А fresh motorsport year dawns, ripe with promise. Across all codes, the appetite for what's to come is acute after what should be remembered as a vintage season in 2021, in defiance of pandemic-related challenges. New generations of cars, fresh opportunities for hungry teams and drivers and a new era of governance at the FIA under freshly elected president Mohammed Ben Sulayem all point towards another packed season of drama and intrigue. Here's a taster of what we're looking forward to in 2022.
WALL-TO-WALL F1
A record 23 grands prix crammed into exactly eight months will result in another breathless Formula 1 season as motorsport's premier category races to conclude its year before the winter football World Cup kicks off in Qatar. Too many races in too short a period? I would say so, although too much of a good thing has no meaning for many ravenous F1 fans.
The fallout and bitter aftertaste from the last-lap debacle in Abu Dhabi still lingers, not least for Sir Lewis Hamilton. But beyond the assumed) resumption of his mesmeric duel with new world champion Max Verstappen, the F1 story will be dictated this year by how every team has responded to the big car regulation reset.
Will this new breed really be able to race better and closer thanks to greater emphasis on underbody aerodynamics? And most pertinently, will it allow Ferrari and McLaren and perhaps even Alpine and Aston Martin - a genuine opportunity to join Mercedes-AMG and Red Bull as regular winners?
This story is from the January 12, 2022 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 12, 2022 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Poster car that went from rusty to trusty
One evening, two years ago, George Pappas was being driven down his local high street by a mate and mulling over whether to replace his Mk4 Golf diesel, a recent purchase that was boring him to death, when his girlfriend, also in the car, spotted an old BMW 3 Series at the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign in the window.
THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF
The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason
GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80
Where the story begins, in the Hyundai premium marque’s luxury saloon
LEXUSLBX
Can you shrink premium quality to fit an SUV this small? We now know
Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'
Nine months into the job, Rolls-Royce CEO and car guy Chris Brownridge tells STEVE CROPLEY what he's learned and where the firm's heading
Once more, with feeling
AC Cars' recreation of the classic MkII Cobra is at first glance a faithful facsimile of a 1960s performance benchmark. SIMON HUCKNALL drives it
MERCEDES-BENZ CLE
Does a PHEV set-up work in a coupé that exudes such old-school vibes?
ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT
Lotus Elise specialist uprates 1990s icon with an eye on track days
ALPINE A290
The hot hatch is alive and well, and living in France. On both road and track, there's much to savour`
UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS
Average car age climbs as high prices dampen demand for new models
