamilton’s cease was nonetheless to return and he duly claimed it again. “If Valtteri had acquired it, that will have been nice,” mentioned Hamilton afterwards, considerably unconvincingly given his remark in Monaco.
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2021 Mexican Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Valtteri Bottas
Verstappen performed the quickest lap ways completely because the 2021 championship neared its gripping conclusion, although he wasn’t in a position to stop Bottas costing him a degree in Mexico. The Purple Bull driver held the bonus level so Mercedes selected to make use of Bottas, who was operating out of the factors in thirteenth, to take it from him.
Mercedes pitted Bottas for contemporary tyres however he emerged behind Verstappen. The Purple Bull driver due to this fact backed off to spoil Bottas’s lap. Bottas retaliated by overtaking the Purple Bull, however Verstappen saved inside vary and the Mercedes driver was proven blue flags to let him previous.
Lastly, Mercedes pulled Bottas into the pits for an additional contemporary set of tyres and a profitable tilt on the quickest time. However Verstappen’s distinctive consciousness had practically saved him a treasured level.
2022 Belgian Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Max Verstappen
Ferrari’s try and get the bonus level for quickest lap for Charles Leclerc on the Belgian Grand Prix in 2022 was a case examine in how to not do it. They introduced him in for an additional pit cease late within the race, however a broken velocity sensor meant he exceeded the pit lane dashing restrict.
That earned Leclerc a five-second time penalty which dropped him behind Fernando Alonso. Nor did he handle to beat Verstappen’s time, making this a wholly unsuccessful enterprise.
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Max Verstappen
At Jeddah in 2023 the Purple Bull drivers have been operating first and second, Sergio Perez unusually forward of Verstappen. However whereas Perez believed the workforce had informed them to not try and take the quickest lap, Verstappen persistently requested the workforce what the goal time was.
“We aren’t involved about that in the mean time, Max,” race engineer Gianpiere Lambiase informed him. “Yeah, however I’m,” Verstappen answered, and duly claimed the purpose.
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2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Max Verstappen
An identical state of affairs occured in Catalunya. Lambiase tried to dissuade Verstappen from attempting on the quickest lap: “It’s a 16.6, it was the primary lap on a brand new tender for Checo with DRS so I wouldn’t fear about it, Max,” he mentioned. Verstappen, once more, set the quickest lap.
2023 Austria Grand Prix
Quickest lap bonus: Max Verstappen
Austria noticed one other comparable situation, Verstappen persuading Purple Bull to let him go for the quickest lap. “Clearly it’s a workforce sport, however you’ve got successfully a sequence of instructions to log out on key strategic choices,” workforce principal Christian Horner defined afterwards. “So that you’ve simply acquired to weigh up that danger versus reward. GP was up for it, Jonathan Wheatley was up for it, so it was like ‘okay, don’t fuck it up’.”
2024 Singapore Grand Prix
Quickest lap: Daniel Ricciardo (didn’t rating bonus level)
Was this the race that killed the bonus level for quickest lap? Components One Administration launched the rule to nice fanfare in 2019 and by no means gave any indication they have been contemplating whether or not to eliminate it. Then, all of a sudden, 25 days after this race, it was struck from the 2025 laws.
Lando Norris had been on target to attain the bonus level in Singapore, which might assist him in pursuit of factors chief Max Verstappen. With neither Purple Bull driver in place to disclaim Norris the purpose, he was on target to say a most rating.
Then Purple Bull’s second workforce RB pulled Daniel Ricciardo in for a contemporary set of tyres, which allowed him to take the quickest lap off Norris. This earned Ricciardo nothing, as he completed outdoors the highest 10.
A hue and cry went up that this was a case of collusion between two supposedly unbiased groups. Ricciardo admitted as a lot, saying it was executed “clearly with Purple Bull in thoughts.” No matter was occurring, the rule change for 2025 will put a cease to that this yr.
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