Additional pressure on Ferrari: 'Red Bull a serious force'

Ferrari will still be recovering from a tough race in Azerbaijan after recording a double DNF due to reliability issues. Red Bull Racing has been pulling ahead for race weekends and is starting to grab a decent lead in the world championship. Jolyon Palmer, therefore, expects the Italians to have a tough time, he tells Formula1.com.

This season is the first time in Charles Leclerc's career that he can take a serious shot at winning the world championship. In 2022 the Monegasque will be up against Max Verstappen who, as a simple world champion, knows better than anyone what it takes to be a winner.

Palmer, therefore, sees that the Dutchman is making a certain impression this season. "Verstappen as reigning champion this year looks to be driving more maturely as well. He’s happier to bide his time in the races rather than go for the win-or-bust approach he sometimes took last year," the former Formula One driver analysed.

On top of that, Ferrari is still a big brand in the motorsport class, but for years it has not managed to fight for the world title until the end of the season. In fact, Kimi Raikkonen was the last driver to take the top prize in 2007.

It only increases the pressure on Ferrari, Palmer also sees. "All in all, it’s making Red Bull a serious force in the championship and Ferrari I’m sure are feeling the pressure having not won a drivers’ championship since 2007, despite coming close many times since," he points to Sebastian Vettel.