2022 F1 Pre-Season Round Up (+ fun announcement)
I guess before I get into the nitty-gritty, I’ll share my fun announcement (well definitely fun for me, and hopefully fun for you):
I’m going to be writing posts after every F1 race this season!
After I wrote about the dramatic finale to the 2021 season, I realized I really enjoyed writing out my thoughts about the sport, and wanted to give covering a whole season a go! I’ll share more details at the end of the post, but I just wanted to throw this at the top to kick this post off!
This is a pretty long post, so I’ve added a Table of Contents for your convenience. Just click the section titles, and it will skip down to the section you’d like to read! :)
Get ready for more stressed husband pics!
This is my husband, Evan, very stressed during the Monza GP.
Pre-Season Testing
What do we make of it? Seriously… That’s not a rhetorical question.
I am a relatively new F1 fan. My family and I got into it during the 2020 season thanks to my brother-in-law. He’s a die-hard Hamilton fan, and has been following him and Mercedes for a while now. I am pretty proud to say that Drive to Survive was not what initially got me interested, but I am a sucker from dramatic reality TV and docuseries. The 2021 season was the first one I watched from start to finish, but this year I’m trying to pay attention to testing too! Full disclosure, I’ve not actually watched any live coverage of testing, so I’ve been relying on online commentary, as well as the released data.
The Barcelona test/not-test revealed some interesting results, but most of the really important stuff has come from the official pre-season testing at Bahrain. Across both weekends, Ferrari has been the most consistent, and have appeared race-ready since Day 1 at Barcelona. They’ve been able to complete long runs with high reliability, and are getting great pace out of the car, usually found towards the top of the time charts. The car seems more controlled and more smooth than other teams, and from what I’ve read/seen, they haven’t unveiled any dramatic upgrades unlike Red Bull and Mercedes. McLaren had a pretty decent few days in Barcelona, but Bahrain has been a challenge for the team. With Daniel Ricciardo out with COVID, Lando Norris has been the sole driver for the team. McLaren, who had the pace in Barcelona, has been struggling with their brakes at Bahrain, particularly keeping their brakes from overheating.
Let’s chat about Red Bull for a sec… They’ve been teasing about upgrades to the car since Day 1 of testing at Bahrain, and finally unveiled them on Day 3. Nothing as dramatic as the Mercedes reveal, but definitely some tweaks to the side pod (At least I think… I have to be honest, I zoomed in on a side by side comparison of the two cars and it took me a second to spot any differences. I felt like I had a “They’re the same picture” moment, à la The Office.) Nevertheless, Verstappen and Perez clocked several impressive times throughout testing, and Verstappen topped the charts on Day 3. It seems reliable enough, but Red Bull has been kind of quiet in terms of their car. Horner is all over the headlines from interviews to released quotes from DTS season 4, so people haven’t exactly been paying much attention to what they’re doing on the track. If I were to guess, Verstappen’s exceptional time served as a flex of Red Bull’s pace potential, almost like saying “we’re not a fluke”. I think so much of the talk has been on Ferrari and Mercedes, plus everyone is still a little distracted from the fall out of the dramatic 2021 finale (I promise I’ll stop bringing it up… eventually), so Red Bull wanted to send a message that they are still a top contender, and they shouldn’t be underestimated.
While we are talking about underestimating, let’s chat about Haas. The American team has had a rocky couple of weeks, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to the team cutting ties with their Russian driver, Nikita Mazepin, and their big sponsor, Uralkali, which is owned by Nikita’s father. The team that came in last place in 2021 with 0 points was quickly trying to fill the driver void, and went back to a former team member, Kevin Magnussen. They encountered more problems after their cars were delayed, causing them to miss out on the first morning session at Bahrain. Fortunately for them, they were granted extra time to make up for what they lost, and they absolutely did. Following the end of the afternoon session on Day 2, Kevin Magnussen shot up to the top of the time charts- taking full advantage of the cooler temperatures, and no other drivers on the track. Similarly, Mick Schumacher climbed to P2 during their extra time following the conclusion of the Day 3 afternoon session. If you aren’t aware, or maybe forgot, Haas did no development for their 2021 car last year. They basically repaired what was damaged or faulty, but no improvements were really sought out, as they wanted all of their innovation to go to the new 2022 cars. A lot of people (myself included) were wondering if that was going to pay off. It seems almost impossible for them not to at least put out a drivable car after spending a whole year reviewing the new rules and regulations for the cars, and developing their 2022 contender. Clearly, in perfect/ideal conditions, the Haas has some pace, and they aren’t going to accept another goose egg.
Alright, let’s do a little rapid fire:
Williams: Nicholas Latifi’s brakes caught fire on Day 2, but they were able to put together a decent Day 3
Aston Martin: A few minor issues for Vettel, but there’s definitely some pace in the car
Alpine: They’ve got some pace! Ocon topped the timesheet in the morning on Day 2, but they completed less laps than some of their rivals (albeit not directly linked to huge reliability issues)
Alpha Romeo: Reliability issues in Barcelona, but Bahrain was better (despite a few stops by Bottas)
Alpha Tauri: Dealing with porpoising (like most of the other teams), but they definitely showed off some impressive pace
Who am I forgetting…. Oh yeah, the 8x reigning Constructors’ Champions, Mercedes. I’ve already alluded to their *dramatic* reveal at the beginning of Bahrain Pre-Season Testing, but wow, did they capture everyone’s attention. Their slimed down car features what many are calling a no-side pods design, but that’s an oversimplification of the design. They basically flipped their air intake on the side pod from horizontal to vertical, and just tightly compacted everything behind that point. This very compact design puts improving aerodynamics as a top priority. From what I can tell, Mercedes is almost always the hardest team to tell where they stand after testing. With the exception of a few seasons where they truly dominated from testing, onwards, they usually keep their cards close to their chest (as any good poker player would). Now, I’m not going to simplify their strategy into just “sandbagging”. Since they have a pattern of “underperforming” in pre-season testing, I think there is some sort of reason behind that, such as a more rigorous testing protocol that prioritizes data gathering over displaying performance.
There are definitely issues with their configuration and design at Bahrain. Along with most of the teams, the Silver Arrows were experiencing porpoising. The two cars also seemed difficult to handle at times and seemingly lacked pace. On George’s best push lap, he could only manage P5, and Lewis was focused on long runs on the final day, so he was down towards the bottom of the charts. Now… I will not be counting them out for several reasons. One, I love Mercedes, and am very biased, so it would crush me if they underperformed this season. Two, you cannot deny their talent- you don’t win 8 World Championships (consecutively) by just dumb luck. Three, (maybe 2.5, because it’s related) they have proven they can improve their car after testing and throughout the season. Allow me to expand… In 2021, Red Bull had an absolute dynamite of a car. It was fast and fairly reliable, and was absolutely a strong challenger to Mercedes. Mercedes, from 2021 Pre-Season testing, onward, seemed on their heels, legitimately. It took them a while to get the package and upgrades right for 2021 to get exceptional pace out of the car. But to anyone who is counting out Mercedes, let me remind you of this: the winningest driver of ALL TIME is currently behind the wheel, and he is ready for 2022. After the heartbreaking result of the 2021 season, Hamilton was silent. Many speculated that he was considering retirement after the controversial ending. However, he’s not done yet, and he’s stated that he is more determined now than ever before. He wants that official 8th Drivers’ Championship. Even if it takes Mercedes a few races to nail the car setup, it is impossible to count them out.
2022 Predictions
So with the 2022 season right around the corner, how do we think each team will stack up? I’ll give my thoughts for each team going in reverse order of the 2021 Constructors’ Standings.
10) Haas- Honestly, the biggest wild card this year in my opinion. I don’t really think they will be competing for podiums this year, but it’s hard to deny that they’ve found some pace in their car. I think the big key will be translating those cooler weather results from testing to consistency this season. With Kevin Magnussen back, I think he’ll bring a level of experience that the team missed last year, especially alongside the young and talented, Mick Schumacher. Magnussen knows that Haas cars can compete in the midfield, and I think he’ll find a way to maximize whatever they’ve built for some points this year. If they can return to 8th or higher in the Constructors’ Standings, I believe they will set themselves up for a return to the midfield in 2023.
9) Alpha Romeo- I would argue that they have the most work to do. Valtteri Bottas is a proven race winner, and I’m sure he’s hungry to prove that he is a talented driver, with or without that Mercedes power. Unfortunately, he’s lining up with a F1 rookie in Guanyu Zhou. Having only finished 3rd in the 2021 F2 series, I think he has a lot to prove. Let’s just say, I’m not fully convinced about him yet. The team have improved reliability from their rough start in Barcelona, but I think the back of the field has stepped up their game with these new cars.
8) Williams- LAST NO MORE! Oh how I want Williams to continue to build off of their 2021 season. I’m a little concerned about their reliability, especially in light of Latifi’s brakes catching fire on Day 2 of testing. Despite my hope to see Williams contend in the midfield, I’m not so convinced we will see that in 2022. Alex Albon joins the team, on loan from Red Bull, and I have mixed feelings. I initially liked Albon when I first started watching F1, but I definitely think he’s got a lot of learning to do. I don’t know if Albon has the same ability to squeeze performance out of a car like George Russell could last season (although, I don’t know if anyone could except for maybe Carlos Sainz). The experience that Magnussen and Bottas bring to the other bottom teams, may give them a leg up, but many pundits are hypothesizing that the younger drivers will be able to adapt to these new cars better than the older drivers. I for one, believe that you can teach an old dog, new tricks, so I wouldn’t count them out. As far as how Williams will fare compared to the other two teams? Latifi needs to step up if they want to stay out of last place. This is now his 3rd season with the team, so it’s time to prove you belong. I don’t think Albon will be as dominant as Russell was compared to his teammate, but I think Albon is a talented driver, and will outperform the Canadian driver this year at Williams.
7) Aston Martin- The quietest team both last season and through testing. Sebastian Vettel outperformed his teammate, Lance Stroll, last season, and I honestly think we’ll see more of the same. Vettel is a veteran driver, and Stroll has made some big mistakes in races that have cost his team points. I don’t think they will be much higher than 2021, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see one of them steal a podium place this year.
6) Alpha Tauri- They’ve definitely got speed in that car. Pierre Gasly has become increasingly more consistent at Alpha Tauri. If the car is reliable enough, we could see him return to the podium in 2022. I think the biggest question mark is Yuki Tsunoda. He struggled last season (honestly, more than I initially realized- finishing P14 with only 32 points last season), but he was able to secure P4 in the chaos of the final race, and showed he wanted to learn. As with all of the teams I’ve discussed so far, you need two strong drivers to compete, and climb in the rankings. I think Yuki is very talented, so if he’s focused, Alpha Tauri should be in another good battle with Alpine.
5) Alpine- Esteban Ocon caught everyone’s attention after winning the Hungarian GP. Fernando Alonso also reasserted himself, after finishing P3 at Qatar. Two impressive finishes for the French team secured them 5th in the Constructors’ last year. They are another wild card for me. I think that Ocon and Alonso are fairly consistent, so if their car is reliable, I don’t see why they won’t hold on to 5th in 2022, especially considering they’ve already shown off some pace.
4) McLaren- Brake issues plagued their pre-season testing, but they’ve got speed. I don’t know if they have what they need this year to contend for the top 2 places, but they should still be in a battle for 3rd or 4th. McLaren needs Daniel Ricciardo too in order to be competitive this season. Lando Norris will likely out perform his teammate again, but Ricciardo isn’t done yet. Hoping for another double papaya podium in 2022!
3) Ferrari- Outside of Mercedes, I think they have the best driver line-up in 2022 (I think they had the best driver line-up in 2021). Carlos Sainz has incredible determination, and has continued to improve with every team he’s joined. This isn’t that wild of a prediction, but Ferrari will absolutely secure race wins this season. However, I think that Sainz will beat his teammate, Charles Leclerc, to P1 this season. I think they have the car to compete with the top two teams this year, but do they have the skill to beat out Red Bull or Mercedes (particularly Verstappen and Hamilton)?
2) Red Bull- I would love to skip over them, but I won’t. They’ve shown they have speed, and I think they are desperate to prove Max’s championship last season was merited. We’d all be dumb to count them out. Max is obviously talented, and has shown he’s willing to fight aggressively for his positions. Perez is great with tire management, and defending. In terms of upgrades and optimization throughout the season, I think that’s a strength of Mercedes and even Ferrari. Red Bull may come storming out of the gates, but I think they’ll be in a tight battle this year with Mercedes and Ferrari.
1) Mercedes- I’ve seen some HOT takes on Mercedes for 2022 in light of their testing performance. Many people have put them P3 or even P4 below McLaren. I don’t care how difficult that car is to drive, with Lewis Hamilton, they are never out of it. Besides, George Russell has proven he can maximize performance out of a mediocre car. It’s a marathon not a sprint, and last season proved that. Even if they are slow to find the right package, Hamilton will keep the fight close. I’m really excited to see Russell race against the two Red Bulls, and hopefully show us some amazing defending (something I wanted to see more of from Bottas in 2021).
I didn’t say anything revolutionary there, so let me leave you with a few *hot takes*:
I think Williams and Alpha Romeo will be battling for last place this season, putting Haas in P8. I could be wrong, but I’m on the Haas hype-train, and I won’t be stopped.
Alpha Tauri will get back on the podium. I can’t explain it, but I’m feeling a big leap from Yuki Tsunoda this year. Remember you heard it here first: Tsunoda podium in 2022.
Max Verstappen won’t defend his Drivers’ Championship this season, and that’s all I have to say on the matter.
I don’t think this is a hot take, but Norris and Sainz will get their first victories this season. It’s about time!
I also asked my husband (rocking the McLaren t-shirt I got for his birthday) for his predictions for the 2022 season, and here’s what he had to say*:
Field shake-up across the board
Experienced drivers will struggle to adapt (lol, the exact opposite of what I said earlier)
Third driver will be in the mix with Lewis and Max for the driver’s championship. One of the Ferrari drivers, maybe Carlos
Williams jump to the middle of the pack; Alex Albon back on the podium!
Mick Schumacher gets in the top 10 this year, and scores some points
If Perez doesn’t podium in AT LEAST half the races, he’s losing his seat at Red Bull. AND, Horner won’t call upon Albon or Gasly. He’s dangling the carrot, but neither will return to Red Bull; RB doesn’t believe in second chances.
*Full disclosure- he hasn’t kept up with as much pre-season chatter. So he’s going off of headlines and what I’ve told him.
Wrap Up
Okay, so that’ll do it for my pre-season thoughts! If you made it through the whole thing, thanks for reading! As I said at the beginning of the post, I plan to write something about each race this season. I’m aiming to have my thoughts (dare I say, analysis?) up by the Wednesday after the race, but I may get it out sooner if the timing works out. This will be a fun experiment and project for me, and I’m sure it’ll morph as I go.
A final note to anyone who’s read this far: F1 can be intimidating at times. I’m no car expert, but I am trying to learn more about the technical side of the sport, and what goes into the designs. In the past year, I’ve learned a lot about F1 strategy and rules, and I’m hoping I can serve as a fun and helpful resource for long-time fans and new ones alike. I hope to make myself accessible, so don’t hesitate to ask questions. You can visit my contact page, leave a comment here, or follow me on Twitter. No fan should feel excluded from sporting dialogue, so let’s all learn together. I’ll be back with my thoughts on the first race of the season this weekend!