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The track record has come down by 5 seconds in the last two years and have a look at the speeds the cars are carrying the corners now. The cars are literally flat out form corners 7 to 15 and overtaking is very much an option.
This is one of the proper races on the calendar every year as there is plenty of room for overtaking. Qualifying in the top few places is important but not essential. When I look at courses like Baku and Monte Carlo you can protect your position out in front by driving defensively. The safety car normally comes out in those two street races as mistakes made by the drivers on those courses are less sympathetic.
The down force generated by the cars these days is ridiculous and the cars were taking some of the corners at over 190 Miles per hour. The drivers have to really trust their cars and know what they are capable of. Everything has to be working in sync as if the tires aren't warm enough it doesn't matter how much down force you have the car just won't stick. Combining heat in the tires as it gives you the grip plus the speed creates the down force as the faster you go the more down force the car generates.
Bottas is on pole position with Hamilton in second and the young Ferrari driver Charl Le Clerc in third with such a small difference in time separating them and we are talking 7 10'ths of a second between 1 and 3. Verstappen and his orange army is in 4 th and I am sure all racing enthusiasts are looking for more of the same from him this week and clashing with Le Clerc very early on. The rivalry between the drivers is what generates loads of interest and I am sure something will happen again between these two tomorrow.
Tires are important in racing as the various compounds don't last as long. The super softs are being used by the top 3 tomorrow and Verstappen is on the Medium compound which lasts a little longer. If he can get good distance out of his tires along with decent times then it could all change and I for one expect Verstappen to be somewhere on the podium tomorrow.
