What do you hope will happen in 2022?

[Jonny_]

Emphasis on hope, rather than predict. What do you all HOPE will happen next season? However realistic, or otherwise.

For me, in no specific order...

• Closer racing with more overtaking, thanks to the new car regs.

• New aero philosophy resulting in far less reliance upon DRS for overtakes.

• Improved tyre durability, so that tyre strategy plays a smaller role in determining the outcome of a race.

• Less of a disparity between the top and bottom teams. Last season was almost like watching 3 different classes of race car on track together.

• FIA to do (much) better than last season in enforcing driving standards.

• Max in particular to be firmly reined in by the above. I'd like to see him refine his driving style and racecraft such that he's competitive through speed and skill alone, without any more stupid "yield or we both crash" antics.

• Absolutely none of the incompetent race control BS that blighted last season. Very much hoping that the changes that the FIA are making will make things fairer, more consistent, and free of the rather shameful televised lobbying from the teams.

• Hamilton to bag that illustrious 8th WDC, but only after a tightly contested season long battle against several other drivers from 2 or 3 different teams. Would be particularly good to see Lando and at least one of the Ferrari drivers in the running.

• A completely unexpected driver in a Haas, Williams or Alfa Romeo to sneak into the top 5 several times, with a cheeky podium or 2 along the way

• Helmut Marko and Jos Verstappen to somehow get into an embarrassing punch-up on live telly, and both subsequently banned from all F1 races for life

• And... Decent weather at Spa!

[PhilAsia]

My wife enjoying F1 again.

[AKA PABS]

Overtakes having more importance on the championship, than in race strategising.

[ajprice]

Closer from front to back, and more teams up front (Mercedes/Red Bull/Ferrari/McLaren 4 way would be great), so having a bad day means maybe not scoring points, rather than getting back up to at least a podium place fairly easily.

[Yazza54]

I hope the regs do what they are supposed to and produce closer racing. I do wonder how the floor is going to be fed sufficient airflow when following to retain enough downforce for it to make enough of a difference.

I hope Haas get back to being a midfield team.

I hope Ferrari, alpine, McLaren and Aston are closer to RB/Merc so theres more horses in the race, big ask though.

A shock of some description would be good, a big shake up in general, would love to see Williams up there. It all comes down to who's guessed it right!

[Sandpit Steve]

That’s a pretty good list. I’d only add (selfishly) that there’s something still to race for at the last race, that makes it worth the price of admission!

[F1GTRUeno]

I want at least one crazy, probably rain-affected race where absolutely everything happens that can happen and we end up with a weird running order and possibly result at the end.

[TheDeuce]

No more world and F1 crippling fun new covid variants would be good

[kambites]

Consistent, sensible implementation of the rules. Frankly that'll do for me.

I don't care who wins, I don't even particularly care whether it's close, I just hope the FIA don't make a complete mockery of the whole thing again.

ETA: I guess it would be nice to see Hamilton win the 8th WDC he was robbed of last season, in a way.

Edited by kambites on Sunday 20th February 15:49

[TheDeuce]

kambites said:

Consistent, sensible implementation of the rules. Frankly that'll do for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbU3zdAgiX8

[Jenny Tailor]

kambites said:

Consistent, sensible implementation of the rules. Frankly that'll do for me.

I don't care who wins, I don't even particularly care whether it's close, I just hope the FIA don't make a complete mockery of the whole thing again.

ETA: I guess it would be nice to see Hamilton win the 8th WDC he was robbed of last season, in a way.

Edited by kambites on Sunday 20th February 15:49

^
This. Just this.
The farce of the last race made the inevitable comparison of it of it being WWE on wheels.
(The Americans may love their "sports entertainment" but it should stay in the ring. )


Additionally - I would like some alternative to the safety car allowing everyone to regain lost ground to the leader.
eg Safely get all cars back onto the starting grid. All teams can change tyres etc

When the incident is clear - electronically- each car is released ( or the driver gets their own signal to go) to the instant they were behind the leader when the incident was called.
No car gets the benefit of a "blue bird" opportunity.

[Likes Fast Cars]

Sort out the stewards - people are all finger pointing at Masi but the stewards have made a bloody mess of things on more than one occasion.

No more masks - end the Covid-19 nonsense.

[ben5575]

I hope that the cars remain as different in design and approach as they are now and don't converge into the same identikit solution as the season progresses.

[The Moose]

Refueling to be reintroduced.

[Jenny Tailor]

The Moose said:

Refueling to be reintroduced.

Or fast track battery swap?

[ajprice]

ben5575 said:

I hope that the cars remain as different in design and approach as they are now and don't converge into the same identikit solution as the season progresses.

Hopefully there budget cap will limit how much the teams can change on their car updates. The internal arrangement of the cooling etc will probably limit how much teams can change, especially between extreme differences like Aston Martin and Williams. But I'm with you, I hope teams don't start turning up after the first few races with their version of whoever got it right.

[patmahe]

Alfa ace the new cars and Bottas is world champion.

[MitchT]

Number 8 for Hamilton and a rejuvenated Ferrari.

[TheDeuce]

Jenny Tailor said:

The Moose said:

Refueling to be reintroduced.

Or fast track battery swap?

I can actually see that as F1 has to somehow further electrify despite the unsuitability of current batteries to meaningfully contribute to a race distance. There is a Chinese car manufacturer making good headway with the idea of swappable battery pack too so it's not entirely pie in the sky and unrelatable to road cars. I don't think it's the future of electric road cars personally but I bet the casual F1 viewer would think it made sense to swap a depleted battery pack for a charged one and carry on racing - they could imagine that convenience in an electric road car and see it as promotion of sensible technology (even though it really isn't required for road cars imo).

It has yet to be seen how F1 will manage to increase electrification inline with road car trends, but I have no doubt they will in some way and when they do it will take centre stage in some for or another, it'll be done in a visible and 'on message' way.

One thing for sure is that re-fuelling will never return. Not only was it not popular back in the day, but the last thing the sport or sponsors want today is to highlight the fuel consumption of the cars - meaningless as it might be given the overall fuel cost of F1. The sport has committed to extend the use of current hyper efficient hybrid PU's because of fuel efficiency in the public eye, they sure as hell won't want to televise the cars literally guzzling fuel from a 4" pipe during a pit stop ever again.

That ship has well and truly sailed.

[Sandpit Steve]

patmahe said:

Alfa ace the new cars and Bottas is world champion.

Imagine spending five years in the championship-winning car, but unable to challenge your GOAT team mate, then moving to a midfield team who suddenly find a load of pace and put you in serious contention.