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The grid for the 2022 F1 Austrian GP is in place, with Max Verstappen starting in pole position alongside Charles Leclerc on the front row. There is a very mild chance of a shower for the race but more or less, it will be a dry race! So far, we've had free practice sessions, qualifying, and the sprint as well.
So, what can we expect from the 2022 F1 Austrian GP, you ask? Well, that's what we're here for! We are your guide into the future as in this feature, we dust off that "F1 Analyst hat" and use our learnings from the weekend to give our predictions for Sunday's race. So, without further ado, let's get straight to it.
#1 Max Verstappen is going to dominate the 2022 F1 Austrian GP
From the very first lap that Max Verstappen has done this week, he's looked like a driver who is confident on the track. The timing screens have shown the same as Verstappen has always placed at the top of the timesheets. The Red Bull driver secured pole position on Friday after a great last-ditch effort. He secured max points during the sprint, a race where he went largely unchallenged.
The Dutchman will be untouchable in the 2022 F1 Austrian GP. Unless he encounters damage from someone or gets entangled with any other driver, it's hard to imagine Verstappen losing out. Hence our pick to win Sunday's race is Max Verstappen.
#2 A "P5-P6" for Mercedes in a straightforward race
The speed shown by Mercedes was slightly disappointing as it did somewhat kill all hopes of a 3-team battle for the win in the 2022 F1 Austrian GP. Mercedes looks much better compared to its state in Baku but has still not gained or lost the last extra tenths that would make it a challenge against Red Bull and Ferrari.
For the 2022 F1 Austrian GP, unless we see a DNF for Red Bull or Ferrari drivers or a crash, it would be more or less a P5-P6 for the Mercedes drivers.
#3 Fernando Alonso will score points
Esteban Ocon's speed in the sprint was somehow not as impressive as it appeared during the FP2 session. Some of it was down the Alpine running lighter in FP2 while the other half was Ocon's inability to get his tires up to temperature fast enough. Once the Alpine driver was able to do that, he pulled away from the Haas drivers.
Fernando Alonso has shown the capability to at least match if not better his teammate in every aspect this weekend. Even though the Spaniard will be starting the race at the back, Alpine's superior straight-line speed should come in handy for the Spaniard as he makes his way through the field.
#4 McLaren will have a strong race
McLaren was surprisingly strong with both the drivers during the sprint, further diminishing the fears we had after FP2 that the team would regret its lowly grid position. Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo will surely be in contention for points for the race.
How high could they get? It remains to be seen what kind of strategy the team utilizes and what kind of start both the drivers have. Overall though, the team should be targeting points this Austrian GP weekend to prevent Alpine from leapfrogging them.
#5 The Haas drivers might struggle to score points
One thing that was slightly alarming, although in line with what we saw in FP2 was the drop-off suffered by the Haas drivers at the end of their stints. The speed dropped off so much that it allowed Valtteri Bottas to close in on them and Esteban Ocon in the front to streak away.
In a 71-lap race, such a thing will be far more difficult to manage and we might see the familiar sight of the Haas drivers dropping out of strong positions due to excessive tire wear.
