Sensational Sakhir GP largely due to Verstappen DNF

The fact that the race at Sakhir has become one for the history books has now become apparent, and although the early DNF of Verstappen was a huge disappointment, it became one of the main reasons for the enormous excitement that characterized the race afterwards. Or at least that is what analyst Jan Lammers argues.

In the NOS Formula 1 podcast with Amber Brantsen, Lammers explains his argument. He starts: "Normally Verstappen would have won this race. And the ironic thing is what happened on the first lap, he wasn't there, Hamilton wasn't there, then you get a race that goes completely over the head and becomes sensational."

Elimination of Verstappen made it fun

The sensation at Sakhir could be traced to a substantial extent to the early end of the Dutchman’s race, says Lammers: "This race was extra fun because Verstappen was eliminated, couldn't fight anymore. ... I think that Verstappen could have gone along with Bottas and Russell, and also benefited from the fight.

"That's how everything is connected: those two Mercedeses would never have gone in if Verstappen had still been on the track. So something was taken away from us in that respect, as Dutchmen, but it turned out to be a damn nice race," said Lammers.