Formula One News — December 2022

Although it was Ferrari that led the way in the first third of the championship, Red Bull always had a very quick car right from the Bahrain Grand Prix and it was only reliability that robbed Max Verstappen of second places in the inaugural Grand Prix and one month later in Melbourne, the two DNF’s split by a thrilling victory in Saudi Arabia, where he beat Charles Leclerc after an exciting battle.

Max Verstappen came into 2022 with a point to prove. Yes, he was the reigning World Champion, he proudly displayed the number one on his Red Bull RB18 and could not be blamed for anything that happened in the final round of the 2021 World Championship, but that doesn’t mean the Dutch driver was deaf, bind and dumb to what was going on around him.

Lando Norris has jumped to the defense of his relationship with departing team mate Daniel Ricciardo, trying to put an end to countless stories about tensions brewing between the two McLaren drivers over the last two years.

Grandprix.com's Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #2 Lewis Hamilton

In his first meeting with Formula One media since he was appointed Team Principal by McLaren, Italian engineer Andrea Stella has admitted that "being in the public eye is something I've always been reluctant to pursue".

Saudi Arabia will receive the opening round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship, the news being broken by an indirect source, as it was the Australian Grand Prix promoter who made in information public in the statement put out to announce the Melbourne race will remain in the calendar until the end of 2037, as the contract with Formula One was extended by another two years.

Grandprix.com's Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #3 Charles Leclerc

Formula One cars “will be shorter and lighter” from the start of 2026, the FIA’s Technical Director Nikolas Tombazis said at the end of the season, in Abu Dhabi.

Confidence in a better 2023 season is high in Maranello, even before new Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur arrives in the factory on January 2nd to start working with his new team.

Grandprix.com's Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #4 George Russell

Grandprix.com's Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #5 Carlos Sainz

Interview - Max Verstappen

Grandprix.com's Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #6 Lando Norris

Interview - Charles Leclerc

Grandprix.com's Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #7 Sergio Perez

Interview - Sérgio Pérez

Grandprix.com's Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #8 Fernando Alonso

Interview - Lewis Hamilton

Grandprix.com's Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #9 Valtteri Bottas

Ferrari has yet to commit to staying in Formula One once the 2026 Technical Regulations come into effect and may even apply its unique right of veto if Red Bull Powertrains keeps a technical partnership with Honda and still qualifies to get the benefits Audi will certainly receive, relative to budget, development hours and capacity that were introduced to allow completely new Power Unit manufacturers to quickly catch up with those who have already been in the sport since the hybrid technology was introduced eight years ago.

The confirmation of the re-entry of Portugal in the Formula One World Championship for 2023 should become official before the Christmas break, with the Portimão circuit being handed the April 16th slot that was originally reserved for the Chinese Grand Prix before the promoters from Shanghai were forced to cancel it, for the fourth straight year, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage in the country.

Grandprix.com’s Top Ten Drivers of 2022 - #10 Sebastian Vettel

Ferrari is in a "better place" because of Mattia Binotto's leadership, according to Carlos Sainz.

Dr Helmut Marko has denied that Red Bull is "trying to put pressure" on Sergio Perez.

Nico Hulkenberg has become the first Formula 1 driver to prominently react to the FIA's new ban on political gestures.