Although only three races have been held in 2022, there are already signs that this will be a big year for Ferrari and Charles Leclerc. The one from Monaco was on the podium in all three grand prix, winning two of them in Bahrain and Australia.
Previous results, combined with points for fastest laps, made him a standout leader of the campaign, with a sizeable lead over George Russell.
Former F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve pointed out that this could be Ferrari’s year: “In Italy, I am often asked: is it this year or is it really going to happen? The tifosi find it hard to believe what is happening. They also ask: What if something goes wrong? Ferrari is very fast anyway, they are actually a new Mercedes.”
There has been a clear change in dealing with motorsport’s top flight, as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battled it out for race wins last season. However, Red Bull is struggling with its RB18, while Mercedes is going through the same situation with the performance of the W13.
The car of the Milton Keynes team finished out of the race three times. Verstappen retired in Bahrain and Australia, and Sergio Pérez was unable to cross the finish line in Sakhir: “People are frustrated with Red Bull,” Villeneuve continued. “The car is fast but difficult to drive.”
“Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez must do everything to win a precious tenth of a second against Ferrari,” he said.
“It’s a difficult psychological situation for Red Bull. They are used to chasing a Mercedes, but now they are the champions, which puts another pressure on them. They should be in the top four among the drivers and second among the constructors, but the panorama of the situation is completely different,” he emphasized.
Sergio Pérez is currently fourth in the championship standings, with 30 points in his locker, and Max Verstappen is sixth, with 25 points. He is third in the Red Bull constructors’ championship, 10 points behind Mercedes and 49 behind Ferrari .
“They are very expensive withdrawals, also because Charles Leclerc keeps winning. He seems to have everything under control. Of course, there are still 20 races left for the end of the season and a lot to win, but everything is going well for him. behind and the main rival Verstappen has lost a lot of points,” he concluded.
