Red Bull seemed to have gotten on the same page with Ferrari in qualifying for the Australian GP, but it became abundantly clear on Sunday that there is still a considerable gap between the top two teams in the 2022 season.
Max Verstappen tried to keep up with Charles Leclerc but in doing so messed up his tire set. The Monegasque, for his part, was able to reach the finish line without too many problems, while the Dutchman had to leave on lap 39.
It is the second time in three races in 2022 that Verstappen , the current world champion, has not finished the race, while Leclerc has already managed to win two of the three contested. Mika Hakkinen, two-time F1 world champion, believes that Ferrari has a faster car.
“Charles Leclerc had everything under control. He also said afterwards that the car was strong and managed the tires very well. This car allows him to have consistent performance. That’s what a top-level driver wants: a car that is fast from the start. finally and react as you want”, wrote the former pilot, in his column for Unibet.
“Charles has won twice in three grands prix and has finished second once. While Max Verstappen has one win and two DNFs under his belt. At this level you can’t afford to constantly struggle with technical issues. Max is clearly not happy.” .
Although Mercedes has problems with the W13, its reliability seems to be improving. The car may not be as quick as in previous years, but it always makes it to the checkered flag.
George Russell scored his first podium of the season on Sunday, moving into second in the drivers’ standings, just behind world leader Charles Leclerc.
“It’s amazing to see him second in the standings,” said Hakkinen. “I am impressed with Russell ‘s consistency and the reliability of the W13. He is now ahead of Lewis Hamilton as well, although he was very lucky with the safety car.
“However, I don’t think this is a reflection on their performance. They are both doing a fantastic job for Mercedes. They are working hard to resolve the difficulties they have, so Red Bull needs to get their technical issues under control as soon as possible. The fight could turn into a three-way battle”, concluded the Finn.
