Max Verstappen vs Charles Leclerc: How Formulation 1’s new-for-2022 title struggle was in the end dominated

It began with a Charles Leclerc lead, and ended with Max Verstappen information; that is the story of Formulation 1 2022’s new championship struggle and the way it was in the end dominated by the Crimson Bull driver…

Bahrain: Leclerc lands first blow

Ferrari, off the tempo in 2020 and ’21 however filled with optimism for the brand new season after the sweeping rule adjustments, greater than made their mark within the opener – and in Leclerc they seemed to have a really credible title contender.

Leclerc claimed pole and engaged in sensible wheel-to-wheel battles with Verstappen over three straight laps early on, being out-braked by Crimson Bull into the primary nook however then hitting again instantly into Flip 4 by way of DRS. Leclerc then pulled away from Verstappen, earlier than an utter implosion from Crimson Bull.

Each Verstappen and Sergio Perez had been compelled into retirements late on with reliability points, leaving Crimson Bull point-less and Ferrari with a gap one-two. Spherical One, subsequently, went very a lot to Leclerc.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 0-26 LECLERC

Saudi Arabia: Verstappen hits again

One other race within the Center East, one other gripping battle between Verstappen and Leclerc, this time gained by the defending champion.

Perez began on pole however the race rapidly became a Verstappen-Leclerc shootout, with the Crimson Bull a lot quicker on the straights and the Ferrari automotive speedier by Jeddah’s twisty opening sector.

After being handed by Verstappen however then re-overtaking him instantly, Leclerc seemed to have performed sufficient earlier than the Crimson Bull got here charging with three laps remaining, ultimately profitable by simply 0.5 seconds.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 25-45 LECLERC

Australia: Max’s defence wobbles with one other DNF

Leclerc seemed very a lot the title favorite after the third race in Melbourne, having claimed an totally dominant win whereas Verstappen suffered one other DNF.

Pole-sitter Leclerc saved Verstappen at bay off the road after which after two Security Automotive restarts earlier than rushing into the gap, though the Crimson Bull did nonetheless look set to take a comfort second.

However on Lap 39 got here an engine fireplace for Verstappen and one other point-less afternoon, with Crimson Bull’s reliability very a lot a priority.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 25-71 LECLERC

Imola: First chink in Leclerc’s armour

The Emilia-Romagna GP weekend offered wheel-to-wheel battles between the title protagonists on each the Saturday and the Sunday because the Dash debuted for 2022 – and each races had been gained by Verstappen.

The Crimson Bull appeared a quicker automotive in Imola and Verstappen took pole, and whereas he was overtaken at first of the Dash he made his tempo rely later within the mini race. Verstappen was largely untroubled on Sunday and Leclerc, making an attempt to chase Perez for third place, made his first large mistake of the season by spinning off in damp situations.

Leclerc would drop again to sixth, whereas Verstappen loved the proper weekend.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 59-86 LECLERC

Miami: Verstappen victorious on glitzy debut

A sample for the season appeared to be rising, with Ferrari seemingly faster over one lap however the Crimson Bull excelling within the race. That was certainly the case for Miami’s F1 debut, the place Leclerc began on pole and Verstappen solely third, however the Dutchman nonetheless got here out on high.

Verstappen made his transfer instantly by passing Perez at first and it solely took 9 laps for him to move Leclerc with a late lunge into the primary nook. Leclerc put up a struggle after the Lando Norris crash-triggered Security Automotive, however Verstappen had sufficient straight-line velocity to resist it.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 85-104 LECLERC

Spain: Ferrari undergo first reliability woe

The whole lot was going swimmingly for Leclerc in Spain. He had pole place and saved it at first, whereas Verstappen then dropped again after an uncharacteristic unenforced spin.

However then Lap 27 occurred. Wanting like he was going to increase his title lead, Leclerc suffered an engine failure in his Ferrari and had his first DNF failure of the season.

Verstappen capitalised after going onto a unique tyre technique than his team-mate, and Crimson Bull then instructed Perez to let a a lot quicker Max by late on for the win, and the title lead.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 110-104 LECLERC

Monaco: Leclerc loses floor after Ferrari blunder

For the primary time this season, a driver aside from Verstappen or Leclerc gained the race. Verstappen although, was nonetheless the last word winner on this title duel given Leclerc’s missed probability.

Leclerc began on pole earlier than a deluge delayed the race, and the Monegasque dwelling favorite was then undercut by Sergio Perez onto intermediates early on. To worsen his woes and his temper, a sluggish pit-stop from Ferrari adopted and he dropped again to fourth behind Verstappen.

Perez held on to win forward of Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz and Verstappen, who unexpectedly prolonged his title lead.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 125-116 LECLERC

Azerbaijan: One other DNF leaves Leclerc quest in tatters

But extra distress for Leclerc, who once more noticed a pole place flip into zero factors.

Leclerc appeared to be in with a victory probability in Baku and, whereas on a extra adventurous tyre technique to Crimson Bull, was main on Lap 21, earlier than his engine went bang and he needed to retire from the race. Spain over again.

Verstappen solely began third however handed Perez after an early Security Automotive and went on to say a dominant win, together with his championship lead now relatively ominous, whereas Leclerc dropped behind Perez within the standings.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 150-116 LECLERC

Canada: Verstappen capitalises on Leclerc’s penalty

Leclerc’s DNFs weren’t simply pricey for the Spanish and Azerbaijan GPs, for a brand new engine was required for the Canadian GP – the place he took a heavy penalty and needed to begin from the again of the grid.

Leclerc fought again admirably to fifth however Verstappen capitalised on his rival’s absence from the entrance with one other win, holding off Sainz within the closing levels.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 175-126 LECLERC

Britain: Verstappen struggles, Leclerc misses probability

It was a dramatic weekend at Silverstone and Verstappen and Leclerc each had less-than-ideal weekends.

For Verstappen, he seemed the early favorite after overtaking Sainz with DRS however then had large automotive points after getting particles caught in his automotive, leading to an undesirable pit-stop and costing him seconds per lap. That dropped him out of the operating and he ultimately salvaged seventh.

Leclerc seemed set to make the most of Verstappen’s difficulties and was main earlier than a Security Automotive, and Ferrari bizarrely determined to depart him out on observe regardless of many of the area, together with Sainz, pitting for recent tyres.

Leclerc was in the end a sitting duck and needed to accept fourth, but it surely might, and may, have been so significantly better.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 181-136 LECLERC

Austria: Leclerc overtakes Max thrice for very important win

After a troublesome run, Leclerc hit again at Crimson Bull’s dwelling race.

Whereas Verstappen took pole and gained the Dash, Leclerc stated he was assured in regards to the race – and he proved why on the Sunday. Leclerc, operating a extra aggressive tyre technique, overtook Verstappen for the lead not as soon as, not twice, however thrice – and even held his nerve amid a late reliability scare.

A much-needed victory, though Verstappen’s Dash win and second place meant he didn’t lose an excessive amount of floor within the title race.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 208-170 LECLERC

France: Leclerc throws win away

One other pole for Leclerc and one other DNF, though this time he might solely blame himself.

Leclerc withstood a Verstappen barrage by the opening stint and a Crimson Bull pit cease appeared to ease the strain on Ferrari. However on Lap 18, Leclerc took an excessive amount of velocity right into a nook and spun off into the boundaries.

“Noooooo,” got here the cry on group radio, and Verstappen as soon as once more proved the opportunist by taking the utmost factors, forward of the resurgent Mercedes vehicles.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 233-170 LECLERC

Hungary: Makes takes comeback win, Ferrari fluff their strains

It was a weekend very a lot of two halves in Hungary.

Crimson Bull had an terrible qualifying, with Perez out in Q2 and Verstappen then struggling a reliability difficulty in Q3, leaving him tenth. Ferrari had been second and third behind the pole-sitting Russell.

Leclerc appeared to be the favorite after overcutting Sainz after which fantastically passing Russell, however Ferrari appeared to get spooked by a charging Verstappen coming by the sector, and reacted to the Crimson Bull’s cease by pitting Leclerc onto the laborious tyres, the slowest accessible.

Leclerc was then a sitting duck to Verstappen who charged by to say the most important comeback win of his profession, whereas Leclerc would cease once more and completed manner down in sixth. Ouch.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 258-178 LECLERC

Belgium: Verstappen’s epic comeback spells title worry

Ferrari and Leclerc arrived at Spa after F1’s summer time break with hopes of narrowing the hole to Verstappen, but it surely in the end turned out to be a weekend that made it very clear which course the title was entering into.

Regardless of ranging from 14th on the grid after receiving a penalty for taking new engine components, Verstappen scythed by the sector to win by 17 seconds from Perez, in a surprising present of dominance.

Leclerc, who had began behind Verstappen after additionally taking a grid penalty, produced a stable comeback drive however completed sixth after a calamitous choice to cease on the penultimate lap noticed him incur a pit lane rushing penalty that misplaced him a spot.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 284-186 LECLERC

Netherlands: Verstappen holds off Merc for dwelling win

In his first dwelling race as world champion, Verstappen delighted the orange military by taking pole after which profitable Sunday’s race.

Regarding for Ferrari, and in what was an indication of issues to come back, it was Mercedes who had been Verstappen’s largest challengers on the day, with Lewis Hamilton having been in rivalry for victory earlier than a late Security Automotive broken his probabilities.

It was solely the Security Automotive that allowed Leclerc to move Hamilton late within the race, however having began second the Monegasque completed third behind the opposite Mercedes of George Russell.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 310-201 LECLERC

Italy: One other Max comeback continues run

After Verstappen had thrilled the Dutch followers, Leclerc created related delight at Monza on Saturday by taking pole, and seemed set to have a stable probability of victory with Verstappen beginning seventh after one other grid penalty for taking new components.

Nonetheless, in a race that was paying homage to Verstappen’s win from 14th in Belgium, the Crimson Bull was as much as second inside 5 laps, and would show to have far an excessive amount of tempo for the Ferrari in a head-to-head battle.

Ferrari tried to battle Crimson Bull’s superiority by pitting Leclerc beneath an early Digital Security Automotive, however the transfer was in the end in useless as Verstappen eased to a fifth successive race win.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 335-219 LECLERC

Singapore: Verstappen misses first title probability with scrappy seventh

Verstappen had his first probability to seal the title in Singapore, however a scrappy weekend would deny his coronation as a two-time world champion.

On the Marina Bay Avenue Circuit, the place overtaking is troublesome, Verstappen solely began eighth after operating out of gasoline within the last levels of a qualifying session that happened on a drying observe.

Leclerc took pole, however didn’t take full benefit within the race as Verstappen’s team-mate Perez got here to Crimson Bull’s assist, passing the Ferrari off the road and holding agency to make sure the group’s profitable streak continued.

Verstappen might solely end seventh, however the consequence nonetheless moved him to the brink of a second world championship.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 341-237 LECLERC

Japan: Max seals title in complicated method

Verstappen arrived in Suzuka figuring out that if he gained the race and Leclerc failed to complete second, he could be topped world champion – and the Dutchman duly took pole to reinforce that risk.

Nonetheless, issues grew to become much more difficult as a heavy downpour arrange a rain-shortened race, which nearly all people within the paddock assume would see a discount within the variety of factors awarded, and subsequently all however finish Verstappen’s hopes of sealing the title in Japan.

Verstappen gained and Leclerc, after a final-lap error noticed him incur a five-second penalty, got here third behind Perez, however no one thought the title race was over.

Nonetheless, another interpretation of the foundations, which state that the decreased factors are solely utilized if a race is suspended “and can’t be resumed”, noticed full factors awarded, and the information of that was bizarrely communicated to Verstappen as he emerged from his automotive on the finish of the race.

Confusion continued with Verstappen hesitant to have a good time, however the Dutchman was ultimately satisfied {that a} second title was his, and the occasion within the Crimson Bull storage swiftly acquired beneath manner.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 366-252 LECLERC

Verstappen seals document with robust finish to season

Verstappen would go on to say his thirteenth victory of the season at america GP in Austin, tying Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel for probably the most wins in a season.

Ferrari’s efficiency would dip at this level, with Mercedes turning into a much bigger risk to Crimson Bull as Hamilton completed second in Texas, with Leclerc having to accept third.

The highest two could be the identical in Mexico Metropolis as Verstappen took sole possession of the document for probably the most wins in a season, whereas Leclerc needed to accept seventh as Ferrari struggled within the excessive altitude.

Mercedes would declare their first win of the season in Sao Paulo and finish Crimson Bull’s run of 9 successive victories as Russell led a one-two from Hamilton.

Leclerc, whose consideration was – by this level – firmly on holding off Perez for second within the championship, completed fifth as Verstappen got here sixth after an early conflict with Hamilton spoilt his race.

Verstappen would restore order in Abu Dhabi, dominating all weekend to say his fifteenth win of the season, however Leclerc had trigger for celebration too as he narrowly held off Perez to safe second on the day and within the championship standings.

POINTS: VERSTAPPEN 454-308 LECLERC