If we thought that the battles between Hamilton and Verstappen were good last year, then we could be in for something truly special this year, as Charles and Max duelled it out once again in 2022, to produce a thrilling end to the race! Elsewhere, there were plenty of tough stories out there, and cases of what could have been!
Red Bull needed this win to bounce back after the disaster at Bahrain, where they left with no points. The high speed track clearly suited the less draggy Red Bull car, which is ironic given it was the opposite scenario a few months ago. After the Safety Car, Max was hounding Charles, and it felt inevitable that he would eventually find a way past. That wasn’t before Leclerc played some clever strategy to try and keep the lead, but it was all in vain. The champion did everything right in the race, and is back in the title fight. However, on slower speed tracks, he might struggle to keep up with the Ferrari. Perez was so unlucky with the Safety car, he was controlling the race to begin with, although I do feel like he would have been passed eventually. 4th will be tough for him to take, but at least he showed he had the pace to run at the front.
If the rumours are true about Ferrari not pushing their engine too hard in the first few races, then this might be a great result for them. Either way, they limited their losses, and continue to have a hold on the championship right now. Their car is so strong in the corners, which could be their biggest strength all year. Charles played the battling to perfection, allowing Max to pass him at the right points, so he could get back past. In the end though, he used up all the tricks he could, and had to settle for 2nd. He is still the title favourite in my opinion, just because of the Ferrari pace, and his tactics in racing. Sainz was closer to Leclerc this weekend, however, I am sure he is still aiming to be ahead of him soon. With reportedly upgrades coming for Ferrari at Australia, they are really going from strength to strength.
Mercedes had another trying weekend, where despite fixing the bouncing issues, they couldn’t find anymore pace, suggesting they have fixed it by taking off performance. Russell had a very quiet race once he had dispatched with the midfield, but seemed to enjoy it, despite how tiring it was. As for Lewis, it was looking pretty good in the middle stages of the race, as he was already into the points, however, a poorly timed VSC which closed the pitlane entry ruined his race slightly, and left him with only one point to grab. It has probably been a character building weekend for him and the team, as the list of issues may have grown not shrunk. They need upgrades and soon if they want to fight for the title this year.
Alpine are beginning to come into their own this season, the car is very quick, although they have plenty of competition for that place as 4th best team. Their drivers gave us plenty to enjoy as well, as they fought in the opening stages of the race, eventually Ocon was told to hold position. That battle stopped them challenging Russell, and may have put them under threat from those behind. It was a harsh result for Alonso, who retired after running so well.
There is hope for McLaren at last, with Norris charging through the field to get a load of points in the race. For the majority of the race, they looked to be just outside the points, but Lando came on strong at the end. This suggests the issues at Bahrain may have been small ones, as opposed to something fundamental. AlphaTauri had another mixed race, with one car retiring and the other in the points. Their reliability is a real concern, especially for Red Bull. Gasly though was pretty anonymous on the edge of the points all day.
It may not have been the huge points haul of Bahrain, yet we have to put everything into perspective for Haas, as last year a 9th would have been incredible for them. If this is where their true pace lies, in the last few points places, then it has still been a huge step for the team, and something to be proud of. Plus, if Mick can be as quick as we saw him be before his crash, they could really pressurise the other teams.
Bottas was on for another great weekend in the points, until reliability caught up with him on the same lap as Alonso. For Zhou though, he may have not got points, but for a rookie to be doing this well is pretty good going. Aston Martin are still up a certain creek without a paddle, and no way of getting one in the near future. Hulkenberg did well though in deputising for Vettel to start the year. Williams is in a similar place, but with the added heartache of crashes, mostly on the part of Latifi, who’s position in F1 is starting to come under question.
It has been a stellar start to the season, with two entertaining races. Yes, we don’t have 4 teams going for the championship, but that would probably be too much anyway. Instead, an intense battle is already emerging for two drivers with history, and it won’t stay friendly for long! Add to that, the potential of Mercedes finding fixes and joining the pack, and we could have another classic season on our hands!
-M
Meaning of Motorsport 