THE BIG PICTURE: Max Verstappen still doesn't get it. Either that, or he thinks he runs by his own rules. "I think we know what we are doing -- otherwise we would not be driving an F1 car.." Seriously, dude? So, F1 drivers never crash? Ever? Ignoring yellow flags is one of the top sins and most dangerous things to do in racing. You have no idea what's around the corner. Didn't Max learn anything from the F2 tragedy at Spa? Or, is he so wrapped inside his own cocoon of immaturity to ever get it?

EVENT: This event keeps getting bigger and bigger. Attendance increases. The addition of raising the winner and his car up to the podium was epic showmanship. However, get rid of that asinine, idiotic selfie guy. Nobody but the achievers deserve podium attention. That was as dorky as dorky gets.

TRACK: The new aerodynamic rules this year have made it a bit easier to follow closely. However, at a track with thin, warm air, that all goes out the window as overheating concerns kept cars from following closely.

QUALIFYING: Verstappen's pole goes away when he properly is disciplined for ignoring yellow flags, Ferrari inherits the front row, Bottas is hurting, Stroll is well you know, and now Haas can't even perform in qualifying.

RACE: A race of cat and mouse strategy which ended anticlimactically as despite the closeness of the top four, they were unable to duke it out.

START: A hairy start, Hamilton and Verstappen nearly end it right there, the Ferraris perform a love tap, and Albon makes out.

HAMILTON: In his latter years, Lewis has become a master at handling tires and making whatever strategy calls work. That was what won him this race. And this may go down as one of his greatest drives in his career.

BOTTAS: Valtteri was looking good this weekend ... until his qualifying crash.

MERCEDES: Making all the right calls again. Even when they didn't know if it was going to be the right call.

VETTEL: Seemed especially happy for a second place finish. But Sebastian knew that was the best this race was going to serve up.

LECLERC: Didn't get the right strategy call.

FERRARI: Another race. Another blown strategy. And a blown pit stop for good measure.

ALBON: In the races since Alexander joined Red Bull, he has scored more points than Max Verstappen. Your odd stat of the day.

VERSTAPPEN: You're an F1 driver Max. You never crash. Oh, wait ... never mind.

PEREZ: Excited the crowd with a best of the rest finish.

RICCIARDO: Hmmm, seems like those brakes don't work as good now that they are legal.

RENAULT: They are lucky they didn't get disqualified for the entire season.

GASLY: That's got to be horrible to try and drive an F1 car with a stomach bug.

KVYAT: What was Daniil attempting with that move on Hulkenberg? And then Kvyat has the audacity to complain about the penalty?! Does he have Max-itis also?

MCLAREN: Great hope. Complete pit stop failure and failure to work with the hard tires. Hope gone.

GIOVINAZZI: Talk about a completely failed pit stop.

RUSSELL: Glass is half full -- a Williams car beat a Haas car.

GROSJEAN: Glass is half empty -- A Haas car got beat by a Williams car.

WILLIAMS/HAAS: Glass is completely empty -- they were the only four cars to finish two laps down.

WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Hard.

STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 48 -- The number of laps Lewis Hamilton ran on the hard tires, with a damaged floor no less, which enabled him to win.

HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: This was the 100th victory for Mercedes-Benz in Formula 1. Their first victory came at the 1954 French GP by Juan Manuel Fangio. Fangio won four of the six races he drove a Mercedes that year. He also won twice in a Maserati en route to the World Drivers' Championship. However, the first Mercedes win in grand prix racing occurred in the 1935 French GP won by Rudolf Caracciola. He won four of seven races taking the European Championship.

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Sebastian Vettel being very blunt with what he didn't like on the podium, "I didn't like the selfie guy when he tried to push into the picture so I pushed him away! I'm not big into selfies anyway. Then you get this shitty trophies that look boring."

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: This time, Vettel let someone else talk for him. After Lewis Hamilton criticized Max Verstappen, Vettel followed up with his comments on the subject, "Copy and paste."

SCHEDULE: Off to Austin where Hamilton will clinch the championship.

Copyright © 2019 by Deep Throttle. All Rights Reserved.