Formula 1: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc have acknowledged Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton’s advice in order to fight Max Verstappen for the F1 2022 drivers’ title. Meanwhile, the Monegasque driver trails the Dutch driver by 80 points as we head into the summer break with just nine races to go. Follow Formula 1 updates on InsideSport.IN
Regardless of Verstappen’s lead, Hamilton offered Ferrari some guidance before the Hungarian Grand Prix which Verstappen won as Leclerc completed P6 in Budapest. “It is a massive gap to Max so that is pretty smooth-sailing for him in that space. But a lot can go wrong. I would just advise Ferrari to keep their heads down and continue to push,” Hamilton said.
MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS!!!
Hamilton takes second with team mate Russell coming home in third#HungarianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/axK773gQQq
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 31, 2022
Meanwhile, if Leclerc won all the remaining races with Verstappen finishing second, that would in any case just cut 70 points from the Dutchman’s advantage. It seems the Scuderia need the Red Bulls to languish DNFs altogether over Leclerc to have a practical possibility of being Ferrari’s first title holder since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.
Moreover, it seems like Leclerc was listening to the seven-time F1 champion but he feels it is ‘more difficult’ to win this year’s F1 title as he refused to admit defeat. “Until it’s mathematically over, then I still want to believe in it. This is what gives me the motivation,” Leclerc said.
“I really feel like this first part of the season has been my strongest in F1 and I think the way I have worked. And the way we have worked as a team – in terms of finding the right set-up, in terms of building up to the qualifying lap in Q3 or just preparing the race – has been the best I have ever done in F1,” Leclerc added.
“So there is no need for me to change that approach. Again, try and grow from the mistakes of the first half, but try and perform as well as the first half because the performance I’ve given, I’m extremely happy about. And this I want to keep. So there won’t be any significant change. We just need to try and work as a team to put a weekend together for the nine remaining races and see where we end up,” Leclerc concluded.
Furthermore, Ferrari have committed a few errors during the F1 2022 season that have seen them lose crucial points in the title battle. Regardless of seven pole positions, former F2 champion Leclerc has just come out on top in three races this year and only one since the third round of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen leads the drivers’ standings with 258 points as Charles Leclerc is second with 178 points. After consecutive P2 finishes for Lewis Hamilton in France and Hungary, the Brit sees himself sixth overall with 146 points.
After 13/22 rounds 👀#HungarianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Jqvyb3OBOb
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 31, 2022
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