THE PERHAPS MOST EXCITING CHALLENGE OF THE SEASON WAS THE ONE FOR SECOND PLACE BETWEEN MERCEDES AND FERRARI: LET’S RELIVE THE KEY STAGES TOGETHER
The battle for the second position between Mercedes and Ferrari was the most thrilling contest of this season. Despite the stumbling start for the Maranello team, which had to contend with the explosive Aston Martin, it became clear that the fight for the Constructors’ second place was between the two old rivals, especially after Aston Martin’s performance dip.
In the Bahrain opening race, Charles Leclerc’s retirement and Fernando Alonso’s excellent performance—preventing Carlos Sainz from reaching the podium—allowed Mercedes to take an early lead. This trend continued in Saudi Arabia, where both Ferrari cars remained behind the Mercedes, and in Australia, the only race of the year without points for Maranello. Charles Leclerc’s car stuck in the gravel after three corners and Carlos Sainz’s penalty after the clash with Fernando Alonso at the restart were hard blows for the Reds.
Contrarily, in Melbourne, Mercedes ran one of their best races of the 2023 Formula One season. They could have easily secured a double podium if not for George Russell’s engine failure a few laps from the end. After the first three races, Mercedes had a clear advantage: 56 points compared to Ferrari’s 26.
FERRARI’S STRUGGLES, MERCEDES EXTENDS THE LEAD
In Azerbaijan, Ferrari had a chance to regain ground thanks to the excellent performance on city circuits. In Miami and Monaco, however, Mercedes continued to dominate. This was aided by Charles Leclerc’s grid penalty in Monaco and the delayed strategy from the Maranello pit wall. After six races: Mercedes 119 – Ferrari 90.
Mercedes’ string of successes continued in Spain, securing a double podium in Barcelona. Even in Canada, where it seemed favorable for Mercedes, George Russell’s mid-race mistake took him out of contention. Despite both Ferraris finishing behind Hamilton, they managed to earn more points than Mercedes. The trend continued in Austria, with Carlos Sainz securing a podium in the Sprint and Charles Leclerc a podium in the race, while Mercedes only earned eleven points. After nine races: Mercedes 178 – Ferrari 154.
At Silverstone and Hungary, the Silver Arrows continued to score points against Ferrari. But in Belgium, Ferrari seemed to have the potential to recover, thanks to the fourth and fifth places in the Sprint. Unfortunately, in the race, Carlos Sainz was eliminated in a collision with Oscar Piastri, while Charles Leclerc secured the podium. Both teams earned the same points, maintaining a 56-point gap. After 12 races: Mercedes 247 – Ferrari 191.
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FERRARI REGAINS GROUND: CARLOS SAINZ’S VICTORY
In the Netherlands, despite a failed strategy, Mercedes only lost two points against Ferrari, due to Charles Leclerc’s retirement. In Monza, Carlos Sainz secured the first podium of the 2023 F1 season, followed by the victory in the Singapore GP. A significant haul for Ferrari, especially due to George Russell’s retirement. After 15 races, Ferrari reduced the gap, bringing it to 265 points against Mercedes’ 289.
In Japan, Ferrari outperformed Mercedes again. In Qatar, however, Mercedes managed to extend the lead again, for the first time after several races. Hamilton’s second place in the United States would have been valuable if not for the disqualification, which also affected Charles Leclerc. After 18 races: Mercedes 344 – Ferrari 322.
THE FINAL STAGES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP: MERCEDES WINS THE BATTLE
In Mexico, both teams scored 27 points each. In Brazil, Mercedes struggled to find the pace, while Charles Leclerc retired even before the start due to a hydraulic issue during the formation lap. In Las Vegas, Leclerc finished in second place, while Carlos Sainz made a comeback after a grid penalty. Together, they gained a 16-point advantage over Mercedes. Before the last Grand Prix of the season, the battle between Mercedes and Ferrari was played out with a four-point gap: Mercedes 392 and Ferrari 388.
In Abu Dhabi, for the final race, Charles Leclerc secured the second position. However, Carlos Sainz, hindered during the qualifications, couldn’t advance past Q1. His attempts to climb the standings were in vain, even before his retirement on the penultimate lap. Mercedes won the battle for the second place against Ferrari by only three points.
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