The vibrant city of Mexico witnessed the 15th race of the second season of F1 Co-Op, bringing the championship duel between The Captain and Kruimel to a nail-biting climax. The weekend boasted beautiful weather throughout, setting the scene for a crucial battle. In the previous race, The Captain secured a hard-fought victory, closing the championship gap to just 10 points. Since the mid-season switch to Red Bull Racing, Kruimel has been in formidable form, challenging The Captain’s dominance. The team dynamics at Red Bull are now intricate, with both drivers eyeing the championship title. As Red Bull clinched the constructor’s championship in COTA, the focus shifts to the intense rivalry between The Captain and Kruimel in Mexico.
Training: The Captain’s Commanding Performance
From the outset of the free practice session, The Captain demonstrates a strong command of the track. His lap times are competitive from the get-go, and he dominates the entire initial session. Comfortable with his setup, he even manages to clock a time below 1:17 in a qualifying run towards the end of the session.
On the flip side, the atmosphere in the other half of the Red Bull garage is quite different. Kruimel appears uneasy in his car from the first lap. There is a lot of radio communication regarding the chosen setup, which undergoes several adjustments during the session. Despite Kruimel gradually finding his rhythm, he fails to surpass a 6th position in the training session. If this foreshadows Kruimel’s speed in the race, it could be a challenging weekend for him, potentially slipping the championship chances from his grasp sooner than expected.
Qualification: The Captain’s Pole Dominance
Both The Captain and Kruimel head out early for a timed lap. Struggling with the car in the thin air, neither driver posts impressive times in the first round. Opting for an immediate second timed lap, they both see an improvement in their times.
Upon returning to the pits, The Captain decides to wait until the end of the session, while Kruimel makes an additional outing on used tires but aborts the lap as no improvement is realized. In the closing moments of the session, Kruimel is the first to venture out, timing two laps. The Captain waits patiently and emerges last, just in time for a single timed lap.
In the final phase of qualifying, several drivers attempt to improve their times, but none manage to surpass The Captain’s benchmark. The Pourchaire comes close, securing the second-best time. Kruimel makes a slight improvement in his last lap but falls short by 0.016 seconds, settling for P3. Demonstrating his prowess on the circuit, The Captain significantly outpaces his previous time, recording a 1:15.786, over 0.700 seconds faster than Pourchaire in P2.
Race: The Captain’s Commanding Victory
The lights go out, and The Captain launches from Pole Position. He makes a good start, shifting immediately to the right to defend against an attack from Pourchaire in second place. Kruimel benefits from this, having clear air ahead, and, thanks to his impressive start, catches up with the top two. Taking Turn 1 wide, Kruimel leaves enough space for his teammate, while The Captain maneuvers aggressively towards Pourchaire. By Turn 2, The Captain positions himself on the inside, allowing his car to drift wide, forcing Pourchaire to lift and abandon the attack.
Kruimel takes the lead, and The Captain swiftly moves into second place. Both Red Bulls manage to create a slight gap to the rest of the field, aided by Pourchaire seemingly holding up the pack, possibly due to damage or dirty tires. The Captain pressures Kruimel, who appears to lack the pace to keep The Captain at bay. Despite this, Kruimel manages to maintain the lead for the first two laps. It’s in the second lap, when The Captain activates DRS, that he overtakes Kruimel. Unleashed, The Captain rapidly extends his lead.
Kruimel effectively manages the gap to secure third place. In the 11th lap, other drivers begin making their pit stops, but both Kruimel and The Captain stay out. Kruimel eventually pits after the 12th lap, returning to the track ahead of his direct competitors. The Captain pits a lap later. Although his lead over Kruimel diminishes slightly after the stops, he still emerges ahead of his teammate.
From this point, not much happens at the front. The Captain steadily increases his lead over Kruimel, while Kruimel effectively manages his advantage over Lewis Hamilton in third place. Both Red Bull drivers focus on safely completing the race. The anticipated duel between Kruimel and The Captain will have to wait for another race, as Kruimel struggles to match The Captain’s pace. In the end, The Captain crosses the finish line first, earning 26 points, thanks in part to setting the fastest lap. Kruimel finishes more than 13 seconds later in second place. Lewis Hamilton trails by 6 seconds in third, securing a spot on the podium.
On the podium, we witness joyful faces. The Captain did what was necessary to maximize his chances in the championship fight. Kruimel minimized the damage and heads to Brazil with a lead, controlling the outcome of the championship. Hamilton completes the podium, though his position holds less relevance for any F1 Co-Op fan.
Reactions:
Reflecting on the weekend, The Captain expressed joy over the team’s performance and his fantastic teammate. “I’ve done what I needed to do for the championship,” he said, highlighting the tight 2-point difference. He praised the team and looked forward to the upcoming race in Brazil.
“It was an enjoyable weekend, one where I wish there were many more. Right from the start, we were in a good position. The team did an excellent job with the setup and preparations for the car. Everything fell into place, and it felt like nothing could go wrong. The start is always tricky here, with a long stretch to turn 1 where a lot can happen. You can only defend against one car at a time, and I managed to close the gap for Pourchaire. This meant losing the lead to Kruimel, but it would have been Pourchaire otherwise. We navigated through that well, and I quickly caught up with Kruimel. I soon realized I had the speed to overtake him. It was a matter of waiting for the right moment. After that, it was essentially about finishing the race. The team executed the pit stop well; I had no traffic issues and returned to the track smoothly. Then, with the freshest tires and the fastest pace, it was a matter of staying focused and bringing the car home. Looking at the championship, I can only be happy. I did what I had to do and secured the maximum number of points. Now, it seems we’re only two points apart. So, we both control our destiny. We’ll calmly prepare for Brazil and see how it goes. Right now, I’m especially happy with this weekend, the entire team, and my fantastic teammate who also achieved a fantastic result for himself and the team.”
Satisfied with the weekend, Kruimel acknowledged The Captain’s superior speed in Mexico. “We knew we couldn’t beat him here,” he stated. Content with securing 2nd place, Kruimel focused on the championship, recognizing the importance of the upcoming race in Brazil.
“I’m pleased with this weekend. This was the best we could achieve, and it’s nice to extract that. We knew we couldn’t match The Captain this weekend, as it became evident in training and qualifying. He’s just too fast here, so we had to limit the damage. We did that as well as we could. I managed to take the lead into turn 1 because The Captain was dealing with Pourchaire, but then I noticed how quickly he was and that with DRS, I couldn’t do anything. Once he got past me, he was gone in no time, already beyond a second. After that, I knew I just had to drive my own race and secure that second position. That worked out, giving myself the best chance for next week. Thanks to the team for getting the car in such good shape and to the fantastic crowd here in Mexico. Of course, congratulations to The Captain, who showed excellent form this weekend.”
Championship Standings:
Securing a second-place finish, Kruimel maintains his lead in the championship, but The Captain significantly narrows the gap. Only 2 points separate the two Dutch drivers, both hoping to crown themselves champions in Brazil. The battle for the 3rd position intensifies, with Lewis Hamilton reducing his deficit to teammate Lando Norris to 6 points. While it’s certain that one of them will secure third place, a fierce competition between teammates is evident.
In the constructors’ championship, the title has already been claimed. Mercedes solidifies its position in 2nd place. McLaren extends the gap to Ferrari this weekend, strengthening their hold on the third position. For Ferrari, the season appears to be a disappointment, lacking a single victory and settling for 4th place. Desperately seeking form and a competitive driver to achieve victories for this historic team.
Next Race: Brazil – A Decisive Showdown
We conclude by previewing the upcoming race in Brazil, highlighting the historical performance of Kruimel on the track. The championship showdown is set to be a one-on-one battle between the Red Bull teammates, with the winner claiming the crown. Will Kruimel secure his first championship in this F1 Co-Op Season competition, or will The Captain manage to clinch victory and extend his championship reign? The outcome holds implications for the team’s composition. Will the friends remain teammates, or will one of the two seek new opportunities due to a sense that there may not be enough room for these two formidable drivers in a single team? The countdown to the next race is on. Brazil is just around the corner, along with the climax of F1 Co-Op Season 2.
