Nakano: "Leclerc is good, but Verstappen is just a little better"

Former F1 driver Shinji Nakano seems to point out Max Verstappen as the favorite for the 2022 title. According to the Japanese, Verstappen is just a bit stronger than his rival Charles Leclerc.

Nakano who drove 33 Grands Prix with Prost and Minardi in 1997 and 1998, analyzes the past race in Miami and looks ahead to the Spanish Grand Prix. Although Leclerc is still at the front of the championship and the characteristics of the circuit in Spain are more favorable to Ferrari, the Japanese thinks Verstappen is ultimately the stronger of the two.

At AS-web.jp Nakano says about qualifying in Miami, "Verstappen made a mistake in his final attack in Q3. Therefore, it was difficult to see the relationship between Red Bull and Ferrari. I think that mistake was because of his bad Friday. Except for that mistake, I think Red Bull would have actually just been in pole position."

Nakano saw a fault with Verstappen, but is willing to forget it when comparing the Dutchman to his rival from Ferrari: "I feel that the control and determination Verstappen has is just a little bit better than Leclerc's. Of course Leclerc is good, but Verstappen is just a bit better in my opinion." The F1-75 of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz is good in the slow corners, therefore they are expected to have a good chance of winning. For Sainz, a win in front of his home crowd would be great. Fernando Alonso, as a Spaniard, did so most recently; in 2013, also with Ferrari.