Athletistic will broadcast a live online text broadcast: Formula 1. French Grand Prix. Qualification. Direct
Ferrari won several races in a row, but still entered the French Grand Prix 56 points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ standings. This was due both to poor strategic decisions which saw Charles Leclerc finish fourth at Silverstone and to unreliability which caused Carlos Sainz Jr.’s car to catch fire at the end of the Austrian Grand Prix. The situation in the driver standings is similar, although Sainz has moved ahead of Sergio Perez and moved up to third place. However, Leclerc is still 38 points behind leader Max Verstappen and if we have any hope of a competitive championship after the 22 rounds, Ferrari and Leclerc need to catch up before the summer break.
Circuit Paul Ricard key figures
Races: 17
Pole winners: 11
First-place wins: 13
Win from third place or lower: 4
Start furthest from the winner: 5
The 10 previous winners of the Grand Prix de France (at Paul Ricard and at Magny-Cours)
2021: Max Verstappen
2019: Lewis Hamilton
2018: Lewis Hamilton
2008: Felipe Massa
2007: Kimi Raikkonen
2006: Michael Schumacher
2005: Fernando Alonso
2004: Michael Schumacher
2003: Ralph Schumacher
2002: Michael Schumacher
Paul Ricard occupies a non-permanent place in the Formula 1 calendar, since 2018 the French Grand Prix has been held on this circuit. Before that, the Paul Ricard Grand Prix was held in 1990. As the main statistics show, this is not an overtaking track, there are few opportunities to come up from the back of the group. Therefore, qualification will be extremely important. In subsequent seasons, we at least saw relatively tight competition for race wins and podium finishes. In particular, last year there was a tense fight between Verstappen and Hamilton. Given the relatively similar pace and quality of the Ferrari and Red Bull drivers, as well as Verstappen and Leclerc, we could see a tighter fight for the top spot than in the past.
Mercedes will also be a team to watch. It continues to benefit, above all, from some reliability issues with other top teams, and Hamilton was on the podium in several races in a row before the start of the weekend. Now Mercedes announces the modernization of the car. If the company plans to fight for victories this season, then this weekend they will have to reduce the speed advantage and not rely on the mistakes of elite teams.
Among mid-tier and even low-tier teams, there are plenty of other scenarios worth watching. Alpha Tauri have been one of the most disappointing teams this season but also claim significant improvements. The drama between Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren appears to be building, which may not affect on-track results, but will remain a storyline until an official decision is announced. Finally, Haas is in fine form, with Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen showing skill and confidence on the track.
The track itself offers technical sections, high speed turns and some long straights. Ferrari is generally more capable on the more technical sections of the track and Red Bull shows better speed. Again, how Mercedes fits into this picture will likely determine how the weekend plays out.
Finally, another point to monitor will be compliance with the restrictions on the track. Lando Norris lost his position in Austria due to a five-second penalty for going out of bounds. At Paul Ricard there is not much risk of going off the track, but constantly going off can lead to tire problems due to the fact that there are areas of different grip on the track (characteristic blue and red stripes) . Nothing like it on the other F1 circuits, the scratched Paul Ricard attracts attention.
Formula 1. French Grand Prix. Qualification. Direct
Source: Sport
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
