Imola GP: Three drivers who can bag a surprise podium finish
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Imola GP
F1 returns this weekend for the Imola GP after an enthralling Australian GP which saw Ferrari extend its lead in both Constructor’s and driver’s championships. We saw a dominant Charles Leclerc at the peak of his powers from the start to the end, finishing the race with margin of more than 20 seconds to Sergio Perez. Max Verstappen had a horrible weekend as he was unable to finish yet another due to a suspected engine failure issue. It was a much better weekend for Mercedes as George Russell secured his first podium for his new team.
So, let’s see which drivers can surprise us based on what we have seen in the opening races.
McLaren’s Lando Norris showed what he can do on the track if provided a car full of pace
Lando Norris decided to put on a show for the Australian fans as he finished P5 in a cut throat midfield battle with his team mate, Daniel Ricciardo. The Briton has had a disappointing start to the season after the kind of sparkling performances he had blessed us with last year. But it has been mostly down to the team which has failed him by not providing him with a competitive car. He’s top notch driver and more than capable to bag a podium at the Imola GP if he can build on the foundation laid down in Australia.
Daniel Ricciardo looked at ease in his home Grand Prix after the unfortunate ending in Jeddah
After failing to score a single point in the season thus far, Daniel Ricciardo regained some of his lost form finishing P6 just behind team mate, Lando Norris. This performance was much needed for the Australian after his below standard drives in Jeddah and Bahrain. One of the major differences between the Australian GP and the other race weekends was the performance of the McLaren during Qualifying. While they failed to make it to Q3 in both Bahrain and Jeddah, at Melbourne, Lando Norris qualified P4 and Ricciardo also made it into Q3 to qualify P7. This could be exactly the kind of weekend that Daniel Ricciardo might need to kickstart this season and register his first podium of 2022 in Imola.
Alpine’s Fernando Alonso was the star of the show at the Australian GP despite him being not able to finish the race
Fernando Alonso might not be the spring chicken he was but nobody can question his pace and his determination as F1 driver. He looked the real deal in Australia, especially during qualifying. He looked all set to fight for pole or a potential front row start after setting the fastest middle sector. But an unfortunate crash forced him to start from P10. He was hit by more bad luck as safety car came out at the wrong time which ruined his race and he finished P17. But, if luck favors him this time around, he can be a contender for a podium place at the Australia GP.
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Shubham Bajpai
(776 Articles Published)