Formula 1 is back in Montreal after two years of absence against a backdrop of health crisis, and it is hardly if we will mention the last winner on the Gilles Villeneuve circuit, Lewis Hamilton.

Presentation of the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit in Montreal, where the Canadian Grand Prix will take place on June 19, 2022 AFP

In 2019, the Mercedes driver again outclassed the competition and offered his 7th victory in Quebec.

But in this 2022 season, the seven-time world champion is no longer able to win, on a regular basis, at the wheel of a Silver Arrow reduced to playing the third role behind Red Bull and Ferrari.

A third of the season, before the 9th race out of 22 on Sunday, the time has come for a first assessment and the master watchmaker is none other than the defending champion: Verstappen, 21 points ahead of his teammate Sergio Pérez and 34 in front of Leclerc.

The Dutch ruby ​​has everything to continue to shine.

On the one hand a confidence increased tenfold by his first world title.

On the other hand, a Red Bull born to win, and whose reliability problems at the start of the season (double retirement in Bahrain and retirement in Australia for Verstappen) seem forgotten.

Dutch driver Max Verstappen wins the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, driving his Red Bull, on June 12, 2022 on the Baku circuit HAMAD I MOHAMMED POOL / AFP / Archives

With loyal lieutenant Pérez ready to sacrifice his place for leader "Max", Red Bull has a duo at the top.

A first for the winged bull since 2011, then with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

So, to prevent the return of the Red Bull hegemony (2010-2013), Ferrari must put its demons in the closet.

After dominating the start of the season thanks to the victories of Charles Leclerc in Bahrain and Melbourne, Ferrari accumulates errors.

In Spain and last week in Baku, Leclerc retired with mechanical problems while leading.

In Monaco, it was a bad strategy that cost him the victory.

Monegasque Charles Leclerc prepares before taking part in the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, driving his Ferrari, on June 12, 2022 on the Baku circuit NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA AFP / Archives

FIA tackles porpoising

Still, Leclerc is in great shape.

If the Monegasque driver made a mistake in Italy in April, finishing 6th when a 3rd place was acquired, he has since been irreproachable and has just signed the last four pole positions.

The fastest on a lap is him.

It's up to Ferrari to give him a machine and tactics capable of lasting.

With already 80 units less than Red Bull in the constructors' classification, time is running out for Ferrari if the Scuderia wants to offer its tifosi a first title since 2008, or since 2007 among drivers.

On the lookout, Mercedes is 3rd at 38 points behind Ferrari.

Carried by its rookie George Russell (4th at 17 points from Leclerc), the German team will still have to manage its "porpoising" problems.

Unfortunate rebounds which are worth to Hamilton and his 37 candles back pain, as he complained about it on Sunday.

Briton Lewis Hamilton, before the start of a press conference on June 10, 2022 in Baku, two days before the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix OZAN KOSE AFP / Archives

Russell, Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) or even Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren)... Many drivers regret the lack of a solution to rebounds on the straights.

Briton George Russell, driving his Mercedes, during the 3rd free practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix, March 19, 2022 on the Sakhir Mazen circuit MAHDI AFP / Archives

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) heard their complaints and announced short-term measures on Thursday to "reduce" this aerodynamic phenomenon linked to the return of "ground effect" in F1.

In particular increased controls of the floors and the pontoons, a limitation of the "vertical oscillations" of the F1 chassis and a technical meeting with the teams.

This weekend, "porpoising" will not miraculously disappear on the river circuit of Île Notre-Dame.

And before the engineers correct the situation... without losing performance, water will have flowed under the bridges of the Saint-Lawrence.

© 2022 AFP