Breaking: Mahomes, Kelce Conquers Sunday Without…
It’s the middle of the NFL season, and things are getting tight for every team not named the Kansas City Chiefs, who are undefeated and due to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. But also, things are tight in the Formula One Championship as well, for both the drivers and the constructors.
Now, this is an NFL site covering an NFL team, so why would I be talking about F1? Well, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce are part owners of an F1 team. That’s right, they own several sports teams around the Kansas City area but are also involved with the ownership of the French-based racing team in F1.
BWT Alpine F1 is the team they have ownership of and are partners with. They are one of the better teams historically but have been in a drought for quite some time. Alpine is one of the more famous F1 teams of all time behind the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull. They have a rich history in the sport, with numerous championship wins and a reputation for producing top-tier drivers. But, that was then, the new age of Alpine seemed to struggle.
That is, until Sunday.
The Brazillian Grand Prix started so hectically. The qualifying, which is where you race for the fastest laps in three rounds, each round eliminating five racers, and the fastest laps are the determining factor in starting grid position for the race, was hectic as well. The weather forced the qualifying portion of the weekend to be canceled on Saturday and go instead on Sunday.
Lando Norris of McLaren took pole on Sunday or started in first place. Alpinen drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly started in fourth and 15th, respectfully, and somehow managed to get their best team result in 11 years.
With multiple weather situations causing multiple crashes, safety cars, and stoppages in racing, Ocon finished in second, with Gasly in third, their best finishes this season each.
Mahomes and Kelce were fired up after the race.
Alpine greatly needed this haul of points. The 33 points they gained on Sunday vaulted them up from eighth place to sixth of 10 teams.
The way the point system works in F1 is as follows: drivers 1-10 get points, with first place getting 25, second getting 18, third getting 15, fourth getting 12, fifth getting 10, sixth getting 8, seventh getting 6, eighth getting 4, ninth getting 2, and 10th getting 1. Out of the top 10 drivers, if any of them get the fastest lap time during a race, they get an extra point. This system rewards consistent performance and encourages drivers to push for the fastest lap, even if they are not in the top positions. It’s a key factor in determining the overall standings and can make a significant difference in the outcome of a race or a season.
Alpine had a great race, and their two NFL friends couldn’t have been more hyped up. The next race is in a few weeks in Las Vegas, where the Las Vegas Raiders have partnered with F1 for the weekend. The Chiefs play the Denver Broncos next.
