The 2022 season opener in Bahrain was a nail-biter! The first race of the season was full of surprises, as the reigning champion Max Verstappen couldn’t get ahead of the winner, Charles Leclerc. Instead, the Dutchman had to retire from the race while his rival Lewis Hamilton surprisingly ended up on the podium.

After the practice sessions and qualifying, Ferrari and Red Bull were the favorites to dominate the race. Meanwhile, Mercedes, who dominated this motorsport over the past eight years, were nowhere near these teams. Even Silver Arrow boss praised the reigning champion Verstappen for his brilliant performance during FP in Bahrain, by saying, “Red Bull are in a league of their own.”

But the tables turned for the Austrian constructor in the main race. The Ferrari duo didn’t allow the Red Bulls to overtake them. Later, it felt like Leclerc will win while Verstappen would to settle with a P2. However, the 2021 world champion had to retire from the race because of the suspected issue with his car’s fuel pump. This allowed Carlos Sainz to take the second place while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was P3. Thing took a turn for the worse for Red Bull as Checo’s car spun due to an engine glitch. Eventually, the Ferrari duo finished 1-2 and Lewis Hamilton, who was behind Checo, finished third.

Max Verstappen is no more in ‘a class of his own’

After the FP at the starting of the weekend in Bahrain, the Mercedes team principal praised Max Verstappen and Red Bull for their performance. However, Toto’s praise couldn’t stick with Max for long.

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Even former F1 driver Christijan Albers also had similar thoughts like Toto about Max Verstappen. But after the Dutchman‘s failure in the Bahrain, it seems the Ferrari duo, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, are the new favourites. Also, they are the ones who are most suited for the “class of their own” title.

Albers shared, “After the race I was actually a bit depressed. I expected Verstappen to win the race. He really is a pure racer and a talent. You can always see that coming back to the surface. Those two Ferraris, especially Leclerc, were in a class of their own.”

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Max Verstappen is currently back in the Red Bull base at Milton Keynes, where he is working alongside his team for the second race. Let’s see whether Max Verstappen could make a comeback in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and defeat the Ferrari duo.