There was drama on the grid for Scuderia Ferrari with just a few minutes until the start of the 2022 Formula 1 British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit. Something wrong was discovered on the right of the F1-75 car and the mechanics appeared to be changing an electronic box. The change was being supervised by the FIA’s Technical Delegate Joe Bauer because any new parts must be the same weight as the previous one, while a row of mechanics were preventing any cameras from seeing what was done.
With ten minutes to go, whe cover was back on Charles Leclerc’s car as mechanics finished the work, with team principal Mattia Binotto confirming that the small issue was related to the electronics.
Some interesting strategy calls made by Red Bull and Mercedes, as Max Verstappen started the British Grand Prix on the soft tyres, while George Russell on the hards. Everyone elese, including the Ferrari drivers, went for the most obvious option of using the medium tyres in the first stint.
Less durable rubber for Max Verstappen, but it did give him an edge on the start against the Ferrari cars: the Dutchman overtook Carlos Sainz into the first corner, while George Russell and Zhou Guanyu were involved in a big crash. George Russell’s car even rolled over but was fine and out of the car. The race was red flagged, unsurprisingly so given the contact. Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon were also out, while Yuki Tsunoda had heavy damage. The good news was that Zhou was able to get out of the car. He was on a stretcher, but moving, and his Alfa Romeo team confirmed he was OK.
Given that the first lap was not completed, the restart grid was the effectively the qualifying order with eliminated cars removed: this meant that Carlos Sainz was againt in first place and Charles Leclerc started from third. Nearly an hour after the first start, the Safety Car led the drivers back out of the pits following the red flag and we had a second standing start shortly. And this time Carlos Sainz held on after the standing start! It was a great restart from the Ferrari driver, who squeezed Max Verstappen, after enormous pressure from the Red Bull driver. Sergio Perez remained in fourth but had a piece of his car that was missing. Charles also had damage to his endplate.
Lewis Hamilton dropped a place to Lando Norris at the restart and they were both all over the back of Sergio Perez’s Red Bull before the Mexican finally pitted for a new front wing.
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Unfortunately the Ferrari race leader ran wide out of Becketts and Max Verstappen pounced on the main straight to overtake him on lap ten, as the Dutchman now led this race from the two Ferrari cars. Carlos Sainz was being pressured by Charles Leclerc but Max Verstappen started dropping back and was passed on the straight before having to pit with a puncture! It was now a Ferrari one-two! Charles wasn’t too happy stuck behind Carlos and made some calls to Ferrari to swap their drivers. Charles notes that he can go faster and is then told that Carlos has been informed to push.
The Spanish driver made his pit on lap 21 and the hard tyres went on. It is a quick stop, while Charles now led from Hamilton, who was within three seconds of the Ferrari. The Monegasque driver’s lead was down to 1.5s as Lewis Hamilton was the fastest man on track. On lap 26 the gap between Charles and Hamilton had just dipped below 1s as Ferrari called him to make his pit for hard tyres, while Hamilton continued on track.
“We are free to fight, free to fight…” – That was the message on Charles Leclerc’s radio, which means his team-mate in front of him will be feeling the heat in the coming laps. Ferrari tell Carlos he has to pick up the pace to prevent them swapping Charles ahead – but now say it is “not good enough”, as the Moneagsque was ahead of the Spaniard, but that all played into Hamilton’s hands.
Hamilton came in but it’s not a quick stop! Four seconds instead of the usual two. That costs Hamilton, who was a few seconds behind Carlos Sainz – albeit with fresher tyres on. In clean air, there was a new fastest lap from Charles, a few tenths quicker than Carlos and Hamilton behind. It had been a disastrous race for Max Verstappen and, struggling for grip with his car damage, he was then overtaken by Esteban Ocon for eighth. But he then had a reliability issue and the Saftey car was deployed. Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton both pitted for soft tyres! But race leader Charles Leclerc stayed out! The Safety Car played into Sergio Perez’s hands. After that dreadful start, he now ran fourth and also had the soft tyres.
Unfortunately, Charles had no chance to defend on the old hard tyres. Carlos passed Charles on the first straight, while the Monegasque driver tried to fight back but did not have the grip.
Then Perez and Leclerc go wheel to wheel in the final sector and that allows Hamilton to come through to take second! Perez then attacks Hamilton at the start of Lap 46 and dives down the inside to take second back! And Charles gets ahead of Hamilton – while Fernando Alonso was arriving on the scene too! After Hamilton and Leclerc battle, the Mercedes driver uses DRS to once and for all take third position.
It’s been a long time coming and the emotions will be flowing for Carlos Sainz, who wins the 2022 British Grand Prix to take his first Formula 1 victory! Sadly just fourth place for Charles Leclerc who therefore cannot take advantage of Max Verstappen’s issues.
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