F1 Russia GP, 26 September 2021

 

                            1. L. Hamilton       2. M. Verstappen       3. C. Sainz

Hamilton takes 100th F1 victory after late rain shower denies long-time leader Norris at Sochi Sochi          [26 September 2021] Lewis Hamilton took his 100th Grand Prix victory in a Russian Grand Prix that started in dry conditions and ended under rain, the Mercedes driver making a late switch to intermediate tyres to take the lead when pole-sitter Lando Norris agonisingly slid out of the lead with just two laps left. Max Verstappen made it from P20 to P2, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took third having started second. Grid penalties were the talk of the town on Sunday morning with Valtteri Bottas the latest to take the hit, Mercedes putting a new power unit into his car to see him start 16th with the knowledge that Max Verstappen would start 20th (having taken a new Honda engine earlier in the weekend) and Charles Leclerc 19th with a new Ferrari unit. Although he fell to seventh at the start, Hamilton’s pace was competitive on his medium tyres and he pitted on Lap 27 for hards, before Norris – who had scored a sensational first pole on Saturday and duelled with Sainz early in the race – and once the pitstop sequences had finished by Lap 38 it was Norris leading a rapid Hamilton. The pair were just one second part in the closing stages. And then the rain hit.

MotoGP San Marino 19 September 2021

 

                   1. F. Bagnaia       2. F. Quartararo       3. E. Bastianini

 

Doing the double! Bagnaia holds his nerve to go back-to-back
Misano, 12 September 2021

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The Italian withstood intense pressure from title rival Fabio Quartararo as Enea Bastianini secured his first-ever MotoGP™ podium.

Having waited three years for his maiden MotoGP™ win, Francesco Bagnaia now has two in quick succession after he held off a hard charging Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in another last lap nail biter at the Octo Grand Prix of San Marino.

The Ducati Lenovo rider held his nerve for a second week running to take victory in Misano, while a spectacular effort from Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) saw the rookie take a first premier class podium.  

 

 

MotoGP Spain 12 September 2021

1. F. Bagnaia       2. M. Marquez       3. J. Mir

Bagnaia prevails in an Aragon epic vs Marc Marquez
Aragon, 12 September 2021

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Ducati vs Honda, Italy vs Spain: Pecco claims maiden victory in a spectacular battle vs the eight-time World Champion at MotorLand. 

After a trio of second place finishes in 2021, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is finally a MotoGP™ winner after emerging victorious from an enthralling Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon battle with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).

The duo were in a league of their own on Sunday afternoon as the 25-point haul fight goes down to the wire; reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) claims the final podium spot in P3.

 

F1 Italy GP, 12 September 2021

1. D. Ricciardo       2. L. Norris       3. V. Bottas

Ricciardo heads McLaren 1-2, as Hamilton-Verstappen crash ends their races Monza          [12 September 2021] A dramatic crash between title protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen that took both drivers out of the race cleared the way for Daniel Ricciardo to claim a sensational victory in the Italian Grand Prix, giving McLaren their first race win since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix – and a one-two to boot, as he led home team mate Lando Norris, with Valtteri Bottas taking third, in a thrilling race at Monza. Hamilton was exiting the pits on Lap 26 of 53 when he arrived alongside Verstappen, the pair going side by side through the Variante del Rettifilo, but making contact, with Verstappen flying through the air and coming to rest on top of the Mercedes. Both drivers were unhurt, but out of the race, with the stewards set to investigate after the Grand Prix. Ricciardo was a deserving winner, however, having passed Verstappen for the lead at the race start from P2 on the grid, before Verstappen and Hamilton’s clash cleared the way for him to control the race to sweep home to an eighth career victory. Lando Norris secured his best ever race finish with P2, having been told to hold station behind his team mate in the final moments of the Grand Prix.

 

Dutch F1 GP, 5 September 2021

                        1. M. Verstappen       2. L. Hamilton       3. V. Bottas

Verstappen's Dutch GP victory exposed potential weaknesses at Mercedes Zandvoort          [5 September 2021] The air was thick with orange smoke and a techno beat as Max Verstappen completed his victory lap at Zandvoort. Given the hype surrounding Verstappen in the build-up to the grand prix -- the first to be held in the Netherlands since 1985 -- it seemed unimaginable that anyone other than the Dutchman would win on Sunday. But, by its own admission, Mercedes made it much easier for Verstappen than it needed to be. Although Red Bull undoubtedly held a pace advantage at Zandvoort, Mercedes had the strategic upper hand by virtue of having two cars in the fight at the front compared to Verstappen's lone Red Bull. Verstappen's teammate, Sergio Perez, was knocked out in the first stage of qualifying on Saturday, leading to a pit lane start when the team changed components on his car, while Mercedes lined up with Lewis Hamilton in second on the grid and Valtteri Bottas in third.