Max Verstappen has had a rare exciting F1 race behind him. In the future, up to five teams can compete for the world championship, writes Urheilu’s Joel Sippola.
Joel Sippola sports reporter
Jenson ButtonMcLaren. Fernando AlonsoFerrari. Nico RosbergMercedes. Sebastian VettelRed Bull. Pastor MaldonadoWilliams. Mark WebberRed Bull. Lewis HamiltonMcLaren.
Seven different winners during the first seven races. On top of that, Lotus Kimi Räikkönen number one in Abu Dhabi. 2012 is easily one of the finest and most interesting seasons in F1 history.
The peak year in question is only a memory when you take it side by side Max Verstappen’s 19 race wins from the F1 season that ended yesterday. In the background of Verstappen’s crushing superiority, however, there is a very significant fact from the point of view of the sport.
There are usually two typical patterns in the race for the top of the Formula 1s.
One is that two teams are fighting for the championship and the third best team is able to stretch in some individual races. In the second, one team is completely superior, while two teams take turns to see which one is second fastest.
This season, the title of the second fastest car in the series was rarely contested between as many as four different teams. Aston Martin, who excelled at the beginning of the season, and McLaren, who were wild at the end of the season, joined the ranks of Mercedes and Ferrari, the long-term winners of the last few years.
The uniformity of the four different teams is reflected by how surprisingly widely the podium finishers were distributed. McLaren and Ferrari have nine top 3 places, Aston Martin and Mercedes have eight.
The fact that the podium finishers are evenly distributed among more than three teams is very rare. Earlier in the 2000s, such a season has been seen in 2012, when Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Lotus, who finished 1-4, all achieved 10-15 podium positions.
The pack lays down wonderfully
Even last season, it was predictable which team was either Red Bull’s challenger or at least the second fastest at which track. This season, the script for the second fastest team was delightfully changed in many races.
Pertinent examples of variability are the consecutive F1 races in Mexico and Brazil at the end of the season. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s were in places 2–3 in Mexico Charles Leclerc. In Brazil, the rest of the podium finishes went to McLaren To Lando Norris and for Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
Big fluctuations have also been seen within race weekends. In Brazil, Leclerc started from the pole and in the sprint race, Mercedes had a promising pace.
In the main race itself, it was McLaren and Aston Martin’s turn to shine. In the Austin GP of the United States, on the other hand, there was an interesting tactical race for victory between Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes.
This season was like popping loose candy into your mouth without looking in the bag. Going into the weekend, you couldn’t know which team would be the second best after Red Bull. Red Bull was just the obligatory evil that had to be swallowed in the end.
The story continues after the pictures
A wild scenario
F1 experienced major rule changes in 2022. Among other things, a cost ceiling and making it easier to follow the car in front by fixing the aerodynamics were introduced. Based on two seasons already, it can be stated that the reforms have significantly improved and tightened the competition.
A significant factor in the tightening of the competition is high-quality and fairly consistent drivers. At Ferrari, such a double sled is Leclerc-Carlos Sainzat Mercedes Hamilton-George Russell and at McLaren Lando Norris-Oscar Piastri.
Only a prodigal son Lance Stroll is a stumbling block for his Aston Martin team, which is of no help to his teammate Alonso.
Many people think F1 is boring nowadays, when only 1-2 teams are competing for the championship. The argument is justified by the fact that it used to be better. The fact is that in the history of the sport, the World Cup battle has mainly been between two F1 teams.
The last time drivers from at least three different teams have driven for the championship was in 2010. At that time, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren had a shot at the drivers’ World Championship title in the season-ending race.
Red Bull will probably be the clear number one team next season as well. However, the tight competition situation behind the number one team and the high-quality drivers of these teams give hope for even better.
In the series, we have come really close to the MM battle for 4–5 teams. A wild scenario for F1 fans may well be around the corner.