In the 110 days since the first day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, the start of Ferrari’s 2022 championship campaign could be split into two halves of almost entirely contrasting fortunes.
The first 55 days saw r four seconds by the time Perez pitted for hards at the end of lap 16.Ferrari establish themselves as the most formidable force on the grid. The F1-75 was not just fast, but reliable. They racked up more miles than any team in pre-season testing, won two of the first three races – while Red Bull recorded a retirement rate of 50% – to sit almost 50 points clear at the top of the constructors’ standings. Charles Leclerc 38 points ahead of Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.
But 55 days later as the chequered flag flew in Baku, the smoke pluming out of the rear of Leclerc’s abandoned car in the pit lane said a lot about the state of Ferrari’s championship hoped. Now another team has faster and more reliable package: Red Bull.
Hours earlier, it had again looked so promising for Leclerc and Ferrari heading into a grand prix Sunday. Leclerc had secured his fourth consecutive pole position by almost three tenths of a second from Sergio Perez, and a fraction more from the championship leader Verstappen. Looking to convert his pole to victory for the first time since the Australian Grand Prix, Leclerc admitted he just wanted to “finish the job” in Azerbaijan.
However, Perez and Red Bull had other ideas. After being psyched up for battle on the formation lap by his engineer Hugh Bird telling him “elbows out into turn one – it’s all to play for,” Perez found he need not have to bully his way into the lead when the lights went out after all.
Perez’s sprint off the line was good enough to draw him side-by-side with the Ferrari on the run to the braking zone, giving him the position of strength as they entered the left-hander. Leclerc’s lock-up only made it inevitable that he would lose the lead and he quickly had to focus less on Perez ahead and more on Verstappen filling his mirrors behind on the run to turn two.
All cars in the top 10 grid slots had started on the medium tyre compound and all largely held their positions on the opening lap, only Perez and Sebastian Vettel improving one place apiece. But with track temperatures within touching distance of 50C, there was no time for Perez to bask in the thrill of taking the lead, Bird instructing him to immediately…
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