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The Canadian GP has always been one of the races that throws a surprise or two in the way of F1 fans. With its fast-speed nature and narrow walls, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has produced some amazing races and has borne witness to some iconic moments.
The F1 circus reaches Canada in what is the 9th race of the season. The new regulations have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the teams, with porpoising/bouncing being a big debate. So has been the variable nature of the form guide.
By the time we reach Montréal, we will be looking at a few teams that are not entirely happy with the direction the season has taken for them. These teams will be eyeing the Canadian GP with a certain level of desperation to get back in the thick of things and get their season back on track. In this piece, we take a look at some of the teams looking for a strong result in the Canadian GP.
3 teams aiming for a strong 2022 F1 Canadian GP
#3 Haas
Haas made a huge splash at the start of the season and caught everyone by surprise. As the season progressed, something that has plagued the team throughout its stint in F1 is coming back to the surface slowly but steadily.
The team sacrificed the 2021 F1 season for the new regulations in 2022. As it turns out, that sacrifice could only take it so far. The car is intrinsically competitive but a serious dearth of resources has left the team struggling to make ends meet. The American outfit has far too many problems it needs to take care of right now, starting with an underconfident driver in Mick Schumacher to an inefficient operating team struggling to put together a strong weekend.
At the Canadian GP, Haas will arrive with a four-race pointless streak, eighth place in the constructors' standings, and level on points with a resurging Aston Martin. The team needs a strong weekend at the Canadian GP after its season that started with so much promise is turning into a bit of a dud right now.
#2 Mercedes
Mercedes has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in the last few days. The team has seen its drivers being very vocal about the bouncing effects that they have had to endure, and its subsequent side-effects. It does bring the spotlight to the team when one of its drivers is the GPDA president and the other is a seven-time world champion.
What Lewis Hamilton endured in Baku is well documented, and it was a horrible sight seeing his body so jacked up after doing a Grand Prix distance in that car. Team principal Toto Wolff has subsequently made it clear that some action needs to be taken while George Russell has been one of the more vocal voices on the grid.
Whichever way that decision-making has gone, one thing does not change: Mercedes gave Lewis Hamilton a potentially unsafe car to drive in Baku! While the media has not caught wind of it and run with it, this does not mean the team can get away with doing something similar in Montréal.
At the Canadian GP, the team will be wary of what ride height it opts to use for the two drivers. Another sore sight of only Mercedes drivers suffering from that severe porpoising issue is going to yield a significant backlash that is worth avoiding for now.
Additionally, the German squad will need to display a strong pace despite keeping the car safe because if it doesn't, the narrative will move to Mercedes advocating a change due to the lack of competitiveness from its car.
#1 Ferrari
4 poles in the last 4 races but zero wins. That's the tally for Charles Leclerc and Ferrari at the moment. The Italian squad is watching its season fall off a cliff at the moment, especially with the way Red Bull has taken charge at the front.
5 consecutive wins for Red Bull, out of which 3 could have easily been won by Ferrari (Baku was contentious but nevertheless), is not a good reading. Simultaneously, if the team wants to focus on the positives then one of the biggest is its qualifying prowess. The car is quick over one lap and has made significant improvements over race distance as well.
The Italian squad will be looking to put that to good use and get one over Red Bull at the Canadian GP.
