The balance of power in Formula 1 could change in the coming season – which would be bad news for the dominant teams Mercedes and Red Bull after an exciting 2021 season
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An FIA chief has warned F1’s big-hitters to expect more teams for race wins in an indication of what fans can expect from the sport in 2022.
A number of new technical rules are coming into effect this year that could have a major impact on the performance dynamics of the sport as we know it.
Mercedes and Red Bull, particularly Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, were a notch above in 2021 as they dominated the rest of the field in terms of performance.
The Silver Arrows in particular were almost untouchable in the hybrid era and have won the Constructors’ Championship every season since 2014.
However, changes to regulations related to tyres, wheels and aerodynamics give teams lower in the rankings a chance to innovate over the winter and potentially pose a greater threat next season.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen may not be the only ones fighting for the title in 2022
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Those who come up with an idea no one else has could theoretically gain a significant performance advantage and propel themselves up the pecking order.
That is exactly what the FIA’s technical director for singles, Nikolas Tombazis, is expecting and he has warned the big teams that they may not have everything to their liking in the coming year.
“It’s hard to expect it to be any more exciting than [2021] because that’s a very high reference point,” he said, as quoted by Autosport.
“But I think once there is a bit of convergence there will be more cars in the mix and I think that would be positive.
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“Looking at some old championships, I read recently that we once had 11 winners in a year and you could win a championship with a few wins.
“I’m not saying we’ll get to that point, but of course I think more variability would be good.
“Also to have people who are really closer for a longer period of time and not overheat the tires and still be able to fight for a longer period of time, that would be pretty exciting for me.”
The changes put even more pressure on teams like Mercedes and Red Bull to ensure they get their cars on point for the new season, or they could find themselves no longer dominating.
F1 cars will have a new look in the upcoming 2022 season
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Another concern for Mercedes is that they cannot be sure of pinning down two drivers for 2022 while Lewis Hamilton is still contemplating his future in the sport.
He is “disillusioned” with Formula 1 after missing out on the title last season through circumstances beyond his control and could leave if he is comfortable with the results of the FIA’s investigation into events at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is not satisfied.
His boss Toto Wolff has met with new World Motorsport Council chairman Muhammed bin Sulayem to discuss the matter – although what was said is being kept secret.
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