Summary of the first half of the F1 season: Who has a better chance of the title and why not write Mercedes off?

With eleven races under its belt, Formula 1 is halfway through 2022. Max Verstappen leads the championship as he defends his world title. There are several drivers involved in the battle for the championship this year and it is the same in the battle for the team championship. Interesting things are also happening on the other side of the field, because compared to last year, all teams have at least some points.

The big surprise this season is the Ferrari engines, which have significantly increased their performance ahead of this year’s race. The reliability is worse. This is because it has not yet allowed the red monoblocs to get back into first place ahead of Red Bull. But Haas and Alfa Romeo, which also have a Ferrari engine, have also lost a lot of points.

On the other hand, Mercedes is a slight disappointment, still waiting for a win this season. That hasn’t happened to this team for 10 seasons, since 2011. But if we look at this year’s tables, we see that things are not that bad for the German stable.

The engines of this manufacturer boast a really high reliability. The only non-completion in the UK came from George Russell, after a collision that left his rival Kuan-yu Zhu upside down and trapped between the barrier and the fence.

Otherwise, though, both he and Lewis Hamilton are finishing in high positions, which is why Mercedes is holding on to third place among the constructors. The British driver duo are 122 and 66 points behind Red Bull and Ferrari.

What is almost certain is that the German team will hold their place ahead of their pursuers. Fourth-placed McLaren and fifth-placed Alpine are identically 156 points behind. And although it’s a long way off for the top two, reliability and improved performance could bring a turnaround in the title fight.

On the other hand, the top two spots may be fought for right down to the last race. For Ferrari has brought new improvements to the car that should match Red Bull’s superb top speed and bring the red monoblocs significantly closer to their rivals. So it will be interesting to watch the race in France, where the fast monoposts will definitely not be lost.

However, if a decision has to be made as to who is the biggest favourite to win the world championship title, then of the trio of Verstappen, Leclerc, Pérez, it is surely the former. Indeed, only Verstappen has experience of a heated world title fight and his battle with Hamilton last year took him to the next level.

The battle for the lower positions in the Constructors’ Cup is also worth watching. Fourth and fifth places are held by McLaren and Alpine on identical 81 points, with the French stable gaining momentum in recent races.

Esteban Ocon confirmed Alpine’s form in Austria by finishing fifth. Fernando Alonso is also on a solid pace, but has been sidelined by technical problems several times during the season.

Haas has also been doing well in recent races, putting both cars in the points in both the UK and Austria. This is one of the reasons why the American team is seventh in the Constructors’ Cup.

After the races in France and Hungary, F1 will go into a three-week summer break, after which the first Grand Prix will be crucial. Whoever does it best will have a great chance of winning one of the most valuable trophies in the world of motorsport.

Source