2022 Formula One French Grand Prix

Haas F1 Formula One Grand Prix.jpg
Formula 1 is on track this weekend for the French Grand Prix with Ferrari looking to repeat the impressive pace shown in Austria last time out.

Circuit Paul Ricard may not be the most well-loved track on the F1 calendar, but it could prove to be an important showcase of whether Ferrari is finally able to keep pace with Red Bull again.

The first races of the 2022 season seemed to indicate that Ferrari would be the dominant car this year, but momentum quickly shifted to Max Verstappen and Red Bull. But the tide may have turned once again, as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s Ferraris looked like the faster team two weeks ago in Austria.

Sainz would retire late in the race due to engine trouble, and Leclerc also faced mechanical issues before securing the victory in Spielberg, so success in Ferrari’s near future may come down to reliability as much as pace.

Austria also saw Mercedes drive Lewis Hamilton on the podium for the third consecutive race amidst a tough season for the seven-time world champion. Mercedes is once again expected to introduce significant upgrades to their cars over the coming weeks and hopes to put Hamilton or George Russell to the top of the podium for the first time in 2022.

Max Verstappen and Red Bull are in front in the drivers and constructors championship at the moment, though Leclerc was able to shrink the gap to Verstappen with his most recent win.

The French Grand Prix should see clear weather throughout the weekend, though temperatures could be hotter than usual. This could mean extra challenges for tire selection and preservation during the race.

Who do you think will win the French Grand Prix this year? Let us know your prediction in the comments below.

Picture: Haas F1 Twitter
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About author
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

Comments

Didn't take long, did it. What on earth, another LH thread :confused:

This year is over, not even close.
A very good fight where Ferrari were genuine contenders a few years ago was 2017; when vettelle was ahead after 12 races. That ferrari was capable of winning the DC in the right hands, but he "should have done better", by his own admission.
A couple of DNFs made a huge difference.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Formula_One_World_Championship

So far this 2022 Ferrari is fast enough to win the DC, but either the car is breaking down or one of the drivers throw it off the track.
 
Russell is new to the team so they gave him stable setups ..................

do you really think this?

“Lewis Hamilton is trying to solve the problem” – Ross Brawn believes that Lewis Lewis Hamilton driving behind George Russell helps Mercedes gather feedback​


They're experimenting kid, they have been all season which is why the team is getting this data, the car is better, and Lewis is stringing along great performances now. People like you actually think that Russell was just beating Lewis because he's better than a 7-time WDC - Really??? I think the question is do you really think that???
 
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Didn't take long, did it. What on earth, another LH thread :confused:

This year is over, not even close.
A very good fight where Ferrari were genuine contenders a few years ago was 2017; when vettelle was ahead after 12 races. That ferrari was capable of winning the DC in the right hands, but he "should have done better", by his own admission.
A couple of DNFs made a huge difference.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Formula_One_World_Championship

So far this 2022 Ferrari is fast enough to win the DC, but either the car is breaking down or one of the drivers throw it off the track.
What on earth, another LH thread

because apparently we need to hear again how awesome LH is and how it was screwed last year that's why I said funny
 
How long is Leclerc tied to Ferrari? I could easily see a Russel/Leclerc team at Mercedes once Hamilton retires.
 

“Lewis Hamilton is trying to solve the problem” – Ross Brawn believes that Lewis Lewis Hamilton driving behind George Russell helps Mercedes gather feedback​


They're experimenting kid, they have been all season which is why the team is getting this data, the car is better, and Lewis is stringing along great performances now. People like you actually think that Russell was just beating Lewis because he's better than a 7-time WDC - Really??? I think the question is do you really think that???
Lewis Hamilton fans are really sensitive, and full of excuses. Russell still leads Hamilton in the championship, and the points tally is counted at the end of the last lap of the last race. As much as that pains LH fans to be reminded of that ;)

Which is funny i dont see Max's fans having to defend him all the time, even when Checo is on form.
 
Guess the championship fight is over. Which is almost funny if you ask me.
Ferrari has the fastest car and the best driver pairing (alongside Mercedes).
But they still have no chance against Red Bull.
I think its not quite over. 63 points can be made up in a few races and there are 10 to go. I would normally agree but at this point Ferrari has the better car and if Sainz can get in front of Max in points hes in trouble. I think Leclerc would have won fairly easily if not for his mistake. But they cannot avoid anymore DNF.
 
Lewis Hamilton fans are really sensitive, and full of excuses. Russell still leads Hamilton in the championship, and the points tally is counted at the end of the last lap of the last race. As much as that pains LH fans to be reminded of that ;)

Which is funny i dont see Max's fans having to defend him all the time, even when Checo is on form.
I agree, you are absolutely right. Russell does lead Hamilton in points this season, but Lewis has looked the stronger of the two since the problems with the car have been cleaned up, and their data gathering, and experiementing has paid off. The bottom line is that Wolff, Hamilton, and Russell want to bring the team back into contention, and this season if they have their say.

I don't have to defend Lewis, he doesn't need it. We've all witnessed what he has done and it is something that no one has ever done in the history of the sport so why would he need anyone to defend him when both his performances, and his records speak for themselves. Also, I don't know why you would bring Verstappen into this conversation when he hasn't done a tenth of what Lewis has. Seems to me that you would make more sense to compare him to Vettal, Alonso, Button, or Raikkonen. Verstappen has not been his biggest opponent in his career, he hasn't done enough, and he isn't on Hamilton's level so I don't know why people like yourself continue to compare them all the time. It's really dumb and doesn't make any sense.
 
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I agree, you are absolutely right. Russell does lead Hamilton in points this season, but Lewis has looked the stronger of the two since the problems with the car have been cleaned up, and their data gathering, and experiementing has paid off. The bottom line is that Wolff, Hamilton, and Russell want to bring the team back into contention, and this season if they have their say.

I don't have to defend Lewis, he doesn't need it. We've all witnessed what he has done and it is something that no one has ever done in the history of the sport so why would he need anyone to defend him when both his performances, and his records speak for themselves. Also, I don't know why you would bring Verstappen into this conversation when he hasn't done a tenth of what Lewis has. Seems to me that you would make more sence to compare him to Vettal, Alonso, Button, or Raikkonen. Verstappen has not been his biggest opponent in his career, he hasn't done enough, and he isn't on Hamilton's level so I don't know why people like yourself continue to compare them all the time. It's really dumb and doesn't make any sence.
Verstappen beat him last, year, will beat him again this year, and will probably continue beating him until he retires....

But if he doesnt need defending, then you have nothing else to say, right? :)
 
Verstappen beat him last, year, will beat him again this year, and will probably continue beating him until he retires....

But if he doesnt need defending, then you have nothing else to say, right? :)
He didn't beat Lewis last year. He can't beat anyone on his own merits without some kind of assistance, help, or having things his own way. He was gifted that championship in a way that has never been done before. It was wrong because as the race director he directly intervened to decide the outcome of both the race, and the WDC winner - which caused him to lose his job and his position in the FIA.

Your boy had help because he needed help against Lewis. He could never beat Lewis in a straight up one on one championship fight. Hell his own team was worried about his longevity in the sport after a season of going toe to toe with Lewis because it takes so much out of an opposing driver. Lewis had the championship locked up until someone changed the outcome to serve the sport. He could not do it on his own merits.

He'll go down in history as the only driver to have a title handed to him directly and he should have an asterisk next to his name and the 2021 season because everyone else in the history of the sport earned theirs on their own as a driver.

P.S. Don't ever expect that I won't have something to say especially when it pertains to that brother. Hoping for silence will lead you to disappointment every time.
 
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Verstappen will win his first championship this year
y'all watch a bit too much skysport...so much effort has gone into firing Massi and keeping the maximum pressure on this event that it became laughable just accept the facts. Max was the better driver over the whole year 2021
 
He didn't beat Lewis last year. He can't beat anyone on his own merits without some kind of assistance, help, or having things his own way. He was gifted that championship in a way that has never been done before. It was wrong because as the race director he directly intervened to decide the outcome of both the race, and the WDC winner - which caused him to lose his job and his position in the FIA.

Your boy had help because he needed help against Lewis. He could never beat Lewis in a straight up one on one championship fight. Hell his own team was worried about his longevity in the sport after a season of going toe to toe with Lewis because it takes so much out of an opposing driver. Lewis had the championship locked up until someone changed the outcome to serve the sport. He could not do it on his own merits.

He'll go down in history as the only driver to have a title handed to him directly and he should have an asterisk next to his name and the 2021 season because everyone else in the history of the sport earned theirs on their own as a driver.

P.S. Don't ever expect that I won't have something to say especially when it pertains to that brother. Hoping for silence will lead you to disappointment every time.
He beat him. He was better the whole season. Lewis couldnt even hold him behind for only one lap :) That hurts a lot i know. And this year he is beating him easy peasy ,even easier!

So nothing you said changes anything or makes any sense, the first chance Max had for a tittle he took it, unlike Lewis back in 2007 :)

Oh and he is not "my boy". I was actually rooting for Charles in this last race.
 
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Premium
I agree, you are absolutely right. Russell does lead Hamilton in points this season, but Lewis has looked the stronger of the two since the problems with the car have been cleaned up, and their data gathering, and experiementing has paid off. The bottom line is that Wolff, Hamilton, and Russell want to bring the team back into contention, and this season if they have their say.

I don't have to defend Lewis, he doesn't need it. We've all witnessed what he has done and it is something that no one has ever done in the history of the sport so why would he need anyone to defend him when both his performances, and his records speak for themselves. Also, I don't know why you would bring Verstappen into this conversation when he hasn't done a tenth of what Lewis has. Seems to me that you would make more sense to compare him to Vettal, Alonso, Button, or Raikkonen. Verstappen has not been his biggest opponent in his career, he hasn't done enough, and he isn't on Hamilton's level so I don't know why people like yourself continue to compare them all the time. It's really dumb and doesn't make any sense.
You write 2 times in your post you don’t have to defend Hamilton and then rest of your post is all about defending him…….
 
You write 2 times in your post you don’t have to defend Hamilton and then rest of your post is all about defending him…….
You call this defending him, I call it a discussion. I don't have to say anything else about it because what he has done is his own defense - I just choose to answer. It's my choice to do so.
 
He beat him. He was better the whole season. Lewis couldnt even hold him behind for only one lap :) That hurts a lot i know. And this year he is beating him easy peasy ,even easier!

So nothing you said changes anything or makes any sense, the first chance Max had for a tittle he took it, unlike Lewis back in 2007 :)

Oh and he is not "my boy". I was actually rooting for Charles in this last race.
He didn't beat him. People like you are so desperate for the poor guy to get a championship that both you and him will take whatever is given. The bottom line is that he needed direct help to get the chip and that is a first in the sport. Everyone else earned theirs on their own. It is your opinion that he was better than Lewis and yet Lewis was a lap away from winning it all and Verstappen was a mile behind other cars. He had no chance to win on his own.

You say that Lewis couldn't "hold him behind" but you are absolutely wrong. After the 2021 Bahrain GP I knew that Lewis was going to win the championship. Lewis got fresh tires on lap 29, Verstappen got fresh tires on lap 40 and Verstappen couldn't get by Lewis in 16 laps. Lewis even went off track which showed how worn to the nub his tires were and yet he still held him off in what was the lesser car at the time. Verstappen and everyone else thought that he had the pass done on lap 53, except that he went off track to make the pass and had to give the position back to Lewis and that was something he had to do a lot of last season because he drives out of control all the time. After lap 54 Lewis had made him wear down his tires so much that it was too late and Lewis won. That is when I knew that Lewis was going to win the chip.

Lewis kept that kid back behind him for 16 laps on older HARD tires and in the slower less performing car at the time.

He has been that thorn in Verstappen's side which is why he could never get anywhere with Lewis. Lewis is the one guy who does this to him.
 
Maybe that was the last F1 race at Paul Ricard… I would love The Le Mans Bugatti Circuit to host the French GP… just imagine that! A return to its roots of 1906…
It happened in 1967. It was universally hated, they never returned.
 
It happened in 1967. It was universally hated, they never returned.
So much in fact that even in the GPL game they put Rouen instead. Sure some licensing reasons also for this, but even in the game's book they aknowledge that nobody liked the Le Mans circuit.
 
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