The 2022 Components One season is over. Purple Bull took the championship, however all 10 groups had at the very least one good factor to shout about, in addition to moments that did not go to plan, throughout the season.
Right here we take a look at the most effective and worst of each group’s season, in championship order.
1. Purple Bull
What went proper: Just about every little thing. Max Verstappen was on one other degree this yr and regarded nearly as good as any dominant champion in F1’s latest historical past, profitable a report 15 of the group’s 17 victories. Verstappen’s capability to repeatedly increase the bar was spectacular and it’s exhausting to argue in opposition to him being the most effective driver in F1 proper now. With Verstappen on board the group’s future appears extremely brilliant. The group operated at a high degree too. Purple Bull out-developed and out-strategised its rivals all year long and regularly underlined the energy of the entire F1 operation — head of technique Hannah Schmitz was one of many heroes of the group’s marketing campaign. The world champions needed to cope with engine provider Honda formally withdrawing from F1, however later struck a deal to proceed utilizing top-of-the-line energy items in F1 till the top of 2025. Early reliability points threatened the group’s championship problem within the early weeks of the yr however as soon as the group was on high of these issues, it by no means regarded again.
What went fallacious: Optics and reputational harm. The group’s 2021 finances cap overspend forged a shadow over the achievement of profitable each F1 titles for the primary time since 2013. Purple Bull was hit with a $7 million tremendous and can lose 10 p.c of its aerodynamic testing allowance subsequent yr. Purple Bull was already resulting from have the bottom allocation of any group, having gained the championship, elevating the chance it might battle to maintain tempo with the event of Ferrari and Mercedes subsequent yr. Then there was Brazil, the place Verstappen refused a easy request to assist his dutiful teammate Sergio Perez in his bid to complete second within the drivers’ championship. It made Verstappen look petulant and disrespectful and, worst of all, made the group look powerless to regulate their celebrity driver. Purple Bull took the blame, however the harm was accomplished. Workforce concord is now an enormous question-mark and the entire saga could arrange an attention-grabbing state of affairs if Verstappen wants Perez’s assist in a tighter championship combat subsequent season.
2. Ferrari
What went proper: Returning to the entrance. Ferrari’s automotive was the cream of the crop in winter testing and began with two Charles Leclerc wins from three races early on. The group had clearly made good choices within the previous yr by way of automotive design, after two years woefully off the tempo following its non-public settlement with the FIA for operating an unlawful engine in 2019. Constructing a extra aggressive automotive than the all-conquering Mercedes outfit was a feather within the cap and it did handle to safe second within the championship. Though the season didn’t finish with the championship win many had hoped, Ferrari has set an excellent baseline for future seasons and isn’t as removed from competition as in earlier years.
What went fallacious: Technique, automotive reliability, driver errors — the checklist is lengthy. Not lengthy after these two early wins, Ferrari’s season imploded. The group made many baffling technique calls and its radio communications with drivers grew to become a supply of comedy on the finish of the season, with Leclerc particularly sounding fed up with issues at latest occasions. Workforce boss Mattia Binotto infamously declared there was no motive the group could not win the ultimate 10 races of the season, just for the group to not win any of them. Binotto’s job seems to be hanging by a thread now and it’s clear huge adjustments are wanted if Ferrari desires to be a champion any time quickly. The group can’t shoulder all of the blame, although. Leclerc and Carlos Sainz made their fair proportion of errors at huge moments which solely worsened the group’s woes by means of the yr.
3. Mercedes
What went proper: The group’s driver pairing and emergence of George Russell. Valtteri Bottas’ performances have been a weak level of the group in earlier years however with Russell on the helm alongside Lewis Hamilton, the group has two celebrity drivers. Mercedes fairly comfortably has the most effective driver lineup on the grid proper now. Russell lived as much as all expectations and beat Hamilton’s factors haul over a season — solely the third teammate to do this in 16 years. He scored a memorable first win in Brazil, the group’s solely victory. Hamilton began slowly however was again to his greatest by midseason and it’s clear the hearth is burning inside him as a lot as ever. If Mercedes can construct a title-worthy automotive and keep away from inside battle, will probably be a formidable pairing for any group to beat.
What went fallacious: The automotive. Mercedes’ championship problem appeared over earlier than the season had even began. The W13 featured a radical idea, totally different to every other automotive on the grid, and it instantly created issues for the group. The automotive was identified for the way it bounced at excessive speeds earlier within the yr — a phenomenon generally known as porpoising. It meant Mercedes began on the again foot, which was a fall from grace after eight seasons on the entrance of the pack. The group managed to unravel early issues and developed nicely over the yr, but it surely was by no means a reliable contender for the title. Toto Wolff has vowed to place the troublesome automotive within the reception of the group’s two factories subsequent season to remind staff how troublesome it’s to win in Components One.
4. Alpine
What went proper: Beating McLaren to fourth. Realistically, this was the most effective the French group might hope for this yr, with F1’s high three clearly a step forward of the remainder. Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso have been two of 2022’s in-form drivers and there have been solely three races Alpine failed to attain some extent at. With lots of questions concerning the long-term imaginative and prescient of the Renault manufacturing facility outfit, this consequence was an indication that, no matter is perhaps going fallacious behind the scenes, the group is at the very least on an excellent path by way of its automotive.
What went fallacious: Workforce administration and reliability. It was a nasty search for the French group to lose Alonso and Oscar Piastri to rival groups within the house of per week. The dealing with of mega-talented junior driver Piastri, for therefore lengthy thought-about the way forward for the group, was farcical, whereas Alonso was pleased to take a step down the grid to Aston Martin after Alpine dithered on his contract extension. It appears the in-fighting and mismanagement which has plagued the Renault operation because it returned to F1 in 2016 has not gone away. Though it completed fourth, Alonso recurrently referred to as out the group’s spotty reliability report and it might want to get on high of this if it desires to proceed an upward trajectory with out the Spaniard on the helm.
5. McLaren
What went proper: Lando Norris. McLaren prolonged Norris’ F1 contract till 2025 firstly of the season. It is going to be cash nicely spent. By ending ‘better of the remainder’, a time period Norris mentioned he doesn’t really like, the British driver was one of many yr’s standout performers and the one driver outdoors of the highest three groups to attain a podium, which he did at Imola. Norris is among the greatest long-term prospects in F1 proper now. He didn’t win a race however, in contrast to his missed alternative in Sochi final yr, McLaren was by no means within the combine for victory. When Norris will get a aggressive automotive there may be little doubt he will likely be a contender for victories and championships in future.
What went fallacious: Daniel Ricciardo and a automotive stranded within the midfield. Whereas Norris excelled in a single automotive, Ricciardo floundered within the different, scoring a staggering 82 fewer factors than his teammate. CEO Zak Brown lower the Australian’s deal brief one yr early, a choice comprehensible within the context of Ricciardo’s outcomes since becoming a member of McLaren in 2021. Ricciardo wasn’t the one concern. McLaren got here into the season hoping to make the highest three a pack of 4 groups, but it surely appeared additional away from the entrance this yr and by no means got here near difficult for a win. There was progress beneath Brown however this well-known F1 group is perhaps caught within the midfield for a short time but. The longer that wait goes on, the tougher will probably be to persuade Norris to remain.
6. Alfa Romeo
What went proper: Audi, Valtteri Bottas and ending sixth. Bottas was an excellent signing by the Swiss group and the Finn was on the heart of the Hinwil operation’s greatest championship consequence since ending sixth as Sauber in 2012. Bottas scored 49 of the groups 55 factors, displaying how invaluable that type of expertise may be to a midfield group with a aggressive automotive. Rookie driver Zhou Guanyu is unpolished however could have the expertise to remain in F1 for some time if he can present progress subsequent yr. On high of every little thing else, Alfa Romeo secured an enormous partnership with German manufacturing giants Audi for 2026, which will likely be an enormous increase for the way forward for a group that has gained only one race in its 26 years on the F1 grid. Good occasions await.
What went fallacious: Reliability. Regardless of the robust consequence, Alfa had one of many worst reliability information on the grid. Throughout the European rounds Alfa’s vehicles appeared to hit a problem each weekend and that certainly left an enormous haul of factors on the desk throughout the season. Over the ultimate 12 races the group added simply 4 factors to its tally and ended up tied on 55 with Aston Martin. Bottas’ fifth-place end at Imola — which neither Aston driver might match — gained a tiebreaker, but it surely exhibits you ways pricey these points might need been. The 2 vehicles’ begins have been additionally horrible all yr, one thing the drivers put right down to clutch points.
7. Aston Martin
What went proper: Convincing Alonso to affix the mission. Alonso is precisely the type of driver Aston Martin wants to attain Lawrence Stroll’s lofty ambitions of operating on the entrance of the grid in just a few years. Stroll has proven he’s keen to spend huge to attain his objectives and this was a sign of how severe he’s. Alonso, who joins on a three-year deal, has no points publicly calling out a group for poor performances or reliability and he is perhaps the driving power the group wants internally to maneuver up the order. He stays one in every of F1’s most proficient drivers and, so long as Aston Martin can handle his ego the proper method, Alonso will likely be an enormous increase to the group going ahead. It’s clear he’s as fired up as ever, which is all the time nearly as good factor.
What went fallacious: A scarcity of competitiveness. Aston Martin’s automotive remains to be a good distance from trying like one that may problem for something significant in F1. Stroll has invested closely in a brand new manufacturing facility reverse the Silverstone circuit however it’s only simply coming on-line and was accomplished too late to have an effect on the 2022 marketing campaign. Essentially the most worrying factor this yr will likely be how far behind the Alpine/McLaren battle Aston Martin discovered itself, with Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll usually preventing on the decrease finish of the order in qualifying and races. Aston Martin is a good distance away from proving it’s a group transferring in the proper path.
8. Haas
What went proper: The return of Kevin Magnussen and a brand new title sponsor. The group’s future appeared unsure when it lower ties with Uralkali firstly of the yr, but it surely bounced again beautifully. Ok-Magazine’s return was an amazing sporting comeback story and confirmed why the group is now going for the skilled Nico Hulkenberg over the error-prone Mick Schumacher — expertise is essential. Magnussen scored the majority of Haas’ factors firstly of the season and that proved very important in ending forward of AlphaTauri for eighth within the championship. Forward of the U.S. Grand Prix, Haas confirmed the arrival of MoneyGram as title sponsor, which group boss Guenther Steiner mentioned will permit the group to spend on the high finish of the fee cap. The group will hopefully be capable of flip its attentions to a return to the midfield pack in future years.
What went fallacious: Cash and Mick. Within the interval between Uralkali and MoneyGram, it was clear how strapped for money Haas was this yr. The group needed to delay a deliberate improve halfway by means of the yr and it slipped down the order as different groups developed their vehicles. Haas’ trigger was not helped by Schumacher’s costly crashes within the opening races, which left them anxious about operating out of spare elements at some races. Schumacher confirmed glimpses of kind after that however in the end not sufficient to maintain his job. Though MoneyGram is a lift, Haas misplaced floor to a number of midfield rivals within the spell and not using a title associate in an important yr on this new era of vehicles – the primary yr units the baseline for what’s to come back.
9. AlphaTauri
What went proper: Not lots. The group managed to snag the proficient Nyck de Vries as a alternative to the outgoing Pierre Gasly, which was an excellent little bit of enterprise. Nonetheless, that was arguably higher information for Gasly, as he lastly obtained a transfer again up the grid, and for Purple Bull as an entire, discovering an acceptable alternative for its driver programme. It says lots about AlphaTauri’s season that it’s troublesome to write down rather more right here. By way of its ending place, this was the group’s worst season in F1 for a very long time.
What went fallacious: Just about every little thing. Within the three years earlier than 2022, AlphaTauri completed sixth, seventh and sixth, so this season was a backwards step. Contemplating the very fact its guardian group dominated F1 in 2022, it was puzzling to see the Faenza squad as uncompetitive because it was. Reliability, particularly, was an enormous downside all through the season — Gasly climbing out of a burning automotive in follow for the opening race was an indication of issues to come back. The French driver has been the group’s celebrity since he dropped again down from Purple Bull in 2018 and his heroics is perhaps missed subsequent yr. The jury remains to be out on Yuki Tsunoda, who exhibits flashes of actual expertise once in a while however going into his third yr appears removed from the completed product Purple Bull and AlphaTauri need him to be.
10. Williams
What went proper: Alex Albon. No-one in F1 thought the Thai driver deserved to go away the game after 2020 and his return was a feel-good story — and, crucially for Williams, he confirmed why he belonged in F1 this yr. Albon was a sensible option to fill the void left by Russell’s departure to Mercedes. Albon is a mega expertise and for no matter motive issues simply did not work out for him at Purple Bull, however it’s clear how a lot he’s thriving outdoors the large strain of that atmosphere. He additionally appears an amazing match for a Williams group that’s famend for getting the most effective out of younger drivers. If the automotive makes steps ahead subsequent season, Albon is the type of driver who can get essentially the most out of it.
What went fallacious: Ending final, once more. After three straight years ending final, the group rose to eighth final season, spurred on by some magnificent Russell outcomes, however dropped to the underside of the order once more this yr. Williams routinely struggled to get out of Q1 and has an infinite quantity of labor to do whether it is to even transfer a spot or two up the order. Nicholas Latifi struggled once more and De Vries’ drive to ninth in Monza (as Albon’s stand-in) steered the group might need fared higher with extra expertise behind the wheel of its second automotive in latest seasons. Latifi is on the way in which out, however there are some issues within the paddock American driver Logan Sargeant has been promoted too early in his improvement. Time will inform.
