Dutch GP: Ferrari gains podium at Verstappen’s Kingdom

The Dutch GP reiterates that Ferrari’s hopes to win the title are pushed back to next season. Despite a F1-75 lagging from the competitors, Charles Leclerc brings home third place.

Orange Kingdom

The Formula 1 GP was an orange wave all weekend long pushing Max Verstappen to his 4^th consecutive win this season, the second in his home Dutch GP, extending his lead enough to make most experts crowning this phenomenon WDC for the second time in his career.

Ferrari focused on team working, having Charles and Carlos helping each other to get through qualify successfully with an incredible 2^nd and 3^rd place.

Leclerc looked to be the major candidate for a possible surprise in Verstappen’s homeland, netting an incredible fast lap with only 0,021 seconds from Max.

The Dutch, on the other hand, continues his impressive streak, superior driving, an unmatched feeling with the RB18. Verstappen’s pace is pure race superiority.

Charles Leclerc finishing podium at Dutch GP

Weekend Positives

The good note for Ferrari is that while the two Ferraristi are continuing building team chemistry and strategy revolves around the willingness of the two drivers to improve team’s performance together, something at Red Bull is broken.

Checo Perez sees payback for his behaviors at the beginning of the season: a feeling lost with the RB18, and a relationship with Verstappen disrupted by the desire to compete for championship.

Lesson learned. Can’t mess with the (Dutch) King.

It is about maximizing opportunities

Checo Perez never seemed to be near podium, rather settle at middle positions, ending 6^th place (5^th after Sainz got penalized for unsafe release).

As this weekend teaches, Formula 1 is about maximizing opportunities. Red Bull secured the victory of this GP even before the race. Ferrari still needs work.

Ferrari, brilliant in qualify, suffered a lot the degradation of the tires throughout the race. Sainz’s race sadly compromised from another team strategy error: this time the mechanics forgot to prepare the rear left tire, keeping the Spaniard stuck in pit lane for over 18 seconds.

Charles Leclerc projected final position was 4^th place.

As Monegasque race for second place was on, Tsunoda – Alpha Tauri – stopped on track due a probable tire fitting issue. The yellow flag turns green quickly, Tsunoda goes to box, gets out again, to give up again few inches after returning on track. Yellow flag and safety car.

Timing issues

In this window, Leclerc pitted, lost second place, entered behind George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Almost as Mercedes is now looking to battle Ferrari to regain that main competitor place lost from last season.

Binotto looking disappointed at Sainz’s pits stop

Only when Bottas – Alfa Romeo – stopped for engine failure, Leclerc was able to rebuild his race.

Mercedes’ gifting position by not pitting Hamilton for tires swap, condemning the British legend to be easy prey for Verstappen first, Russell second and Leclerc then.

One can feel for Sainz concluding 8^th position after a first rough challenge with Hamilton at start, a disgraced pit stop, a returned position to Ocon for passing in regime of yellow flag, and a 5 second penalty inflicted by race officials, maybe a bit too firm in this stance. One of these weekends that his teammate Leclerc experienced in Monaco and France.

Ferrari Mechanics at Pit lane

Focus on Monza

Tickets are all sold out at the historic power track of Italy; with Ferrari expecting a red wave of fans pushing the two drivers for a victory in this Formula 1 season of up and downs.

With championship virtually lost, Ferrari will fight to bring home a needed victory at home.