F1 Post Race Analysis: Italy 2022 — Ricciardo Splits Fortunes in the Field
This weekend’s Italian Grand Prix attracted high expectations thanks to a resurgent Ferrari and a mixed up grid. Yet despite all of this, the race lost its fizzle thanks to an ill-timed safety car that brought the cars to the chequered flag. It was a finish that left many race narratives unresolved but a closer look at the data can gives clues to infer what could have been. Let’s jump straight into it.
Ricciardo’s Influence Went Further Than The Safety Car
Chart 1: Race Story — Cumulative Delta Plot
As usual we start our exploration with a look at a cumulative delta plot as shown in Chart 1 that neatly summaries all the key features of the race. Amongst all the information in this chart, the key detail to hone in on is the race trace for Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian started the race in a solid P4 thanks to a better than average qualifying performance as well as the myriad of grid penalties for multiple drivers. Ricciardo also had a good start unlike his teammate, Lando Norris, who dropped down the field into P6. The 2021 Monza champion was holding his own…
