Formula 1: Cars and drivers for 2022

Looking at Red Bull's new RB18, you can already see the difference from last year: The curved sidepods and higher tires, topped by small fenders at the front, immediately catch the eye. The designers did such a good job that Max Verstappen was the fastest in testing.

It's a different driving experience for the drivers. "We have less grip," Max Verstappen (left) said in February. "And you don't see as well because of the high tires." The Dutchman is out to defend his world championship title and his car features the number 1 instead of 33. Just like last year, his teammate is Sergio Perez of Mexico.

It's silver again! After two seasons in black, the "Silver Arrow" lives up to its name again in 2022. The team surprised the competition with an extreme design variant almost without sidepods and with rear-view mirror mounts that resemble additional wings. However, the Mercedes was not very fast in the final tests.

Can Lewis Hamilton (right) clinch his eighth world championship title? In view of the testing results, he is playing down his chances. "At the moment, we're not capable of winning," he said. The opposition suspect this is merely a bluff. Instead of the veteran Valtteri Bottas, up-and-coming driver George Russell will be his teammate in 2022.

Ferrari looks to be set for a minor resurgence. The Scuderia impressed in testing and could be one of the favorites – at least at the beginning of the season. The new F1-75 is a beauty in classic Ferrari red and offers innovation: Ferrari is the only team to have sidepods that curve inward. The nose is also unusual: it consists of two individual parts.

Ferrari has two experienced drivers in the cockpits, and clearly, they're aiming to be among the contenders in 2022. Charles Leclerc (left) said it was "one of the best winters I've ever had." He and Carlos Sainz Jr. look to be the strongest driving duo headed into the season. It will be interesting to see which of the two emerges as the No. 1 in the team's hierarchy.

Cooling fins like the gills of a shark adorn the elongated sidepods of the new Aston Martin. Unlike the Ferrari and similar to the Red Bull, the sidepods taper sharply toward the bottom, allowing airflow there as well. Compared to its predecessor, the AMR22 has more curved lines and impresses with one of the most elegant looks in the field.

But how good will it be? 2021 was something of a trial year for Aston Martin, this year they need to be better. For Sebastian Vettel (right) in particular, this season could be decisive. The former world champion's contract is set to expire. Last year, he only finished in the points seven times and finished 12th in the drivers' championship, one place ahead of teammate Lance Stroll.

The British team's car features wide, curved sidepods and a rounded rear wing. The car is also a little less orange and a bit more black. It's difficult to predict how the new McLaren will do, as it performed quite well in testing in Barcelona, but not much went right in Bahrain.

"We have problems in the slow corners," says Lando Norris (left). He sees the car at a clear disadvantage to those of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. The two McLaren drivers probably need a good early race result to gain confidence in their new car. The good news is that Daniel Ricciardo (right) will be on the grid for the season opener after recovering from COVID-19.

Has Alpine done itself a favor with the new sponsor color scheme? Many liked its predecessor, the black and yellow of Renault much more appealing than the new A522. There have also been changes to the shape: The car is narrower than the 2021 model and has a shorter nose with a slim front wing. The sidepods, on the other hand, are wide – similar to the Ferrari.

Esteban Ocon (left) and Fernando Alonso don't look particularly pleased. However, they should be pleased by the fact that their employer has scored a real coup by signing Otmar Szafnauer, the former Aston Martin team boss. And things also went well during testing: Alonso finished third in the battle for the fastest lap on the final day.

Wide sidepods with large openings, a round rear wing and "drooping mouth corners" at the front – this is the combination Scuderia AlphaTauri is banking on. The Italians source the engine and other parts from sister team Red Bull, so the car's concepts are similar. However, this year, AlphaTauri is likely only setting its sights on the middle of the pack in 2022.

The driver pairing at AlphaTauri is one of the most exciting in the Formula 1 field. Pierre Gasly (left) proved that he is a top driver with his sensational victory in Monza in 2020. In 2021 he finished in the top six nine times. His teammate Yuki Tsunoda had his moments last year but now he has to show that he truly belongs in F1.

Alfa Romeo has the shortest and lightest car of all the teams in 2022. The C42 differs from the competition with its two-part airbox, and the air intake at the top behind the cockpit. During testing, Alfa had to contend with "porpoising." This means that when it hits full throttle on the straights, the downforce causes the car to bounce repeatedly, bobbing up and down.

The cockpits at Alfa are occupied by two newcomers – a debutant and an old hand. Guanyu Zhou (right) is the first regular Formula 1 driver from China, Valtteri Bottas came from Mercedes and replaces his Finnish compatriot Kimi Raikkonen. The fact that things didn't go according to plan in testing didn't worry Bottas. "I see great potential in this car," he said.

It will be hard for Williams to compete as the team is still getting used to a new US owner after the end of the Williams family era, even if the name stays the same. The FW44 is one of the slowest cars in the field, and there were quite a few problems during testing. The best it will probably be able to do is compete with Haas and Alfa Romeo in bringing up the rear.

Nevertheless, Nicholas Latifi (left), who already drove for Williams in 2021, and ex-Red Bull driver Alex Albon, who has replaced George Russell, will do their best. But chances are, they'll just be happy to get to the checkered flag. The car didn't look good in testing. The lowlight came when both of Latifi's brakes caught fire and had to be extinguished.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US team parted company with its Russian main sponsor Uralkali and with Russian driver Nikita Mazepin. Haas has been using Ferrari engines for years and buys as many parts as possible from the Scuderia. This year, that practice is limited by new rules. Nevertheless, the team is hoping for a better showing than in 2021, when it finished dead last.

But is the Haas VF-22 really faster than its predecessor? Mick Schumacher (left) will be aiming to earn his first drivers' championship points, but at the same time he'll be facing the challenge of a stronger teammate in 2022. Haas reactivated Kevin Magnussen who drove for the Americans from 2017 to 2020. "I know what I can do," Schumacher said. "This doesn't intimidate me."