Max Verstappen saw his luck smile when Charles Leclerc ended the day on the wall at Paul Ricard. The difference turned into a gigantic
The Formula 1 French GP offered Max Verstappen the chance to turn his already wide championship lead into a mammoth that would impress any Ice Age. The reigning champion won the race and saw his only real title challenger drop out while leading. Verstappen now has 233 points and an enviable 63-point lead.
Charles Leclerc was leading the race and could think fondly of making the gap drop to close to 30 points. Who knows, looking ahead to Hungary next week, even imagine winning again and going into the summer break with a race score separating the pair. But no. One mistake was enough for Leclerc to go from the lead straight into the wall and quit.
Even with Charles' misfortune, Sergio Pérez continues with the third place in the championship. The Mexican driver had a hard time throughout the weekend in Paul Ricard and ended up beaten by both Mercedes. He now has 163 championship points and is still seven behind Leclerc - 70 from Verstappen.
+ THE DRIVERS' AND CONSTRUCTORS' WORLD STANDINGS AFTER GP FRANCE
Carlos Sainz has 144 and is fourth, followed by George Russell, who has 143. Lewis Hamilton is last above the century mark, with 127. Lando Norris (70), Esteban Ocon (56), Valtteri Bottas (46), and Fernando Alonso (37) round out the top-10.
In the Constructors' World Championship, Red Bull also frayed the lead: it has 396 points against Ferrari's 314, a difference of 82 points. Mercedes has 270 points and comes in third. Alpine and McLaren, with 93 and 89 points respectively, heat up the fight for fourth place. Alfa Romeo (51), Haas (34), AlphaTauri (27), Aston Martin (19), and Williams (3) round out the list.
Formula 1 returns next weekend, July 29-31, at the Hungaroring, with the Hungarian Grand Prix, which closes the first part of the championship.