TOP 10 FORMULA ONE DRIVERS: 2022

1. LEWIS HAMILTON:
Team: Mercedes
Age: 37
Wins: 103
Podiums: 182
World Championship Titles: 7
Hamilton’s relative silence since the world title was snatched (controversially) from his grasp in the dying minutes of the 2021 season - has led to speculation that he may be considering retirement. But Hamilton is expected to overcome the crushing disappointment in typical style – by fighting back. Could this be the year of his 8th (and record) world title?
For more information on 7 times world champion Lewis Hamilton.

2. GEORGE RUSSELL:
Team: Mercedes
Age: 23
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Ever since Russell ‘stood in’ for Hamilton (who had tested positive for Covid) at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, the Briton has been one to watch. Russell led for most of the race, until with 20 laps to go his car was (unusually) fitted with the wrong tyres. The correction, followed by a puncture left him with a 9th place finish. But he had still made an impression.
This season he will race alongside Hamilton and the fellow Brit insists that he has ‘nothing to prove’ and that he is ‘excited to see the youngsters coming through. But ‘it’s not that I want to lose to a youngster, naturally.’ Hamilton’s rival Verstappen has said that “for sure he will make it very difficult for Lewis.”
Russell himself, is ‘excited to see the new cars and what they offer for everybody.’ We are also excited to see what happens.
To read more about the new addition to Team Mercedes George Russell.

3. MAX VERSTAPPEN:
Team: Red Bull
Age: 24
Wins: 20
Podiums: 60
World Championship Titles: 1
The current world champion. And the first ever Formula One champion from Holland. Last season was an excellent display of skill and tenacity: 18 podiums in 21 races and 10 race wins. And although the ending proved controversial – no one can deny that Verstappen is world class.
No one would bet against him retaining the world championship at the end of 2022.
Find out more about the current world champion Max Verstappen.

4. SERGIO PEREZ:
Team: Red Bull
Age: 31
Wins: 2
Podiums: 15
Perez had a strong finish to the 2021 season with podiums in Turkey, the US and Mexico. He also played a vital role in holding back Hamilton to assist his teammate Verstappen in the final race (and title decider) of the season.
But it wasn’t an easy start. The pre-season test running had been cut to just 3 days (for all teams) and Perez initially struggled to get used to his new car. “I came to a very different philosophy of car than I’ve been driving all my career.”
But after spending last season ‘getting used to’ the car, Perez is excited about his new season with Red Bull:
“I’m here because I fully believe that I can become world champion.”

5. CHARLES LECLERC:
Team: Ferrari
Age: 24
Wins: 2
Podiums: 13
A wonderful qualifier and generally promising - we haven’t seen all that Leclerc is capable of yet.
The Monegasque driver is preparing for the 2022 cars to be ‘challenging’ and ‘different.’ After the Abu Dhabi finale – Leclerc stayed behind and took part in the post-season testing – to try out the new Pirelli compounds. He says that the car is “basically adapted to fit those bigger tyres, but apart from that it is the same as the 2019 car.” We look forward to seeing what he can do with it.

6. CARLOS SAINZ JR:
Team: Ferrari
Age: 27
Wins: 0
Podiums: 6
Consistently achieving top 10 finishes (except 11th in Portugal and France) in the 2021 season, Sainz Jr has more than proved his worth.
But according to his contemporaries, he can only improve. Lando Norris admits to feeling overshadowed by Sainz Jr during their time as McLaren teammates saying “Carlos, I believe, is one of the best drivers in Formula One.” And Jolyon Palmer says that the Spaniard has ‘stepped up at Ferrari wonderfully’ after everyone expected him to be there to play second fiddle to Leclerc. Definitely one to watch in 2022.

7. DANIEL RICCIARDO:
Team: McLaren Mercedes
Age: 32
Wins: 8
Podiums: 32
Ricciardo has admitted to being envious watching Hamilton and Verstappen battle it out for the title this season – ‘but I’ve been envious for eight, nine years.’
Ricciardo gave himself 6 out of 10 for his 2021 season. Another driver who struggled to adapt to his new car. But McLaren racing director Andrea Stella says that he made ‘tangible’ progress this season and “We know that there is more to come with Daniel… I’m very optimistic.. And let me just say that working with him is a real pleasure.”
We do hope that Ricciardo finds himself on the podium a little more.

8. LANDO NORRIS:
Team: McLaren Mercedes
Age: 22
Wins: 0
Podiums: 5
Regularly a top 10 finisher since his Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix in 2019. In 2021 he consistently finished in the top 10 – except for a 14th place in Belgium. He also achieved his first pole position at the Russian Grand Prix and finished the season 6th in the championship.
Jack Nicholls believes (and Jolyon Palmer agrees) that Mercedes would have been better off signing Norris instead of Russell this season.
A very promising driver.

9. FERNANDO ALONSO:
Team: Alpine Renault
Age: 40
Wins: 32
Podiums: 98
World Championship Titles: 2
Apparently grateful that he was able to return to Formula One for ‘one last crack’ Alonso had appeared disillusioned with racing in recent years. This led to him taking a break at the end of 2018 and instead trying other motorsports: the World Endurance Championship, Indy 500 and the Dakar Rally. Alonso returned to Formula One in 2021 with Alpine. He says ‘I had the luxury to come back to the sport’ knowing that this is an indulgence that few enjoy.
He sounds more enthusiastic about next season’s possibilities: “We hope to be one of the teams who capitalise on them (the new regulations) and be more competitive this year. ‘El Plan’ is still loading and we’ll have some fun that’s for sure.”
The world champion Max Verstappen says of Alonso: “I would like to see him back at the front. He really deserves it.”

10. ESTEBAN OCON:
Team: Alpine Renault
Age: 25
Wins: 1
Podiums: 2
2021 saw Ocon take his first Formula One win in Hungary and achieve two top 5 finishes in the last 3 races of the season. Certainly, Ocon is a driver who has been steadily improving.
The Frenchman is another driver looking forward to a ‘shake up’ in the sport:
“It would be fantastic to be able to fight for wins and podiums all the time. Hopefully Formula One will go that way and with the new regulations, this seems like a dream.”

Complete List of Drivers in 2021

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