Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen look back on their battle in Bahrain

Charles Leclerc et Max Verstappen gave us an epic three-lap duel for the 2022 season opener at the Bahrain Grand Prix. A week later, the two duettists meet in Saudi Arabia for the return leg of their confrontation. A battle that was fought according to the rules of the art between the two men. Will it stay that way all season?

“We will fight within the limits set by the rules, replied the Monegasque. This will always be the case. That's what we like about racing, when it's tough, but fair play, as long as the limits remain clear and they are. I hope we remain as competitive for the rest of the season as in Bahrain. »

A fight that left its mark on the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, particularly his brakes. “After my battle with Charles, my brakes were almost on fire, declared the Dutchman at a press conference. We had to be careful with this. We have tried to correct this and we hope it will be better this weekend. » 

Others more suitable for these battles

However, the world champion was not out of trouble with his car. “Something happened with my steering during the pit stop and I couldn't defend against Carlos because of that. The positive remains that the car is competitive. »  Despite this extra caution, the Dutchman was finally forced to retire at the very end of the race. “We were happy as long as we were second, because that gave us a lot of points. Unfortunately, we were unable to finish the race. We more or less complete the entire race, so we have a lot of information we can use here, even if the circuit is different. »

This battle of several laps is the result of the new 2022 regulations, allowing drivers to follow each other for longer, despite tires showing much greater wear than usual. “I don’t think Bahrain is the best example, judges Max Verstappen. There will be tracks where tire degradation will be less significant and where we will be able to follow each other for longer. » Will this be the case in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for the second round of the season?

ALSO READ > The schedule for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix