Formula One: 2021 was epic, does 2022 have the storylines to keep up?
The Hindu
A main-event feud, the possible rise of a slumbering giant, garage rivalries and off-track intrigue: a look at what the upcoming F1 season promises to deliver
Almost 100 days after last year’s controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 2022 Formula One season will get underway at the Sakhir International Circuit in Bahrain on Sunday.
This year will feature new cars, new technical regulations and a few driver changes. But the big question is, can it come close to matching the excitement of last year’s championship, with the drivers’ title being decided on the last lap of the last race?
The Hindu explores some of the talking points ahead of a highly anticipated season.
Formula One couldn’t have asked for a better season last year. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and the young Max Verstappen were tied on points ahead of the finale.
Hamilton seemed to have the race in his pocket, but a questionable interpretation of the rules by the race director allowed Verstappen to overtake on the last lap and clinch his maiden drivers’ title. The feeling that Hamilton was robbed is prevalent among several fans and even some drivers.
This backstory sets up the 2022 season deliciously — it’s a chance to revisit what has become the sport’s most fascinating rivalry in years, an opportunity to watch the two best drivers on the grid go at it again.
Hamilton will want to right the wrong he believes was done to him. After the final race last year, the Briton maintained radio silence for a few months. There was speculation that he was disenchanted with the sport and could even quit it altogether. However, after ending his self-enforced exile and re-entering the limelight, he has already said that he is more motivated than ever to go and get that record eighth title, breaking his tie with Michael Schumacher.