The talking points as the second half of the F1 season gets underway

The Formula 1 summer break is coming to an end. We take a look at the main factors that will determine the outcome of the campaign as it moves into late summer and autumn.

Formula 1 resumes after its summer break with the Belgian Grand Prix in the Ardennes forest. A further nine races are still to be contested during the 2017 season. After the Spa-Francorchamps weekend, the premier league of motorsport moves on to Italy for the final fixture of the European season and then on to its overseas tour of Asia and America and the grand finale in Abu Dhabi. Nine races, nine countries, four continents – and numerous talking points for the rest of the season. We take a look at the most important issues going into the final races.

Talking point 1: Title fight hotting up

The second half of the season gets underway in Belgium, and the title fight is hotting up. Going into the Belgian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel has a 14-point lead on Lewis Hamilton, with Valtteri Bottas a further 19 behind. On the basis of what happened just before the summer break, Bottas’s strong form has encouraged neutrals to hope for a three-way tussle right through to the end of the season.

Looking at the upcoming races, Mercedes are entitled to rub their hands in gleeful anticipation. In Belgium and a week later in Ferrari’s home race at Monza, we have high-speed tracks which primarily call for engine performance. And even if the Scuderia have been rapidly catching up, the Silver Arrows still have a few more horses in the rear, especially in qualifying.

Next up, however, comes Singapore, which is likely to reveal Mercedes’ Achilles heel. The angular street circuit there is the type of track that has suited the shorter Ferrari so far this season. But then come Mexico, Abu Dhabi and Japan, other high-speed tracks that should favor the Mercedes cause. However, track configuration may not be the only aspect that proves decisive in the final run-up.

Talking point 2: The development race

There is also the matter of which team can outperform the other in terms of development. Mercedes and Ferrari both have sufficient financial resources to continue developing their car. The work done at the factory plays a crucial role. In the past, Mercedes have always succeeded in eking out an additional tenth of a second per lap. Although it has to be said that they have not had any real competition in this department over the past few years.

This time round, though, Ferrari are breathing down their necks – the red goddess is near perfection on almost every track. The Silver Arrow, by contrast, has been far more temperamental, so much so that it is referred to as “the Diva” within the team ranks. The Mercedes has revealed its weaknesses especially in tire management. The engineers have had extreme difficulty in finding the right operating window. In the last few races before the summer break, however, they seemed to have got this issue under control. On the five weekends after the Monaco GP, Ferrari secured only one victory, while Mercedes won three. The outcome of the world championship might therefore be decided not only on the track but also in the factories at Maranello and Brackley.

Talking point 3: Can Red Bull close the gap?

The expectations of Red Bull have so far not been fulfilled at all. Their chances of taking the title are even more remote than in 2016. The new regulations have not had the hoped-for effect, and there are many possible explanations for this, ranging from the engine to the suspension system that was prohibited even before the campaign began. In addition, the wind tunnel failed to provide the data that might have improved performance on the track.

But now, Red Bull are gradually showing signs of progress. Starting with the Spanish GP, Daniel Ricciardo has made five successive podium appearances, including the victory in Azerbaijan, which to some extent was gifted to him. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, is having a nightmare season, being regularly forced to retire while in promising positions. In Hungary, he clattered his team-mate out of the race and received a penalty that dropped him to the rear of the field, but he then staged a comeback which almost got him onto the podium. The big question is therefore whether Red Bull can close the gap on Mercedes and Ferrari this season and score victories by their own endeavors.

Talking point 4: Who will be Best of the Rest?

Behind the top teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, the battle rages for the top of the midfield. Currently, Force India seem to have this contest sewn up. Their points tally of 101 puts them no fewer than 60 ahead of nearest rivals Williams. As in the previous year, the Anglo-Indian team have shown themselves to be masters in the art of sweeping up, exploiting the mistakes of others while themselves putting in consistent performances and avoiding errors. They therefore look almost certain to finish fourth and match their previous best end-of-term result.

The situation in their wake is very tight. There are just 15 points separating Williams in fifth place from Renault in eighth. Renault’s main problem is that Jolyon Palmer has not yet scored any points. The relative positions change from weekend to weekend. This is about much more than just statistics: every place higher in the final Constructors’ Championship table earns a team millions in additional funding.

Talking point 5: Team-mate as biggest rival

Everyone who is driving for one of these midfield teams and has little prospect of a podium finish, let alone a race win, will go into the remaining races of the season with one single purpose in mind: emerging from the campaign as top dog in the squad. It is well known fact that the first person you have to beat is your own team-mate. In teams such as Renault, the pecking order is already clear, with Jolyon Palmer being the only driver in the field to lose all qualifying contests against his team-mate. At Force India, on the other hand, it is a close-run thing between Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon.

Even among the top teams, the situation is still up in the air. Valtteri Bottas is certainly well in touch with Lewis Hamilton – in fact, the Finn has to be regarded as a championship contender in his own right. And at Red Bull, there has been a real commotion surrounding Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. In Hungary, the Dutchman put his Australian team-mate out of the race. There were subsequently some harsh words from Ricciardo, who felt he had missed out on a top result due to the incident. It will be fascinating to see how this relationship pans out in forthcoming races.

Talking point 6: Recruitment for 2018 already underway

There are still some cockpits to be allocated for the 2018 Formula 1 season. At Ferrari, Kimi Räikkönen has just extended his contract, while other drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso – at least officially – are yet to sign on the dotted line. Whereas Vettel is almost sure to be at Ferrari, Alonso wants to clarify his career prospects at McLaren for the coming season. Some drivers on the fringe of the big time also treat the second part of the season as an opportunity to stake their claim to a newly created or existing cockpit.

Talking point 7: Who will win the DHL Fastest Lap Award?

Lewis Hamilton has been steadily accumulating points towards the DHL Fastest Lap Award this season. In six of the eleven races so far, it was the three-time world champion who set the fastest lap. Hamilton is effectively out on his own in this particular sideshow. Kimi Räikkönen is second with two fastest laps to his credit. The other fastest Sunday drivers on one each are Sergio Perez, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. If Hamilton goes fastest in the next three races, he will already have wrapped up the 2017 DHL Fastest Lap Award.

DHL FASTEST LAP AWARD: F1 LAP TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY

Talking point 8: Will Williams win the DHL Fastest Pitstop Award?

Williams dominate the pit lane. In the DHL Fastest Pitstop Award standings, the British team lead on 287 points, well ahead of Mercedes on 230. The scoring system is the same one used in the Formula 1 championship itself: the fastest pit stop gets 25 points, the second fastest 18 and so on. However, only one pit stop per team is counted during a race. Can the crews of Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa win their team the coveted award again at the end of the season and defend their title?