After the tight end of last season we all stayed with the impression that the duel between Mercedes and Red Bull would continue this 2022 and that the confrontation for the title between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen would have a second season. However, the regulatory changes greatly relegated the silver arrow cars. Therefore, when it was expected that the British would come out with a thirst for revenge, we saw a Lewis who was certainly tame with a vehicle that did not meet the expectations and ambitions of a seven-time champion. If it weren't for Ferrari, who managed to put a competitive car on the grid, what we would have seen in this first half of the season would have been a chilling monologue from Red Bull.
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The French Grand Prix this weekend marks the start of the second half of the championship, and after what we have seen in the preview, we can already draw some conclusions about what is to come. The most important prediction is about the title contender. Although the current points system is macabre (a winner can earn up to 26 points), everything would indicate, from the pace we see on the track, that Max Verstappen should win the second championship. Although Charles Leclerc has shown great moments, winning Bahrain, Australia, and Austria, he has also made it clear that he has problems with the pressure of holding on to Max in the rear-view mirrors and that he has a fragile car considering what is always expected from a Ferrari. As if this were not enough, the Italian team has shown to be very clumsy so far this year: bad strategies, poor pit stops, and little skill in handling their drivers. It is certain that Ferrari will improve, it cannot get worse, but everything would indicate that they will gain experience to have a 2023 of championships.
In Red Bull, we have seen some episodes of astonishment from Verstappen, who has had some unprecedented tantrums for his condition as champion. It is clear that Max is more comfortable being the surprise rather than the protagonist. Losing to a multi-champion like Lewis obviously doesn't affect him, but if Leclerc surpasses him, he simply cannot hide it. Ego is working against him, and if it weren't for his team, the championship would probably be much closer for him. To add more arrhythmias, this year Checo Pérez has made it clear that he will not be the faithful wingman of last year and that he will not accept Horner’s reshuffles without a word.
To close, we have Mercedes, which improves every race and is likely to finish the season closer to Ferrari. Russell has shown to be a reliable and consistent driver, except for Great Britain, he has scored points in every race, which allows him to be only 5 points away from matching Carlos Sainz. On the track, he has been sharp, precise, and has not been involved in any unfair incidents with his teammate. Lewis, on the other hand, has begun to show considerable improvements with a car that, in terms of evolution, has grown the most on the grid. It is evident that at Mercedes, they know that this season is lost, but they are aware that they will end the year with the necessary arguments to awaken Hamilton's ambition to race for 2023.
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