The Christmas break flew by, and attention was already focused on a new Formula 1 campaign that offers so much potential, with a revolutionary new generation of vehicles following a comprehensive revision of the technical regulations. That makes the bold forecast business even trickier than usual – but here it goes …
1. Four world champions are among the top six in the drivers’ standings
2021: a season like no other
We have seen it before and will see it again: when change is initiated, it is the experienced who adapt and blossom quickly.
Fresh from his first world title, the adaptable Max Verstappen is stronger than ever this year – and will repeat his fascinating duel with Lewis Hamilton, the most successful driver the sport has ever seen. They will occupy the first two places in the championship at the end of the season after another gigantic fight.
READ MORE: F1 team bosses choose their top 10 drivers for 2021
Behind it you see the double world champion Fernando Alonso, who is advancing after a solid comeback season. The Spaniard will get into the habit of scoring points with a barrage of podiums. That secures him a top six place in the drivers ‘standings and helps Alpine attack fourth place in the constructors’ standings.
And that may sound like a fantasy – but I think Sebastian Vettel will also be in the top 6. The German scored a podium in 2021 – which should have been two – and revels around Aston Martin. If he gets a car that is capable of contending for podiums, he’ll get the job done.
READ MORE: Aston Martin announces the departure of team boss Otmar Szafnauer
In a year where seasonal development will be critical, as updates will appear for the cars later in the year, skilled feedback and adaptability will be critical to getting the most out of them. That is why this world championship quartet will shine in 2022.
2. Each team achieves a podium
Notably, eight different teams finished on the podium in 2021 – only Alfa Romeo and Haas missed. I expect each of them to get involved this year.
Mercedes and Red Bull will be regulars again, but they’ll have to work harder for that. McLaren and Ferrari will continue their relentless attack back to the top, building their podium records from last season.
READ MORE: 10 things every Formula 1 fan should look forward to in 2022
Alpine, AlphaTauri and Aston Martin will close the gap to the front – and thus seize opportunities, while Williams hopes to repeat his Belgium GP miracle at least once in 2021.
Haas was fully focused on this year’s car before anyone else – and will be there occasionally, while Valtteri Bottas should also make Alfa Romeo one of his rivals due to his immense experience.
3. George Russell will fight for the title and finish in the top three
George Russell’s last day as a Williams driver
That might not sound so brave considering George Russell is joining a team that has won the Constructors’ Championship for the past EIGHT seasons – and when he drove for them in a one-off appearance in Bahrain in 2020, he almost – and should have I won.
But it’s one thing to impress without pressure to replace and quite another to do it consistently, especially if your teammate is Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes should have a strong car again – which of course nobody knows exactly this year due to the rule revision – and as Bottas has shown, it is not always easy to get the best out of the best car in the field.
READ MORE: Russell shares ‘weird feeling’ after first Mercedes test since signing for 2022
But Russell has shown enough so far in my opinion to point out that not only will he get started testing and keep the pace ahead of the third round of the season, but he will often be a thorn in the side of Hamilton, which will only serve both of them to drive.
It will be fascinating to watch the dynamics of this teammate this year – and how that affects their battle with Red Bull and the others. I can not. Wait.
4. Carlos Sainz wins his first Grand Prix
I think Carlos Sainz was the 2021 driver outside of the two championship contenders. Just ask Sebastian Vettel or Daniel Ricciardo how difficult it was to adapt after a team change – but Sainz didn’t have such problems.
The Spaniard exceeded expectations last year, finishing the campaign with 15 consecutive points (the longest active scoring streak) in one run with three podiums.
READ MORE: Sainz Says the Abu Dhabi podium was the ideal way to end a “magical” first season with Ferrari
He has proven that he is capable of getting the most out of a package, adapting quickly to a new car and providing feedback that will help shape the future development of the team. These are qualities that will do him well this year.
There were a couple of mistakes early in the year, perhaps the most significant of which came in Monaco when pole – and a first win – was possible due to sheer pace. But he had ironed out the panties by the middle of the season – and flew afterwards.
His trajectory leads him to his first win this year – and if the car can match that, it should be several.
5. Yuki Tsunoda will get more than one podium
Yuki Tsunoda’s rookie campaign didn’t deliver the results that Red Bull Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko demands of his young drivers – but there were enough insights towards the end of the season to suggest that the Japanese man was cornering and that It has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
He made it into Q3 in six of the last seven races, overtook his very impressive team-mate Pierre Gasly in the last race – who scored points for the first time in his career – and then topped it off with a good run in the career-best fourth place .
READ MORE: The rise of the Japanese racing sensation Yuki Tsunoda – as told by the man himself and the key figures of his career
That final result can define a career and I expect him to get a lot of confidence from this drive in Abu Dhabi.
If AlphaTauri delivers another formidable all-rounder of a car this year, Tsunoda will not only get a closer look at the top 10 on a Sunday afternoon, but also deliver the kind of epic drives its former bosses insist on – and this’ will be the first of many Bringing career podiums.
