ITALY. Imola: Max Verstappen won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 2022, ahead of teammate Sergio Pérez, with Lando Norris of McLaren in third. This was the first one-two finish for Team Red Bull since October 2016.
Earlier defying a wet qualifying session, Max Verstappen won the first Sprint of 2022 overtaking Charles Leclerc with two laps remaining, to ensure his first place start for Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix final race that takes place over 63 laps of the 4.909 km Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari which is also popularly known as Imola.
It was not a great day for Ferrari at its home ground. Charles Leclerc had a fair chance to score a hattrick, but he spun off late in proceedings as he chased Perez only to finish 6th after passing Kevin Magnussen, Sebastian Vettel and Yuki Tsunoda. On the other hand, Carlos Sainz went out on the first lap after being spun around into a gravel trap by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo.
Similarly, Team Mercedes saw a not-so-great performance on the final race day. George Russell fared considerably better than his legendary teammate Sir Lewis Hamilton. Russel improved seven places and finished P4 in his Mercedes ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas. Sir Lewis Hamilton finished
13th. Yuki Tsunoda finished seventh for AlphaTauri ahead of Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel. Haas’s Kevin Magnussen secured the ninth position ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll who completed the top 10.
“I had a very bad start with too much wheel spin,” said Oracle Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. He further added “I had to stay calm. Charles had more pace, but he ran out of tyres. It may be different tomorrow, but today it worked out ok and I was happy to have a clean race.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver was philosophical in saying that “It’s still a front-row start,” he said. “I struggled with the tyres, with graining on the front left so we have to work to come back stronger tomorrow. The support here for Ferrari is amazing.”
The 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix results: Top 5
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 26 Points
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 18 Points
- Lando Norris (McLaren) 15 Points
- George Russell (Mercedes) 12 Points
- Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 10 Points
The Constructors standings after the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
1. Ferrari, Points scored: 124
2. Red Bull, Points scored: 113
3. Mercedes, Points scored: 77
The New Rules in F1 Racing
The new rules for F1 were initially planned for 2021 but got delayed due to the pandemic. The rule changes bring in a new generation of cars with a drastic aerodynamics overhaul.
Important changes observed
- A ground-effect floor for the 2022 car which ensures more of the downforce is generated from under the car.
- A simplified front wing and a sharp new rear wing that stops sending airflow outwards.
- The 18-inch tyres with wheel winglets to help direct air away from the rear wing.
Conclusion
Before the start of the race in Imola, Max Verstappen was 46 points behind Charles Leclerc, but He scored 34 points in Imola, which includes race win, fastest lap, and Sprint victory and this has helped him reduce the gap by 27 points. All eyes are now on Miami, the USA scheduled from May 6 to 8, 2022.
About Imola Circuit and 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Imola, 40 kilometres east of Bologna, hosts multiple Formula One Grand Prix events and is one of the few big international tracks that runs in the other direction. The circuit ‘Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari’ is named after Enzo Ferrari, Ferrari’s late founder, and his son, Alfredo Dino Ferrari. The Imola circuit hosted the Italian Grand Prix in 1980, and the San Marino Grand Prix from the year 1981 to 2006.
Coming next in the Formula One season for 2022 is the ‘2022 Miami Grand Prix’ which is scheduled from May 06 – 08, 2022, at Miami International Autodrome in Florida, USA.
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