The great AUTOhebdo 2022 retro: the highlights of the season (2/3)

May 8: 1st Miami GP in history

A first with great fanfare. For the first time in its history, Miami hosted the great circus of Formula 1. To celebrate, the organizers pulled out all the stops: celebrations and activities of all kinds around the Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium, a shower of stars and above all, the famous... artificial marina, perhaps the main attraction of the week -end. On the sporting side, yes Max Verstappen established itself as a boss, the route and the asphalt were far from unanimous. The cause is very precarious (or even non-existent) off-trajectory grip, preventing any real attempt to dive inside turns 11 and 17. The winding portion in the third sector has become a nightmare for the drivers. Results of this inaugural race in Miami: a great celebration off the circuit, but still room for improvement on the track.

Max Verstappen won the 1st Miami GP in history, ahead of the drivers Ferrari / © DPPI

May 29: Monaco Grand Prix, the Ferrari wreck

Two months after Ferrari's delighted debut in Bahrain, the Scuderia's first strategic fiasco began in Monaco. How, from a 100% red front row in Monaco, on a circuit where pole is usually essential, was the Italian team able to let victory slip away? It was a tragedy in two acts. On a wet but drying track, Ferrari began by making the race lose Charles Leclerc while trying to cover the pit stop of Sergio Pérez (who was switching from wets to intermediates). The Mexican managed to overtake the Monegasque in the pits despite Charles' initial lead of 10 seconds! The second part of the red mastery came four loops later. This time, it was the podium that was deprived of the local hero. When switching from Intermediates to slicks. Ferrari attempted the undercut on Czech to iron the Mexican. The problem ? This is because Ferrari attempted a double stop with Sainz, and that Leclerc lost two seconds… as well as 3rd place against Max Verstappen. An incident marked by the famous phrase in his radio which has already become legendary: “ Stay out, stay out, stay out » from his engineer. A new disappointment for Leclerc in his native streets.

Ferrari had nevertheless locked the Monegasque first row! / © DPPI

May 29: Marcus Ericsson wins the Indy 500

Gently criticized for his lack of brilliance in Formula 1, driving cars from the back of the grid (Caterham) or, at best, mid-table (Sauber), Marcus Ericsson has regained color thanks to his change of life in the States -United. Having become a regular player at the front thanks to his seat at Chip Ganassi Racing, the Swede has also acquired a taste for fine driving on ovals. But from there to winning the Indianapolis 500, one of the three jewels of world motorsport with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix? However, it is the major feat that the 31-year-old driver accomplished in front of a huge crowd (325 spectators, second best attendance for 000 years). Certainly, he was helped by the penalty of his teammate Scott Dixon, who was prancing in the lead until his excessive speed in the pits. But the way he withstood the pressure brought on by a red flag three laps from the end was admirable. Even the audacity of Pato O'Ward (Arrow McLaren SP), who came up to him at the start of the last lap, did not disturb the leader!

Ericsson has become an Indy legend! / © Penske Entertainment

June 11-12: Toyota victory at the 24 2022 Hours of Le Mans

After a complicated start to the season with retirements at Sebring (USA) following an off-track Jose Maria Lopez et à Spa-Francorchamps (Belgique) sur un problème technique, Toyota ne se présentait pas aux 24 Heures du Mans dans sa meilleure forme. D’autant qu’en face, Alpine arrived at the top of the championship and above all with plenty of confidence after his inaugural victory at Sebring. Despite everything, no battle took place between the two manufacturers during the La Sarthe classic. The brand with the arrowed A was never in the game and multiplied the problems in the race. Started in the lead after the Superpole Brendon Hartley, the No. 8 Toyota that the New Zealander shares with Sébatien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa won in front of the sister car. Glickenhaus scored his first podium at Le Mans.

The Japanese manufacturer has been undefeated in Sarthe since 2018 / © DPPI

June 26: Presentation of the Porsche 963 Hypercar at Goodwood

Plutôt que d’organiser une conférence de presse, ou, pire encore, une cérémonie uniquement retransmise sur Internet, Porsche a compris comment gagner le cœur du public : en présentant sa nouvelle voiture de course durant une manifestation sportive, en dynamique s’il-vous-plaît ! La course de côte du Festival of Speed de Goodwood (Grande-Bretagne) fut choisi par le constructeur allemand pour y faire débuter la 963, une LMDh qui devrait jouer les premiers rôles en catégorie Hypercar en IMSA and WEC in 2023. Equipped with a twin-turbo V8 derived from the Porsche 918 supercar as well as the hybrid system common to all Hypercars, the Porsche 963 also makes strong nods to the history of the firm in Endurance via the choice of its official livery using the three historic colors of Porsche at Le Mans (red, black, white). It was also at Goodwood that the official drivers were designated, a few months before the crew training was ratified: Dane Cameron (34 years old/United States), Matt Campbell (27 years old/Australia), Michael Christensen (32 years/Denmark), Kévin Estre (34 years/France), Mathieu Jaminet (28 years/France), André Lotterer (40 years/Germany), Frédéric Makowiecki (41 years/France), Felipe Nasr (30 years/Brazil), Nick Tandy (38 years old/United Kingdom) and Laurens Vanthoor (31 years old/Belgium).

The 963 lapped up the asphalt at Daytona before its competition debut in just a month / © IMSA

July 10: Competition debut of the Peugeot 9X8 at the 6 Hours of Monza

Waited for months, the Peugeot 9X8 finally made its competitive debut at the 6 Hours of Monza, the fourth round of the WEC season. The Lion brand presented itself in Italy with two examples of its Hypercar, now famous for its absence. This first in competition, however, was going to turn out badly at Bérézina, the two Sochalian LMHs encountering a number of problems from qualifying onwards. Despite having completed 15 kilometers of testing, the French team suffered numerous problems during this first official outing, the No. 000 certainly crossing the finish line, but in 94rd place in the general classification (out of 33 classified for 35 starters). The #38 of poor Mikkel Jensen was the most affected by the problems and did not finish its first race.

Remarkable but complicated debut for the new Lioness / © DPPI

July 24 French Grand Prix: Leclerc's mistake at Castellet, a turning point in the championship?

Difficult, with hindsight, to consider the exit of the track of Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) as the turning point of the championship, when we know that Max Verstappen (Red Bull) finally finished with 146 points ahead of his runner-up. But at the time of the French Grand Prix, in the sultry Var and when the gap was only 38 points between the two men, the error made by the Monegasque proved to be a highlight of the season. Poleman the day before and leading the Grand Prix, Leclerc lost his F1-75 in the double straight at Beausset, and gave up victory to Max Verstappen. A huge blow, after the sequence of engine failure in Barcelona, ​​back-of-the-grid penalty in Montreal and strategic errors in Monaco and Silverstone (UK). Max Verstappen will later admit that it is on July 24 that he will consider that the title could no longer escape him.

Did Leclerc lose the title at Le Castellet? Not so sure. / © DPPI

July 30-31: Victory for Jules Gounon and Akkodis at the 24 Hours of Spa

Thanks to Jules Gounon, Raffaele Marciello and Daniel Juncadella, the Akkodis ASP team led by Jérôme Policand finally triumphed in the Ardennes double clock tower. The victory of the Mercedes-AMG was completed by the 2nd place of Luca Stolz, Steijn Schothorst and Maxi Götz of the GetSpeed ​​team. The Ferrari 488 of Antonio Fuoco, Daniel Serra and Davide Rigon completed the podium. “ This victory is very poignant. I think it is even more intense than that of 2017 when I defended the Audi colors at Saintéloc », savored Gounon. This edition was also marked by the victory of the Iron Dames in the Gold category, since Sarah Bovy, Dorian Pin, Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting triumphed with their famous pink Ferrari.

Gounon-Juncadella-Marciello, golden trio at the 24 Hours of Spa / © DPPI

August 28-2: Vettel announces his retirement, Alonso goes to replace him at Aston, Piastri fails to Alpine

In the space of a short week, the traditional summer transfer window was turned upside down. It all started on Thursday July 28 with the announcement of the retirement of Sebastian Vettel ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. It was through a message on Instagram that the quadruple German world champion, absent from social networks until then, made official news, certainly significant but not one that did not come out of nowhere either. The rest of the Magyar weekend passed without incident on the transfer front, even if the identity of Vettel's future replacement was naturally at the heart of the conversations. Some people thought that Mick Schumacher was going to take over from his compatriot and friend. It did not happen. The day after the race, Monday 1 August, at 09:00 sharp UK time, Aston Martin sends a press release to announce the recruitment of Fernando Alonso under a multi-year agreement. The surprise is total as we thought the Spaniard was about to return to Alpine… In the clan of the French manufacturer, there is commotion. Tuesday, August 2, Alpine plays his all and communicates the tenure ofOscar piastri his reserve to succeed Alonso. Problem: the Australian is already committed elsewhere! Just a few hours after the announcement, Piastri released a legendary tweet where he refuted his promotion to the Blues! A legal-sporting tug of war then begins between Alpine and McLaren, the team which secured the services of the native of Melbourne (Australia). The case will rot in the summer of the brand with the arrowed A, which will also be dismissed unanimously by the FIA ​​Contract Recognition Office (the CRB) at the start of the school year. Alpine will save the furniture by succeeding in poaching Pierre Gasly in Alpha Tauri.

One leaves, the other replaces him / © DPPI