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The jubilation and heartbreak surely couldn’t have been so stark or expressed in a more fascinating way than the great drama that was shown at the Sakhir Grand Prix. For Racing Point’s Sergio Pérez, there were tears of joy as he achieved his first Formula One victory, while George Russell put the momentum of his F1 career on only to have the victory snatched from his hands through no fault of his own. He also admitted that the tears flowed briefly, but his were tinged with bitter disappointment.
The flag belonged to Pérez, who has no momentum for 2021, and was a very popular winner, the first Mexican to win an F1 race since Pedro Rodríguez did it in Belgium in 1970. Esteban Ocon was second by Renault and the teammate of Pérez’s team, Lance Stroll. third.
Pérez is being replaced at Racing Point by Sebastian Vettel, but he may still be given a drive for Red Bull next season. He delivered a notice here why his absence from the sport would be a parody. However, the day was so close to Russell’s when the wheels came off the usually metronomic Mercedes machine, prompting frank language from team principal Toto Wolff about a “colossal” mistake.
Russell’s drive in Bahrain was controlled, cool and commanding, and Lewis Hamilton would surely have recognized the hallmarks. The 22-year-old, who had replaced the world champion at Mercedes during the absence of Hamilton’s Covid-19, certainly noted that he is a genuine article, not intimidated and ready to inherit the mantle of the pilot he grew up admiring. But he was denied the moment of supreme glory.
Having taken the lead from teammate Valtteri Bottas into turn one of the start line, Russell continued to exert a grip on the race that seemed unshakeable. He opened a hole and held it; he was on a flawless run when he fell apart. At the end of the race, an exceptionally rare mistake in a Mercedes pit stop cost Russell what was a very likely victory. As he led, the team faced him under the safety car on lap 63, but put mixed tires on him, with one from Bottas. Russell was forced to re-enter a lap later to take his full set and emerged fifth behind Bottas, while Perez held the lead.
When racing resumed, Russell had 18 laps to make up the difference. The British driver made a magnificent charge, beginning with a brave move that passed Bottas on the outside of turn six. Stroll dropped one lap later and Ocon one more lap. He was three seconds behind Perez with 13 laps remaining and pumping on the fastest laps when his luck ran out for the second time, a puncture to the rear left forced him to stop. The fairy tale was over. His first Formula One result in ninth place was cool comfort; There will surely be another chance, but this was a heartbreaking thing.
“I am devastated, I am absolutely devastated,” he said. “I can’t put it into words, it was not a pleasant feeling to jump out of the car. I gave everything I had, I felt safe, comfortable, then we had the mess at the pit stop, but I still could have caught Sergio, then the puncture came. I’m gutted. “
Nonetheless, Wolff acknowledged his achievement, describing it as leading a “monumental race” and saying that “today a new star is born.”
However, Pérez had fully earned his accolades after a long career. His first victory comes in his 10th season in the sport. He made his Sauber debut in 2011, did a season with McLaren in 2013 and then joined Racing Point, then known as Force India in 2014. He has been with the team ever since. It couldn’t be more poignant – it’s the Silverstone-based team’s first win since they were Jordan in 2003, but they already said goodbye to him for 2021.
“I am speechless,” he said. “I hope I am not dreaming because I dream for so many years being in this moment. Ten years it took me. I don’t know what to say. After the first lap, the race was over. It was about not giving up. “
Perez had tangled with Charles Leclerc on the first lap and received a major blow to the rear of the car that left him in the back of the field. However, he defended himself with typical enthusiasm, he crossed the field and when Mercedes dropped the ball, he had the opportunity and took advantage of it. Cruel, festive and simply unmissable, Sakhir had it all.
Earlier in the day, Michael Schumacher’s son Mick, who was hired to drive for Haas in F1 the next year, won the F2 championship, clinching the title by 14 points over Britain’s Callum Illot.
Haas has confirmed that Romain Grosjean, who was involved in a major accident in the previous round, will not risk his recovery from the burns on his hands and will therefore not participate in the final GP of the season next week in Abu Dhabi. .
Carlos Sainz was fourth for McLaren with teammate Lance Norris in 10th. Daniel Ricciardo was fifth for Renault with Red Bull’s Alexander Albon in sixth. Daniil Kvyat was seventh for AlphaTauri with Bottas eighth.
