Start, Bahrain International Circuit, 2022

RaceFans’ complete 2022 Formula 1 season review

2022 F1 season review

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As 2022 takes the chequered flag and a new year begins, there’s no better time to look back at the year that was on RaceFans.

From the biggest stories of the year to all of RaceFans’ exclusive interviews and our driver rankings list for Formula 1, F2, F3, Formula E and IndyCar, there’s is plenty to look back on as 2022 comes to an end.

The biggest stories of 2022

This year was a memorable one for major stories in Formula 1. From Haas dropping their sponsor and driver due to the invasion of Ukraine and hiring back Kevin Magnussen to Sebastian Vettel’s surprise retirement and Red Bull being punished for breaching the 2021 budget cap, there were many memorable stories that broke this year. Here are the biggest stories.

Magnussen made a shock return to F1
Aston Martin announces departure of CEO Otmar Szafnauer

Mike Krack named new Aston Martin F1 team principal

Norris signs new McLaren deal extending his contract to 2025

Bahrain Grand Prix extends F1 contract to 2036

Szafnauer named Alpine team principal in management shake-up

Haas to remove Russian colours and Uralkali branding from car

Formula 1 terminates Russian Grand Prix contract

Mazepin loses F1 seat as Haas confirm termination of Uralkali sponsorship deal

F1 extends deal to race at Imola until 2025

Haas announce Magnussen as second race driver for 2022

F1 confirms new Saturday night race in Las Vegas from 2023

Ericsson repels last-lap attack from O’Ward to win Indianapolis 500

Vettel surprised many with his retirement announcement
Vettel announces he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of 2022

Alonso to join Aston Martin in 2023 on “multi-year” deal

Alpine confirm Piastri to make F1 race debut in 2023

Piastri makes shock announcement he will not debut in F1 with Alpine next year

McLaren confirm early exit for Ricciardo at end of season

Audi confirms 2026 F1 entry as engine manufacturer

Drugovich crowned F2 champion despite sprint race retirement as Vips wins

Power clinches second IndyCar title as Palou takes dominant Laguna Seca win

Sky extends deal to broadcast F1 live in UK until 2029

Binotto resigned as Ferrari team principal
Verstappen clinches world championship in rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix

Sargeant to drive for Williams in 2023 if he gets superlicence – Capito

Red Bull clinch their first constructors’ championship since 2013

Red Bull fined $7 million and lose development time for 2021 budget cap breach

Binotto resigns as Ferrari team principal after team falls short in title fight

Formula 1 cancels Chinese Grand Prix for fourth year due to Covid

Zandvoort extends deal to host Dutch Grand Prix until 2025

Williams team principal Capito and technical director Demaison step down

Seidl leaves McLaren for Sauber, Stella takes his place

Vasseur confirmed as Binotto’s replacement at Ferrari

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RaceFans exclusive interviews

With experienced journalist Claire Cottingham joining RaceFans for 2022, there were many opportunities to speak one-on-one with the drivers through the season.

From world champion Max Verstappen to Lando Norris, Valtteri Bottas and more, here are all the RaceFans exclusive interviews from this season…

Norris spoke to RaceFans in France
Exclusive: The changes Pirelli saw in Bahrain which promise more close racing in 2022

‘I belong with Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell and Norris’ – Pierre Gasly exclusive interview

Exclusive: Albon on his successful return at Williams and learning to be “more selfish”

Exclusive: Lando Norris on working to win with McLaren in 2024

Interview: Magnussen on comeback nerves and being a different kind of F1 father

Exclusive: How Verstappen’s “different mindset” unlocked his title-winning potential

Speaking with the world champion
Exclusive: Verstappen on growing up in a racing family and inspiring a nation of fans

Exclusive: Verstappen on racing outside F1, ‘the show’ – and how to win a championship

“I was so hard on myself… it was difficult to deal with”: Bottas speaks to RaceFans

Exclusive: Zhou on closing the gap to Bottas and coming back stronger in 2023

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F1 race reviews

After every grand prix, RaceFans’ race reviews tell a detailed story of how each race was won – or lost. Recap how each of the 22 rounds of this year played out with our full list of race reviews for the 2022 season.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Albert Park, 2022
Leclerc took his second win in Melbourne
Bahrain – Leclerc puts Ferrari back on top as Verstappen’s title defence starts badly

Saudi Arabia – Verstappen’s racing savvy and Red Bull’s strategy deny Leclerc a second win

Australia – Leclerc emulates Schumacher with Melbourne grand slam as Verstappen lucks out again

Emilia-Romagna – Verstappen takes maximum advantage as Leclerc makes first major error of title fight

Miami – Verstappen takes another win away from Leclerc to draw within striking distance

Spanish – Leclerc’s car trouble and two assists from Perez put Verstappen back on top

Monaco – Perez shows he’s no number two by mastering treacherous Monaco

Azerbaijan – Verstappen picks up the pieces in Baku as reliability paradigm shifts for Ferrari

Verstappen’s France win began a dominant second half
Canada – Title fight is turning into a Red Bull rout as Verstappen resists Sainz for another win

Great Britain – Sainz seizes his chance for first win as rivals luck out on day of drama

Austria – Leclerc shows he was right to tell Ferrari ‘we can get them’ with win in Red Bull’s backyard

France – Verstappen takes huge lead as Leclerc’s crash halts Ferrari’s fightback before it begins

Hungary – Verstappen and Red Bull’s tactical masterclass humiliates Ferrari in Hungary

Belgium – Verstappen awaits coronation as crushing Spa win makes second title a formality

Netherlands – Dutch delight for champion-in-waiting as Red Bull see off their new main threat

Italy – Verstappen grabs fifth straight win as Ferrari find beating him “impossible” at home

Singapore – Cool-headed Perez overcomes Leclerc – and the stewards – for Singapore win

Verstappen was champion after Suzuka
Japan – Verstappen is champion again with classy drive in anti-climactic decider

USA – Verstappen brings joy to bereft Red Bull team by delivering constructors’ title

Mexico – How Mercedes failed to make Verstappen fight for his record 14th win

Brazil – Russell banishes memory of lost Sakhir win with breakthrough triumph in Brazil

Abu Dhabi – Verstappen smokes his rivals one last time as Vettel goes out fighting

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F1 driver rankings

For a second consecutive year, Max Verstappen topped RaceFans’ driver rankings for the 2022 season. Check out the full grid ranking for the season from 20 all the way to the world champion at number one.

2022 F1 driver rankings #20: Nicholas Latifi
2022 F1 driver rankings #19: Daniel Ricciardo
2022 F1 driver rankings #18: Mick Schumacher
2022 F1 driver rankings #17: Yuki Tsunoda
2022 F1 driver rankings #16: Zhou Guanyu
2022 F1 driver rankings #15: Lance Stroll
2022 F1 driver rankings #14: Pierre Gasly
2022 F1 driver rankings #13: Alexander Albon
2022 F1 driver rankings #12: Kevin Magnussen
2022 F1 driver rankings #11: Valtteri Bottas
2022 F1 driver rankings #10: Carlos Sainz Jnr
2022 F1 driver rankings #9: Sergio Perez
2022 F1 driver rankings #8: Esteban Ocon
2022 F1 driver rankings #7: Sebastian Vettel
2022 F1 driver rankings #6: Lewis Hamilton
2022 F1 driver rankings #5: George Russell
2022 F1 driver rankings #4: Fernando Alonso
2022 F1 driver rankings #3: Charles Leclerc
2022 F1 driver rankings #2: Lando Norris
2022 F1 driver rankings #1: Max Verstappen

RaceFans top 10 drivers of 2022 (other series)

Author information

Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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3 comments on “RaceFans’ complete 2022 Formula 1 season review”

  1. “When you call happiness an enemy, then it’s too late. Then you’ve already lost.”

  2. Happy New Year to all!

    1. Happy new year to all and kudo’s to Racefans.net for an impressive coverage of the 2022 season.

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