Verstappen eyes history in Netherlands with Ferrari problems rumbling on
Friday, 2 September 2022
Ferrari hasn't been able to capitalise on their pole positions.
The resumption of the Formula 1® season last weekend resulted in a rather strange race in Belgium, with many out-of-position drivers due to various penalties.
Not that it mattered to Max Verstappen, though, who worked his way through the pack to secure victory, having started 14th on the grid – extending his lead in the title race to 93 points.
With such a strong grip on the title, a far-cry from the events last year in his fierce battle with Lewis Hamilton, attention for many has already started to shift towards the 2023 season.
Seats for next year are still yet to be fully decided and there are plenty of big names in the mix, including Daniel Ricciardo after his exit from McLaren was announced prior to the last race.
For Verstappen though, there's still plenty to achieve. A victory on home soil in the Netherlands this weekend would see the Red Bull ace become the first driver to win back-to-back races at Zandvoort since James Hunt in 1975 and 1976.
Another win would also be his 10th of the season, equalling the tally he achieved last year in his maiden title win. With nine wins from 14 races, Verstappen's win percentage of 64.3 is the highest in F1® history.
Ferrari's race regrets
Ferrari have achieved eight pole positions in F1® this season, the most since the nine secured in 2019. Prior to that, the highest they achieved was 12 in 2004. For Charles Leclerc, his seven poles equal his best-ever return, which he set in 2019.
While the qualifying has yielded success, the races have not and Leclerc's title push has suffered as a result – with just one podium finish in the last nine rounds, having started the season with four podiums in five races.
Now third in the standings and 98 points behind Verstappen, Leclerc and Ferrari may well be wondering what might have been.
Alpine and McLaren fight
After a week in front of the FIA hearing on the tussle surrounding Oscar Piastri, Alpine and McLaren's fight will return to the track as they compete for the 'best of the rest' tag in F1® beneath Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.
Alpine have a 20-point advantage in the constructor's standings, capitalising in Belgium with Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon finishing fifth and sixth respectively, while both McLarens finished outside the points.
That marked the fourth race in a row that Alpine saw both drivers finish inside the top 10, with McLaren at a disadvantage given Ricciardo's struggles in 2022.
Hop in, team! There’s another race weekend to be getting on with ✌️#essereFerrari 🔴 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/an3LzqxZLn
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) August 31, 2022
