Ferrari ahead of important test between Paul Ricard and Red Bull Ring. Ferrari and McLaren have a golden opportunity to perfect the final details.

Let’s face it: on paper everything played against Ferrari at Paul Ricard. Perhaps some overly hopeful fans were waiting for a new “Charles Leclerc miracle”, the intervention of rain or some Safety Car in order to mix the cards up a bit. But it did not go like that: the French Sunday immediately presented itself as a complicated race for the Maranello team , in which nothing more and nothing less has been added to the show.

In short, we have always had (inevitable here too) the extraordinary duel for the title fight. Some nice overtaking in the race in the middle of the grid, the usual torments of Valtteri Bottas. But in the end the Paul Ricard gave us just what was to be expected from Paul Ricard. And at Le Castellet not even the most hopeful of fans could believe that the Ferrari engine could do anything against the threatening straights of the transalpine circuit. Or that the tire problems, inherited from last year’s single-seater, could remain dormant for a long time.

But the French circuit was the scene of a Red tragedy which reached levels that no one could expect. If on Saturday there was still something to rejoice about after a qualifying that saw Ferrari ahead of rival McLaren, on Sunday afternoon the images of the suffering drivers inside the cockpit of their cars almost brought back bad memories of 2020.

If we combine this with a Ferrari strategy that has relegated their Monegasque driver to the back of the group, the recipe for a race outside the points at Paul Ricard is done. Only note of merit to Carlos Sainz, who among the many difficulties he tried to hold back with tooth and nail even that single point of tenth place, which however had to yield to Aston Martin. In short, the Ferrari engineers will have a lot to think about as they pack up their things and show up in Austria for the double race at the Red Bull Ring.

The latter was a golden opportunity for both Ferrari and McLaren. Because if it is true that to be World Champions you don’t have to make any mistakes, not even for the fight in third place is it allowed to let your guard down. Especially with such intense competition. The upcoming races will be extremely critical for the two teams. Especially in a championship where Ferrari and McLaren, at least so far, have basically achieved the same results.

In fact, the first low performances of Ricciardo counteract the two podiums of Norris. Carlos Sainz’s initial difficulties are counterbalanced by Charles Leclerc’s stable results. As with the retirement of the Monegasque in his home Grand Prix, Carlos found the solution with his beautiful second place. Two teams that have a lot in common, starting with their line-up. A driver still quite young, in his early years in Formula 1, but who already has a good knowledge of the car and the team.

Flanked instead by a new more experienced driver (but not too much), with some initial difficulties in adapting to the new team but with a wealth of knowledge, derived precisely from his longer stay in the highest category, which can bring new knowledge to the team and to your partner. Both teams have come back from complicated years, in which their past glory has been constantly questioned. But who now have the chance to redeem themselves and bring the old Ferrari-McLaren rivalry back to the track. With the hope that with 2022 the latter can set ever higher goals.

McLaren, for its part, is instead powered by the powerful Mercedes engine. Which in the straights gives it the necessary power to attack or defend its position, something that Ferrari lacks. And if this gives it an incredible advantage on circuits like the one just seen at Paul Ricard, the SF21 seems to have the better of tracks like those in the cities of Monte Carlo and Baku. With the exception, for the latter case, always of the very long final straight where Ferrari is defenseless prey to other cars.

And if this discrepancy between the two teams cannot be completely eliminated this season, the key will be the teams’ skill in race strategy. The same goes for the drivers: Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo will be able to use the two races to consolidate their knowledge of the car. Beyond the results of the standings, between Sunday’s race at Paul Ricard and the Austrian GP scheduled for 4 July, Ferrari and McLaren have a golden opportunity to perfect the final details. Those who do not do so risk being seriously left behind and compromising their season.