Lights Out and Away We Go: The 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix Recap

By Lydia Alaiadi

Formula 1 is back, and this year we are blessed with new cars, new drivers, new teammates, new rules and new circuits. The first Grand Prix of the 2022 season took place last weekend, and as all fans are getting ready with the confidence of reliving an exciting racing season, we have summarized the highlights of the past weekend along with our 2022 predictions.

The cars have had significant changes from the past seasons, which means that team rankings can break old habits of Mercedes being the constructors champion for the ninth time consecutively. At the same time, we can expect new rivalries between teammates. New team dynamics are most likely to challenge former champions or make some teams more competitive. New rules can make the races less controversial or more dramatic. What is certain is that the 2022 season will come with many surprises, action, and twenty-two Sundays that are bound to please fans everywhere.

The biggest surprise so far is the incredible win for Ferrari on Sunday. After two difficult years for the team, the Reds enjoyed the ultimate victory with a 1-2 podium. Their victory also included a pole position, the fastest lap of the race, and the award for Driver of the Day, which is voted by the fans. Does this mean that in the new era of the sport we are bound to experience the anguish of the last seconds of the final race of 2021 in Abu Dhabi with unprecedented action?

The 2021 season highlights that we want to relive in 2022: Mercedes V. Red Bull

Since 2014, the Mercedes team has been the constructor’s champion, winning the title with drivers Lewis Hamilton, who won the driver’s championship in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and Nico Rosberg, who won in 2016.

In 2021 after many years of dominance by both the Mercedes team and Lewis Hamilton, the Red Bull Team with drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, was able to challenge Mercedes. Even though it failed to win the constructor’s championship, Max Verstappen became the driver’s champion for the first time in his F1 career. Verstappen also took away the chance from Lewis Hamilton to make a record of eight world championships in F1 (Hamilton and the legendary Michael Schumacher currently hold the seven championship wins record).

The fight for the championship between Hamilton and Verstappen unfolded throughout the season as one of the most dramatic rivalries in F1, with memorable races in Bahrain, Silverstone, Monza, Saudi Arabia, and the final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. Fans were undoubtedly thrilled to watch more competition on the top of the grid between different teams and a new champion for the history books. We may only wish that the 2022 season will come with the same excitement and a championship decider in the last minutes of the final Grand Prix.

Ferrari’s comeback

After a horrible 2020 season for Ferrari, being sixth in the constructor’s championship, 2021 proved to be a more favourable year for Ferrari. With drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, the team made a significant improvement in 2021. Advancement in the aerodynamics of the car and most importantly with the testing of a new engine that was able to aid them to battle McClaren last year, the team had left 2020 behind. Leclerc and Sainz worked incredibly well together during their first season as teammates getting the team to a better shape than the year before.

The new racing season began with the realization of Ferrari’s greatest dream. Charles Leclerc was quickest during the qualifying session and thus got the first pole position of the year. During the race on Sunday, the Monegasque kept the lead, even after an incredible but short-lived battle with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, in laps 16-18. Leclerc additionally scored an extra point as he had done the quickest lap time while also being voted Driver of the Day by the fans. The second Ferrari car with driver Carlos Sainz finished second, giving the team a 1-2 podium finish, delivering the team the ultimate race victory in every possible way.

The last time the team had a win, a 1-2 podium finish as well, was in 2019 in the Singapore Grand Prix with Sebastian Vettel (now in Aston Martin) winning the race and Leclerc coming in second. The impressive results of the red team have unlocked the possibility of Ferrari becoming once again a championship contender. The investment in the 2022 car and giving up efforts in 2020 and some part in 2021 paid off.

The Ferrari Power Unit

The Ferrari-engine teams were the most impressive this weekend. Haas is currently third in the constructors’ standings, with Kevin Magnussen finishing the race 5th. When in 2021 Haas did not manage to score not at least one point, the result of Bahrain promises that the team will no longer be competing at the end of the grid, but rather, it will be very comfortable in the middle.

Alfa Romeo also had great results this Sunday, with Valteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu achieving points for the team. Rookie driver Zhou scored points in his first race in Formula 1, leading to many celebrations for the team, especially after a difficult 2021 season.

The Mercedes Power Unit

The first race of the season was not very optimistic for the Mercedes engines. Mercedes was not particularly impressive over the weekend, but it still managed to get a podium with Lewis Hamilton and 4th place points with George Russel. The points arrived after the two Red Bull cars retired, but the silver team still welcomed the results.

Williams continues to struggle even though Alex Albon had a great pace throughout the race. The Aston Martin cars did not have a positive race weekend as they are finding themselves in the back of the grid. The biggest surprise was McLaren struggling too much during the entire weekend. The team competing for third place last season did not score any points in Bahrain, not because of bad luck during the race or poor strategy, but simply because the car could not perform.

The Honda Power Unit problems: Red Bull’s Bad Luck and the Alpha Tauri on Fire

The biggest loser from the first race of the season is Red Bull. Max Verstappen struggled to keep up with the pace of Leclerc, and the two Red Bull cars did not even get the chance to finish the race. Verstappen had problems with his Honda engine during the entire race as his car gave up due to fuel system issues in the final laps of the race. Sergio Perez was about to win a podium when he lost control in the last lap due to the same fuel-related issue.

The team said that the brakes of the car were overheated after Verstappen’s attack on Leclerc, which is what created the problem with the fuel system.

Pierre’s Gasly Alpha Tauri caught fire in the 12th lap of the race, even though the Frenchman was having good speed. Yuki Tsunoda in the second Alpha Tauri managed to score two points. The team is still investigating what caused the fire to the rear of the car.

Alpine in Pink

When it comes to the French team, the main difference this season is in the colour of the car. The car neither improved nor downgraded. What is essential is to comprehend how the car will perform in different circuits, especially ones that allow for closer battles.

Next Race: The Saudi Arabia Grand Prix

Bahrain International Circuit

This weekend the second race of the calendar will take place in Saudi Arabia. We need to see how the cars will perform in a different circuit to understand better what the new changes mean. Saudi Arabia has generally favoured Mercedes in the past, and it is considered the fastest street track on the calendar. With 6.174 km, the Jeddah circuit is the second-longest circuit currently in F1, having different demands from the Bahrain Circuit. The latter has 15 corners, while the Jeddah Corniche circuit has 27.

Jeddah Corniche Circuit

If the cars perform similarly to Bahrain, with the Ferrari Power Units continuing to be dominant, Ferrari fans should be anticipating a tremendous season for the team. If Mercedes continues to stumble with finding speed compared to Ferrari and Red Bull, the team will have to concentrate on fighting for second place this year. Meanwhile, everyone waits for Red Bull to deal with the misfortunes of the car in time for Sunday’s race to find out if the team focused too much on its battle with Mercedes last year or if it is prepared to face an old-new red rival.

F1 Class of 2022