Even without having reached the halfway point of the 2022 season, the teams suffer real headaches to reach the last race of the year without being penalized for changes in their respective power units, something practically impossible on a regular basis.
Overcoming the barrier of the first 10 races of the season has its consequences… and the mechanics of the ten teams that make up the current Formula 1 grid are aware of this.
Fernando Alonso is one of the specialists Regarding the replacement of elements in his power unit: after only one race behind him in 2022, that of the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 20, the two-time Spanish champion in the premier category of motorsport was forced to use a second propellant due to a problem in the sealing of the first.
To make matters worse, in the Spanish GP he started last, taking advantage of the fact that the qualifying session had not gone according to his expectations, with a 17th starting position that would have changed little with respect to his final starting position, but You are not the only one who has been through this situation..
mechanical epidemic
Charles Leclerc, Yuki Tsunoda… and now Valtteri Bottas They are the ones who, at this point in the season, have been forced to equip their respective cars with more elements related to their power unit than those allowed by the FIA.
The Finnish pilot Alfa Romeo He has completely changed his engine in Austria except for its batteries, while his teammate, Guanyu Zhou, has chosen to mount a new control unit on his C42.
In turn, at McLaren they have put a New combustion engine, turbo, MGU-H and MGU-K in Lando Norris’ carwho is on the verge of sanction having only reached 3 units in each of these sections… just like Carlos Sainz.
Will it affect the championship?
Seems matter of time that Max Verstappen follow in the footsteps of his closest rival, Leclerc, and follow the path of the Monegasque Ferrari driver in order to reach the last race of the season with guarantees that his Red Bull RB18 does not break in action with a corresponding ‘ zero ‘that would make him lose slack in the championship.
Both he and Sergio Pérez started the year 2022 with two dropouts due to dubious reliability that has improved with the passing of the grand prix, although Verstappen retired again in Australia for a reason. gasoline leak and Pérez suffered the same consequences for a faulty gearbox in Canada that caused him to lose points.