Ferrari in crisis as Formula One season heads to Canada

By Sports Desk June 15, 2022

Ferrari's recent issues with reliability have put a major dent in their driver's and constructor's title hopes, but they will need to quickly bounce back at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.

It was a painful day for the Scuderia at the Azerbaijan GP on Sunday, with both cars retiring due to technical issues.

For Charles Leclerc, it was the second time in three races he was forced out because of a power unit problem while leading, and the fourth consecutive race where he failed to convert pole position into a race win.

Sergio Perez took full advantage in Baku, moving ahead of Leclerc in the driver's standings with his win, with Max Verstappen opening up a 34-point gap to the Ferrari driver.

With two retirements sandwiching Ferrari's strategic blunder at his home race in Monaco, the Monegasque moves to four wins from 15 pole positions, with only Jarno Trulli holding a lower conversion rate (25 per cent) among winning drivers in the history F1.

Meanwhile, only Michael Schumacher (+23) and Alain Prost (+18) have a higher differential between race wins and pole positions than Max Verstappen, who has claimed 25 and 14 respectively.

Verstappen will already be making his 150th GP appearance at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, looking for his sixth win of the season out of nine starts.

It would provide little solace to the 24-year-old but he has been in supreme form on the Saturday, claiming six poles out of eight this season, and could match his highest tally in a single season from 2019.

Pole position is not essential but it has proved to be convenient in recent years, with each of the past five winners in Montreal coming from the front of grid on the Saturday, the longest such streak in F1.

Since the opening race of the season in Bahrain, Ferrari remain one more one-two finish away from surpassing Mercedes for the most all-time in F1, with both on 82.

Ferrari customers facing similar strife

Problems have persisted for the factory team and Ferrari power unit customers since the first upgrade at the Miami Grand Prix, where Zhou Guanyu retired.

Both he and Leclerc then retired from the Spanish GP, after Valtteri Bottas was forced out of FP2 in the other Alfa Romeo due to an engine failure.

Both Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen experienced MGU-K failures in Monaco, before Leclerc, Magnussen and Zhou had power unit-related DNFs in Baku.

Red Bull in control

After rectifying their own reliability issues at the start of the season, Red Bull have picked up the pieces and are now in control of both championships.

Red Bull drivers have finished on the podium in 11 of their 13 finished races, securing the one-two in three of the last five Grands Prix and are one more from securing the highest tally in a single season.

The last time the team had six wins in the opening eight races of the season was when Sebastian Vettel coasted his way to the driver's title in 2011.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 150
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 129
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 116
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 99
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 83

Constructors

1. Red Bull 279
2. Ferrari 199
3. Mercedes 161
4. McLaren 65
5. Alpine 47

Related items

  • Joselu basks in unforgettable Spain debut: 'I still don't believe it!' Joselu basks in unforgettable Spain debut: 'I still don't believe it!'

    Joselu was in dreamland after scoring twice on his Spain debut to help La Roja beat Norway 3-0 in Malaga on Saturday.

    New head coach Luis de la Fuente named a somewhat unfamiliar squad ahead of their two opening Euro 2024 qualifiers as he began his tenure after replacing Luis Enrique.

    Joselu's call-up was long overdue in the eyes of many, given he had reached double figures for LaLiga goals in each of the previous three seasons.

    He was introduced at La Rosaleda in the second half with Spain stuttering unconvincingly towards a 1-0 win, but he scored twice to put the game to bed.

    As such, he became the oldest debutant to score for Spain since September 2006, two days before his 33rd birthday, and he was left in disbelief.

    "The truth is that I still don't believe it," he told TVE. "This is everything a player can have and in the end, the daily work has had its reward.

    "I think I would especially like to thank my wife and my children, and my mother, who have come here today.

    "The truth is that I am not believing it."

    Joselu was also Spain's oldest debutant since 2006, with De la Fuente opting to pick a few somewhat unfashionable options who were largely neglected by his predecessor.

    The striker subsequently paid tribute to De la Fuente for giving him the opportunity.

    "I thank him for everything, being here, trusting me, being on the first list," he said.

    "I think I have responded more than enough.

    "Age doesn't matter to me because I feel like a kid, I feel like an 18-year-old kid. I want to enjoy this; I want to hug my family because today is an incredible day."

    Joselu may feel he has done enough to earn a maiden start next time out, when Spain are set to face Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday.

    "Knowing the players and giving them confidence is our job, but all the credit belongs to him," De la Fuente said of Joselu. 

    "We have recognised the great work he does every day at his club and I am happy for him and for everyone else."

  • Spain 3-0 Norway: Late Joselu brace punishes wasteful visitors in De la Fuente's first game Spain 3-0 Norway: Late Joselu brace punishes wasteful visitors in De la Fuente's first game

    Joselu scored two late goals on his international debut as Spain opened Euro 2024 qualification with a 3-0 win over Norway at La Rosaleda in Luis de la Fuente's first game in charge.

    Spain were by no means impressive, with the Erling Haaland-less visitors wasting several fine opportunities, but Joselu repaid De la Fuente's faith towards the end.

    De la Fuente – appointed Luis Enrique's successor after World Cup elimination – named an unfamiliar-looking starting XI yet saw his side take an early lead through Dani Olmo.

    They held Norway at bay through some excellent Kepa Arrizabalaga saves and a big miss from Alexander Sorloth, and substitute Joselu punished them with two goals in as many minutes.

    It took Spain just 13 minutes to get the first goal of their new era, Alejandro Balde's cross-cum-shot flicked home by Olmo.

    They needed a brilliant save from Kepa just before the half-hour to remain ahead, however, the goalkeeper turning Fredrik Aursnes' blistering close-range volley over.

    Mikel Merino went close in similar circumstances a minute later, only for Orjan Nyland to tip the ball around the post.

    Chances aside, Spain were second best for significant periods and had another fortunate escape early in the second half.

    Marcus Pedersen's goal-bound effort was crucially deflected by Nacho Fernandez, and Kepa got back to hook the careering ball off the line.

    Sorloth then volleyed off target in the 80th minute and Spain duly capitalised.

    Joselu nodded in Fabian Ruiz's cross from deep, before smashing home from close range when Mikel Oyarzabal's shot was deflected into his path, capping a memorable night for the Espanyol striker.

  • Germany 2-0 Peru: Fullkrug at the double as Havertz endures penalty frustration Germany 2-0 Peru: Fullkrug at the double as Havertz endures penalty frustration

    Germany's first game following their World Cup disappointment ended in a routine 2-0 friendly victory over Peru, though Kai Havertz faltered from the penalty spot.

    Hansi Flick's team bowed out in the group stage in Qatar, but began their preparations for Euro 2024 in convincing fashion on Saturday.

    Niclas Fullkrug's double had put Germany into a commanding lead in Mainz by the time Havertz hit the upright with a 75th-minute spot-kick.

    His finish on the rebound was disallowed due to no other player touching the ball, though it was merely a small blot on an otherwise accomplished Germany display.

    Havertz and Fullkrug were rare bright sparks from the World Cup, and it was the duo who combined for the opening goal on Saturday when the latter finished crisply from the Chelsea forward's knockdown.

    Having just denied Matthias Ginter, Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese could not keep out Fullkrug's crisp finish after Havertz had chested the ball into the striker's path.

    Germany seemed certain to be 2-0 up when Havertz and then Timo Werner had acres of space to shoot from close range, yet Gallese's superb double save kept them at bay.

    Gallese was helpless to prevent Fullkrug tucking home his second just after the half-hour – the striker turning in from Marius Wolf's excellent cross.

    Luis Advincula's block denied Fullkrug a third before the break, while Serge Gnabry struck the crossbar with an audacious overhead attempt on the hour mark.

    Nico Schlotterbeck had a valid penalty appeal dismissed soon after, but referee Maria Ferrieri Caputi changed her decision after consulting the pitchside monitor.

    Havertz failed to capitalise, with much of the crowd seemingly unaware as to why exactly his finish at the second attempt had been disallowed, though Peru never looked likely to make Germany rue that ruling.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.