Austrian GP 2022: Three bold predictions for the sprint race
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As we are ten races into this year’s Formula 1 2022 season, we are gradually forming an idea of who would have the last laugh as they get the World Championship title. At this crucial point in the tournament, the Austrian Grand Prix is what every motorsport enthusiast is looking forward to, as Ferrari will be desperately trying to get Charles Leclerc to win the race and narrow the gap between him and Max Verstappen while Red Bull will be trying to strengthen Verstappen’s lead in the WDC table.
The Austrian GP weekend is this year’s second Sprint weekend, offering all the racers an opportunity to score some extra points before walking into the Main Race on Sunday. Now, rain is expected on Saturday, and if the weather report is to be believed, the Sprint Race will be even more interesting than we thought it to be! With that in mind, here are some of our predictions for the upcoming F1 Sprint in the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg.
Read More: Sebastian Vettel to not appear on F1 TV shows: “I’m not going to be a TV pundit.”
1. Max Verstappen might cruise to victory in the Sprint Race–but Ferrari will challenge him
Red Bull’s Championship hope–Max Verstappen has shown that he is back with his impressive speed and excellent techniques after an unsatisfactory P7 finish at the British Grand Prix last week. As the Milton-Keynnes-based team have taken the risk to introduce some new upgrades for their RB-18 in Austria where they had only gotten one Free Practice session, it seems that their plan has paid them back as Verstappen seemed unbeatable as he took the pole in Friday’s Qualifiers. And if our deductions are anything to go by, Max will win this week’s Sprint as well. But Ferrari might also push Leclerc for the win, and if that happens, then the Tifosi will not be complaining!
2. Both Mercedes will fail to impress after their double crash in the Qualifiers
The Silver Arrows had a hard time yesterday as both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell crashed, and their Mercedes W13’s sustained some major damage. The mechanics worked overnight to replace Lewis’ chassis and it is expected that both the racers will make an appearance in the Sprint Race, but as they are set to start from P4 (for Russell) and P9 (for Hamilton). Even if Russell manages to make a few overtakes and get a podium finish, things do not seem very hopeful for Lewis Hamilton even though the 37-year-old came into Austria with renewed confidence after winning a podium finish at Silverstone.
3. Ferrari will come out as the Sprint Superstars
While the F1 communities are abuzz with talks of how the two Mercedes’ crashed during Qualifying and how Max Verstappen got the pole position, many people have overlooked Ferrari’s impressive P2 and P3 positions on the starting grid for the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix Sprint. The Maranello outfit is hoping for a quick overtake so that Charles Leclerc can get past Verstappen to take the lead of the race, and if that happens, Ferrari might have their Sprint winner in Leclerc. And Carlos Sainz should not be kept out of the equation after the Spaniard showed his prowess behind the wheels by winning the British GP just a week ago.
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Riddhi Mondal
(1821 Articles Published)