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    Charles sixth, Carlos out on the opening lap

    Imola 24 aprile 2022

    Temperature: air 13°; track 17°

    All the drivers out on track on Intermediate tyred.

    Start. Charles does not get a perfect start and is passed by Sergio Perez and Lando Norris. Daniel Ricciardo unfortunately clips Carlos Sainz who goes off and gets stuck in the gravel. His race is over and the Safety Car is out. Leclerc is fourth behind Max Verstappen, Perez and Norris.

    Lap 8. Leclerc passes Norris to go third.

    Lap 15. Charles catches Perez until he is under two seconds behind, as the track gradually dries out.

    Lap 18. Perez pits and Charles moves up to second. On the next lap, it’s Charles who comes out ahead of the Mexican but he is powerless to defend as his tyres are not yet up to the right operating temperature.

    Lap 41. The middle portion of the race is uneventful. Verstappen still leads Perez by 12 seconds and Leclerc by 14.

    Lap 50. Charles pits and takes on Softs, as does Perez on the following lap with the positions unchanged. Verstappen stops on lap 52, keeing the lead.

    Lap 54. Trying to stay in Perez’s slipstream, Charles spins at the Variante Alta and damages the front wing, so that he pits to change it, rejoining in ninth place.

    Lap 56. Leclerc passes Kevin Magnussen and pursues Sebastian Vettel, overtaking the German a few laps later to move up to seventh and then getting ahead of Tsunodo to finish sixth. Verstappen wins, followed home by Perez and Norris.