'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The starting grid for the 2022 F1 British GP is now set with Carlos Sainz at the front. For the first time since Fernando Alonso in 2012, a Spaniard will start the race from pole position with championship leader and reigning champion Max Verstappen alongside him. The forecast is for a dry race but then again, it was expected to be dry for qualifying as well.
The weather, the track, the crowd, all of it can certainly make things all the more unpredictable. This is exactly what makes it almost impossible to make predictions on such a race. Regardless, we're up to the task and even ready to end up with eggs on our faces should these predictions go south. So, let's jump straight to it and make our predictions for the 2022 F1 British GP.
#1 Max Verstappen is going to win the 2022 F1 British GP
If there was one thing that looked too obvious in FP3 and during qualifying, it was Max Verstappen's inherent speed around this track. Since the very first lap on Saturday, the Dutch driver has regularly dealt in purple sectors.
He might have made a mistake on the last lap, allowing Carlos Sainz to take pole position. Over a race distance, however, whether it is wet or dry, Verstappen holds a distinct advantage over the rest of the field. So for the 2022 F1 British GP, we are backing him to take the lead and never look back.
#2 Lewis Hamilton will finish on the podium
Lewis Hamilton lives off the local crowd like no other driver on the grid and it is obvious in the way he has separated himself from George Russell this weekend. The seven-time world champion is feeding off the energy from the support he's getting from the crowd.
Not only that, the Mercedes gives the impression of a car that could fight at the front during tomorrow's main race. Now, does that mean Hamilton can challenge Max Verstappen? Probably not, because the Red Bull driver is in a league of his own on this track. A podium, however, is a possibility. Watch out for Hamilton making his way through the field from P5 during the 2022 F1 British GP.
#3 Weather could play a trick or two during the race
The weather forecast is of a dry race but at the moment it is anybody's guess. The qualifying session was supposed to be over before the rain came but that did not happen now, did it? The weather is quite volatile in Silverstone at the moment and it won't be a surprise if we see mixed weather turning everything upside down in the race.
The track at Silverstone has this characteristic where one part of the track could have rain while the other could be dry, which has led to peculiar gambles taken by drivers over the years. Even this time around, it won't be a surprise if we end up seeing something like that.
#4 A points finish for the two French drivers
Esteban Ocon will start the race in P15 while Pierre Gasly will do so in P11 just behind Nicholas Latifi. Sure, the Williams driver had the pace in the wet but one can expect a driver of Gasly's caliber to overtake Latifi in no time.
Now, talking about Ocon, after a poor showing in qualifying, the French driver still has one thing going for him in the 2022 F1 British GP weekend and it is his race IQ. Ocon's race IQ has been responsible for him making up for his poor grid slots in the last few races and even at Silverstone, we're backing the Alpine driver to make the most of his opportunities and score points for the team.
#5 Sebastian Vettel could be the dark horse for 2022 F1 British GP
Starting the race in P18 is not something that would excite Sebastian Vettel. By the looks of it, though, with weather expected to play a role in the race, plus a lack of preparation from the teams (due to the conditions over the weekend) and the possibility of Silverstone throwing a surprise or two, it could be a race where the old wise head of a 4-time world champion could be the difference-maker.
The Aston Martin is not a slow car right now. If there is a change in conditions or phases of the race where a driver would need to keep a cool head, Sebastian Vettel might be the one everyone will have an eye on. The German might be able to salvage something out of this weekend and it will be interesting to see how he can accomplish that at the 2022 F1 British GP.
