F1 | GP Abu Dhabi 2022, the podium of the promoted: Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, the pilots with the suitcase (the real one)
1. Charles Leclerc. For someone who started with two victories in the first three races, who equaled Verstappen in talent and showmanship, and even surpassed him in results up to Monte Carlo, third place would have been an insult. Even more if the silver medal had gone to Perez. Charles pulls off another perfect race, also helped by a less tire-eating car (the positive signs from Brazil confirmed). Aided by the car, be careful. Because Binotto he immediately went chest out to praise the wall: a pity that it was Leclerc who said verbatim “I don’t think I can come back if we stop”. Furthermore, are we convinced that Perez would not have arrived at Leclerc without Gasly’s slowdown and the fight with Hamilton? A winning strategy does not mean that it is right in principle. More generally, without reference to the team principal: finishing second in a world championship in which Mercedes only blossomed in the summer doesn’t seem like a great result to me. Also because there are competitive seconds and seconds for lack of alternatives: In which category can we drop a team that reaches 205 points from the first? The answer is also known at Ferrari.
2. Lando Norris. Speaking of Ferrari: I would do anything to bring Lando home in 2026. With Verstappen heavily armored, Russell who will pitch tents in Mercedes and a Leclerc already in the house (provided that certain balances do not change, and it is possible that the trend of the season 2023 has an influence), only Lando is missing to be placed in the top teams. And it will get there, it must get there. He is the best of the others, the only one outside the Red Bull-Ferrari-Mercedes orbit to have reached the podium this year. If that’s the case right now (I remember: I just turned 23), in three-four years what will it become? From promising prospect to completed project: bravo, bravo, bravo.
3. The pilots with the suitcase (the real one). Emotion for Vettel, pain for Mick (fucked up by the team for two donuts, but can you?), bitterness for Ricciardo and already rogue nostalgia for Latifi, the motoring transposition of those who smear the walls to give work to their fellow painters. Are we ready for an F1 without Nichwallas? Will Sargeant be able to match his impact on history? All nonsense aside, good luck.
F1 | GP Abu Dhabi 2022, the podium of the failed ones: Sergio Perez, Pierre Gasly, the season
3. Sergio Perez. We all know who he is by now. A good driver, for heaven’s sake, capable of alternating half-miracles with nonsense, depends on how he wakes up in the morning. Even with the whole team (almost everything, come on) in favor, he abundantly loses the battle with Leclerc in terms of pace. The wall grabs him by the hair underwater and Checo almost reaches Charlesbut maybe even he knows it wouldn’t be right.
2. Pierre Gasly. Certainly the least dignified farewell among the riders saying goodbye to their team. Even Mick and Latifi did a better impression, punching in the mud of the last position, or so. Abulic and listless ever since he signed with Alpine, yet he should thank AlphaTauri who released him prematurely from the contract (through a penalty, of course). Whether it’s in the Spirit and Time room for next year? He gets out of it right away, because as a partner he will have not only a solid driver but also a PR.
1. Season. I realize that 2021 is difficult to match and that anything that came after would have risked being demolished. So I try to get away from the emotions, because objectively we had fun again this year, even in Monte Carlo. I’m talking about one sport and financial management of sport often lackingwhich damages the very image of Formula 1. A World Championship that began with the admission of an error that conditioned the assignment of the previous title, continued with a weekend under the missiles (and we are only at the second race), penalties given in a grand prix and disavowed at the next one, GP delayed because a traffic light doesn’t work, near tragedies because you can’t stop a dozen devalued people from sitting on the track during a grand prix, drivers admitted to a qualifying session without having the right to participate, starting grids sometimes unknown even to people who have been in motorsport for 30 years, tractors sent onto the track without conscience, budget cap which is a six-figure joke. But I saw Ben Sulayem happy and proud, so I’ll be too critical.
Thanking you for your comments and the affection shown for the second consecutive year, I ask you one last time: what are yours? And above all, why?
#Report #cards #Abu #Dhabi #podium #FormulaPassion.it