The top dogs: Red Bull and Mercedes
The final race of the 2021 season and the statements and actions of Red Bull and Mercedes team officials were the culmination of a hostility-strewn season. That should be the end of it. Team bosses Christian Horner (Red Bull) and Toto Wolff (Mercedes) have recently been demonstratively friendly. At the latest when Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen meet on the track for the first time, the truce could be over.
Red Bull, who are starting the season with a world champion car for the first time since 2014, and Mercedes will also set the tone in the new season. There is much to suggest that the cars are almost equally strong – and there is no question that it will be Verstappen and Hamilton who will lead the way.
At Mercedes there is a big unknown with George Russell: Hamilton’s new team-mate is considered highly talented, so he could be a support – although it is his first season in such a strong car. Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s teammate, has eleven years of Formula 1 experience. The last few days of testing went much better for Red Bull than for Mercedes.
The challengers: McLaren and Ferrari
McLaren in particular was able to break the dominance of Red Bull and Mercedes from time to time last season – the highlight was a double victory in Monza. Lando Norris has now replaced Daniel Ricciardo as the number one driver and is also considered one of the big challengers in 2022. After the test drives, Ricciardo found that visibility was significantly restricted by the larger 18-inch tires. Overall, however, McLaren confirmed the form from last year: an attack on the top teams seems possible, the tests were rather average.
Ferrari also wants to dare the attack. After years of sadness, there is a spirit of optimism. The traditional racing team has been waiting for a world championship title for 15 years. The driver pairing Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. is considered the strongest in the field. Both have what it takes to win races – and if the car confirms the impressions from the tests, the Italians can be up front. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner sees one of the biggest competitors in Ferrari: “They can keep up on the track.”
Norris and Leclerc are certainly the favorites within the team, but Ricciardo and Sainz Jr. are good for surprises.
The unknowns: Alpine and Aston Martin
Alpine (Renault until 2020) and Aston Martin (Racing Point until 2020) will start the season with unchanged driver pairings. In both cases, this means that an experienced pilot drives alongside a significantly younger pilot who nevertheless already has experience.
Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon were often able to surprise in the past season in Alpine, podium places seem possible again this year. But nothing more.
At Aston Martin, Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll would be happy if they regularly reached the third qualifying segment. After the departure of team boss Otma Szafnauer, the British team is reorganizing itself.