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The F1 2021 season featured Mercedes and Red Bull fighting for the championship. One of the key reasons why teams like the two have been able to challenge at the front has been their ability to be one step ahead of regulations at all times, coupled with their utilization of the vast resources at their disposal.
The change in regulations for the F1 2022 season provides a reset of sorts for the teams, and with a budget cap being put in place, there could be a scenario where teams that value and focus on efficiency can steal the march on the rest of the grid.
In this piece we look at three teams other than Mercedes and Red Bull that could be in F1 championship contention next year.
Teams that could be title contenders in F1 2022
#1 McLaren
The first name that comes to mind when speaking of dark horses and potential contenders for the F1 title is McLaren. The former F1 giant has been lacking of laurels, since 2008 when Lewis Hamilton won the drivers' championship.
In the last few years, however, the team, which boasts twelve drivers' championships in its stable, has been slowly climbing its way back to the front of the grid. After notching up a 1-2 win at Monza and a pole position this season at Sochi, the team seems to have momentum on its side.
With two talented drivers in its ranks, McLaren seems to have everything it needs to challenge for the title next season.
#2 Ferrari
"The F1 is Ferrari , Ferrari is the F1."
These words from former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone speak tons about the significance of the Italian team in the sport. Ferrari has had a rebound of sorts this season as it finished third in the standings.
Although the team was firmly entrenched in midfield, this was just the kind of progress it needed after the debacle it suffered in the F1 2020 season. With the resources, heritage, and passion that the team possesses, it should not be a surprise if the F1 championship had the Prancing Horse, as the team is informally known, as one of its contenders.
#3 Alpine
Alpine has in many ways shown this year that it has the operational capability to perform amongst the best in the grid. In Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon, it has drivers in its ranks that extract the maximum out of the car. Couple this with the team's investment in bringing together minds like executive director Marcin Budkowski and racing director Davide Brivio, and it could be safely said to be the dark horse of the F1 2022 season.
The only area where Alpine lacks is the car the two drivers have at their disposal. A team cannot have a car that is well entrenched in midfield and hope to challenge for the title. With the team switching focus to the F1 2022 season earlier than many of the other teams, it would be interesting to keep an eye on what they can do, especially with the illustrious Alonso driving one of those machines.
