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The 2022 F1 season has gotten off to an incredible start with the much anticipated Bahrain Grand Prix and there are several things we have learned from this rather eventful race weekend. This was the first time in 2022 that all teams pushed their cars to the absolute limit, giving the paddock the first real glimpse of what to expect from the season.
#1 Ferrari are the 2022 F1 favorites
Ferrari have struggled in the past few seasons, to say the least. While they were very promising throughout the testing sessions in Barcelona and Bahrain, this weekend was set to put the team to the test. It is safe to say that the Prancing Horse is back in form with a glorious 1-2 finish in the 2022 F1 season opener. Charles Leclerc took a career-third race win and his first since the 2019 Italian Grand Prix, while team-mate Carlos Sainz matched his career-best, finishing second behind the Monegasque. Having had their worst season in the sport in 2020, Ferrari have certainly picked up and improved significantly in 2021, where they ended the year with a decent third-place finish in the constructors' standings. This year, however, it seems as though the team is definitely back in the battle for the championship battle.
#2 The Mercedes engine is nowhere near the top
There are currently four constructors on the grid who use the Mercedes engine: McLaren, Aston Martin, Williams, and Mercedes themselves. Similar to how the Silver Arrows have been very vocal regarding their struggles with the car this year, all three other Mercedes-powered cars also seem to be struggling more than the rest. Ironically, while Mercedes found themselves on the podium with a P3 finish for Lewis Hamilton, the three other teams took home no points from the 2022 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix. Visibly the slowest cars on the grid, McLaren, Aston Martin, and Williams surely have a long season ahead of them.
#3 Haas are certainly back in the game
Haas have struggled to score a single point in the past few seasons. Now, however, they find themselves standing in third place in the 2022 F1 constructors' standings after the season opener in Bahrain. Kevin Magnussen has returned to the team and it is safe to say that this was exactly what the team needed. With a phenomenal fifth-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Magnussen has restored the faith in Haas that it so desperately craved. If they continue at this rate and if Mick Schumacher can match up to his new team-mate's pace, Haas are expected to be a strong midfield contender this year.
#4 McLaren have a lot of work to do
McLaren got off to an unbelievable start to the 2021 season, with Lando Norris stealing the show with impressive consistency and pure talent. They were strong midfield contenders and missed out on a second consecutive third-place finish in the constructors' standings against Ferrari towards the end of the year. This season, however, certainly does not seem to be going in the right direction for the Woking-based team. While Lando Norris barely made it to Q2 on Saturday, Daniel Ricciardo was out in Q1 after an abysmal qualifying session for the team. Both drivers found themselves at the back of the pack at several points in the main race on Sunday and finished outside the points. There are still 22 races to go, however, so it will be interesting to see what the team can extract in the coming weekends.
#5 Charles Leclerc vs Max Verstappen seems to be the rivalry to look out for
While the 2022 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix came to a devastating end for both Red Bull drivers, Max Verstappen seemed to have the pace and the drive to put up a strong fight against Ferrari this season. There is certainly a lot of work for all teams to do in terms of refining their challengers and there is no doubt that Red Bull will be back in the championship fight soon enough. As of now, however, Mercedes does not appear to have the pace or the reliability to complete at the front, putting the seven-time world champion out of the title fight. Moreover, Charles Leclerc visibly had an upper hand over team-mate Carlos Sainz all weekend, making him Max Verstappen's main competitor in F1 2022, as things currently stand.
Also Check Out: F1 2022 Results
