Lewis Hamilton Looks Forward to 2022 Regulations Fulfilling Their Promise

As the FIA announced a host of changes ahead of the new season, Lewis Hamilton is expecting a closer gird in 2022. The changes focus on making the race more competitive and having more teams challenge each other at the top.

The managing director of motorsport, Ross Brawn, is optimistic about the alterations. He also believes that multiple drivers will be involved in the tussle for the top positions.

Hamilton Hopes for a level playing field

Hamilton came out on top on the last day of testing at Barcelona. Mercedes completed a 1-2 ahead of Red Bull, as they enjoyed a strong start. The seven-time World Champion hopes the changes can deliver more exciting races.

Speaking to the press after the testing, he said, “This definitely puts everyone, hopefully, on a more level playing field.”

He also mentioned Ferrari and feels that they might get a head start.

He added, “The system still is the case that people can still start developing… for example last year, you would assume Ferrari perhaps didn’t do much development on that car and just put everything into this year’s car.”

Formula one postponed the modifications from 2021 to 2022 because of the pandemic. Ross Brawn is confident about the changes; he, however, is also expecting some inconsistencies at the start but believes the standard of racing will improve.

The Englishman also revealed Red Bull and Mercedes could be caught by surprise.

READ MORE – F1 Teams Take a Final Stride to Increase Minimum Weight of 2022 Car for Competitive Advantage

Speaking with Sky Sports, he said, “I suspect both of them were very sensible with their approach about balancing ‘21 and ‘22, though you’ve got your human resource devoted to fighting a very intense world championship and some of the people further back haven’t had that consideration.”

The Changes Made

The 2022 cars look vastly different from the ones from 2021. The dirty air from the car in the front was a massive problem, and it made overtaking difficult. The 2022 cars have aimed at reducing this, allowing the chasing cars to stay closer.

The FIA has expanded the size of the tires from 13 to 18 inches. The teams can also have an increased downforce to promote speed in the corners.

Like Hamilton, Brawn admitted that teams like Ferrari and McLaren could have an advantage. Both the teams performed well at the testing at Barcelona and will look to carry the momentum into the season.

The FIA will hope the overhaul of regulations and the introduction of budget caps can bridge the gap between the teams.

ALSO READ – McLaren Find Sweet Spot As F1 Opponents Struggle With 2022 Regulations