Carlos Sainz signs autographs at the Melbourne circuit. /
World Cup 2022
Three years later, the Melbourne circuit hosts an Australian GP with the focus on the fight between the Ferraris and the Red Bulls
Traditionally, at least in recent years, the Australian GP was one of the most anticipated on the Formula 1 calendar. Not in vain was it the one that opened the season, and after months between one campaign and another, it meant the reunion of rivals and friends. Everything changed in 2020. The Australian Grand Prix was the first major event to blow up with the pandemic, when several McLaren mechanics tested positive for covid and, just hours before it started, it had to be cancelled. That season began months later, it ended with the almost always as champion and Australia did not dare to return to the calendar in 2021. A good opportunity for a remodeling that now opens this weekend.
For many it will be the return to one of the most technical and entertaining circuits today. The semi-urban Albert Park has very interesting variants and areas where the top speed of the single-seaters is key, but also some slow parts that force the drivers not to lose concentration in the hand-to-hand fights. With a resurfacing and light touch-ups as the ‘aussie’ circuit has had, the new cars are expected to put up a good fight on the track. To give it more excitement (in theory), the DRS zones have been expanded from three to four. It cannot be ignored that it is a narrow track where overtaking is very complicated, which is why the organization has gambled to promote individual battles and more position changes. It will be necessary to see if, really, this experiment goes well.
The great start of Ferrari and, specifically, of Charles Leclerc in this 2022 season, invites optimism for the tifosi. The Monegasque is the leader of the World Cup, but he has teammate Carlos Sainz right behind him. The adaptation to the new driving style that these ‘formula 1’ require, the problems with ‘porpoising’ (the incessant pitching that many cars suffer, including the Maranello F1-75) and some minor detail that has not helped, have made that the man from Madrid becomes a candidate but not a favorite.
If things go as they should, sooner or later that great goal of the season, which is to achieve his first victory, will come sooner rather than later. Australia is a favorable circuit for Sainz to unleash his full potential, especially since between the first and second races of the year he showed a notable improvement. More than performance, which was also sensations. Right now, until they get to the European races – with the whirlwind trip to Miami in between – these first rounds of the season should focus on adapting to the new style.
Three consecutive podiums
Sainz has three consecutive podiums (the last in 2021 and two in 2022) and the certainty that he has the capacity, pace and machine to be at the front of the pack when the 58 scheduled laps are completed. The key will be if they can with the Red Bull. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, for the moment, have been able to sustain the battle with Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez, but the world champion has already made it clear in Jeddah that he is not willing to let the title be snatched away from him easily. The RB18 is a single-seater that, without having a clearly superior engine (here the Ferrari beats it), does have a package as balanced as that of the cars in red. Also, knowing that they are who they are, even if they have to start as contenders and not as favorites, in Melbourne they can change things. To make it more spicy, Sergio Pérez, who looked light years ahead of Verstappen, took a great pole position in Arabia that, although he could not confirm with a podium, he did make it clear that at this start of the year it will be a matter of four.
The big question is whether someone else will be able to sneak into that battle. Mercedes goes with its tongue out after the W13 was born with serious performance problems, and not only because of the ‘porpoising’, no matter how much that is indicated. Another key to this race will be to see where the Alpines can go. After the battle between Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso –unexpected and somewhat aggressive, but fair and clean– a somewhat bittersweet feeling remained, but more due to the Asturian’s engine failure that forced him to leave. If they finally have to mount a new one (it would already be the third in three races), they would be left with no margin for an extra one in case of another mechanical problem. With no wildcards left, Alpine have to get their act together and in Australia they can get some serious loot. Rhythm and performance they have: they just lack some fortune.
