Column | The first battle is 'again' for Mercedes, but there is finally war in F1

Screaming at your TV, on the edge of your seat and not daring to walk away from the excitement. Yes, it really was a Formula 1 race we were watching, and man, has that been a long time!

Titanic duel in F1

In recent years there has always been the odd exciting race in the season, and especially in recent years, we have seen more chaos on the track which has also increased the entertainment level. Still, it was rarely about the victory, and the person who would win the world title was long known, and thus the real value had disappeared.

After a good 2020 season, hope was further fuelled during the winter test and during qualifying the truth was finally revealed: Red Bull Racing in combination with Max Verstappen have the best car at the moment, and that is going to result in a title fight.

We've had to wait a long time for this, as 2012 was actually the last year where it was really exciting between two drivers from different teams. Between 2014 and 2016, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg fought for the title, but two drivers from the same team results in slightly less tension. 

That was different in 2012 and certainly in 2010. Back then, you were on the edge of your seat every week. The battles between Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and McLaren were unmissable, and with drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, the action on the track was amazing. That now looks set to happen again.

No more talk at Red Bull Racing

After years of promises, Red Bull have finally got it right at the start of 2021. The RB16B, in the hands of Verstappen, can beat both Mercedes drivers over one lap when it matters. In Abu Dhabi last year, the title was long given, whereas now we are just starting. Add to that the fact that Red Bull always improve throughout the year and you have a great season.

That a good car doesn't mean Verstappen will become world champion was made clear by Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton is a seven times world champion for a reason. They may not have been pressured for years, but strategically they know exactly how this game works.

Verstappen loses lap one

No matter how fast Verstappen was yesterday, it was Hamilton who stood on the highest step of the podium. Mercedes, with Valtteri Bottas and Hamilton, tried everything to force Red Bull into a mistake, and it worked. Red Bull kept Verstappen out, giving the lead to Hamilton. Despite older tyres, Hamilton never relinquished that lead.

It is to be hoped that Red Bull will be able to bring Sergio Perez into the fight in the coming races so that both teams can play with strategy. Now Red Bull had to gamble with one driver and they gambled wrong. That this kind of gamble is now decisive for winning the race, says everything about the state of affairs in Formula 1.

The war in F1 has only just begun

This was a taste of what we can expect this season. Finally a real fight between Hamilton and Verstappen, who are from a planet of their own. Bottas of course pointed at the strategy, but when asked to chase Verstappen, the Dutchman only got further ahead.

This year it will be Hamilton and Verstappen, but Bottas and Perez will play a crucial role in this duel. Now you noticed that Mercedes could go either way. With Hamilton, they chose strategy one, and with Bottas they used the other. Red Bull had to choose one strategy and hope it was the best. That didn't work out in Bahrain. Including Perez limits Mercedes' options but gives Red Bull more options. It will be an even more exciting battle.

Red Bull lost on Sunday. If you assume that Hamilton and Verstappen are equal in talent, then the Red Bull was faster than the W12 in qualifying and in the race on every tyre. So as a Red Bull you didn't win P2, you lost a victory.

Mercedes has won round one, but that doesn't mean the war is over. Let's hope that Red Bull and Mercedes remain equal throughout the season so that this duel can continue until the last race. And may the best team and the best driver win. The wait is finally rewarded.