2022 Formula One World Championship
The 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship is a motor racing championship for Formula One cars which is the 73rd running of the Formula One World Championship.[a] It is recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the governing body of international motorsport, as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. The championship is contested over twenty-three Grands Prix, which are held around the world, and it is scheduled to end earlier than in other recent years to avoid overlapping with the FIFA World Cup.[1][2] Drivers and teams are competing for the titles of World Drivers' Champion and World Constructors' Champion respectively.
The 2022 championship saw the introduction of significant changes to the sport's technical regulations. These changes had been intended to be introduced in 2021, but were delayed until 2022 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull Racing, is the reigning Drivers' Champion, whilst Mercedes are the reigning Constructors' Champions.[4]
Entries
The following constructors and drivers are currently under contract to compete in the 2022 World Championship.[5] All teams will compete with tyres supplied by Pirelli.[6] Each team is required to enter at least two drivers, one for each of the two mandatory cars.
| Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Power unit | Race drivers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Driver name | Rounds | ||||
 Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen
|
Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C42[7] | Ferrari 066/7 | 24 77 |
 Guanyu Zhou Valtteri Bottas
|
1 1 |
 Scuderia AlphaTauri
|
AlphaTauri-RBPT | AT03[8] | Red Bull RBPTH001[8] | 10 22 |
 Pierre Gasly Yuki Tsunoda
|
1 1 |
| BWT Alpine F1 Team[9]
|
Alpine-Renault | A522[10] | Renault E-Tech RE22[11] | 14 31 |
 Fernando Alonso Esteban Ocon
|
1 1 |
 Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team[12]
|
Aston Martin Aramco-Mercedes | AMR22[13] | Mercedes-AMG F1 M13 | 27 5 18 |
 Nico Hülkenberg Sebastian Vettel Lance Stroll
|
1 TBA 1 |
| Scuderia Ferrari
|
Ferrari | F1-75[14] | Ferrari 066/7[14] | 16 55 |
 Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz Jr.
|
1 1 |
 Haas F1 Team
|
Haas-Ferrari | VF-22[15] | Ferrari 066/7[15] | 20 47 |
 Kevin Magnussen Mick Schumacher
|
1 1 |
| McLaren F1 Team
|
McLaren-Mercedes | MCL36[16] | Mercedes-AMG F1 M13[16] | 3 4 |
 Daniel Ricciardo Lando Norris
|
1 1 |
| Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
|
Mercedes | F1 W13[17] | Mercedes-AMG F1 M13 | 44 63 |
Lewis Hamilton George Russell
|
1 1 |
 Oracle Red Bull Racing[18]
|
Red Bull Racing-RBPT | RB18[19] | Red Bull RBPTH001[20][21] | 1 11 |
 Max Verstappen Sergio Pérez
|
1 1 |
| Williams Racing
|
Williams-Mercedes | FW44[22] | Mercedes-AMG F1 M13[23] | 6 23 |
Nicholas Latifi Alexander Albon
|
1 1 |
| Sources:[24][25] | ||||||
Team changes
Honda announced that they would not supply power units beyond 2021.[26] The company had provided power units to Scuderia AlphaTauri (previously called Scuderia Toro Rosso) since 2018 and to Red Bull Racing since 2019.[27] Red Bull Racing have since taken over Honda's engine programme and manage it in-house, under a new division called Red Bull Powertrains. The decision was made after lobbying the other nine teams to negotiate an engine development freeze until 2025. Red Bull Racing acknowledged that they would have left the championship if the engine development freeze had not been agreed to as they could not develop a brand new engine and both Red Bull Racing and Renault were unwilling to resume their former partnership.[20][28][b]
Driver changes
Prior to the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen announced his intention to retire at the end of the championship, ending his Formula One career after 19 seasons.[30] Räikkönen's seat at Alfa Romeo was filled by Valtteri Bottas, who left Mercedes at the end of 2021.[31] George Russell replaced Bottas,[32][33] vacating his seat at Williams which was filled by former Red Bull Racing driver Alexander Albon.[34]
Formula 2 driver Guanyu Zhou graduated to Formula One with Alfa Romeo, in place of Antonio Giovinazzi,[35] who left the team at the end of 2021.[36] Zhou became the first Chinese driver to compete in Formula One.[35]
Nikita Mazepin was originally due to compete for Haas for a second consecutive year. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Uralkali's title sponsorship cancellation, his contract was terminated.[37] He was replaced by Kevin Magnussen, who last competed in 2020 with the same team.[38]
Mid-season changes
Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel tested positive for coronavirus. He was replaced at Aston Martin by reserve driver Nico Hülkenberg, who last raced at the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, driving for former team Racing Point.[39]
Calendar
The 2022 calendar consists of twenty-three events, subject to the replacement of the cancelled Russian Grand Prix,[40] and permissive COVID-19 regulations set by local governments and the Formula One Group.[41][1]
Calendar expansion and changes
- The Australian, Canadian, Japanese and Singapore Grands Prix returned to the calendar after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[41]
- The Miami Grand Prix is due to make its debut, with the race expected to take place at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida.[43]
- The Portuguese, Styrian and Turkish Grands Prix were not included in the list of 2022 races. These Grands Prix were specifically added to the 2021 calendar in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure that as many races as possible could be held.[41]
- The Qatar Grand Prix, which made its debut in the 2021 championship at the Losail International Circuit, is not present on the 2022 calendar. The Grand Prix is planned to return in 2023 at a new purpose-built circuit, after a one-year hiatus during which the country would focus on hosting the FIFA World Cup.[41][44]
- The Chinese Grand Prix was under contract to feature on the 2022 calendar,[45] but was not included due to Chinese travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.[41][1][2] The Grand Prix is due to return in the 2023 championship.[46]
- The Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, which was scheduled to take place on 25 September as the 17th round of the championship, was initially suspended from the calendar in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine,[47] before being ultimately cancelled.[48] The Grand Prix is due to be replaced.[40]
Regulation changes
Race direction
Michael Masi, who had served as race director since the death of Charlie Whiting in 2019, was removed from the role of race director after an inquiry into the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. As part of a restructuring of race control, Masi was replaced by former DTM race director Niels Wittich and World Endurance Championship race director Eduardo Freitas. The pair will assume the role on an alternating basis. Herbie Blash, Whiting's former deputy, was appointed as permanent senior advisor to the race director.[49]
The FIA will also introduce a new virtual race control system, much like the video assistant referee in football, as well as a ban on team communications that lobby race officials. Radio between teams and FIA officials will also no longer be broadcast on television to protect race officials. Unlapping procedures are to be reassessed by the Formula One Sporting Advisory Committee and presented prior to the start of the season.[49][50]
Technical regulations
The 2022 World Championship is due to see an overhaul of the technical regulations.[51] These changes had been planned for introduction in 2021, with teams developing their cars throughout 2020. However, the introduction of the regulations was delayed until the 2022 championship in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Once the delay was announced, teams were banned from carrying out any development of their 2022 cars during the 2020 calendar year.[52] Prior to the season the FIA said it anticipated that the car performance deficit between the fastest and slowest teams on the grid would be cut by half when compared to 2021.[53]
Drivers were consulted on developing the new technical regulations,[54] which were deliberately written to be restrictive so as to prevent teams from developing radical designs that limited the ability of drivers to overtake.[55] The FIA created a specialist Working Group, or committee of engineers, tasked with identifying and closing loopholes in the regulations before their publication. The elimination of loopholes will, in theory, stop one team from having a dominant car, and in turn allow for closer competition throughout the field while improving the aesthetics of the cars. This philosophy was a major aim of the new regulations.[56] Red Bull car designer Adrian Newey noted that the regulation changes were the most significant in Formula One since the 1983 season.[57]
Aerodynamics and bodywork
The technical regulations will reintroduce the use of ground effects for the first time since venturi tunnels under cars were banned in 1983.[58][d] This will coincide with a simplification of the bodywork, making the underside of the car the primary source of aerodynamic grip. This aims to reduce the turbulent air in the wake of the cars to allow drivers to follow each other more closely whilst still maintaining a similar level of downforce compared to previous years. Further changes to the aerodynamics are aimed at limiting the teams' ability to control airflow around the front wheels and further reduce the cars' aerodynamic wake.[59] This includes the elimination of bargeboards, the complex aerodynamic devices that manipulate airflow around the body of the car.[60] The front wing and endplates will be simplified, reducing the number and complexity of aerodynamic elements. The front wing must also directly connect to the nosecone, unlike pre-2022 designs where the wing could be connected to the nose via supports to create a space under the monocoque, thereby encouraging airflow under the car by way of the wing's larger surface area and the nose's increased height. The rear wings will be wider and mounted higher than in previous years, with additional restrictions in place to limit the constructors' ability to use a car's exhaust gases to generate downforce. Figures released by the Working Group revealed that where a 2019-specification car following another car had just 55% of its normal levels of downforce available, a 2022-specification car following another car would have up to 86% of its normal levels of downforce.[61]
Teams will be further restricted in the number of aerodynamic upgrades they can introduce to the car, both over the course of a race weekend and over the course of the championship. These rules were introduced to further cut the costs of competing.[62][63] Following the decision to delay the 2021 regulations to 2022,[3] aerodynamic development of the cars was banned from 28 March 2020 to the end of 2020.[64][65]
In 2021 the championship introduced a sliding scale system to regulate aerodynamic testing. Under this system, the least successful teams in the previous year's World Constructors' Championship standings would be given additional time for aerodynamic testing. Conversely, the most successful teams would be given less time to complete testing.[66][67] The system was trialled in 2021 with the results used to create a more formal, structured and steeper model for the 2022 championship.[68]
Power units
Discussions over the 2022 engine regulations began in 2017 and were finalised in May 2018.[69][70] The proposed regulations involved removing the motor generator unit–heat (MGU-H) to simplify the technology used in the engine whilst raising the maximum rev limit by 3,000 rpm.[71] Further proposals dubbed "plug-and-play" would see engine suppliers bound by the regulations to make individual engine components universally compatible, allowing teams to source their components from multiple suppliers.[72] Manufacturers would also be subject to a similar regulation concerning commercially available materials as chassis constructors would be subject to from 2021.[clarification needed][citation needed] The proposals were designed to simplify the engine technology whilst making the sport more attractive to new entrants.[73] However, as no new power unit suppliers committed themselves to entering the sport in 2022, the existing suppliers proposed to retain the existing power unit formula in a bid to reduce overall development costs.[74]
The quota system of power unit components would continue in 2022, with teams given a limited number of individual components that can be used before incurring a penalty. The exhaust system would be added to the list of components, with teams allowed to use a maximum of six throughout the championship.[62]
Standardised components
Standardised components were introduced in 2022, with the technical regulations requiring standard components to be in place until 2024.[75] These standardised components include the gearbox and fuel system.[76][77] Some aerodynamic components—such as the tray that sits at the front of the car floor—will also be standardised so as to restrict teams' ability to develop the area and gain a competitive advantage.[61] Individual parts will now be classified as a way of clarifying the rules surrounding them:[61]
- "Listed parts" refers to the parts of the car that teams are required to design by themselves.
- "Standard parts" is the name given to the parts of the car that all teams must use, including wheel rims and equipment used in pit stops.
- "Transferable parts" are parts that a team can develop and sell on to another team, such as the gearbox and the clutch.
- "Prescribed parts" are parts that teams are required to develop according to a prescriptive set of regulations. Prescribed parts include wheel arches and wheel aerodynamics.
- "Open-source parts" may be developed collectively by teams and sold on to customers. Steering wheels and the DRS mechanism are listed as open-source parts.
The system of categorising parts was introduced to allow for design freedom as the overhaul to the aerodynamic regulations was highly prescriptive.[61]
Tyres
Wheel diameter will increase from 13 inches (33 cm) to 18 inches (46 cm). The 18-inch wheels were introduced into the Formula 2 Championship in 2020, to test changes in tyre behaviour.[78] It was originally proposed that the use of tyre warmers—electric blankets designed to keep the tyres at the optimal operating temperature when not in use—would be banned,[79] although this decision was later reversed after opposition from the tyre supplier Pirelli.[80] Tyre warmers will instead become a standardised piece of equipment, with all teams required to use the same product with a view to eventually phase them out altogether by 2024.[81] While Pirelli remain the official tyre partner and provider, BBS would partner and supply the rims to all Formula One teams from 2022 as part of a four-year deal.[82]
Sporting regulations
Sprint points system and events
Having been first trialled under the name "sprint qualifying" in 2021, the format returned also for this championship with the name changed to "sprint". The weekend format will be unchanged from 2021 and will be run at the Emilia Romagna, Austrian and São Paulo Grands Prix with points now awarded to the top eight finishers rather than the top three finishers as was the case in 2021. Unlike the previous season, the driver who sets the fastest time in qualifying will be credited as the official polesitter, with the winner of sprint continuing to have the right to start the Grand Prix from the first place grid spot.[83]
Points system for shortened races
Following the controversy surrounding the awarding of points at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, the criteria needed for points to be awarded for uncompleted events was altered. The requirement, pending approval[needs update] by the World Motor Sport Council, was changed so that:[84][85]
- No points will be awarded unless a minimum of two laps had been completed under green flag conditions.
- If more than two laps are completed, but less than 25% of the scheduled race distance, points will be awarded on a 6–4–3–2–1 basis to the top 5.
- If 25%–50% of the scheduled race distance is completed, points will be awarded on a 13–10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis to the top 9.
- If 50%–75% of the scheduled race distance is completed, points will be awarded on a 19–14–12–10–8–6–4–3–2–1 basis to the top 10.
- If more than 75% of the scheduled race distance is completed, full points will be awarded.
The previous criteria had been in place for over 40 years prior to the change, last being altered some time between the 1977 and 1980 seasons.[86]
Additionally, the fastest lap point will now only be awarded if more than 50% of the scheduled race distance is completed.[87]
Safety car procedure
In light of the controversy surrounding the safety car at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the procedures for the safety car restart have been changed. Rather than waiting until the lap after the last car has unlapped itself from the leader, the safety car will now be withdrawn one lap after the instruction that lapped cars may unlap themselves has been given.[88] Additionally, the wording of the regulations was altered and now state that "all" cars rather than "any" cars will be allowed to unlap themselves, if deemed safe by the race director.[89]
Starting tyre choice
The rule that had been in place since 2014, requiring drivers that advance to the third segment of qualifying to start the race on the tyres they used to set their fastest time in the second segment of qualifying, has been scrapped. All drivers will now have free choice of starting tyre for the Grand Prix on Sunday at all events.[90]
Season summary
Pre-season
Due to the change in technical regulations, Formula One decided to hold two winter tests at two different tracks to help teams gather more data on their new cars, with Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló hosting the first on 23–25 February and Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir hosting the second on 10–12 March.[91]
Opening rounds
Charles Leclerc took pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix. For the first time since the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix, both Haas drivers got through into Q2, with Kevin Magnussen qualifying 8th and Mick Schumacher 12th.[92] In the opening lap at turn 6, Esteban Ocon touched the rear of Schumacher's car, and was penalised five seconds for the accident. AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly caught fire and retired on lap 46. Leclerc won the Grand Prix ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr., making it a 1–2 finish for Ferrari. Magnussen finished 5th, while the Red Bull Racing's of Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez retired late in the race due to power unit issues.[93]
Results and standings
Grands Prix
| Round | Grand Prix | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Winning constructor | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bahrain Grand Prix
|
Charles Leclerc
|
Charles Leclerc
|
Charles Leclerc
|
Ferrari
|
Report |
| 2 |  Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 3 | Australian Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 4 | Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 5 | Miami Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 6 | Spanish Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 7 | Monaco Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 8 |  Azerbaijan Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 9 | Canadian Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 10 | British Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 11 | Austrian Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 12 | French Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 13 |  Hungarian Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 14 |  Belgian Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 15 | Dutch Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 16 | Italian Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 17 |  TBA
|
Report | ||||
| 18 |  Singapore Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 19 | Japanese Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 20 | United States Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 21 | Mexico City Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 22 |  São Paulo Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| 23 |  Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
|
Report | ||||
| Source:[40] | ||||||
Scoring system
Points are awarded to the top ten classified drivers, the driver who set the fastest lap during the Grand Prix, but only if one of the top ten, and the top eight of the Sprint.[83] In the case of a tie on points a countback system is used where the driver with the most first places is ranked higher. If the number of first places is identical then the number of second places is considered, and so on. If this procedure fails to produce a result, the FIA will nominate the winner according to such criteria as it thinks fit. The points are awarded for every race using the following system:[94]
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix | 25 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Sprint[e] | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
World Drivers' Championship standings
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Notes:
– Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified, as he completed more than 90% of the race distance.
World Constructors' Championship standings
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Notes:
- – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix, but was classified as he completed more than 90% of the race distance.
- Rows are not related to the drivers: within each team, individual Grand Prix standings are sorted purely based on the final classification in the race (not by total points scored in the event, which includes points awarded for fastest lap and sprint qualifying).
Notes
- ^ In the history of Formula One, regulations were first introduced during the 1946 Grand Prix season. These were adopted for every race in 1948, and were formally organised into a championship in 1950.
- ^ Under the technical regulations, the engine supplier providing the fewest teams with engines is obligated to provide engines to any team without a supplier. At the time of Honda's announcement of their withdrawal, both Mercedes and Ferrari were supplying more teams than Renault and were unwilling to supply Red Bull Racing with engines, leaving Renault as Red Bull Racing's only alternative.[29]
- ^ The Miami International Autodrome is subject to the FIA circuit homologation.[41][1]
- ^ Exploiting ground effects had previously been permitted until 1983 when the concept was banned, and flat undertrays required, over concerns about increased cornering speeds and radical car designs such as the Brabham BT46B "fan car".
- ^ Sprint will take place at the Emilia Romagna, Austrian and São Paulo Grands Prix.[83]
References
- ^ a b c d Baldwin, Alan; Sarkar, Pritha; Ferris, Ken (15 October 2021). "Chinese GP off F1 calendar for third year in a row". Reuters. London. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ^ a b c Benson, Andrew (15 October 2021). "Chinese Grand Prix: Shanghai race dropped from 2022 F1 calendar". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ^ a b c Herrero, Daniel (20 March 2020). "Formula 1's new regulations delayed until 2022". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- ^ "Brilliant Verstappen claims maiden title after victory in Abu Dhabi season finale following late Safety Car drama". Formula1. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ Smith, Luke (19 August 2020). "All 10 Formula 1 teams sign up for new Concorde Agreement". Autosport. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ Coch, Mat (26 November 2018). "Pirelli to remain F1 tyre supplier until 2023". speedcafe.com. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
- ^ "Alfa Romeo clear up confusion over name of 2022 car". RacingNews365. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Scuderia AlphaTauri AT03". Scuderia AlphaTauri. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ "BWT and Alpine F1 Team combine forces in strategic partnership aimed at sustainability drive". Alpinecars.com. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ Alpine F1 Team [@AlpineF1Team] (21 January 2022). "Attention: This