The 5 challenges of the end of the season in F1

Max Verstappen Although he won his second world championship title in a row, the end of recess has not yet been whistled in F1. There are in fact four Grands Prix remaining, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi, in order to deliver the final points and resolve the final questions of this 2022 season. 

Will Red Bull be beaten?

Do you remember the last Grand Prix that escaped Red Bull this season ? Difficult, right? We will help you… Austria! Despite the pole position signed in a handkerchief by Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc had gotten the better of the Dutchman in the first ten laps, thanks to a superior pace of his Ferrari. It was three months ago. From ? There were 6 victories for Verstappen and 1 for Checo Perez. In short, a very long drought for Ferrari, the only other team to have won this year.

Between the Scuderia and Leclerc who absolutely want to use the end of the season to create momentum in order to arrive ready for 2023, and Mercedes who is still chasing his first victory of the year, the end of the season will be decisive. Since the Hungarian Grand Prix before the break, Red Bull has been above the rest in pure performance on Sunday and will be difficult to find. Faced with the ease of the RB18B on low downforce tracks, we say to ourselves that the best chance to shine for Ferrari and Mercedes would probably be Austin, next weekend, with its series of fast turns and its fairly short straights. . They probably won't have to miss their chance...

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen could see themselves winning everything by Abu Dhabi. © DPPI

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The battle for 2nd place between Perez and Leclerc

With the drivers' title folded, Max Verstappen, from his king's chair, is now waiting to know the identity of his runner-up. After fighting throughout the first part of the season with Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque's misfortunes before the summer and the renewed performance of the Red Bull allowed Sergio Perez to re-invite himself into the race at the forefront. So much so that the Mexican is one point ahead of the Ferrari driver with four rounds remaining. The honorary title of vice-champion has in absolute terms an especially symbolic dimension, but in a season privatized by the insatiable Batavian, it would be anything but anecdotal for both of them to finish 2nd. Watch out for George Russell though, Carlos Sainz et Lewis Hamilton, who aren't that far behind either. The three men will fight for at least 4th place in the drivers' championship.

Who, Sergio Perez or Charles Leclerc, will finish vice-champion. © Florent Gooden / DPPI

The outcome of the struggle Alpine-McLaren

Fortunately, it's not just the fight for the summits that is full of interests and little stories. Since the start of the season, Alpine et McLaren Indeed, there is a rather exceptional war of points for the gain of 4th place in the Manufacturers' championship. Thanks to a policy of regular updates, the French team today seems to have a car much more efficient than that of its English counterpart. But thanks to almost impeccable reliability (only 3 abandonments compared to 6 for Alpine), McLaren is still more than ever in the match for 4th place. After two zeros scored for Fernando Alonso et Esteban Ocon in Monza and Singapore, Zak Brown's men managed to move ahead in the championship, before Ocon's 4th place and Alonso's 7th in Japan allowed the A arrowed team to regain its position. Before the last four races, there is only 13 points difference between Alpine and McLaren. In the performance vs. reliability match, Abu Dhabi will tell us who will win!

Alpine and McLaren are fighting for 4th place. © Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

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One last Sprint race for the road

After Imola and Spielberg, it has been three months since the twenty drivers took part in a Sprint race. The third and last of the year? It will be for Brazil on November 12. Last year, the Interlagos Sprint was the scene of a spectacular comeback by Lewis Hamilton, penalized after a disqualification on Friday and who had dropped a large part of the peloton with disconcerting ease. Max Verstappen has won both Saturday races so far this year, and will therefore look to make it three to the land of Ayrton Senna. In 2023, the number of Sprints will increase from three to six.

Lewis Hamilton set Interlagos on fire in 2021. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

Some individual records to break

If Formula 1 is certainly the most collective individual sport in existence, make no mistake, the personal interests of the drivers are never far away. There are several of them, at the end of the season, chasing a record or a way of making history. Let's start with Max Verstappen. If Red Bull's blunder in qualifying during the Singapore Grand Prix (bad judgment of the fuel level) did not allow the Batavian to be able to equal or beat the record of 9 consecutive victories established by Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel in 2013, the Dutchman can however still become the most successful driver in a Grand Prix season. With 12 successes in 18 races, he is only a short distance from the record co-held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.

Max Verstappen on the march towards records! © DPPI

Two victories in the last four rounds would even allow him to become the absolute record holder. A performance not to be underestimated, but to put into perspective with the multiplication of races on the calendar in recent years. He can also beat Lewis Hamilton's historic 419 points in one year. There are currently 365 with 112 left to distribute. Charles Leclerc can make history at Ferrari. Best qualifying driver this season with nine poles already in his bag, the Monegasque is only two lengths behind the 11 leading positions achieved by the legend Michael Schumacher in 2001 with the Scuderia. Lewis Hamilton, who has always won at least one race every year since his debut in F1 fifteen seasons ago, has not yet achieved it in 2022, after coming close at Zandvoort. He therefore has four races left to achieve this and perpetuate the series!

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