With the second pre-season test in Bahrain finally over, we asked some members of our Divebomb team to give us their predictions for the upcoming 2022 Formula One season. Read on to find out what our general manager, Tanishka Vashee, thinks will happen this year as the next part of our newest series! Also, be sure to check back over the next few days to hear from more of our team regarding their season predictions.
Written by Tanishka Vashee, edited by Harshi Vashee
A fair bit of warning, I watch this sport through Rosso Corsa tinted glasses. I’ve written an entire article about where Ferrari is headed this season, so you know where this is headed. With that out of the way, sit back, relax and read on!
Constructors Championship
There’s going to be a three-way battle between Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes. With the new regulations in place to make racing closer and how committed Ferrari had been to the 2022 car since the start of the 2021 season, I predict Ferrari coming out at the top. The iconic team has not won a championship since 2008 and this has got to be the season they end the drought.
I think we’re going to witness a close battle between Mercedes and Ferrari, the Silver arrows always have some interesting innovations to aid the car’s performance. At the same time, those could backfire pretty badly giving Ferrari an edge over them.
Driver’s Championship
An eternal optimist, my first instinct is to say that Charles Leclerc, Il Predestinato will bag his first championship and I’m sure he’s going to get very close to it. I sense stiff competition between Carlos Sainz and Leclerc, but during the course of the season I see Carlos taking up the position of being a team player and helping Ferrari secure big gains. The boys are definitely going to give Lewis Hamilton, who is looking to rewrite history, a tough time.
Most Improved Driver
Esteban Ocon has spent almost every offseason since 2014 in a state of uncertainty. That was until 2021 when Alpine gave him an extension till 2024, which is a positive. A proven race winner who scored points in 14 out of 22 races, I believe the only way to go for him is up! There is an obvious gap in performance between him and Fernando Alonso, (I think) this is the season Ocon will show us what he is truly capable of. I hope he has a good season with Frequent Top 5 finishes.
Shock Winner
If the Ferrari car’s performance is truly where it ought to be, I see Carlos Sainz bringing home his maiden win. The Spaniard presented quite a challenge to his teammate and had an incredible 2021 season, I see him building off the same momentum and securing a win when we least expect it. It’s good to see him not be an underdog anymore and actually be on everyone’s radar as an exceptional driver. With all the moves he’s had in his career, he seems to be most at home in Ferrari and I see him securing a win with them.
Shock Good performer
Yuki Tsunoda didn’t have the most brilliant 2021 season, in fact even he was surprised that he would be racing this season. With a teammate like Pierre Gasly as his performance benchmark, Yuki has a long way to go.
I think he’s going to surprise us at the season opener (Just like 2021!) and actually stay consistent. The regulation changes meant everyone having to refamiliarise themselves with the car. And I see this as a perfect opportunity for Tsunoda to draw good attention towards himself.
Flop of the year
Apart from Sebastian Vettel’s podium, nothing about Aston Martin really stood out to me. It’s a team that definitely did not live up to the hype, they also had quite a downgrade in the standings. In 2020, the team then known as Racing Point had secured a comfortable fourth place in the standings. However, they secured a lowly seventh place in 2021. Throughout the season I personally found their performance forgettable and dismal.
Talk of the silly season
Everybody’s favourite time of the year is when we remember whose contract is ending when. With most drivers having their contracts coming to an end in 2023 and beyond, I do not see this season getting very silly. I see Carlos Sainz getting a long extension with Ferrari. Formula One has never been predictable in terms of who ends up where - Sainz being the prime example of it. Alpine cannot afford to lose Fernando Alonso, and I can’t envision him moving elsewhere.
That rounds up my predictions for 2022, I really hope we get to see close, exciting and fair racing on track. A new era is upon us and I hope it brings us some moments that go down in history!
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