Very fine margins are deciding Formula 1 races. Even over the course of a grand prix or sprint distance – think Lando Norris leaving the door ajar for Max Verstappen in the shorter Austria contest this year – a split-second call can make the difference.
Maybe this is why the drivers are so tetchy these days – George Russell’s understandable efforts to get Verstappen penalised after Qatar GP qualifying last weekend utterly enraged the Dutchman. Yet he emerged as the winner in the fifth nail-bitingly close direct contest against Norris this term.
