Max Verstappen became the 2022 Formula 1 world champion at the Japanese Grand Prix last Sunday, but admitted he was sure that would be the case.since his Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc crashedof the French GP at the end of July.
There were many incidents, mistakes, decisions and poor performances that helped Leclerc go from 46 points ahead of Verstappen to 114 points behind with four races to go after just three races.
But was it Paul Ricard in June who cemented the end of the title fight in Verstappen's mind, when our writers gave up on F1 2022 being a proper championship competition?
THE SPAIN/MONACO/BAKU TRILOGY
marcus hughes
When: May 22-June 12, rounds 6-8
Point deficit after: 34
It started to feel really difficult at first, even when the car was super fast compared to the Red Bull.
That sequence of engine burnt out in Spain, Monaco and Azerbaijan, bad strategic decision, engine burnout just as Red Bull was starting to gain momentum made it look like Ferrari was too unstable to be a true title contender. He felt that way before the math confirmed it.
Once the trend was on Red Bull, it seemed almost impossible to reverse the trend. Because Red Bull-Verstappen are titans and Ferrari-Leclerc were comparatively sporadic.
It was around this time that we also started to hear that the problem with the Ferrari power unit had no short term fix. So yes. Too early.
BELGIUM
Ben Anderson
When: August 28, Round 14
Point deficit after: 98
Ferrari's 2022 title fight died a slow death. There was the reliability chaos of Spain and Azerbaijan, with its domino effect in Canada as well. There was the strategic incompetence of Monaco, Great Britain and Hungary. And Leclerc's big mistake in France, which made Verstappen himself start to feel confident that the championship would (eventually) be his.
But the point of no return for me came at Spa.
It was here that the new FIA guideline on ground stiffness and so-called "vertical oscillations" came into effect and all F1 cars found themselves further limited in ride height by the significant high-speed compression provided by Eau Rouge.
Carlos Sainz finished this race almost 27 seconds behind Verstappen despite starting on pole, while Verstappen won easily despite starting in 14th. It was reminiscent of Michael Schumacher's impressive victory in 1995 from 16th, only without the mixed conditions help to catch Verstappen's rivals. 🇧🇷
Leclerc started just one place behind Verstappen but finished fifth, almost 70 seconds behind. Even before Ferrari's late bid failed to snag the fastest lap point (which Leclerc missed by miles) and the associated pit lane penalty costing him an extra five seconds, it looked like Leclerc would be more than happy, a minute behind the leader. . Terra Red. Bull.
Ferrari later argued that this circuit was made for the RB18 and therefore could be seen as an outlier in the wider context of 2022, but even Maranello's leaders were shocked by the magnitude of the defeat. It meant a wider malaise and dissolution. The car, which has taken six of the first eight pole positions this season, was suddenly nowhere near Verstappen's league and also failing to properly care for its tyres.
After that, there was simply no turning back.
AZERBAIJAN
ed straw
When: June 12, Round 8
Point deficit after: 34
Championships are decided by an accumulation of moments over a period of a year or more. But you can choose those where the balance of power has irrevocably changed and Leclerc's engine failure in the eighth race of the season in Azerbaijan was that moment.
Before the race, he was eight points behind Verstappen. That gap widened to 34 points after Verstappen's victory, which is remarkable as, for the first time, the defending champions had a points lead that exceeds the number of points from a win. That's a significant buffer.
But the backlash was bigger than that, as it resulted in Leclerc suffering a starting penalty for the next race in Canada. There, Leclerc finished fifth, but his gap was 49 points, almost enough points for two wins.
From there, a comeback for Leclerc, now firmly locked in a battle for second with Sergio Perez, always looked unlikely.
HUNGARY
mate beer
When: July 31, round 13
Point deficit after: 80
I kept the faith for a long time. Even as the points deficit and defeats widened, I didn't give up on the theory that Ferrari still had the makings of a comeback.
My logic was that Leclerc was giving him a driver on Verstappen's level and that Ferrari was fast enough to win most of the races Ferrari had lost if the car was reliable or the strategy right. A massive Red Bull surrender looked unlikely, but Ferrari's pace meant the leading team couldn't get comfortable.
It wasn't even the magnitude of the turnaround at the Hungaroring - nor did Ferrari manage to take the podium - despite both starting in the top three - while Verstappen came from 10th to win - the last of my 'Ferrari still manages'.deal with extinct. open.
It was Ferrari's reaction, and how adamant it was, that their tactics were not the problem in this race, that Red Bull had simply been faster. This convinced me that Ferrari was simply not doing the right kind of self-analysis to address why it let 2022 slip away.
The irony is that, after the ensuing second break, the triple header suggested that Binotto was right about how slow the Ferrari car was now compared to the Red Bull. So maybe Ferrari never had the pace to win in Hungary, no matter what they did with tires and pit stops. This seems much more plausible today than it did then.
But that doesn't mean Hungary's strategy was a good one.
I WILL NEVER WIN
Sam Smith
Please don't take this to the surface, but I wasn't confident that Ferrari would win a title this season before the last red light went out in Bahrain in March.
Ultimately, the reasons for this were the fact that while the car might have been good enough to challenge for at least its first title in 14 years, Scuderia Ferrari as title winners simply wasn't.
That was clear even before the new rules for this season came into effect.
The signs were red, neon and bright in 2021 when, despite an admirable recovery from their 2020 bottom, Ferrari managed to self-sabotage results on several occasions, while also failing to keep their collective head around the low tire wear that followed. SF21 suffered all season.
2022 has brought a litany of errors and omissions; from the truly awful strategic calls at Silverstone to the tire disasters at the Hungaroring and Zandvoort. There were many others on both sides.
Where was the dollar to ruin this failing campaign? Nowhere, it seemed.
The change Ferrari needs is not F1 looting
keep reading
Its leader, Mattia Binotto, has mostly chosen to turn a blind eye or simply not understand the reality of what was wasted, at least in the way he has discussed Ferrari's defeats in public.
In my opinion, he became the Arsene Wenger of F1, choosing not to see, or simply ignoring, the disasters that everyone saw so clearly.
For me, this showed that rewarding loyalty (Binotto has been with the Scuderia since 1995) is initially commendable, but not always in the right way. In most other sports, Boss simply wouldn't have made it to the end of the season after a few performances by Scuderia Ferrari this season.
The troubling aspect of all this for millions of Ferrari fans is that in this new self-cultivated culture of squandering their most important asset, Leclerc, the team is completely comfortable and may already have squandered its best chance of becoming champions again.
FAQs
Can Mercedes still win 2022 F1? ›
...
Hamilton's F1 wins by season.
F1's chief technical officer Symonds emphasised the direction F1 was hoping to go size-wise, starting potentially in 2026. “One of the things we want to do is make the cars a little smaller because they've grown massively over the last few years,” he said.
When was Ferrari's last championship F1? ›Räikkönen's title in 2007 is the most recent for the team. The 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix marked Ferrari's 1000th Grand Prix in Formula One. Michael Schumacher is the team's most successful driver.
Is F1 2022 finished? ›As revealed by RacingNews365.com, the season will start in Bahrain on 20 March and end in Abu Dhabi on 20 November.
How long will Mercedes stay in F1? ›Lewis Hamilton is planning to sign a “multi-year” contract renewal with Mercedes to stay in F1 until at least 2025.
Is Mercedes the best F1 team ever? ›Both times, a certain Juan Manuel Fangio was crowned Formula 1 World Champion. If you take both eras together, Mercedes have competed 249 times in Formula 1 and won an incredible 124 races. That corresponds to a win rate of 49.8 percent - the best the sport has ever seen.
What will the 2026 F1 engines be? ›Maintaining the spectacle — the 2026 Power Unit will have similar performance to the current designs, utilizing high power, high revving V6 internal combustion engines and avoiding excessive performance differentiation to allow for improved raceability.
How heavy is a F1 TYRE? ›Excluding the wheel rims, the front and rear tyres weigh 9.5kg and 11.5kg respectively – about 1.5 times the weight of a bowling ball.
Which F1 car will be the fastest in 2022? ›...
Average fastest lap time of Red Bull car (gap to Ferrari)
Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton hold the record for the most World Drivers' Championships, both having won the title on seven occasions. Juan Manuel Fangio is third with five titles. Schumacher also holds the record for the most consecutive drivers' titles with five between the 2000 and the 2004 seasons.
Who is the most successful F1 team? ›
Ferrari hold the record for the most Grand Prix victories, having won 242 times. McLaren are second with 183 wins, and Mercedes are third with 125 wins.
Will there be an F1 2023? ›F1 will hold its biggest-ever calendar in 2023, with 23 races scheduled for next season, up from the 22 races held in 2022 – which was initially set to be 23 races before the Russian GP was cancelled. The Chinese GP has been cancelled for 2023 due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
Who replaced Force India? ›In October 2011, Indian company Sahara India Pariwar purchased 42.5% of the team's shares for $100 million. Mallya retained 42.5%, and the remaining 15% belonged to the Mol family. The team was renamed Sahara Force India as a result.
Who is the best driver in F1 2022? ›- Max Verstappen. Team: Red Bull. Championship position: 1st. ...
- Lando Norris. Team: McLaren. ...
- George Russell. Team: Mercedes. ...
- Lewis Hamilton. Team: Mercedes. ...
- Charles Leclerc. Team: Ferrari. ...
- Fernando Alonso. Team: Alpine. ...
- Sebastian Vettel. Team: Aston Martin. ...
- Esteban Ocon. Team: Alpine.
Formula 1 engines are designed to last for plenty of races but since racers are allowed three changes per year, teams have to devise their strategies accordingly. That means, since there are 23 races on the calendar, a single engine can be used for 7 to 8 races weekends.
How fast can an F1 car break? ›An F1 car can brake from 200 km/h (124 mph) to a complete stop in just 2.9 seconds, using only 65 metres (213 ft).
How long can a F1 Straight be? ›Straights can't be longer than 2km, for example, and tracks must be at least 3.5km long in total. The only exception is the Monaco Grand Prix, which falls just short at 3.337km. It's recommended that new circuits don't exceed 7km in length.
What is the least successful F1 team? ›- 4 / 12. List slides. 8: Zakspeed. ...
- 5 / 12. List slides. 7: AGS. ...
- 6 / 12. List slides. 6: Osella. ...
- 7 / 12. List slides. 5: Coloni. ...
- 8 / 12. List slides. 4: EuroBrun. ...
- 9 / 12. List slides. 3: Life. ...
- 10 / 12. List slides. 2: Mastercard Lola. List slides. ...
- 11 / 12. List slides. 1: Andrea Moda. List slides.
Ferrari (1950-present)
Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1947, Ferrari is the oldest active team in the FIA F1 world championships, having taken part in every championship since 1950.
The reasons for that ultimately came down to the fact that although the car may well have been good enough to at least challenge for a first title in 14 years, Scuderia Ferrari as a championship winning proposition simply wasn't. This was evident even before the new rules came in for this season.
Will Porsche join F1? ›
Porsche will not enter F1 with Red Bull in 2026, the German manufacturer has revealed.
What engine is replacing Honda in F1? ›Honda withdrew from Formula 1 at the end of 2021, having powered Red Bull's Max Verstappen to his maiden Formula 1 World Championship. Red Bull Powertrains – a new company set up by the Austrian outfit – then took over the Honda engine IP, but with help from the Japanese company under a support agreement.
What is the fastest tyre in F1? ›You can choose between four tyres - Soft, Medium, Hard and Wet. Soft tyres are the fastest but wear out quickly (you will need to pit stop earlier).
What happens to old F1 tyres? ›As part of Pirelli's 'green technology' programme for the betterment of the environment, the tyres are 'ecologically disposed', which basically means they are recycled. The tyres are crushed to fit more of them in fewer containers, and then shipped to a cement factory near Didcot, Oxfordshire after each Grand Prix.
Are F1 tires all rubber? ›Butyl rubber and halogenated butyl rubber make up the inner liner of a tyre [1]. The rubber mixture of a tyre in a standard passenger car is 55% synthetic and 45% natural rubber, while F1 tyres are composed of 10% natural rubber while the rest of the composition is synthetic.
Who is faster Red Bull or Ferrari? ›...
| Event | Performance balance |
|---|---|
| Miami | Red Bull edged it (again because of the Ferrari's graining front) |
| Spain | Ferrari comfortably faster |
Porsche's new 919 Hybrid Evo Le Mans Car is Faster than an F1 Car After retiring from the top tier of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) last year, Porsche have released their LMP1 car of any regulations and made it faster than an F1 car. Now, that's how to have 'one last hoorah'.
Is Ferrari faster than Mercedes F1? ›On the raw numbers from day two of Bahrain Formula 1 testing, the Ferrari is the fastest by a significant margin – in the low fuel running from Red Bull and in the race stint simulation from the Mercedes.
Is Schumacher in coma? ›...
F1 standings 2022.
| No. | Champion | No. of Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Cena | 16 |
| 3 | Triple H | 14 |
| Randy Orton | ||
| 5 | Hulk Hogan | 12 |
Who has the most fastest laps in F1? ›
Michael Schumacher holds the record for the highest total of fastest laps with 77. Lewis Hamilton is second with 61, while Kimi Räikkönen is third with 46.
What is the oldest F1 race? ›The 1950 British Grand Prix was the first Formula One World Championship Grand Prix.
Do F1 teams win money? ›Every team is paid approximately $36 million USD prize money for being in the championship, which comes from revenue sources such as TV rights and circuit sponsorship.
Who is the youngest F1 world champion? ›Sebastian Vettel, (born July 3, 1987, Heppenheim, West Germany [now in Germany]), German race-car driver who in 2010, at age 23, became the youngest person to win the Formula One (F1) world drivers' championship. He also captured the title in 2011–13.
Who is the coolest F1 driver? ›| Drivers | Victories |
|---|---|
| 1. Lewis Hamilton | 103 |
| 2. Michael Schumacher | 91 |
| 3. Sebastian Vettel | 53 |
| 4. Alain Prost | 51 |
...
Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher Formula 1 comparison.
| Michael Schumacher | Lewis Hamilton | |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix wins | 91 | 95 |
| Podiums | 165 | 155 |
| Pole positions | 68 | 98 |
| 1991 system points | 1,335 (4.4 per race) | 1,417 (5.3 per race) |
Max Verstappen's two championships have been rated better than Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher's seven each, according to Fernando Alonso. Verstappen won his first F1 championship by edging Hamilton at the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and has claimed the 2022 title amid Red Bull's F1 cost cap saga.
Will BMW ever join F1 again? ›BMW will not come back to F1 in 2026
"[We are] definitely not interested [in F1] at the moment [and] I think you also have to be very realistic. "We're happy with the big bouquet of projects we currently have in motorsport. "We are virtually already fully into electrification and the transformation to it.
...
Revealed: The cheapest and most expensive race weekends for F1 2022.
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|
| City | Jeddah |
| Circuit | Jeddah Corniche Circuit |
| Cheapest GrandStand ticket ($) | $297.00 |
| Cheapest GrandStand ticket (£) | £222.75 |
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of F1 said: “It is great news to hear that Audi will have a partnership with Sauber for their entry into Formula 1 in 2026. The combination of those two names is a very exciting prospect for our sport.
Why Porsche is not in F1? ›
The two parties were unable to agree terms around the extent of Porsche's integration into the Red Bull team. “The premise was always that a partnership would be based on an equal footing, which would include not only an engine partnership but also the team,” said Porsche's statement. “This could not be achieved.”
Is Force India good? ›Force India achieved a tremendous amount of success across its 10 and a half years in F1, achieving a pole position at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix, six podium finishes and also finishing fourth in the Constructors' Championships in both 2016 and 2017.
Which teams are leaving F1? ›In a rather short statement following the news that Audi will join F1 in 2026, Alfa Romeo has announced that it will leave the sport and cut ties with Sauber at the end of the 2023 season.
WHO IS NO 1 F1 driver? ›Max Verstappen is using number 1 in 2022 after winning his first world title in 2021.
Who has the best engine in F1 2022? ›Ferrari's engine gains for the 2022 Formula 1 season are the greatest it has managed in more than 25 years, according to team principal Mattia Binotto.
Who is the number 1 F1 driver right now? ›As reigning world champion, Max Verstappen has elected to stick with #1 for the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Will Mercedes dominate 2022? ›With just two races to go in Formula 1 2022, it now looks more than likely that Mercedes - the team that entered the season on an unprecedented run of title dominance - will finish the year without even a single race win. Not since 2012, pre-Lewis Hamilton's arrival, has that happened.
Will Mercedes be fast in 2022? ›George Russell believes that Mercedes will never possess the fastest car in 2022, despite its recent improvements. Mercedes started the 2022 Formula 1 season on the back foot following the introduction of new technical regulations.
What is happening to Mercedes in F1 2022? ›Mercedes' run of eight consecutive F1 titles will end this year, with the team admitting to a mistake in the initial design process of the W13. Mercedes can pinpoint "one moment" during the design phase of its 2022 Formula 1 car where they made a fundamental mistake – one they are still trying to overcome.
Will Mercedes be competitive in 2022? ›Nearing the end of the 2022 F1 season, with just 6 races to go, the consecutive 8 times F1 world championship winning team from Brackley is yet to win a race.
Is Ferrari better than Mercedes F1? ›
On those raw numbers the Ferrari is around 0.8s faster, as opposed to its 0.6s advantage in the single lap runs later in the day. Again, the gap is likely exaggerated by the Mercedes' power usage and fuel load, but still it suggests the Ferrari has the edge at the moment. Certainly, on track it appears a nicer drive.
What is the most advanced car 2022? ›- Advanced Car Tech for High-Tech Car Lovers in 2022. ...
- Advanced Car Safety Features - 2022 Acura MDX. ...
- Great Navigation System - 2021 Cadillac Escalade. ...
- Full Self-Driving and Autopilot - 2021 Tesla Model Y. ...
- An Interactive Infotainment System - 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
F1 Drivers' Championship 2022: Final standings and results as Charles Leclerc. C harles Leclerc beat Sergio Perez to second place in the 2022 F1 Drivers' Championship. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix podium reflected the final standings overall as Max Verstappen cruised to victory.
What is the fastest F1 car? ›The fastest speed measured in an F1 qualifying session in 2022 was 351.7km/h (218.5mph) by Kevin Magnussen in Mexico, while Valtteri Bottas currently holds the record for the highest speed in an F1 race, hitting 372.5km/h (231.4mph) in the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix.
Who has the fastest car in F1 2022? ›...
Average fastest lap time of Red Bull car (gap to Ferrari)
George Russell: Ferrari and Red Bull have 'inherently faster car' than Mercedes. George Russell bemoans his car's lack of performance during Friday's practice sessions at the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, saying that rivals Ferrari and Red Bull have an 'inherently faster car' than Mercedes.
Will Mercedes ever leave F1? ›The Mercedes road car division are set to focus on producing only electric cars from 2030 onwards. In line with this, the brand hope that F1 will continue with its decarbonisation efforts. Mercedes are set to remain in Formula 1 even if the sport does not align with their own aim to produce only electric cars by 2030.
Who will replace Hamilton at Mercedes? ›Mercedes could replace Lewis Hamilton with Esteban Ocon when the seven-time world champion decides to retire from Formula One with the team maintaining a connection to the Frenchman.
Will Mercedes bounce back F1? ›Mercedes will be de-throned in 2022, but boss Toto Wolff believes Red Bull already have the advantage for 2023. Toto Wolff believes Red Bull will still be Formula 1 title favourites in 2023, despite his Mercedes squad's efforts to catch up.
Why Mercedes is not winning F1? ›But the changes in the new cars hurt Mercedes the most. The W13 struggled to find pace in the earlier races compared to Ferrari and Red Bull who whizzed past them in the early stages of the season. The car was troubled by extreme bouncing in straights and high speeds which made it a challenge for the driver.
Who Has the Best car 2022? ›
Overall winner: Kia EV6
Choose any of our 2022 award winners and you'll be getting an absolutely fantastic car that's better than all of its direct rivals. However, the overall Car of the Year award is reserved for the model that has moved things on the farthest in the past 12 months. And this year, that's the Kia EV6.
- Maruti Swift. Starting at Rs 1 Lakh.
- Maruti Wagon R. Starting at Rs 1 Lakh.
- Hyundai Creta. Starting at Rs 10 Lakh.
- Mahindra XUV500. Starting at Rs 10 Lakh.
- Toyota Fortuner. Starting at Rs 10.25 Lakh.
- Honda City. Starting at Rs 5 Lakh.
- Hyundai Verna. Starting at Rs 5 Lakh.
- Mahindra XUV500. Starting at Rs 5.8 Lakh.