The 73rd Formula One World Championship season kicks off this weekend (March 18-20) with the Bahrain GP 2022. The Sakhir Circuit will host the opening round of one of the most uncertain seasons of recent times for the second year in a row. 

The ‘Continental Circus’ enters a new era marked by rule changes with the introduction of the ‘ground effect‘ of its vehicles. With the final aim of improving the Formula One show, regulatory changes have been put in place to simplify the car’s aerodynamics reducing the ‘dirty air’ coming from their rear. This should greatly facilitate ‘wheel to wheel’ battles and overtaking on the track. 

In the face of this technical revolution, all teams start with a blank slate and the competitiveness of each Scuderia remains largely unknown. With many of them hiding their true cards during the pre-season tests, the time of truth has finally come.

Ahead of them lay the 308, 238 km and 57 laps of the Sakhir circuit and the promise of an epic battle outside the city of Manama, the capital of the emirate. 

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Verstappen’s reign commences  

At the Bahrain GP 2022, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) begins the defence of his crown this weekend, hoping to consolidate a change of cycle after the long Mercedes‘ dictatorship. If we look at last week’s tests in Sakhir, the RB16 could indeed be the number one rival to beat. With the ‘flying Dutchman’ behind the wheel, the blue rocket sat the best time of the whole pre-season. 

Besides the times’ tables, which could be deceiving, Red Bull’s car showed a very balanced behaviour and constant speed. Also, the RB16 seems immune to porpoising (a violent bouncing on the suspension at high speeds) as well as having great stability when cornering. 

Time to go racing again! #F1IsBack pic.twitter.com/V5wKUEbYT2

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 17, 2022

The Milton Keynes squad, with the help of technical director Adrian Newey’s magic wand, are also eager to snatch the Constructor’s title from Mercedes. If they do so, they will officially be ending the reign of the silver arrows, and giving way to another Red Bull era, similar to the one between 2010 and 2013 with Sebastian Vettel. 

Checo Pérez will partner with Verstappen for the second year running. With more experience behind the wheel of the blue car, the Mexican driver aspires to improve his performance this year. 

Mercedes is thirsty for revenge  

Lewis Hamilton is determined to conquest his position back after the controversial 2021 finale in Abu Dhabi when he lost the title on the final lap to Verstappen. Along with his legitimate desire for revenge, he wants to fulfil his ultimate goal: To claim his eighth World Title and become the most successful F1 driver of all times. 

Mercedes, however, does not seem to have started the season on the right footing, if we believe Hamilton’s complaints about his revolutionary W13 that is. The German car has appeared clumsy in slow corners and nervous in fast corners and has suffered a lot of porposing on straight lines. 

Speaking of these shortcomings, the Briton confessed that they don’t even aspire to win at the Bahrain GP 2022. All of this, however, should be taken with a pinch of salt as Mercedes is well known for faking unexistent weaknesses in order to hide their superiority. Following the departure of the Finn Valtteri Bottas, the man from Stevenage will share the box with compatriot George Russell.

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 Ferrari; The third piece of the leadership puzzle 

A priory, it would seem that Ferrari is behind the two obvious favourites for the title this year. Confident in the performance of their unorthodox F1-75, the Italians hope to have shortened much of the distance between them and the two leading teams. 

After a great preseason, where they scored the second best time on the table with a very reliable car, the team from Maranello dreams of getting closer to the head and claiming a victory or two this year. The Spaniard Carlos Sainz and the Monegasque Charles Leclerc will once again defend the colours of ‘La Scuderia’. 

Images of Bahrain GP 2022: Red Bull Racing.