Saturday themes
There wasn’t too much doubt as to who could take pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix. Max Verstappen felt no pressure from his home race and took a masterful pole position, putting himself in the best possible position to take a ninth consecutive victory.
Ferrari, on the other hand, is grappling with a rather difficult weekend, Sainz will start sixth, with Leclerc ninth after an accident in Q3.
The press review of Zandvoort qualifying
Alessandra Retico on The Republic praised Max Verstappen’s solo: “Pole which is a dive into the infinity of his parallel world. The Dutch in the Dutch tide drowns the rest of the universe. It gives over half a second to the duller orange of Lando Norris’ McLaren. All the terrestrials are in trouble (3rd George Russell on Mercedes). [,,,] Today he will try again and, barring the landing of alien agents, he will reach the record of 9 successes in a row like Vettel in 2013 when he drove an equally elusive blue. […] It’s always been his moment, for almost two years. With the same car Sergio Perez is 9th at 1” 3. The Dutch, people on bikes, have their idol on four wheels. Not chatty and sophisticated like Cruyff, yet a crowd-puller.”
About the Ferrari: “The redheads? Not even co-stars. Carlos Sainz remedies a reprimand for having hindered Piastri and thanks for the 6th place […]. Charles Leclerc 9th with a bang to compensate for a surly car […]. Monza is next week, the Ferrari people don’t have the same Dutch means. We have to get in line at the racetrack, waiting for the next convoy: the 2024 car will be completely different. Enough red express?”.
Stefano Mancini on The print headlined: “Verstappen is not wrong, the most awaited pole is his, Ferrari getting worse and worse”explaining: “They even named a train after him, the «Max Express» which carries tens of thousands of people from the center of Amsterdam to the Zandvoort circuit and back every day of the Grand Prix. Verstappen made them happy with his pole position, the third of three at his home circuit (joined René Arnoux, at the pole in 1979, ’80 and ’81). Today he will also try to win, so as to lock down the fort in which he is the only active driver to win. Sure, there are the unexpected, but in a normal race there’s no history”, continuing: “The opposite situation in Ferrari, where humidity above all causes annoyances, balance problems, tires that don’t reach temperature. Sainz finished in a disappointing sixth place, Leclerc went worse, finished in a wall at turn eight (he will start from ninth position) “.
Leo Turrini up National newspaper he looked for an ironic key to the qualifying result: “There is a Ferrari in front of a Red Bull on the starting grid of the Dutch Grand Prix. But sadly it’s the wrong Red Bull. And then everything is held and everything is explained. Sixth. Carlitos Sainz has positioned his Red in the third row. He will start ahead of Perez, the Mexican at the service of the Bibitari. But Verstappen, usually elusive, is very far away. […] In the throes of self-destruction, Leclerc crashed. Not for the first time this season […]. The wise Vasseur tried to patch it up: “The gap from Verstappen is too heavy, but Charles went off the road when he was doing a good lap. Apart from Max we are all very close. Look at Hamilton, he thought he was fighting for pole and instead he is thirteenth…” Mal common half joy? Also not”.
Fulvio Solms on Sports Courier dedicated his analysis to the Ferrari difficulties: “Sainz slow, Leclerc blocking: it’s the day of doubts. On Christmas Eve, it’s a bit of a party for everyone except Ferrari, ominously sixth at the start of the Dutch GP as well as among the teams, a position that evokes the annus horribilis 2020. This may not be the case, but certainly there is a perception of confusion, of a skein that does not unravel. […] The first Ferrari is that of Carlos Sainz, more off the track than on Friday, sixth yesterday and be careful, not by a tenth per lap, but by a tenth per corner. The gap from Verstappen was 1″2 on the second shortest track in the world championship. […] Charles Leclerc, the undisputed leader on the flying lap, has been trying to understand the Reds since Friday and hasn’t figured it out”.
#worse #Leclercs #raptus #newspapers #humiliate #Ferrari