Losers

Pierre Gasly 

Gasly endured a torrid home weekend which looked pr♑omising after AlphaTauri introduced their n𝔉ew upgrade package.

The Frenchman was knocked out in Q1 and the decision to start on the hards proved costly due to the untimel෴y Safety Car.

Unfortunately for Gasly, neither h𝕴e nor AlphaTauri have lived up to expectations so far in 2022, particularly compared to last year when he was consistently in the top six.

Charles Leclerc & Ferrari 

An෴other major blow to Leclerc and Ferrari’s title ambitions this year.

Leclerc’s shunt on Lap 18 from the race lead was compounded by the team’s confusing strategy with the recovering Carlos Sainz, who started from the back of the grid due to engine peꦫnalties.

Sunday’s rꦿace epitomised Ferrari’s season so far and why they’re so far behind Verstappe🦋n and Red Bull.

Sergio Perez

A shocking weekend for Perez who looked out o🍒f sorts up until qualify✤ing.

Perez lost out to Hamilton at the start and despite having race-winning machine▨ry, struggled to compete with the seven-time champion.

He was then caught napping ﷺby Russell on the Virtual Safety Car restart, dropping to fourth.

It should 🦹have been a 1-2 finish for Red Bull 🍬given the issues for Leclerc and Sainz.

Alfa Romeo

After a promising start to the season, competing with🅰 McLaren and 🌳Alpine for fourth in the constructors’ championship, Alfa Romeo keep going backwards.

Not only in the development race, but their new clutch system for this weekend, developed♚ by Ferrari🧸, didn’t seem to work.

Starting from 11th on the gri꧃d, Bottas dropped to 17th on the opening lap.

Alfa Romeo need to pick up their form again soon with Haas not too far behind and expected to introduce a sizeable🧸 upgra🥀de in Hungary.

Winners

Max Verstappen

Another perfect day for the reigning F1 world champion as he moved 63 points clear of Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ champ🍬ionship. 

A second drivers’ title is a near-certainty on current form with Veꦛrstappen’s incredible consistency and error-free driving putting him well clear 𓆏of the rest.

Before Leclerc’s DNF, the race was in the balance with Verstappen stopping e꧟arly to get track position over hi𓂃s rival.

Leclerc would have stopped later 💦and rejoined behind the Dutchman, although on significantly fresher tyres.

Would he have overtaken the Red Bull driver? Who knoꦛws how it 𓄧would have played out. 

Regardless, it was another classy performance from Verstappen 🔜ahead of F1’s race at the Hungaroring, a track that no doubt will favour Ferrari.

Mercedes

Remarkably, Mercedes’ 2-3 finish at Pau🧜l Ricard is their🌊 first double podium finish of the season.

Expectations were high for the eight-time champions going into the weekend but they didn’t live up to them as Lewis Hamilt🍃on qualified nearly one whole second off pole position.

However, race day was more encouraging for the team given that both Hamilton and George Rꦅussell b🔯eat Sergio Perez on merit.

Hamilton was able to stick with Verstappen fairly well albeit lacking a couple of tenths to🌞 really challenge for the victꦫory.

Alpine

Alpine moved into four꧑th in the cons♉tructors’ championship after another tidy race from Fernando Alonso.

In typical Alonso fashion, the Spaniard was fast off the line on the opening lap, moving up to fifth ahead ෴of Mercedes’ George Russell.

Once the race settle🍌d down, Alonso was comfortable in sixth ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

On the other side of the garage, Esteban Ocon continued his consistent run of finishing in the points w🤪ith eighth, overtaking the other McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo late on.

Lance Stroll

It w♑as a welcome return to the points for Stroll at the🌳 French Grand Prix. 

The Canadian made a storming start from 15th on the grid, running in 1🃏0th for theꦗ opening phase of the race. 

Stroll maintained that position until the e🥂nd of the 🐓race, defending from Aston Martin teammate Sebastian Vettel.

While his defence received some criticism from fans after the race, it was smart from Stroll ♌to keep the position on the final lap at his t💫eammate’s expense.