F1
This Grand Prix where Verstappen knew he was going to win the title…
Max Verstappen cites the French GP as the turning point of the 2022 season © DPPI
On the evening of the 3rd Grand Prix of the season, in Melbourne, the 2022 campaign seemed to be off to a very poor start for Max Verstappen. Following two retirements in three races, the 2021 world champion was already 46 points behind Charles Leclerc in the championship. A chasm, which the Dutchman was able to bridge and then set off towards his second world title.
If, in the first part of the season, the pilot Red Bull was neck and neck with the pilot of the Team, the championship changed at the end of a particular Grand Prix, according to Verstappen. “ The moment when I told myself that we were going to win from now on, I think it was after Paul Ricard, where the lead increased quite a bit, confided the now double world champion. We had a pretty competitive car, I knew it was going to be pretty close in the races that followed, but I said to myself, this is a lead we can't lose anymore. »
Spa-Francorchamps, a “total domination” for Verstappen
At Castellet, Charles Leclerc made a mistake alone while leading the race. Max Verstappen, as an opportunist, inflicted a fatal 25-0 for the Monegasque, who never managed to get back on the leader thereafter. The Batavian then imposed a “total domination”, with spectacular lifts in Spa and Hungary in particular. “ This kind of weekend very rarely happens like this. And especially when I got home that evening, I started to think a little about that weekend. You realize that it was, yes, pretty crazy and pretty special. »
Climbs towards victory which were helped by the new 2022 technical regulations, supposed to encourage on-track struggles by allowing F1 to follow each other better. And for Max Verstappen, it is clear that this played a big role. “ Last year it really came down to qualifying. Today, even with a few engine penalties, we can come back to the front. It has really been an enjoyable year, and of course, a very special season which I believe will be very difficult, in the future, to match for myself. That’s why I think we really need to savor it and enjoy it. »
ALSO READ > Christian Horner: “Max Verstappen has been on another planet this year”
Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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