Formula 1: Max Verstappen thought his 2022 title hopes were over: Max Verstappen who is the reigning F1 champion thought his hopes for the 2022 title were lost after he suffered two retirements in the first three rounds of the 2022 season. Moreover, Verstappen recently won his fifth race of the season after clinching the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Follow F1 Canadian GP LIVE Updates with InsideSport.IN.
Verstappen who recently won his first Azerbaijan GP said, “Starting the season before we had done any races, you don’t know. Maybe we have a good car, maybe we don’t. Then it seemed like we had a competitive car, so we can be in the fight for the championship.”
Formula 1: Max Verstappen thought his 2022 title hopes were over after ‘RELIABILITY ISSUES’ faced by Red Bull
“But then after retiring two times, and I was 46 points down, I was like, ‘This [Championship] is gone, this is not happening,’ or at least it will take a very long time to catch up. And then, basically in three races, as a team we turned it around and both of us are now up there,” And then, basically in three races, as a team we turned it around and both of us are now up there,” Verstappen added.
Mechanical issues constrained the 2021 World Champion out of Bahrain and Australian Grands Prix, and the Dutchman could watch on as Charles Leclerc came out on top in the two races to move 46 points clear of him after three rounds.
Verstappen retires from the race!#F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/BlgUrN3XBo
— Bahrain Int. Circuit (@BAH_Int_Circuit) March 20, 2022
LAP 39/59
Max Verstappen is OUT of the race!!! ❌
He’s had to retire the car after being asked by his engineer to stop at Turn 2#AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/hLz41lNaLf
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 10, 2022
However, five Grands Prix later, the tables have well and truly turned, with Verstappen coming out on top in four races and Leclerc experiencing two retirements of his own. Hence, putting Verstappen 21 points in front of partner Sergio Perez in the drivers’ standings.
Perez overtakes Leclerc 🔀#AzerbaijanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/LpkYgYgFP9
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 12, 2022
Formula 1: Max Verstappen thought his 2022 title hopes were over after ‘RELIABILITY ISSUES’ faced by Red Bull
However, he currently sits in a telling position, Verstappen recognized that his early-season reliability issues made him think his title hopes were finished. But, Red Bull did a great job in finding the solutions to their issues in quick succession.
The Milton-Keynes-based team knew they have a dominating car but their reliability issues were making them suffer big time. On top of it, they even cure the Porpoising issue faced by other teams and they now have the quickest car present on the grid.
Meanwhile, Red Bull leads the constructors’ standings with 279 points and enjoys an 80 points lead over second-placed Ferrari. Meanwhile, the energy drink team has a 118 points lead over their arch-rivals Mercedes, who are third in the mix-up with 161 points.
Red Bull open up an 80-point lead 👀#AzerbaijanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/CrQLsMSCZR
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 12, 2022
Formula 1: Max Verstappen thought his 2022 title hopes were over after ‘RELIABILITY ISSUES’ faced by Red Bull
