Posted in: 28/07/2022 – 10:34
Circuit de Hungary (Hungary) (AFP) – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc of Monaco hopes to make up for the Tour de France mistake that led to his withdrawal in the lead, while Dutch world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) seeks to tighten his grip on the lead when they enter the Hungarian Grand Prix, the 13th round of the Formula One world championship, Last chance before summer vacation.
At a distance from them, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and the “king” of the Hungaroring are waiting to pounce on his rivals at the first missing step from them, following the momentum of achieving his and his team’s best result this season at Paul Ricard, seeking his record ninth victory on the circuit. itself.
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“I have to make up if I want to be world champion,” said Leclerc following his red car crashed into the safety berm at Le Castellet, knowing that a victory in Hungary would keep his drivers’ title hopes alive and upset the comfort of the Mad Max.
The emirate’s driver hoped to live a dream that turned into a nightmare at the Paul Ricard circuit, as he is well aware that he lost many important points and the possibility of lifting the first place trophy in France when he was at the top of the race, following leaving the racing track due to a fatal leadership error.
Despite retaining second place in the standings, the Scuderia Ferrari driver is 63 points behind Verstappen (233 to 170), an easy winner in France.
Worse, Leclerc is under threat from Red Bull’s second Mexican Sergio “Checo” Perez, who is only seven points behind him on the eve of the last race before the three-week summer break.
With the smell of vengeance wafting in the corridors of Ferrari, Leclerc will try at the Hungaroring, which is characterized by its narrow tracks, 20 kilometers from the capital Budapest, to limit the damage to defend the runner-up position once morest two Red Bulls who are back on the winning track following a difficult start to the season.
– Giant cold nerves –
Only Ferrari this year managed to beat the crowned Austrian barn in eight races (7 for Verstappen and 1 for Pires), but when the two “running horse” drivers managed to see the spotted flag at the end of the races.
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After 12 rounds, the first of which started in March, Ferrari entered the negative record for the most withdrawals (7), so there was no room for error.
“Things are getting more complicated but (the title) is not impossible,” Italian team principal Mattia Binotto said following the Tour de France.
“The most important thing is to see that we have the ingredients…there is no reason why we can’t win the last 10 races,” he said with great ambition.
However, between the malfunctions of the drivetrains, the wrong and doubtful strategic decisions or the mistakes of Leclerc and even his Spanish colleague Carlos Sainz, without taking into account Verstappen’s talent inside the Red Bull cabin is so strong… There are a thousand reasons and reasons!
On the other hand, Verstappen, “the giant of cold nerves”, keeps his feet on the ground in his quest for a second title in a row, despite the big difference between him and his closest pursuers, so he says, “In Budapest, I think things will be more difficult for us, and I think Ferrari will be very fast.” “.
However, Red Bull’s decision to change the engine of Verstappen’s car may re-shuffle the cards in Hungary and favor Leclerc, following Austrian Helmut Marko, chief advisor to the park, confirmed that the Dutchman is expected to receive a penalty for dropping at the starting line on Sunday in the event of modifications to the car.
A record ninth win for Hamilton?
Against the leaders Red Bull (396 points) and Ferrari (314), we also await the third power, the Mercedes team (270), which is back in strength and is approaching the red pit thanks to the double of its drivers Hamilton and George Russell in France, where they finished second and third, respectively.
The German manufacturer has managed to climb to the podium 5 times in the last four races, and within this race he has achieved better results than his competitors, but always without tasting the taste of victory this year.
Hamilton, who holds the record for most victories in Hungary, has been touched by the inability of the “Silver Arrows” to match Red Bull in France, and Mercedes owes his good result first and foremost to Ferrari’s problems with Leclerc’s withdrawal and the penalty of Sainus (10 places at the starting line for a piece on board). his car).
Hamilton, who has run his 300th G1 race in France, knows that despite having risen to the podium in the last four races, he faces a tough challenge to maintain his form as he seeks to become the first driver to win nine times at the same circuit, which would be a record feat in the championship. Globalism.
The Walker also understands that his struggling car remains unpredictable and can be changed from one track to another, which might be a dramatic factor this weekend on the tight and winding Hungary track with a slow track and minimal changes in elevation, following long, smooth, open and high straights. Speed at Paul Ricard.
“I have no idea what to expect from us in Budapest. We had expectations of a fight in France but we didn’t. So, I don’t know what to expect,” said Austrian Mercedes principal Toto Wolff, adding to his team’s performance.
Hamilton, who scored some of his most famous wins in Hungary, was no different from Wolff, resigning to his unpredictability at a track he loves and who had never smiled before at rival Verstappen. “This year has been very confusing.”
“From the driver’s point of view, it was very difficult to understand the car, but now, we understand the car a little better, and driving is more fun,” added the 37-year-old.
As for the stakeholder, he admitted, “I want to get back to winning and that will take some time” and “but I’m sure we’ll make it happen and then we’ll talk regarding the future.”
Mercedes’ lack of speed in qualifying might come at a heavy price in Hungary, on a hard-to-overtake track, while Sunday’s race will be a test of claims that new “ground effect” laws will allow for more competitive racing with more overtaking.
© 2022 AFP
