Official 2022 French Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Piginapoke]

After a great Austrian GP, we’re in France for Round 12. Before we all moan, remember it was a surprisingly good race last year, so you never know.

It was unusual for RB to suffer with tyre degradation last race, so it will be interesting to see if the team can get on top of that, but it still starts as favourite I imagine. It will also be good to see if Mercedes can carry on its recent gains and if Ferrari can stop the thing blowing up.

Here’s to another great race.

Date(s): Friday 22 to Sunday 24 July 2022.

UK Broadcast Timings (and local time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1. Qualifying and the race are shown as highlights on Channel 4.





Live timing for all sessions available here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html

Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-c...

Weather forecast:

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/forecast/spsn...

Tyre options:

Pirelli has chosen the medium range of tyres: C2, C3 and C4. The old Q2 tyre rule is scrapped for 2022.



2021 Race Result:



2021 Race Highlights

https://youtu.be/5hBwgJtMxLM

Drivers’ Championship:



Constructors’ Championship:

Edited by Piginapoke on Tuesday 19th July 17:52

[Bo_apex]

36 degrees, hopefully they won't run out of chateau minuty

[Sandpit Steve]

Last year this venue produced a surprisingly good race, after a run of crap French GPs.

The new cars we know can follow more closely, so this might not be a bore-fest after all.

Will try and watch as much of the weekend as possible, but will be away celebrating wifey’s birthday. Maybe I send her to the spa when the qualifying is on!

[Aids0G]

Thanks as always for the thread, always exciting when these pop up!

Is the circuit quite a high deg one in the heat? I cant remember if it was last year?

Think we might see Alpine do quite well here and overtake Mclaren in the constructors, or double DNF in a spectacular manner!

[BrettMRC]

Thanks again to the Rt Hon PiaP for doing the thread

I've got a feeling we'll have a Redbull on top, with Mercedes 2nd and a dejected LeClerc in 3rd owing to a Ferrari strategy masterclass costing him c1 or 2 places.

[mk1coopers]

My eyes are already hurting with just the thought of having to look at the track

[HustleRussell]

I think the new regs cars might suit Paul Ricard. It's a difficult circuit to look at but it does at least offer potential for racing, even if still heavily DRS-assisted.

Will be interesting to see which way Ferrari PU performance moves after Sainz' catastrophic engine blow-up. Sainz himself is due a penalty so that's one car absent from row 1 or 2 already.

I think we might see a return to the usual trend of Leclerc fast in qualifying and Verstappen fast in the race. Predicted a Verstappen win.

There is some consensus that the circuit should play to Mercedes' strengths. If the race is not interrupted by a SC I reckon it's Hamilton for the podium. That is assuming that Mercedes aren't limited on cooling as they have been in previous years.

I agree that it could well be Alpine emerging as best of the rest at home. Possibly a 3rd row start for one or both. Maybe even an Alpine on the 2nd row?

[poosemon]

Do I recall this being the first race with the altered floor test that might mean some teams need to run more conservatively/non flexing floors?

Might we see some teams loosing a small bit of time suddenly a - la Ferrari fuelling a few years back or are those suspected of running flexible floorings finding the pace elsewhere?

[kambites]

poosemon said:

Do I recall this being the first race with the altered floor test that might mean some teams need to run more conservatively/non flexing floors?

The FIA caved in to pressure and pushed that back to after the summer break.

[Jasandjules]

poosemon said:

Do I recall this being the first race with the altered floor test that might mean some teams need to run more conservatively/non flexing floors?

No, teams that were in no way in breach of any rules or regulations wanted the tests set back for some reason.....

[MustangGT]

Jasandjules said:

poosemon said:

Do I recall this being the first race with the altered floor test that might mean some teams need to run more conservatively/non flexing floors?

No, teams that were in no way in breach of any rules or regulations wanted the tests set back for some reason.....

The FIA pandering to the same team(s) as last year again. Shocking that it still goes on after last year's total farce.

[Piginapoke]

kambites said:

poosemon said:

Do I recall this being the first race with the altered floor test that might mean some teams need to run more conservatively/non flexing floors?

The FIA caved in to pressure and pushed that back to after the summer break.

The new checks come in at the Belgian GP.

[PhilAsia]

Thanks PiaP!

Trust you had a very pleasant sojourn. Haven't received my "Weathers here, wish you were fine" postcard yet btw...

Great post as usual!

[Piginapoke]

PhilAsia said:

Thanks PiaP!

Trust you had a very pleasant sojourn. Haven't received my "Weathers here, wish you were fine" postcard yet btw...

Great post as usual!

I addressed it to Phil in Asia, can’t believe it’s not reached you!?

Malta was great thanks, the driving of some of locals however

[Jasandjules]

MustangGT said:

The FIA pandering to the same team(s) as last year again. Shocking that it still goes on after last year's total farce.

Yup. It is a bit like a parent having a favorite child....... But at least it is no longer merely Ferrari International Assistance....

[TheDeuce]

Sandpit Steve said:

Last year this venue produced a surprisingly good race, after a run of crap French GPs.

The new cars we know can follow more closely, so this might not be a bore-fest after all.

Yep, a few reasons to feel positive now.

The circuit still looks like a French sponsored turdfest though

[Smollet]

What’s the forecast?

[Piginapoke]

Smollet said:

What’s the forecast?

Link is always in the OP. Hot, 36 degrees and sunny.

[Hungrymc]

Piginapoke said:

Smollet said:

What’s the forecast?

Link is always in the OP. Hot, 36 degrees and sunny.

Is the thinking that higher temperatures will help Merc switch tyres on?

Either way I don’t think we are really going to have a 3 team battle at the front. RedBull lead from Ferrari with Merc a few 10ths back.

[_Yeti]

36 is quite warm! Will be interesting to see who can manage their tyre deg here.