F1 | GP ABU DHABI, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “A FASCINATING GRAND PRIX. WELL DONE BY FERRARI”

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The last day of “school” has arrived for Formula 1 which gave us a fascinating and tight grand prix right up to the final lap. An unstoppable Max Verstappen took the win ahead of an excellent Charles Leclerc who won his personal challenge for second place with his direct rival Sergio Perez.

Despite the difference with the Red Bull Perez took a feat to its conclusion, also supported by correct strategy by the men on his wall. Ferrari took second place in the constructors’ title ahead of Mercedes after having finished last season in third place. An important step forward to try to race for first place next year.

As we had predicted, a swallow does not a spring make and Mercedes went back to what it was before Mexico. Since the start of the season they were the protagonists of significant growth but in Abu Dhabi whey were not able to replicate the performances seen in Brazil.

Now for the holidays, even if the time available is very short as on March 5th we start again with the first of the twenty four grands prix in 2023. A new year awaits us with many changes on the grid between changes of colours and new arrivals. I am very pleased to see two drivers on the track who worked hard in the lower formulas to force people to respect them such as Oscar Piastri and Nyck de Vries who already on the occasion of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza gave us a first taste of his potential by taking ninth place on his debut in the little competitive Williams.

Having said goodbye to Latifi the English team is getting ready to welcome the third debutant, the American Sargeant who in race 2 of Formula 2 obtained the points for the Superlicence thus completing the 2023 mosaic. Despite a few “old men” on the starting grid has been rejuvenated

The affection shown by the world of Formula 1 to Sebastian Vettel who finished his career in tenth place was very nice.

The test day on Tuesday dedicated to the young drivers is to be followed closely. Despite all the teams being projected towards the new year we will be able to make a comparison with what we saw this weekend.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | SAO PAOLO, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “VERSTAPPEN’S TEAM-RADIO WAS BAD. LECLERC MUST IMPOSE HIMSELF”

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In Brazil we saw an extraordinary weekend with eventful qualifying, sprint race and grand prix and enriched by actions that were even on the limit of the regulations and excessively penalized, such as the collision between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The penalty was probably dictated by the fact that the Dutchman had all four wheels off the track.

The same goes for the episode between Norris and Leclerc where there was a concurrence of fault on the part of the Ferrari driver. He tried to overtake at an unlikely point and above all in the first lap of an important grand prix for both him and the team in terms of the championship. The driver from Monte Carlo may have been unnerved by the episodes in qualifying but he must start to impose his technical decisions since he is the one who takes to the track. However, this too is part of the growth path and is a token to be paid to become a real champion.

He was then the protagonist of an incredible comeback that finished behind an excellent Carlos Sainz. Too bad for the start of the fire that slowed down the Spaniard who was the protagonist of an excellent comeback starting with the sprint race. Ferrari did well not to reverse the positions to avoid joint risks, even if this could have helped Leclerc who is currently tied with Perez.

I did not like Max Verstappen’s team radio in any way. With great determination he denied the position to his team mate who was fighting with Leclerc for second place in the drivers’ ladder. With two world championships and fourteen wins behind him he should have started to think about the team and not just himself. This was an episode that, in my opinion, highlighted the presence of a dispute between the drivers.

The weekend was decidedly favourable to Mercedes and George Russell who “took home” both the sprint race and the grand prix. If Red Bull and Ferrari froze development a while ago Mercedes continued to work and the results are showing. Having three teams fighting for the win would be a dream for Formula 1. We are also waiting to see the result in Abu Dhabi.

With the result in Interlagos Ferrari saw its lead over Mercedes shrink to only 19 points, with Leclerc and Perez tied on 290 points on the drivers’ front. The Yas Marina track will give us the final verdicts.

An exciting weekend that could have become a great spot for the sport has ended.

The final act will be in a week’s time.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP BRAZIL, MINARDI “A race within the race”

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We have come to the penultimate round of the 2022 F1 World Championship.

Drivers and teams have arrived at the Interlagos track where three days of unstable weather should be waiting for them.

In conditions of rain we have seen upheavals up to the last lap, as happened in 2008 with Felipe Massa World Champion for a handful of seconds until Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren got the better of Timo Glock in the Toyota, so becoming the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.

In the case of torrential rain with the ups and downs dangerous streams crossing the track can be created. On the race front it will be an interesting weekend because there are many duels. If first place in both the constructors’ and drivers’ fronts has been assigned, the duel between Ferrari and Mercedes is still open for second place. At the present time the team from Maranello has a lead of 40 points over its direct rivals.

No less important are the duels behind them: Alpine and McLaren are fighting for fourth place with a gap of only 7 points in favour of the French team. Alfa Romeo and Aston Martin are playing for sixth place. Up to now the pair Bottas-Zhou has brought the team 7 more points that Vettel-Stroll.

Only one point – 36 against 35 – separates Haas from Alpha Tauri for eighth place: positions that turn into money for the following season.
On the other hand, the direct duel between Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc for the title of Vice Champion is a question of prestige. In Brazil Red Bull’s driver will take to the track with a lead of five points over the driver from Monte Carlo.

Brazil will also be the setting for the third, and final, sprint race scheduled for Saturday at 8.30pm which will decide the starting grid (as well as assigning the first points of the weekend) of the Grand Prix that will start at 7.00pm.

Gian Carlo Minardi