The Formula 1 circus is traveling to Italy for the Imola Grand Prix this weekend. The season started with a bang when Lewis Hamilton won the Bahrain Grand Prix in a slower car than its challenger Max Verstappen. Red Bull showed the potential to fight Mercedes in a seasonal battle for the championship.
The race wasn’t as fulfilling for the rest of the grid, however. At the Imola Grand Prix, several drivers have to make a declaration. Today we’re looking at five who are under pressure to deliver this weekend.
1: Max Verstappen has to win the Imola Grand Prix
Finishing P2 cannot be seen as a bad start to the season in any way, but that’s exactly how Max Verstappen and Red Bull feel. The Dutchman had the fastest car on the grid in Bahrain, but couldn’t beat Lewis Hamilton to the checkered flag. A combination of pragmatic strategy and masterful driving gave the reigning champion victory at the season opener.
Red Bull and Max Verstappen need to step up their activities to make sure they don’t lose out on race wins, especially when they have the faster overall package. Few teams could claim to be better than Mercedes in the turbo hybrid era, but Red Bull has a real chance this season and it would be a shame to let it slip.
Max Verstappen has to win the Imola Grand Prix this weekend. The Dutchman has to make a statement and can’t afford to lose to Hamilton again.
Verstappen has to win the Imola Grand Prix. Photo: XPB Images – Pool / Getty Images.
2: Sebastian Vettel has to beat Lance Stroll
Sebastian Vettel has made the Formula 1 headlines in recent weeks. After a disastrous debut with Aston Martin, several experts have spent two cents on the German’s plight. Some said the four-time world champion should have taken a break from the sport while others said he would start performing as soon as he felt comfortable on the British team.
Regardless, the Imola Grand Prix is Vettel’s opportunity to improve the record and to do that he will have to beat his teammate Lance Stroll. The Canadian could be the first step on Vettel’s journey to regain his lost confidence.
Imola Grand Prix. Photo: Joe Portlock / Getty Images.
5: Nikita Mazepin must have a clean weekend
Nikita Mazepin made the shortest Formula 1 debut in 19 years at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Russian spun and crashed on the first lap of the race. Mazepin was under pressure before the start of the season and his performance on the track didn’t help the rookie’s cause.
For Mazepin, the goal is clear. He must remain anonymous for the entire Imola Grand Prix weekend. This means no crashes, no spins and no gimmicks. The Russian has to stay out of the spotlight and focus solely on his driving. While not much to be expected from the Haas cars, Mazepin should try to at least finish the race.
Published 12 Apr 2021, 18:42 IST
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