After one of the best seasons ever, with Verstappen and Hamilton fighting on the limit from the first lap of the championship, in Sakhir, to the last, in Abu Dhabi, Formula 1 is reinventing itself with a new aerodynamic regulation that promises to reset and balance the grid and facilitate battles between single-seaters. Broadly speaking, the wings are simplified so that the cars do not generate dirty air that harms the one coming from behind, the ground effect is recovered to develop downforce with the air flows under the car, and the possibilities of the engineers are limited so that no one can develop an idea that decompensates equality between manufacturers. That is the goal, although this weekend at the Bahrain GP, ​​the real consequences of this technical revolution can be seen.
From the outset, the biggest rule change that F1 has known in modern times has led to Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari presenting three sensibly different single-seaters. The W13 narrows down the sides to the maximum, the RB18 incorporates aggressive but conventional hollows, and the F1-75 uses pronounced sidepods. McLaren or Aston Martin also project original and own ideas. No two cars are the same, although it is expected that the designs will get closer as the season progresses and the evolutions arrive. In the tests no superiority has been appreciated on the part of anyone, beyond the good tone of Red Bull, Ferrari or even Mercedes, although no constructor has shown his cards.
‘Mad Max’ defends his crown, Hamilton wants to recover what was his and aspire to an eighth that would tie him forever with Michael Schumacher. Mercedes is hurt after a rocky end to 2021 which has resulted, among other things, in the sacking of Michael Masi as FIA race director. And behind the two protagonists of last year are the applicants: Checo Pérez with the other Red Bull, George Russell with Lewis; Sainz and Leclerc at the wheel of a reborn Ferrari and perhaps Norris and Ricciardo, with the fast McLaren. But this new regulation must also allow Alonso’s Alpine, or Gasly’s Alpha Tauri, to ride closer to the front than they did in the past. In short, a new Formula 1 for which there are no references. The greatest show in the world returns.
In the hands of Ferrari and Alpine
Carlos Sainz’s aspirations in 2022 seem to go more hand in hand with the Ferrari F1-75, a car that, as it has stepped on the track, has begun to set fast laps. The Maranello factory has been working on this project and its new power unit for several years. They gave up a competitive 2020 and 2021 at the cost of directing all their resources towards the generation of single-seaters that is arriving now. It was the only way to bridge the huge distance that separated them from Mercedes or Red Bull. The objectives seem clear: to be ahead, fight for pole positions and podiums, win a race and become an alternative to the two giants, even if they do not aspire to win a World Championship yet. With six podium finishes to his name and 27 years old, everyone knows what the next step is for the Ferrari driver from Madrid.
As for Fernando Alonso, 40, the unknown is how he will have known how to take advantage of Alpine this very demanding winter. There have been major factory changes and new appointments that will not affect the performance of the A522, but stability is always a good adviser in F1. The blue car, which will be pink in the first two races by the sponsor BWT, can establish itself as a reference in the middle zone, aspire to be first ‘of the rest’ or sink into an ultra-competitive train that will include, among others, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo or Alpha Taurus. Between the first and the second, it goes from occasional podiums to eliminations in Q1. Although if the new Formula 1 requires more of the pilot and less of the machine, nobody doubts where the two-time Spanish champion will be.
A record calendar
Formula 1 has 23 races planned in 2022, if the pandemic does not prevent it, and the record for grand prix held in the same season will be broken as in 2021, then there were 22. Among the novelties, the Miami GP stands out in May, one of the great ambitions of Liberty Media when it acquired the commercial rights to the World Cup. The asterisk of the Russian GP remains, canceled due to the invasion of Ukraine, although everything indicates that it will be Qatar who will assume the vacancy in September. Among the returns, if the coronavirus does not cross again, are Melbourne, Montreal, Singapore or Suzuka, where it has not been run since 2019 for this reason. Abu Dhabi will put the finishing touch on in November.
technical revolution
The important change in technical rules was scheduled for 2021, but the pandemic invited plans to be delayed for a season so as not to compromise the balance sheets of the teams. All the pieces that significantly alter the level of performance have been limited in their designs, to prevent some teams from obtaining a great advantage over others. Front spoiler, bargeboards, rear, flat bottom… there are hardly any differences between manufacturers now. Opposite ideas are appreciated on the pontoons, where the FIA ​​gave some freedom, but no one is expected to find tenths that way. The F1 recover the ground effect to develop downforce without generating dirty air, and allow cars coming from behind to roll very close without losing performance. Although it also increases the minimum weight, which will reduce the agility of the cars. In addition, the size of the wheels is increased from 13 to 18 inches. On the track it will be checked if the regulation has fulfilled its objectives.
Who will win the 2022 World Cup?
Will Verstappen win the second? Will Hamilton get eighth? Will Ferrari cut the historical streak of both, which extends from 2009? AS specialists make their forecasts based on what was seen in pre-season training, although it will be a season full of changes and alternatives due to the constant introduction of improvements.