Red Bull Racing Honda Celebrates Four F1 Wins in a Row
Max Verstappen comfortably won the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix today. It was Red Bull Racing’s fourth consecutive win this season and thus one of significance in the evolving history of Formula 1’s turbo-hybrid engine era.
Thanks to that result, we have now witnessed — for the first time since the new 2014 regulations — Mercedes failing to win at least one race over the span of four straight grands prix. It was also the first time since Sebastian Vettel’s record streak in 2013 that Red Bull Racing managed to win four in a row, and the first time since 1991 that a Honda-powered F1 car has won four in a row. It seems that the Silver Arrows’ reign of dominance over the sport is finally coming to an end.
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For viewers seeking a titanic fight for the win like we got in France, the race itself was somewhat underwhelming. Verstappen, who put in a stunning qualifying lap on Saturday, was never truly challenged. The only real fight at the front was for third place, but only because the Red Bull pit crew was slow to remove one of Sergio Pérez’s rear wheels during his first pit stop. Despite this, with just one more lap, a late-race charge might have seen him beat rival Valtteri Bottas to that last podium position.
Behind the frontrunners, Lando Norris once again showed his consistency by finishing in the top five, which he has done at all but one race so far in 2021. He was followed by the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, both of whom seemed to have found their groove again after a disastrous French Grand Prix — though I’ll never understand how Leclerc dodged a penalty after giving Pierre Gasly a puncture at the start of the race.
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Fernando Alonso finished in the points again, far ahead of teammate Esteban Ocon for the third race running. Alonso had a slow start to the season after returning from a one-year hiatus, but the F1 veteran is now showing his quality. Still, it’s weird seeing Alonso, Räikkönen, and Vettel, who share a combined seven world championship titles, fighting tooth and nail every weekend to score just a point or two.
Dark clouds loomed over the Red Bull Ring for most of the event but ultimately never unleashed the rain that might have given the grand prix some much-needed spice. Next weekend, F1 will race again at the same circuit because of COVID-related cancelations. Pirelli will be supplying the teams with a softer set of tires, which should reduce lap times and hopefully ensure that the Austrian Grand Prix isn’t merely a repeat of the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.