The main fight of the season, the fight for the world championship, may have centered on Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. However, this isn’t necessarily the place where the spotlight is on all the time. Instead, the veteran trio Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen are in the middle of their own funny fight.
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Formula 1 introduced an interesting reward statistic in which the three former Ferrari drivers have been competing against each other since the beginning of the season – the Crypto Overtake Award – an award for the most overtaking maneuvers in an F1 calendar year.
Vettel enjoyed a clear lead over the rest of the field for a long time and was very much on course for the award. However, as the season progressed, Alonso and Raikkonen came closer and closer together. And now Raikkonen looks more threatening to wrest the award from Alonso and Vettel.
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Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso create a master plan
Citing the ever-increasing threat posed by the last Ferrari world champion, Alonso and Vettel joked about their collaboration and earned the award by landing on an equal footing.
Alonso began by asking the interviewer for inside information about the price, assuming he would then cut it in half with the four-time world champion.
Formula 1 F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – December 2, 2021 Aston Martins Sebastian Vettel and Alpines Fernando Alonso during the press conference Hassan Ammar / Pool via REUTERS
“We have to know [the prize], then we can negotiate between 50 and 50, ”he said during the press conference ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Vettel has also committed to this plan and said that he and Alonso could fake overtaking maneuvers during the race in Jeddah. “We could actually fake it,” suggested the German.
And finally, Alonso hilariously suggested how many overtaking maneuvers the duo could pull through against each other in order to extend their lead in the overall standings. “Add another 20 this weekend!” answered the Spaniard.
Kimi Raikkonen reacts to the “El-Plan”
When asked to take a look at the Alonso-Vettel banter, Raikkonen asked whether deliberately letting a car through and overtaking it again would improve his position in the overall standings.
Formula 1 F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – December 2, 2021 Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen during the Hassan Ammar / Pool press conference on REUTERS
“Maybe I should be the last one at the beginning … Does it matter if I let someone pass and give them back?” Asked the Alfa Romeo driver hilariously during the press conference.
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Crypto Overtake Award placements ahead of the Saudi Arabia GP
- Fernando Alonso (Alps) – 116
- Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) – 115
- Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) – 115
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 112
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull Racing) – 112
- Carlos Sainz (Scuderia Ferrari) – 104
- Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) – 103
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – 98
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Overall, the top 5 in the overall standings look very tight, with only 4 overtaking maneuvers separating first-placed Alonso and fifth-placed Perez. Who do you think will ultimately claim the Crypto Overtake Award?
View story: F1 drivers on the football field with Hamilton, Vettel & Schumacher
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The post Raikkonen reacts when Alonso & Vettel propose a devious plan to defeat him at the 2021 Crypto Overtake Award first appeared on monter-une-startup.
