Formula One starts the 2022 season with a cracker of a race

The burgeoning rivalry between Verstappen and Leclerc promises to be every bit as exciting as a year ago, writes Ben Burrows

Charles Leclerc (left) is leading a Ferrari resurgence (Reuters)

Formula One has picked up where it left off with a pulsating start to the 2022 season.

The 2021 campaign ended in high drama with Max Verstappen winning the driver’s crown in controversial circumstances from Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi back in December.

The Red Bull driver’s title defence began in inauspicious fashion with a retirement in Bahrain a week ago, with Charles Leclerc leading a Ferrari resurgence to take the season-opening win in the famous red car.

The two were once again locked together in Saudi Arabia this weekend, a race that very nearly didn’t go ahead at all after a missile attack in Jeddah on Saturday just miles from the circuit.

Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez took pole in qualifying before Leclerc seized the advantage and looked on course for a second victory in Sunday’s race.

But Verstappen had other ideas, charging back to the front and passing Leclerc with just four laps remaining, eventually taking the chequered flag just half a second ahead.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took the final spot on the podium with pole-sitter Perez fourth.

It was another weekend to forget for Lewis Hamilton with his Mercedes again struggling to keep up with the pace at the front.

The seven-time champion could only wring 10th place from his machine after a poor day in qualifying, while George Russell finished fifth.

It’s just the start the powers-that-be would’ve been looking for after such a dark end to last term.

Wheel-to-wheel thrills and spills are what brought a whole new generation to the sport, and that’s what they’ve been treated to in the opening weeks, with the burgeoning rivalry between Verstappen and Leclerc promising to be every bit as exciting as a year ago.

In a sport that doesn’t always help itself with off-circuit minutiae, the only hope is it continues on the same track.

Yours,

Ben Burrows

Sports editor