The start of the 2022 Formula 1 season looked so promising. After last season’s dramatic title chase between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton came down to the very last race, it seemed as if Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was ready to ascend into the role of Verstappen’s main antagonist this year to provide another thrilling battle for the title.
The Scuderia hadn’t won a championship in 15 years, but with two wins in the first three races, Leclerc looked poised to end that long drought.
However, Ferrari’s promise in the first few races has faded quickly amid reliability issues, which has opened the door for defending champion Verstappen to stamp his authority once again.
So with the F1 season nearing its halfway stage, can anyone still stop Verstappen from successfully defending his crown?
Read on below as SBOTOP sizes up the top contenders for Verstappen’s title and how likely their chances are of truly challenging the flying Dutchman.
Sergio Perez, Red Bull
After a somewhat underwhelming debut season with Red Bull, Sergio Perez has picked up the pace significantly this year. He is currently second in the drivers’ standings, 46 points behind teammate Verstappen.
Perez won the first pole of his career in Saudi Arabia, and he was unfortunate that a safety car upended his chances of winning as he finished outside the podium.
Perez also missed out on another win in Spain as he had to settle for second after he was given team orders to not challenge Verstappen for the lead. Meanwhile, he missed a great chance to stay close to Verstappen as he suffered an early retirement in Montreal.
As impressive as Perez’s pace has been, though, the fact that he is Verstappen’s teammate significantly reduces his Formula One 2022 odds of winning the title. Red Bull will most likely lean side with their star driver in situations when Perez has the advantage over the Dutchman, which makes Checo’s task of overtaking Verstappen that much more improbable.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
It all started so promisingly for Leclerc and Ferrari. Two victories in the first three races – and a second-place finish sandwiched in between – had him flying at the top of the standings and looking like a legitimate threat to Verstappen’s title.
But the next six races have seen Leclerc fall 49 points behind the defending champion. How did things go so horribly wrong so quickly?
Ferrari’s reliability issues have been a major factor, with Leclerc recording two retirements that likely cost him two wins in Spain and Azerbaijan. Ferrari also did him no favours with their faulty strategy in Monaco.
Based on sheer pace this season, Charles Leclerc still looks like the clear top challenger to Verstappen. Leclerc leads the way with six poles in nine races, which gives him a decent shot to win any race.
But the Monegasque’s margin for error is already gone because of recent setbacks, and he must now find a way to drive flawlessly the rest of the way. And even then, forces beyond his control (see: Ferrari reliability) could yet see him fall well short in the title chase.
George Russell, Mercedes
Russell has been the surprise of the F1 season thus far. The 24-year-old is fourth in the drivers’ standings and is the only driver to have finished in the top five in all nine races.
The young Brit has been consistently outdriving seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in his debut season with Mercedes, which is quite a feat.
But while Russell’s Formula One 2022 results have been much better than expected, they are still not quite of the level of a championship contender. Despite three podium finishes, the Brit has yet to break into the top two, which he needs to do before being considered a true title challenger.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
It has been feast or famine for Sainz in his second season with Ferrari. He has failed to finish in three of the first nine races, which is a disappointing number that is not entirely his fault.
But when Sainz hasn’t had car problems, he’s been terrific. He’s been on the podium in five of the six races he’s finished, including his third second-place finish in the recently concluded Canadian GP.
Similar to Leclerc, Sainz seems to have the pace to compete with Verstappen at any given race. But the reliability of his car – or lack thereof – could very well hold him back as a serious challenger to Verstappen this season.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Hamilton waved the red flag on his title hopes relatively early on in the season, and it seems he has been spot on with that. The 37-year-old simply hasn’t been competitive with the likes of Verstappen and Leclerc, and even his young teammate Russell has consistently been better.
Granted, Hamilton has not had the car to keep pace with the other top drivers. Nevertheless, Hamilton’s gutsy third-placed finish in Montreal – just his second podium finish of the season – was a reminder that he can still will his way to success.
However, even Hamilton’s strong will has its limitations, and for the first time in a long time, it doesn’t seem as if Hamilton will figure in the title race this season.
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