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The 2022 F1 season has had its fair share of ups and downs that one tends to expect from every season. There have been some impressive highs and at the same time, there have been some lows as well. We've all set foot into the new regulations this season and these regulations were introduced into the sport with a certain set of expectations.
There was anticipation with the new set of regulations and there were quite a few things that the F1 fans were looking forward to this season. As it turns out, some of them have not materialized and the fans have been left disappointed. So what are some of the biggest disappointments of the season so far? Let's find out!
#1 The F1 Championship battle
Remember last year's championship? Every point was fought over as the title depended on it. The two teams were at the top of their games with next to nothing separating them both. Tempers flared, emotions went overboard and the teams and the drivers were at their most vulnerable at times.
In the end, the title was decided on the last lap of the season. While there was controversy on both sides, what could not be doubted at that moment was the fact that both the teams and the drivers had given everything to it.
Compare that to the 2022 F1 season and you have Ferrari making mistakes at every possible moment, albeit with a faster car. Two young drivers, the epitome of the next generation of talent, was what the battle this season was going to be. What we have in front of us, however, is one driver enjoying a 80-point lead over the other. After what we had last season, every fan is disappointed by the state of the F1 title fight.
#2 Mercedes
Remember Toto Wolff claiming at the end of the Drive to Survive season 3 that everyone had a target on their back? Those words are yet to come true as Mercedes is yet to win even a single race this season. The results from the German squad have been flattered by Ferrari's incompetence, for the lack of a better word, in putting together a race result. One thing, however, is evident: Mercedes has dropped the ball this season.
The team was wounded and hurt after what happened in Abu Dhabi last season and it has been unable to bounce back. Every fan was hoping for Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton Part 2 but sadly the German squad has been a bit of a disappointment this season.
#3 McLaren
Remember the pre-season chatter where McLaren was anointed by many F1 pundits as the dark horse for the 2022 F1 season? Well, that has not happened yet, has it? McLaren flirted with running at the front of the field last season. There was a win in Monza, a pole position in Sochi, and quite a few podiums as well.
The team had been making progress over the last few seasons and 2021 was the perfect launchpad for the team. As it turned out, the launch pad failed dramatically. McLaren is not even the leader of the midfield anymore. After dreaming of wins in the near future, McLaren finds itself P5 in the championship with a massive deficit to the front. A rather humbling experience for the team after multiple strong seasons.
#4 The FIA
Last season exposed the FIA in a lot of ways. The lack of decision-making, the continuous howlers by the race director (yes, Abu Dhabi was just the tip of the iceberg), and to make things worse, the rather suspicious way in which the organization handled the post-Abu Dhabi outrage.
This season was supposed to be different. This season there were supposed to be changes that would make things simpler and better. Are they better? Not really! The stewards have been brought into question far too many times this season. Having multiple race directors has not turned out to be a positive outcome. Most importantly, the outlook for the organization has only changed for the worse.
There have been continued rumblings of disputes between F1 and the FIA, and the overall reaction from the organization has been rather disappointing, to say the least.
#5 Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo had started to somewhat figure things out by the end of last season at McLaren. He was more or less able to compete with Lando Norris in some races and score some decent results as well. Having said that, the 2022 F1 season has been a baptism by fire for the Australian.
Watching an elite talent lose his way like this at McLaren and then get booted out, that's a new low for the Australian and culminates what has been a disappointing last 20 months of his career.
