On the eve of the 2022 Formula One season, we’re going to ramp up the pre-season excitement one last time with a summary of what to look forward to after a gruelling winter break of anticipation and speculation.
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New cars
The new breed of cars were scheduled for release in 2021, but after the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction was delayed by a year. Massive aero changes have been created in order for cars to follow more closely, hopefully resulting in more non-DRS overtakes. While expectations for these cars have been high, during testing teams noticed an issue they weren’t expecting. Porpoising.
Porpoising is when the airflow directed over and under the car causes a unique, rather bizarre looking rocking. In extreme circumstances, the floor of the car actually hits the tarmac, causing a wealth of issues. This hasn’t been a problem since the ground effect cars of the late 1970s and early 1980s, but for teams like Mercedes, the phenomenon is very prominent on their cars. How much of an problem this will be is yet to be seen, but it adds a fascinating curveball to the season.
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A mix up of the order
It was expected that some different design philosophies might take place throughout testing, but certainly not to the extent that we saw. Ferrari’s ‘bird bath’ sidepods, the Red Bull’s severe intake and, most notably, Mercedes’ complete absence of side pods dominated the headlines. The overall effect of these is still yet to be seen and even after the first race, it is unlikely that the ultimate design will be clear. In an ideal world, the different designs will bring the cars closer together, but will there be a team that has seriously got it wrong?
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New drivers and team switches
The grid has taken numerous changes this year, even up to the last pre-season test with the departure of Nikita Mazepin from Haas. Driver moves are a regular feature of every season, but 2022 proves to be one with a bit more significance than normal.
Of the driver switches, George Russell’s long predicted move to the Mercedes team has finally taken place, with many wondering what impact the young Brit will have against the ‘elder statesman’ of the sport, Lewis Hamilton. After 3 long years at Williams, Russell will be vying to prove himself, especially after the breakthrough of Lando Norris last year, who finished 2nd to Russell in the 2018 F2 season.
As a result of this move, 10x race winner Valtteri Bottas has moved to Alfa Romeo alongside rookie Guanyu Zhou, meaning Alfa have a completely new line up for 2022. A bold move, but one that may prove profitable.
Alex Albon returns to F1 after an unceremonious dumping by Red Bull in 2020. He fills the shoes of Russell at a rejuvenated Williams, who last year scored their first points in 2 years and recorded their only podium result since 2017. Partnering Nicholas Latifi, both drivers will be keen to beat the other, whilst also attempting to help Williams move through the field.
After Russia started the conflict with Ukraine, sporting sanctions against Russia have meant that Ural Kali have been shown the door. This led to Nikita Mazepin being sacked by Haas and the last minute return of Kevin Magnussen. The Danish driver was a solid choice as he knows the American outfit well after 4 years of racing with the team. It also means that Mick Schumacher, now in his second year with the team will face stiffer competition and a chance to properly prove himself in Formula 1.
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New and Returning Tracks
The 2021 season was still heavily affected by COVID and some tracks were unable to return for the second consecutive year. Tracks which made their debut last year, such as Jeddah and Zaandvort return while the tracks at Australia, Singapore and Japan make a long-awaited return. But, to add more fun into the mix, 2022 will see the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, which has been impressively marketed by Liberty Media. Whether it will live up to the hype is unknown, but it is the newest attempt to sell F1 in the United States.
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Chances to settle the score
There are many fascinating rivalries to witness coming into the 2022 season. First and foremost, the duel between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen looks set to continue after both teams had a reasonably successful testing campaign. Granted, Mercedes and their drivers appear bullish, but this has been a repeated testing story since the Silver Arrows started to dominate the sport.
Hamilton will have a point to prove after the championship last year was snatched away from him on the last lap of the season in 2021, while Verstappen will be keen to continue his success. Thankfully, one of the contributing factors in the bitterness of the situation has been quelled, with Michael Masi no longer the race director.
Ferrari had a strong testing session, garnering a lot of attention up and down the paddock. They will be keen to get back to their race winning ways, but their most recent competitor – McLaren – will want to continue their historic fight. If they can match the Mercedes and Red Bulls, the title fight could be, to quote the great Murray Walker, absolutely sensational.
The midfield is also too close to call at this point, with the pecking order almost impossible to predict. Every driver will want a strong season, be it against their team-mate or the constructors around them. This could lead to all sorts of new rivalries and flashpoints up and down the grid.
Tomorrow, Formula 1 finally returns. This journalist is absolutely chomping at the bit to see what unfolds as the lights go out and every session will be reported here, at Overtakemotorsport.com
Featured Image Credit: @F1 Official Twitter
