Ferrari have had a dream start to their 2022 campaign. And when Round 4 of the ongoing Formula 1 season moves to Imola, the Tifosi are going to be right there cheering for them at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
The Prancing Horse are looking to make it three out of four in order to widen their gap both in the drivers and constructors’ standings. Charles Leclerc leads all drivers with 71 points while his team has 104 points – which is at least 39 points above other teams.
Compared to the past editions, there’ll be a twist as Formula 1 has decided to bring back the Sprint, which is essentially replacing the usual qualifying proceedings on race weekends.
Here in the Sprint, all 20 drivers will race over 100km – which is a third of the usual race or 21 laps in Imola’s case. Other than fighting for pole position, the winners of this event are also going to get valuable points across the board.
Learn more about the latest Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2022 updates here at SBOTOP.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. plan to celebrate in Imola
Ferrari seem like they’ve finally got it right and they’ll look to give their home fans something to cheer about this weekend. Expectations are reaching fever pitch as both Leclerc and Sainz Jr. aim to get the top podium spots, with the former finishing at P5 and P4 and the latter at P7 and P5 during 2020 and 2021.
Charles Leclerc is the biggest winner of 2022 so far as he’s won two out of the first three and he’s the favourite here at Imola., but let’s not forget his teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. despite experiencing a DNF during the Australian Grand Prix.
The Spaniard would certainly look to bounce back, especially after signing a new extension that would last up to 2024. He also cited that having stability will help him focus better on future races.
“I think it’s no secret recently that not only me but I think you’ve heard also other drivers saying it’s important on the driver’s side to have their full focus on the performance, on the racing, and not having to focus too much on what the future holds,” said Sainz Jr.
“I’m very happy,” said Leclerc on Sainz Jr.’s new contract. “Obviously Carlos is a great guy other than just a very good driver too, and we have a very good relationship. We also work together very well but I think what is the most important is that we also have the same feedback.”
Three races in and Ferrari look like the team to beat. However, with 20 races still to come, their story is far from being written.
Mercedes look to hit the ground running
Meanwhile, Mercedes arrive at Imola sitting at P2 in the constructors’ title despite having an underwhelming car. Because of this, Toto Wolff has tempered his championship hopes, although he’s liking the grit that they’ve been showing so far.
“We know we haven’t got the pace of the Ferrari and Red Bull right now. But we’re working hard to reduce their advantage, and it’s been brilliant to see everyone across the factories pulling together to achieve this,” said Wolff.
Furthermore, teammates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are laser-focused on having better performances for Mercedes, with the former reiterating that he’ll follow the latter’s lead.
“I’m not going to go out there trying to be the leader of the team, when I’m going up against the greatest of all time who’s been here for 10 years,” said Russell in his interview with Sky Sports.
History
The last two editions of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix have seen the Silver Arrows get pole positions as Valtteri Bottas took it in 2020 while Lewis Hamilton did so last season. Hamilton, though, won it in 2020 while Max Verstappen was the victor in 2021.
In these last two years, Mercedes have had three podiums at Imola, while Red Bull, McLaren, and Renault had one apiece.
What are the odds?
Given that he’s in fine form, it’s no secret that Charles Leclerc is being backed by the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2022 odds to win. He is priced at 1.65, while Max Verstappen is expected to be right behind him since he’s pegged at 2.20.
Just like in previous races, the final podium spot is up for grabs. The prime candidates so far are Carlos Sainz Jr., Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Sergio Perez as they’re priced at 2.36, 2.72, 2.88, and 3.08 respectively.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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