F1,
Everything else is boredom.
Falling on the Belgian curtain is the well-deserved summer break for everyone. In the total implosion of happiness of another dull weekend, like so many others, to put a little spice on it is the flying Dutchman: Opened the spinnaker devoured kilometers of asphalt taking off and losing his tracks. At least in part. Max Verstappen continues his show like a cowboy taming his RB19, even when it’s acting up, holding the reins firmly without ever losing control. In college, after all, mistakes are certainly not allowed. But this weekend left a mark that will be hard to forget, but more importantly it created a crack, subtle, almost invisible, between him and everyone.
The winner is alone recites Paul Coelho’s title, and in Verstappen’s case, this title, falls into place. You may wonder why, I’ll try to explain.
In the history of motorsport, champions have always had an X-factor that distinguishes them from everyone: In my era there was Senna, Mansell, Prost, Hill, Villeneuve, Hakkinen, Schumacher, Alonso, Hamilton, Button, Vettel, Rosberg and finally Hamilton again for a long time. What does this list of drivers accumulate? The stubbornness, the hunger, the determination to reach the world rainbow at any cost, to read their name on the wall of champions, to leave the trace of their passage because F1 runs fast, it runs against time, it runs more than the hands of the digital chronometer that marks the time that remains to all. The trace, indeed. On this list of champions are. Bees and Butterflies who have been able to make a mantra out of a phrase. Gentlemen on and off the track remaining in the minds of fans for their gallantry
Here are three points that give an idea of the people between past and present of these two decades of F1. Between them there has never been a lack of respect on and off the track, each of them have been able to uniquely characterize and personalize the team making it a dream team – Schumacher and Hakkinen above all ed – unlike what we have seen today with Verstappen and his engineer. The Dutchman has always shown muscle and determination with a strong and often arrogant character, but will he be able to handle himself? Is he really a champion and leader or is he a “cam-pion” in the masses and stimulated to be different and thus more incisive? How long can this haughty and bumptious arrogance of his go on? Is it really so tolerable?
I believe it is not. I believe that there is an insurmountable line that should never be crossed and therefore, when that happens, have the humility to stop and become aware that something is getting out of hand, take the bull by the horns and give it a brake before the brake becomes a rubber wall. This modern F1 has become rich in everything and poor in everything.
Is this really the direction to go?
Perhaps it is just the outburst of a champion who knows how to channel his energies into his right foot or perhaps it is the outburst of a “cam-pion” frustrated by mutual boredom.
Motorsport is beautiful
