Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc's race on Sunday was all but done after his poor start left him behind Sergio Perez for the duration of the race. The young Scuderia driver had earlier placed himself on the front row alongside Max Verstappen but a bad start to the race left him behind the second Red Bull driver as well.
After the race, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto explained that, according to their data, the bad start had nothing to do with the driver. Instead, the Italian said it was probably the result of some wet patches that compromised not only Leclerc but his teammate Carlos Sainz as well, who started right behind him. Speaking to the media after the race, Binotto said:
“We examined the data. The drivers didn’t do anything wrong. There were probably a few more wet spots on the right lane.”
Meanwhile, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner revealed that one of the reasons behind their victory was their ability to be more gentle with their tires as compared to Ferrari. Speaking to the media post-race, he said:
“Here in Imola, we treated the tires much more gently than Ferrari.”
What was notable at Imola was the fluctuation in form between the two teams. This time around, it was Red Bull that held the advantage over the Scuderia as Max Verstappen beat Charles Leclerc in a straight fight in the sprint race.
I just wanted too much!: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc spun into the gravel while chasing Sergio Perez, taking wing damage and a further drop in positions. The Monegasque was repentant of his mistake that he could not afford to make, saying:
“I just wanted too much. I would have secured the podium better. The seven lost points can be valuable again in the World Championship fight. I’m sure I won’t make a mistake like that again.”
The mistake dropped Leclerc from 3rd in the race to 6th in the final standings. This helped Max Verstappen to further close down the mammoth 46-point gap that Leclerc had over him by 17 points during this weekend. After four races this season, Leclerc has two wins to his name in Bahrain and Australia while Verstappen has clinched wins in Saudi Arabia and Imola.
If Red Bull can keep their reliability in check, both drivers are expected to have an epic battle this season.
Also Check Out :-F1 Schedule 2022