At Le Castellet,
To discover
Formula 1: the calendar for the 2022 season
Formula 1: manufacturers' classification
Formula 1: drivers classification
Will Charles Leclerc be able to resist at the head of the race?
Brilliant poleman on Saturday, Charles Leclerc owes a proud candle to Carlos Sainz.
The Monegasque never ceased to repeat his gratitude to his luxury teammate, whom he came to warmly thank in the mixed zone.
The ideal draft delivered by the Spaniard allowed Leclerc to play two against one in front of the threat Verstappen.
It will be the reverse on Sunday, when Sainz will be relegated to the back of the grid (see below).
Second and third, the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Perez will in turn have the numerical superiority.
But that's not all: "
It will be very difficult to contain them, especially on the straights where they have the advantage
“Warned Leclerc, who is aiming for a sixth career success.
The battle should be fierce along the Mistral straight (1.8 km), open to the DRS, up to the next chicane (turns 8 and 9).
Driven by a public clearly won over to his cause, “Carletto” will also hope for the absence of a reliability defect in his Ferrari, as too often this season.
Read alsoFrench Grand Prix: Leclerc flies over qualification, Gasly crashes
Can Ocon and Gasly save their weekend at home?
Ocon P10 and Gasly P14.
It was certainly not the starting idea for the two tricolors on the set for their potential last Grand Prix de France.
And again, the two Normans climbed two ranks in the penalty game.
If Ocon (Alpine) can reasonably envisage a new entry in the points after his fine 5th place in Austria, it will be complicated for Gasly.
Not clumsy in testing, the Alpha Tauri driver lost all his feelings in “qualifying”, where his failure in Q1 left him speechless.
“
We were comfortable in the top 10 and since this Saturday morning we have had a lot of difficulties and we really don't know why,
he regretted at the microphone of
Canal +.
We'll have to try to go up tomorrow but it's going to be hard, we're starting from afar.
From a distance and in traffic at Le Castellet, where it is never easy to overtake.
Pierre Gasly had a very complicated Saturday at Le Castellet.
SARAH MEYSSONNIER / PANORAMIC
Read alsoFrench Grand Prix: where are Gasly and Ocon?
Can Sainz consider a
comeback
?
Freed from a weight since his first career victory (Silverstone), the Spaniard walks his positivity in the paddock.
Great servant of Leclerc this Saturday, the Madrilenian knew he was condemned to the back of the grid due to an engine change.
To get better?
19th on the grid, the Ferrari driver will have to play with the traffic to first get back into the points before aiming high.
“
I hope he can join us up front
,” a grateful Leclerc said on Saturday.
Not impossible given the pace displayed by Sainz all weekend at Le Castellet (best time in free practice 2).
“
I understand my car better and better
“Assures the interested party, who hopes not to accumulate another failure after Austria, where his car caught fire as he headed for a new podium.
Recent history and one man in particular give him cause for hope.
Sergio Perez, his runner-up at Silverstone after starting in last position.
In 2020, the Mexican had done even better by winning his first GP at Sakhir after being last.
Can Hamilton open his counter in 2022?
Fourth on the grid, Lewis Hamilton will have a hard time winning this Sunday.
Even with all his good will, the British pilot still lags seriously behind the front arrows.
Its silver arrow, it should suffer from the comparison, especially on the straight of the Mistral.
"
We lose a lot of time in a straight line, almost half a second
," whispered Sir Lewis in the mixed zone.
The circumstances of the race can however play in his favor, and why not aim for a fourth podium in a row.
Read alsoFormula 1: Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, the policy of small steps
Will the heat play a role?
It will be hot on the self-proclaimed “Summer Race”.
35°C expected at Le Castellet this Sunday, between 55°C and 60°C on the track.
The bodies of the pilots will be put to the test, the tires too.
It will be necessary to monitor the strategies of the teams, at one or more stops, to fill the 53 courts on the asphalt of Paul-Ricard.
"
Tyre degradation is less debatable since the new tyres, but this weekend it will be more significant
," predicts Mario Isola, competition director for Pirelli, the exclusive tire supplier.
The reliability of the single-seaters will also be subject to conditions, starting with the Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz, which have not always been polished since the start of the season.
Read alsoHow Pirelli tires go from the F1 track to the road
