Comment: Unlucky like Kimi Räikkösen – Ferrari is about to destroy Charles Leclerc’s championship dream

Kimi Raikkonen and McLaren-Mercedes. It was a fast combination in formula one at the beginning of the 2000s. In raw speed, Räikkönen was the best in the series at the time.

In 2003 and 2005, he drove for the real world championship. However, the reliability of the McLaren car became a problem. Or better put, the lack of it.

For example, in the 2005 season, Räikkönen dropped out of the top spot in Imola. In the same season, Nürnburing had tragic features when Räikkönen’s front suspension failed on the last lap and the Finn drove out. Even then from the top spot.

Without those two suspensions, Räikkönen would have been world champion in the 2005 season. Finnish formula fans have remembered Räikkönen’s great misfortune from his McLaren years.

Räikkönen’s McLaren years have unmistakably returned to mind this F1 season. Now the victim has been Ferrari Charles Leclerc.

Leclerc has been convincing during the first half of the season. The 24-year-old from Monaco has excelled especially in time trials, where he has driven to the pole no less than six times. The difference is huge compared to Verstappen, who is second in this statistic, and has two poles.

Leclerc’s dazzling one-lap speed is indicated by the fact that he is already tied for third place (15) in Ferrari’s all-time pole position statistics. Above are only legendary Michael Schumacher (58) and Niki Lauda (23).

Leclerc had challenges in the race before, but this season he has taken clear steps forward as a race driver. Leclerc, who previously had a bit of trouble with the tire angle, has gotten better at Pirelli’s tire compounds.

Also, the error sensitivity of previous years has almost completely disappeared. After the first three races, Leclerc led the World Championship with a difference of no less than 46 points.

Since then, a flurry of bad luck has intervened in the game. In the sixth race of the season in Barcelona, ​​Leclerc had taken a clear lead until the Ferrari’s engine blew out in the intense heat. In Baku, the motor again said the deal out of the top spot.

However, the Italian team’s own mistakes have been unforgivable. Leclerc, who led the race on a wet track in Monaco, was taken to the pits twice within a few laps. The other top drivers survived with one. The pole and victory changed to fourth place.

In the previous race at Silverstone, Ferrari’s tactical weakness and slow reaction were seen at their best. His team mate who left pole position in the race Carlos Sainz clearly faster and Leclerc, who passed him, was driving to a clear victory.

Alpine by Esteban Ocon after being interrupted, the safety car had to be taken to the main straight track. However, Ferrari didn’t take Leclerc into the pits, and at the start the Monaco driver was in an idle position with Sainz, Mercedes, who were driving on fresh soft tires Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull Sergio Perez against.

It was already surprising that the slower Sainz was blocking Leclerc’s way, while at the same time Hamilton was joining the fight for victory. You would have thought Ferrari was thinking about the World Cup fight.

Since the beginning of the season, Leclerc has lost no less than four victories due to various misfortunes. That’s too much for the world championship. The gap to Verstappen, who is at the top of the World Championship, is already 43 points.

However, tactical blunders do not come as a surprise in Ferrari’s case. They were characteristic of the Italian team during Kimi Räikkönen’s second Ferrari visit. However, the beginning of the season has shown that the team has a car that can give Red Bull a hard time.

Kimi Räikkönen is the team’s latest driver’s world champion from 2007. With Ferrari’s weak tactical skills, the Finn will still be there after this year.

The Austrian GP will be contested this weekend. The time trials are held on Friday at 18:00, the sprint race on Saturday at 19:00 and the race on Sunday at 16:00.