The start of the Formula 1 season is always eagerly anticipated, but this year’s curtain-raiser has some extra spice after the dramatic conclusion of the 2021 season and the fact that F1 saw a new champion. Lewis Hamilton will surely be desperate to get off to a great start and stamp his authority once again, at a circuit where he is the undisputed king and has an amazing track record.
The season opening Bahrain Grand Prix will be held next month, and between now and then, there are some really exciting developments to keep an eye on. At the moment, we don’t know that much about what the season ahead could entail, and there are still a lot of question marks. Let’s dive into what we do know, and what we can expect from the upcoming event.
Formula 1 car launches
One thing that is bound to whet the appetite for a Formula 1 season is the car launch, something that every team will have between now and lights out on that first race.
Pre-season testing starts on February 23 in Barcelona, so it is essential that every team has unveiled their new car for the new season by then. Some of the teams have already given the dates. Last year, McLaren was the first to unveil their car, closely followed by AlphaTauri and Alfa Romeo, while Ferrari was the last, cutting it very fine before testing and giving their engineers extra time for tweaks.
A new partner for Hamilton (and other team changes)
The teams and their lineups have been tweaked somewhat ahead of the new Formula 1 season. The familiar sight of Kimi Räikkönen on the grid will be no longer, as the Finn has retired from professional racing.
Perhaps the most notable change is the fact that Lewis Hamilton will now be partnered by fellow Brit George Russell for the 2022 season. Mercedes took the driver from Williams, as he has spent three years learning and developing with them.
Hamilton’s antics and competition with Verstappen are undoubtedly bound to be under the microscope in Bahrain, but the Brit is still probably the favorite to win. For those exploring MI sports betting and looking for odds on Formula 1, Hamilton will undoubtedly be short odds for this as he has won the previous three grands prix at the circuit.
George Russell is replaced at Williams by Alex Albon, and Max Verstappen, the reigning champion, will continue to be partnered by Sergio Perez, whose unselfish actions helped his teammate secure the drivers’ championship.
A record-breaking season already guaranteed
The curtain-raiser will also make history as being the first race in a record-breaking season. Of course, the last couple of seasons have seen a huge challenge for all sports, and Formula 1 has the unique challenge of being staged all around the world. Bahrain will hopefully host a full crowd for this event, but F1 has already committed to putting safety first.
In 2022, there will be a record-breaking 23 races in the season. British legend Jenson Button has backed his fellow Englishman to bounce back, and expects to see Hamilton win the 2022 championship.
What to expect from the circuit
The race in Bahrain will be held at night, due to the fact that it is set in the Sakhir desert, which is known for being particularly hot. In the last few years, temperatures in the evening have been around 30oc (86F), which is still pretty hot, but this helps to give good grip to high traction tires, albeit with a limited risk of overheating.
Drivers tend to make 71 gear changes per lap, and the fastest pit stop time is currently around 2.4 seconds after last season’s pit stop rules tweaks.
Most importantly, the atmosphere for this race is incredible, and this makes for an exciting start to the season.
Conclusion
Undeniably, the 2021 season saw one of the most dramatic conclusions we could ever have expected, and though there were controversies regarding the rules of the sport, many people were pleased to at last see such a thrilling contest go all the way to the wire. The season coming up has the prospect of being similarly tight.
The Formula 1 season ahead has many fans thrilled at the prospect of another tight and exhilarating contest, and it all kicks off relatively soon with the Bahrain Grand Prix. Whatever happens on the circuit, it is virtually guaranteed that we’re going to see some thrills and excitement in the desert.
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