Former Formula 1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck does not give Ferrari good marks in the 2022 season. The motorsport icon finds an incident involving Scuderia frontman Charles Leclerc mysterious – and also has a suitable explanation ready.
In an interview with “Eurosport” Stuck described Leclerc’s departure at the French Grand Prix in Le Castellet as a “riddle”.
The 71-year-old explained: “If you look at the accident a hundred times, the oversteering didn’t come from him. I can imagine that he was instructed by the team to claim that he made a mistake, even though there was a problem on the There was a car. I wouldn’t rule that out. There’s enormous pressure there.”
Ferrari has “the potential, but they haven’t implemented it yet,” Stuck explained why the legendary Formula 1 team is currently a bit on fire.
Ferrari’s performance in Formula 1 “a shame”
The Scuderia had to deliver after the summer break, Stuck demanded. “They have a lot of potential. But if they want to realize that, the mistakes they made this year can’t happen. It’s a shame how many points they’ve thrown away this season.”
The expert added: “We know that there is always ‘grande casino’ at Ferrari. But this year there has been a lot of ‘casino’. They have been undervalued through their own fault. If they had not made these mistakes, they would have Leclerc is much further ahead.”
You can write off Ferrari and Leclerc, whose gap to world championship leader Max Verstappen is now a whopping 80 points, but not yet, according to Stuck. “But the basis is that they correct their mistakes. Technically, they are at a very high level.”
Red Bull in Formula 1 “currently on a pedestal”
However, the ex-F1 driver sees Verstappen and his Red Bull team “currently on a pedestal. It just works for them”.
The racing team is “incredibly well organised. It starts with Helmut Marko and ends with the driver pairing Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. Everything fits, they harmonize incredibly well. You really have to compliment them”.
For the further course of the season, Stuck would like to have one or two rain races, “because the driver’s qualities are even more important”.
Mercedes was “recovered” after the crisis at the beginning of the year, he judged. “We can look forward to exciting battles between the six drivers from Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes in the second half of the season.”