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'We expect Red Bull to possibly be a little bit stronger in the race'
- GPblog.com
Ferrari managed to capture pole position with Charles Leclerc, but as crazy as it sounds, Laurent Mekies' men might have hoped for more. Carlos Sainz hit the wall and didn't get further than a fourth time. The team from Maranello knows how dangerous the RB18s of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen are on Sunday. Ferrari is wary.
Saturday for Ferrari, Sunday for Red Bull?
It is already the sixth time that Ferrari manages to seize the first starting spot in 2022. To date, Ferrari has only managed to cross the line first twice with Leclerc. It shows once again that Red Bull Racing is incredibly dangerous in the race.
At Sky Sports , race director Mekies says:"We expect Red Bull to possibly be a little bit stronger in the race. It will probably be very close, as it has been in almost all conditions this year," said the 45-year-old Italian. The F1-75 is faster than Red Bull in the slower sections of the circuit this weekend, as has actually been the case all year. On the straights, however, caution is called for.
Details will make the difference
"We know that, in race trim, our closest rivals are quicker than in qualifying and maybe they have the edge over us when it comes to straight line speed," the top executive spoke words to the same effect in his employer's press release. "I think the smallest detail can make the difference in the race, with many factors coming into play. The first of these is tyre management and as we can expect very hot conditions, race pace will be key."
Ferrari suspects that tire management in particular will play a crucial role Sunday afternoon. In the longruns that took place in the second free practice, Red Bull seems to have a small advantage, but in Azerbaijan the timing of the safety cars will also have a big influence on the final result of the race.