How to Win a Title Fight

It’s RACE WEEK again!

After two weeks off we are back to on-track action. We have had plenty of off-track excitement to keep us busy, but now we can look back to the grid for some actual racing. It’s halfway through the season and we have a real title fight on our hands.  The difference at the top is just 8 points - Oscar leads Lando 234 to 226. The difference between a first and second place finish is only 7 points; it’s a tight run at the moment.  The question on everyone’s mind is who comes out ahead when all is said and done. We’re confident it is going to be one of the drivers in Papaya, but which one?

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

 I think the argument can be made that all we have seen so far is relatively tame racing between the two championship contenders, Canada MAYBE being the SLIGHTEST of exceptions.  In a recent interview, David Coulthard said of the teammates “both drivers are on the tamer side of animal than the wilder side of animal, so that probably makes it a little bit easier.” So, when do things get serious? Are we so spoiled that not only do we want a competition for the title but it also needs to be thrilling? Intra-team battles do up the stakes, with any potential incidents costing the team double, both financially and in points. However, McLaren has such a commanding lead on the constructor’s title it has removed all drama from the consequences. In front of the cameras, Zach Brown has said he is willing to let them fight. I wonder if behind the scenes that translates to let them battle it out in qualifying and then the moment there is a slight advantage, set the order and call it a day? We saw in Austria every time Oscar nipped at the heels of Lando he was given a warning over the radio to settle down. Are we truly getting the Main Event brawl we hoped for, or a one-handed pillow fight to crown a champion?

Sure, there is no one way to win but looking back at some of the great champions there is a trend. Martin Brundle said, “champions don’t give anything back, won’t give anything back.” Many icons of the sport got where they were by pitting themselves against the world. Nothing was sacred, no move too great, every other driver out there is your rival, even your teammate.

 We all know Max Verstappen for his not giving an inch driving style, even leading to rules written on how you can pass in a corner. On the occasion he was set against his teammate we saw even then there was no exception. In Brazil 2022, he had “his reasons” for not letting Checo Perez pass (for 6th!) despite being given the call from the team. This after Perez was “an Absolute Legend!” the season before holding up Hamilton in a move that would give Max the gap he needed to claim his first driver’s title. In 2022, Checo would finish just 3 points behind Charles Leclerc and Max would claim his second driver's title.

Sebastian Vettel, who we think of so fondly these days, activist, philanthropist, and avid bee hive builder, was a ruthless champion.  The famous “Multi 21” incident in Malaysia 2013 for instance. Where he was given the radio call “multi 21. Seb.” which was the code for the drivers to maintain position. Sebastian deliberately went against team orders to attack and ultimately pass his teammate at Red Bull, Mark Webber. Vettel went on to win his fourth consecutive title that year.

Michael Schumacher was no stranger to doing whatever it took to win. In earlier years, Schumacher would defend so aggressively by swerving to prevent overtakes, that in 1995 the FIA would have to add additional clarifications to the “one move rule.”  In 2006 at Monaco, Michael would allegedly intentionally stall his car in the middle of the racing line to prevent eventual champion Fernando Alonso from completing his qualifying lap. He was so set on finding ways to win that even his teammates weren’t exempt from his tactics. The story goes that he would intentionally use the one bathroom in the garage for long periods of time when he knew his then Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg had only his final remaining minutes before needing to get into the car.

Conversely, look at Jenson Button. Not a tactician or ruthless racer. Just threw his chips in with an unknown team that had an idea for a fast car. Jenson put in the hours doing the prep work to maximize the technical advantage that his team had and, in the end, it paid off. Kimi Räikkönen, Mr. Ice Man. Kimi just sat back with his Ferrari and capitalized on the McLarens' of Hamilton and Alonso to eventually fumble over themselves.  No dirty tricks, just patience and persistence.

There is no single formula for success. Does the killer mentality help? Maybe. There is certainly a case to be made for it. Ayrton Senna’s famous quote, “If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you're no longer a racing driver” paints a picture of racing on the limit. A world where every fiber of a race car driver's being is about going for that gap just for the chance of coming out ahead. Is either McLaren driver ready for that? Are they capable of being a champion in their own way? There is still half a season to go and, at the end, there will only be one left.