This dominant win by Verstappen made Leclerc lose hope for 2022 title win

At the start of the Formula 1 season, Leclerc still seemed to be the favourite, but a strong recovery by Red Bull Racing and a series of missteps by his own team gave Max Verstappen the upper hand a few races later. While Red Bull continuously improved, Ferrari was plagued by reliability problems, but the team also made some costly mistakes.

French GP not the turning point for Leclerc

Leclerc himself did not remain faultless either: at the French GP, he dropped out of the leading position due to a mistake of his own, after which Verstappen cruised to victory unchallenged. For many, including Verstappen, this was the moment when they became convinced that Ferrari's hopes were dashed. He himself, however, did not give up easily.

For Leclerc, the acceptance came later. "Many people believe that this moment is the French Grand Prix, but for me it was in Spa," he says in conversation with Motorsport.com. The Ferrari driver continued to believe even during the summer break that it was possible to stay in the race until the end of the season.

Verstappen's dominant win at Spa-Francorchamps, however, made Leclerc realise that it was going to be very difficult. During the Belgian GP weekend, the Monegasque saw a truly superior pace among his rivals for the first time this season, after which he was able to accept that it would most likely be out of the question for Ferrari this year.