Max Verstappen has to DNFs in three races, thus it would be fair to say that this weekend's 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is a must-win race for the reigning Formula 1 World Champion.
While the Red Bull RB18 has great pace in the and of both Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez, but it's power units have been fragile and the Dutch ace has only 25 points on the board while his title rival - Charles Leclerc - tops the standings with 71 points.
No surprise, that heading to Imola, Verstappen has everything crossed and seeking a hassle-free three days in Italy: "Hopefully we’ll have a straightforward weekend and that we score some good points as a Team. For now, we’ll take it race by race and we’ll see where we end up."
Big points are on offer this weekend as the first Sprint Race format kicks in, with eight points on the table on Saturday for the winner and 25 points (maybe 26 if he bags fastest lap) which Verstappen would do well to haul in so that he can stay in touch with Leclerc and the resurgent Ferrari team.
Verstappen scored an important victory at last year's Grand Prix in Imola
Last year Verstappen was masterful during a drama-packed race at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo and Dino Ferrari, winning by 20 seconds on the day after starting third on the grid: "I’m looking forward to racing again this weekend in Imola.
"This is obviously the first sprint race of the year so it’s important to make the most of the first practice session, so we have a good understanding of where the set up needs to be for qualifying on Friday.
"The Team trackside and back at the factory in Milton Keynes are working incredibly hard," revealed Verstappen in the Red Bull preview of Round 4.
While the 24-year-old reigning F1 World Champion is outwardly making all the right noises, his biggest fan - Helmut Marko - warned that Red Bull will need to start winning to diffuse the timebomb ticking within Max.
The reality is that there can be no more DNFs this season, a tough ask considering the length of it and the fact that Ferrari seem to have a bullet-proof package in the F1-75 which suits Leclerc extremely well as he has shown with two steller victories and a smart second place behind Verstappen when the #1 car finished the race in Jeddah.
Latest News
Loading
