News : Formula 1: Leclerc and Verstappen are the future, Vettel the past

Judging by the result, the tenth Formula 1 race of the season was no hit. For the ninth time this year, a Mercedes driver was at the top of the podium, for the seventh time it was world champion Lewis Hamilton, for the seventh time a double victory of the Silver Arrows.

The dominance of the German racing team is overwhelming. And yet Formula 1 fans have had an unfamiliar feeling in the body in the last two weeks: tension!

The reason for this are two youngsters who bring new life to the soporific racing series: Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. Even in Spielberg, the two 21-year-olds delivered a thrilling fight, from which the Dutch emerged victorious in the Red Bull.

Never had so much fun

The Grand Prix of Great Britain then came directly to the new edition and again fought the two pilots wheel to wheel for every millimeter and put some insane maneuvers on the legendary circuit of Silverstone, as they were no longer marvel at. This time the man prevailed in red.

Formula 1 is fun and hope for more. Leclerc also thinks, "This is probably the race I've enjoyed most in my career," he said after the race. "I've never had so much fun in Formula One before."

And the Monegasse promises even more: "This race has opened my eyes, how far I can go," said the Ferrari driver. "I've never raced so aggressively before, and I've never had so much fun before - it's great for Formula One to be able to compete at the limit and I'm pleased to see how this race went."

The duel Leclerc / Verstappen is already considered the duel of the decade, which will shape motorsport in the future.

Vettel pats

So the Formula 1 world can prepare for a bolder and stronger Leclerc. That must also recognize team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

He has to recover after the pointless disaster at Silverstone - not his first setback this season. In his fifth year at the Scuderia Vettel is already after ten of 21 races with 100 points behind Hamilton in the standings in fourth place, only three points ahead of his teammate.

"Difficult," Vettel replied to the question of how he would summarize his previous season in one word. But that is pretty understated. His own mistakes in high pressure, lack of performance of his car or mistakes of the team - far too much went wrong. For almost eleven months, the four-time world champion is already waiting for a Grand Prix victory. Fast recovery does not seem to be in sight, even though he still says, "I'm not worried, but I'd like better results."

After all, at Silverstone, he had the chance to reach the podium, but Verstappen drove so hard into the rear in a daring overtaking maneuver that both flew off the track. Verstappen was at least still fifth, Vettel was the 16th for the first time in almost a year without World Cup points.

And so his team-internal competitor remained for the third time in a row before Vettel. The pre-season classification of a number one (Vettel) and two (Leclerc) is crumbling more and more. Team Principal Mattia Binotto said the team will be watching closely when this status changes. In close racing decisions Vettel was previously preferred.

Vettel now looks forward again, it follows the home race in Hockenheim. "I'm looking forward to it," he said. He should not be copied off, of all things, his worst adversary. "He's one of the greats of this sport and he'll come back stronger, I'm convinced of that," said Mercedes driver Hamilton: "That's what great athletes do - and he's one of them."

In the video: World Champion Lewis Hamilton aggressively attacks Formula 1 bosses