2022 F1 Mexican GP: Top 5 Bold Predictions
The 2022 F1 Mexican GP will bring quite a few interesting storylines with it. The first is the cost cap drama, as Red Bull gets penalized for the budget cap breach. Next, we have Max Verstappen on the verge of breaking Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel's record for the most wins in a season. Not to forget, we have Sergio Perez racing in the 2022 F1 Mexican GP as a Mexican himself.
To add to this, there are some exciting battles up and down the grid, with Alpine and McLaren fighting for P4. Alfa Romeo and Aston Martin are fighting for P6, while Haas hopes to score points.
The last time the F1 circus came for the F1 Mexican GP, the championship was still up for grabs between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. This time, both the championships have already been won by Max Verstappen and Red Bull. So, what can we expect from the 2022 F1 Mexican GP? Who's going to win the race? Who will have a strong weekend?
#5 McLaren beats Alpine this weekend
In arguably the most intriguing battle on the entire grid, we're picking McLaren to beat Alpine this weekend. The track requirements demand a higher downforce setup, and while Alpine is still competitive on that front, McLaren holds the edge. To add to it, Daniel Ricciardo has an impressive record on this track as he scored his last pole position in F1 at this track. Considering all these things, this is the weekend where we will see the Woking-based squad outscoring Alpine.
#4 Points for Mick Schumacher!
Mick Schumacher has had nothing but rotten luck in the second half of the season. The Haas driver was on track to score points in Austin before he picked up damage. He was on course to score points in Singapore because George Russell drove into him. Zandvoort was another race where the impressive qualifying result went down the drain.
The driver has shown impressive pace, more often than not, better than his teammate. At the 2022 F1 Mexican GP, Haas should have a decent car, and the points finish should be on the table.
#3 Aston Martin will have another strong weekend
Aston Martin has now more or less become the all-rounder package in the midfield that works at every track. The car has scored points at varied tracks in the last few races. Having said that, the car has a particular liking for high downforce tracks. With the track for the 2022 F1 Mexican GP leaning more toward the higher downforce setups, it's hard not to see the car doing well.
To add to it, what Aston Martin was able to pull off in Austin was impressive. The car was the fastest out of all the midfield machinery, and if it were not for the messy pitstop, Vettel would have finished the race ahead of Norris and Alonso. For the 2022 F1 Mexican GP, if Aston Martin can replicate the form it showed in the last race, then it won't be a surprise.
#2 We could be looking at a repeat of Zandvoort
The race in Zandvoort featured Red Bull and Mercedes involved in a chess match while Ferrari struggled to keep up in the race. Red Bull and Ferrari had the superior one-lap pace, while Mercedes lagged.
In the race, Red Bull and Mercedes competed against each other as Ferrari struggled with the long-run pace of the car. The track layout at Zandvoort demanded a high downforce setup for all the teams.
The 2022 F1 Mexican GP track has similar demands, as the racing will be done at a high altitude. Looking at the conditions and the track demands, we could be looking at another contest where the three teams are contesting for the lead.
#1 Max Verstappen wins the 2022 F1 Mexican GP
Red Bull should be competitive here. Most importantly, while many pundits predict a Mercedes challenge for the win, the PU's impact has not been considered. The Mercedes power unit has struggled at altitude in the last few years. Keeping the 2020 win by Lewis Hamilton aside, Mercedes' record in the last few years has not been as impressive.
On the other hand, Red Bull has seen the Honda PU surge at altitude even in years when it could not compete on other tracks. Max Verstappen won here in 2017, 2018, and 2021. This weekend, we also think the Red Bull driver may pick up his 14th win of the season and break the record for the most wins in a season.