The 2022 F1 season is taking shape with all teams set and ready after last season’s final day drama in Abu Dhabi,a race that saw race director Michael Masi being dropped for the new season. However, top of the headlines include 2021 champion Max Verstappen signing a bumper five-year contract extension reportedly worth $55m a year, coming level with Hamilton’s pay at Mercedes in a contract that will see him at Red Bull at least until 2028.
All 10 teams have already unveiled their new cars for the new season, with the highly anticipated aerodynamic rule change that is aimed at creating closer competitive order and closer on-track racing. One of the most stunning cars is the Ferrari’s F1-75, whose sidepods attracted a lot of attention with a concave top surface featuring cooling louvres and a wide profile. The team will be banking on it’s pair of drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc to give fellow rivals Mercedes and Red Bull a run for their own money. Team principal Mattia Binotto biggest job this season will be to bring Ferrari back to the limelight, having been off the pace for the last couple of seasons and their last win tracing back to 2008.
The AMR22 from Aston Martin was a beauty of a reveal with a sidepod design as well as a relatively high riding nose and front wing arrangement. Team principal Mike Krack will be hoping that his drivers, veteran Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll will be up to the task this season with their new beast.
Despite Ferrari and Aston Martin launching one of the most sleek cars, eyes will be on Mercedes AMG team and Oracle Red Bull Racing as they continue with they new found rivalry from last season’s dramatic season finale. While Dutch Max Verstappen will be fighting to defend his title, Hamilton, his main competitor will be hunting to not only dethrone Max but also win and unprecedented 8th world title and become the most successful F1 driver of all time.
Lewis Hamilton will be racing alongside new teammate George Russell who is expected to play a very significant role in Hamilton’s charge for the title as well as Mercedes’s ambition to win a 9th consecutive constructors championship. On the other hand Max Verstappen will be banking on his teammate from last season Sergio Perez in his quest to defend his title.
Elsewhere, F1 team Haas has terminated Nikita Mazepin’s contract. “Haas F1 team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect the title partnerships with Uralkali and driver contract of Nikita Mazepin”, read part of the team statement. In relation to the termination, there will be no Russian grand prix this season with the contract terminated until further notice due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Alfa Romeo will be the only team this season with a new pair of drivers consisting of former Mercedes Driver Valtteri Bottas and this season’s only rookie Guanyu Zhou, who will be the first Chinese driver to race in F1. According to F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali the induction of Zhou into the F1 this season is fantastic for the sport and the millions of passionate Chinese fans that now have a home hero to cheer all year long.
Another close battle to watch this season will be the giants clash between Ferrari and McLarren, both who are eager to join the fray of frontrunners this season. Mercedes-powered McLaren’s duo Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo will be hoping to match the might of Ferrari having been the only pair to secure their team a one-two finish in 2021.
The season opening race is scheduled for the 20th of March at the Bahrain Circuit and the drive to survive season 4 edition coming a week earlier on the 11th of March.
In what promises to be an another entertaining season, will Red Bull’s Max Verstappen overcome Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton yet again or will the latter wield his power and reclaim the world title?.
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