Welcome to Components 1 — the premier international racing sequence — because it embarks on its 73rd season. Final yr noticed 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s title-winning streak halted on the ultimate lap of the ultimate race of the season. Crimson Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen took the checkered flag in Abu Dhabi in extremely controversial style to say his first championship and marked the tip of Mercedes seven-year dominance.
2022 ushers in new technical rules and wage cap limitations geared toward making the racing extra aggressive. With groups arriving to the primary race of the season with utterly totally different preliminary designs, there may be ample alternative for a shakeup within the driver and crew standings. 4 previous World Champions and drivers from 14 totally different nations set the sector for what is predicted to be an exciting season.
How Many Groups Are There?
F1 is comprised of ten groups: Alfa Romeo, AlphaTauri, Alpine, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Haas, McLaren, Mercedes, Crimson Bull, and Williams. Every crew has two drivers, with all 20 drivers racing every weekend. Each crew additionally has reserve drivers on the observe within the occasion a major driver is unable to compete.
Key Drivers To Know
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 7-time Champion (tied for all-time first place), 103 wins (1st all-time) & 103 poles (1st all-time), completed second final season after profitable 4 straight titles.
- Max Verstappen (Crimson Bull) – 10 race wins final season resulted in his first F1 Championship.
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – One of many prime younger drivers who earned 4 podiums (prime three finishers) final season and McLaren’s greatest probability of returning to the highest since 2008 with Hamilton.
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – Had back-to-back wins in his first season with the Italian crew in 2019 and is seen because the legendary crew’s greatest probability to revive their glory.
- Fernando Alonso (Alpine) – 2-time Champion, 32 wins and 22 poles. Alonso might get off to a quick begin given his expertise and flexibility to the brand new design.
- George Russell (Mercedes) – After three seasons with Williams, Russell makes the transfer to a championship contender and may very well be the eventual successor to Lewis Hamilton.
How Does The Level System Work?
Drivers and groups accumulate factors from every race that add up over the course of the season to find out the Drivers & Constructors (Groups) Championships. The drivers who end 1st by tenth earn factors based mostly on their place – 1st (25), 2nd (18), third (15) …. tenth (1). An extra level (1) is awarded to the driving force who completes the quickest lap through the race, so long as they end within the prime ten. Group factors are accrued from each drivers’ finishes added collectively. Whichever driver and crew have probably the most factors on the finish of the season claims the respective championship trophy.
Rule Adjustments for 2022
This season ushers in a model new period for Components 1 with sweeping adjustments coming to most areas of the game:
- Race Director – Final yr’s director Michael Masi is out following his controversial selections within the 2021 title-deciding race. He can be changed by two people who will rotate the obligation every race and they are going to be assisted by a brand new video assessment system just like VAR in soccer.
- Technical Laws – The most important change for 2022 will see utterly redesigned vehicles with variation from all ten groups. The brand new rules are designed to encourage nearer racing and most passing alternatives.
- Tires – A rise to 18-inch tires is predicted to enhance grip and scale back degradation.
- Dash Races – Brief races will happen on the day earlier than (Saturday) three chosen Grand Prix occasions with factors being awarded to the highest eight finishers.
- Wage Cap – In an effort to promote extra parity among the many groups, new spending limits have been enacted. Groups are capped at $140 million in 2022 with that quantity falling every season.
How Does Qualifying Work?
Qualifying is damaged into three sections. Q1 options all 20 drivers and lasts 18 minutes, with the highest 15 quickest occasions advancing. Q2 repeats with format with the remaining drivers, lasting quarter-hour and solely the highest ten transferring ahead. Lastly, in Q3 the highest ten drivers have 12 minutes to set their quickest lap and beginning place within the race. Every driver’s ending place from the respective teams decides the working order for the Grand Prix.
The 2022 F1 Schedule
2022 would be the longest F1 season ever, that includes 22 races held across the globe. After working 21 circuits in 2018 & 2019, COVID restrictions have been lifted and fan-favorite tracks in Australia, Canada, Japan & Singapore are returning to the schedule. The season kicks off on March twentieth in Bahrain and can conclude on November twentieth in Abu Dhabi. 2022 additionally marks the debut of the model new Miami Grand Prix in Could, which is the second American race on the calendar — becoming a member of the October United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
TV Protection
In the USA, ESPN holds tv rights for Components 1, primarily rebroadcasting Sky Sports activities (UK)’s protection. Every observe, qualifying session, and Grand Prix are featured on the ESPN household of networks. Followers with out cable can instantly buy full F1 protection by way of F1TV.
3 Massive Storylines To Monitor This Season
- New Designs – It’s all query marks heading into the primary race underneath new rules. Some groups will transfer up the working order based mostly on their designs whereas others might battle within the opening rounds. With Mercedes not but up to the mark throughout testing and 2021’s last-place crew Haas topping the time charts someday in Bahrain, something is feasible as everybody involves grips with the brand new vehicles.
- Hamilton v. Verstappen – How will these two race one another following the dramatic ending final season? With Crimson Bull trying just like the early favorites in Bahrain testing and Mercedes missing pace, how lengthy will it’s till the game’s prime two drivers are battling one another for this yr’s championship?
- Ferrari – The final time the 16-time champion Italians received the F1 Constructors’ Title was 2008 and the Drivers’ Championship the yr earlier than. After spectacular check runs in Barcelona and Bahrain, might this be their return to glory with two standout younger skills in Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz?
Whether or not you’re a long-time supporter, current adopter, a fan of Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries, or model new to the sequence, it’s the proper time to leap aboard as Components 1 embarks on a model new period of automobile designs and competitors. The 2022 F1 season kicks off this week with the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, March 20 at 11 am ET.
