Not too long ago, we posed the question of whether anyone could catch Lewis Hamilton in Formula 1 this season. It seems like the answer is already a resounding no. It’s only the end of June, and already Hamilton has essentially captured the season.
While he’s far from a mathematical guarantee to win another Driver’s Championship, he’s clearly destined to reach that outcome barring a severe injury or some kind of disqualifying event outside his control. Heading into the Austrian Grand Prix, the British Mercedes star had topped the podium in six of eight races thus far this season.
It’s interesting to see Hamilton taking his place in history, and he’s increasingly being mentioned among the all-time legends of the sport. But with both individual races and season-long outcomes starting to seem as if they’re decided before they even begin, the question becomes one of whether or not F1 fans can still enjoy themselves. It’s a strange topic, really, but one worthy of a few suggestions under the circumstances.
Watch The Races Anyway
It may be a lazy tip, but just watch the races! Sure, the intrigue has been taken out of them in terms of who’s going to finish first, for the most part, but sports aren’t just about outcomes. There are plenty of thrills along the way, and given that each course is different, any driver can have a good day, and there’s always potential for drama, the races are still a ton of fun to watch. If you truly love the sport, it really shouldn’t be a problem to enjoy it despite the presence of an overwhelming favorite in the field.
Bet On Anything But The Winner
Betting is a fairly big part of F1 for a lot of fans, and the UK’s expansive bookmaking network has made it easy to find all kinds of listings for the sport online. All kinds of listings means you can bet on more than just who will win a given race! You might find odds for different drivers to finish on the podium, odds for a given driver to finish in the top five, or virtually anything else that has to do with the total outcome of a race. Now, it’s important to be responsible with your money when betting. But you can sometimes place bets for free, and if this is something you do anyway, placing a stake on something other than first place can give you some suspense to enjoy.
Scout Out The Next Generation
They may not be topping podiums and competing in the year-end standings just yet, but the up-and-comers of F1 are still interesting to watch right now. The likes of Charles LeClerc, Lando Norris, and even Max Verstappen (who may be past up-and-comer status at this point) are all young and talented, and will be vying for supremacy once Hamilton relinquishes his hold on the sport. Keeping your eye on them now can be a lot of fun, and will give you perspective if and when they do start competing at the top of the circuits.
Enjoy Hamilton While You Can
Finally, on a bit of a sentimental note, do enjoy Lewis Hamilton. Yes, his dominance is getting almost “boring,” but he won’t be winning races forever, and one day you may just look back and consider yourself lucky for having witnessed him. It’s hard to fully grasp or appreciate that in our current moment, but if you try, you may just find that you can gain a renewed appreciation for watching him coming in first.
