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

I forgot how relatively impossible it is to overtake on this car park.

Magny Cours is good. Should go back there next time.
 
I don't know you, and I don't know what you are talking about. All that I can tell you is that you looked through the comments and saw what you wanted to see I guess. I mean I don't know what you need to read or hear to soothe your psyche but I was talking about the race, and Hamilton vs Russell since the improvements of the car, that was my intention.

Maybe the problem is that every time I discuss Lewis someone wants to bring Verstappen into the mix. I don't know why because I don't get the similarities between the two to make any comparisons except that they are both drivers in the same sport. It usually snowballs from there.

If talking about Lewis Hamilton, and Mercedes is offensive to people then I don't know what to say to that.

Thank you for your.... suggestion but I'm fine, I don't need it.
The REASON is fairly simple. Prior to this year,(and really with the exception of Nico) ONLY MAX was able to mount a challenge vs Lewis. So who else do you compare him to? Schumacher had Hakinen and Alonso. Senna had Prost. Whenever a driver rises above the pack to such a level as Hamilton has done, especially while at Mercedes, it is natural for fans to gravitate to ANYONE who can at least match him.
The pairing going forward, based upon this year, will most likely be Max & Charles. The Orange will rise up whenever a Red Pony fan tries to belittle Max just as the Brits stand to defend Hamilton.
 
Premium
I don't know you, and I don't know what you are talking about. All that I can tell you is that you looked through the comments and saw what you wanted to see I guess. I mean I don't know what you need to read or hear to soothe your psyche but I was talking about the race, and Hamilton vs Russell since the improvements of the car, that was my intention.

Maybe the problem is that every time I discuss Lewis someone wants to bring Verstappen into the mix. I don't know why because I don't get the similarities between the two to make any comparisons except that they are both drivers in the same sport. It usually snowballs from there.

If talking about Lewis Hamilton, and Mercedes is offensive to people then I don't know what to say to that.

Thank you for your.... suggestion but I'm fine, I don't need it.



Maybe you can open your own 7 times Mickey Mouse world champion thread and go discuss Lewis there instead of spoiling every GP thread.
 
The REASON is fairly simple. Prior to this year,(and really with the exception of Nico) ONLY MAX was able to mount a challenge vs Lewis. So who else do you compare him to? Schumacher had Hakinen and Alonso. Senna had Prost. Whenever a driver rises above the pack to such a level as Hamilton has done, especially while at Mercedes, it is natural for fans to gravitate to ANYONE who can at least match him.
The pairing going forward, based upon this year, will most likely be Max & Charles. The Orange will rise up whenever a Red Pony fan tries to belittle Max just as the Brits stand to defend Hamilton.
Gotcha I understand, It just seems to me that with the press comparing Verstappen to Hamilton, they (in a sense) raise Verstappen’s competency, and credibility as a driver to draw level with Hamilton who has accomplished so much, while Verstappen hasn't achieved even close to that, but that's my take I guess.

You make perfect sense though. P.S. I think the orange is rising on this site.
 
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Maybe you can open your own 7 times Mickey Mouse world champion thread and go discuss Lewis there instead of spoiling every GP thread.
I think that you're confused. Mickey Mouse isn't in Formula One. There is a new Mickey Mouse kart game coming out if that's what you meant?
 
If talking about Lewis Hamilton, and Mercedes is offensive to people then I don't know what to say to that.
Imho your constant LH fanboyism is usually way over the top but I have to agree about this. And the trend has started to include Russell as well since he has failed to outperform his team mate.
 
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Imho your constant LH fanboyism is usually way over the top but I have to agree about this. And the trend has started to include Russell as well since he has failed to outperform his team mate.
What you call way over the top I call a truthful assessment. Usually when something is over the top or outlandish it may include prevarication, or equivocation, but none of that here. I just tell it like it is.

The cars have stopped bouncing so we'll see how it shakes out by the time November rolls around.
 
Going completely off topic, but it's funny they only debate Jordan or Lebron as the GOAT of the NBA. Kareem surely should always be included in that debate.
Oh, these knuckleheads went off topic about 3 pages ago so I will continue. MJ and LeBron. Great NBA and in MJ's case, great college players.

Kareem. State high school champion. LeBron and MJ no. Multiple college champion. MJ 1, LeBron None. Multiple NBA champion, all of them. For a complete body of work from start to finish. Kareem Abdul Jabaar. Hamilton never won in high school or college and neither did Max. Pretenders.
 
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Oh, these knuckleheads went off topic about 3 pages ago so I will continue. MJ and LeBron. Great NBA and in MJ's case, great college players.

Kareem. State high school champion. LeBron and MJ no. Multiple college champion. MJ 1, LeBron None. Multiple NBA champion, all of them. For a complete body of work from start to finish. Kareem Abdul Jabaar. Hamilton never won in high school or college and neither did Max. Pretenders.
Magic Johnson I think should be in the converstation. He still defines what a point guard should be and there has never been one close to his skill package. He is a 5 time NBA Champion, 3 times NBA Final MVP, 12 times All Star appearances, he was voted player of the game without even scoring 10 points. He could literally play any position on the court. His records are far too vast to name and, he won at every level taking his college team to victory against Bird. He did all of that in a very short pro career.
 
Well, at least it isn't another fight about LH

Oh, and props to SV on a great career. One of F1's great drivers, in recent years.
 
Between Larry Bird, Jordan, and Magic, the game of basketball was ruined. From a team sport with rules, it became a star-based league where you could travel or charge if your name was Jordan. You could palm & roll the ball to keep it away from shorter players if your name was Magic. And Larry? For doing ridiculous stuff like being knocked down and still making the shot while on his butt.
Kinda like Lewis when they let him...... lol!!
 
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Premium
it's always funny to read the Lewis fans...let's just wait the season until it's over and then see the score between Russell vs Hamilton. It's Russell's first year in a top team, writing him off like that is going a bit far. Mercedes has piggybacked on Ferrari's mistakes and Perez was just bad yesterday to finish behind the Mercedes with a car like that. normally Merc should be in 5th place Sorry but the seven world titles will almost all be attributed to the car with no competition around and team mates like Bottas not good enough. funny also that Lewis fans keep crying about AbuDhabi.. I understand the disappointment but it does not detract from Verstappen's performance. They have tried to break Max but he has shown that he is a young man cold as ice.
lol TIL I'm a LH fan.

I'm a Checo fan. Stop making assumptions about people.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news...milton-test-subject-mercedes-set-up-tinkering

LH doesn't even seem bothered that Russell is ahead of him in points/standings. So I don't know where people get this idea that Russell is making him look overrated, is coming from?

And if you think Max will win 7 championships just because Lewis did, I don't know what to tell you. I don't think you understand how difficult it is to win multiple WDC's in a row. What Mercedes and LH/Rosberg did from 2014 to 2021 will probably never be seen in F1 for many years.

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.
I can agree with this, it doesn't change that LH was running experiments this first half of the season and ever since he said he doesn't want to do experimental setups at the end of June, he's beaten Russell every weekend.

Russell is good, I have no doubts he will be a champion contender eventually if Mercedes gives him a car worthy of it, but he's no Lewis Hamilton. At least not at this point in his career. His radio spam requiring Toto to get on the comms and tell him to "chill the F out" is proof of it. LH is no stranger to whining on the radio ("It's a conspiracy", "he drove right into me" Silverstone, etc) but LH typically whines a bit and then gets back to it (Max is also like this).

And I don't know what this has to do with George Russell? I didn't even bring up 2021 or Abu Dhabi and you came out swinging about it. Kind of weird. Maybe you have some kind of complex about it? Sounds like you're more defensive of it than supposed "LH fans".
I don't know you, and I don't know what you are talking about. All that I can tell you is that you looked through the comments and saw what you wanted to see I guess. I mean I don't know what you need to read or hear to soothe your psyche but I was talking about the race, and Hamilton vs Russell since the improvements of the car, that was my intention.

Maybe the problem is that every time I discuss Lewis someone wants to bring Verstappen into the mix. I don't know why because I don't get the similarities between the two to make any comparisons except that they are both drivers in the same sport. It usually snowballs from there.

If talking about Lewis Hamilton, and Mercedes is offensive to people then I don't know what to say to that.

Thank you for your.... suggestion but I'm fine, I don't need it.
I agree with you about LH being better than Russell and being a "once in 30 years" type of driver. However, LH didn't deserve 2021.
You can say the stewards handed him the last lap of Abu Dhabi, but you'd be a liar if you're going to suggest the entire season didn't get to that point.

LH had a LOT of calls go his way, all season. They gave him basically no penalty for taking Max out in Silverstone (he literally oversteered when Max was ahead and put him into the wall) and Bottas literally took Max out.

Personally, I think everyone in this thread has a very immature understanding of this sport.

It's quite simple:

Max deserved 2021 title because he won more races and LH had some bogus calls go his way.

Max beating LH last year doesn't somehow negate how amazing of a driver LH is. Even if Max is in top form for the next 10 years, it would be insanely good fortune if he wins more than 5 WDC's. There's been only 1 other driver to do that.

Russell was faster than LH because LH was running experimental setups. Russell is having trouble even staying 1 second within LH ever since he stopped experiments.

Russell is still fast. He's done amazing for a first year in Mercedes, how about giving him credit for that? If not being faster than LH is some kind of proof you're a bad driver, then like 17 or 18 other F1 drivers are "bad" drivers.

If you shared these thoughts about what you think about any of these drivers, with any F1 drivers, they'd think you are a very strange person. These guys are the best race drivers in the world. Comparing them to each other is fine, but calling them overrated or insulting them? Seriously, grow up.
 
lol TIL I'm a LH fan.

I'm a Checo fan. Stop making assumptions about people.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news...milton-test-subject-mercedes-set-up-tinkering

LH doesn't even seem bothered that Russell is ahead of him in points/standings. So I don't know where people get this idea that Russell is making him look overrated, is coming from?

And if you think Max will win 7 championships just because Lewis did, I don't know what to tell you. I don't think you understand how difficult it is to win multiple WDC's in a row. What Mercedes and LH/Rosberg did from 2014 to 2021 will probably never be seen in F1 for many years.


I can agree with this, it doesn't change that LH was running experiments this first half of the season and ever since he said he doesn't want to do experimental setups at the end of June, he's beaten Russell every weekend.

Russell is good, I have no doubts he will be a champion contender eventually if Mercedes gives him a car worthy of it, but he's no Lewis Hamilton. At least not at this point in his career. His radio spam requiring Toto to get on the comms and tell him to "chill the F out" is proof of it. LH is no stranger to whining on the radio ("It's a conspiracy", "he drove right into me" Silverstone, etc) but LH typically whines a bit and then gets back to it (Max is also like this).

And I don't know what this has to do with George Russell? I didn't even bring up 2021 or Abu Dhabi and you came out swinging about it. Kind of weird. Maybe you have some kind of complex about it? Sounds like you're more defensive of it than supposed "LH fans".

I agree with you about LH being better than Russell and being a "once in 30 years" type of driver. However, LH didn't deserve 2021.
You can say the stewards handed him the last lap of Abu Dhabi, but you'd be a liar if you're going to suggest the entire season didn't get to that point.

LH had a LOT of calls go his way, all season. They gave him basically no penalty for taking Max out in Silverstone (he literally oversteered when Max was ahead and put him into the wall) and Bottas literally took Max out.

Personally, I think everyone in this thread has a very immature understanding of this sport.

It's quite simple:

Max deserved 2021 title because he won more races and LH had some bogus calls go his way.

Max beating LH last year doesn't somehow negate how amazing of a driver LH is. Even if Max is in top form for the next 10 years, it would be insanely good fortune if he wins more than 5 WDC's. There's been only 1 other driver to do that.

Russell was faster than LH because LH was running experimental setups. Russell is having trouble even staying 1 second within LH ever since he stopped experiments.

Russell is still fast. He's done amazing for a first year in Mercedes, how about giving him credit for that? If not being faster than LH is some kind of proof you're a bad driver, then like 17 or 18 other F1 drivers are "bad" drivers.

If you shared these thoughts about what you think about any of these drivers, with any F1 drivers, they'd think you are a very strange person. These guys are the best race drivers in the world. Comparing them to each other is fine, but calling them overrated or insulting them? Seriously, grow up.
Wow! Finally an actual voice of reason that I can get behind. I totally agree with 95 percent of what you say. However, for me, I still have a major problem with the actions of the race director during the last race, on the last lap of the race.

What he did in that race simply put something that I have never seen before in the sport. Many in and outside of the sport still feel right now that what happened on that night was wrong. It will always be a topic of contention no matter what anyone thinks or says. Even the current FIA president says that his actions were not correct, and that it was a mistake which is why the man lost his job.

I knew that they were experimenting all season because some in the sport have suspect it, and no one on the team seems like they care about who has more points. They have enough problems trying to figure out the car and its quirks.
 
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lol TIL I'm a LH fan.

I'm a Checo fan. Stop making assumptions about people.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news...milton-test-subject-mercedes-set-up-tinkering

LH doesn't even seem bothered that Russell is ahead of him in points/standings. So I don't know where people get this idea that Russell is making him look overrated, is coming from?

And if you think Max will win 7 championships just because Lewis did, I don't know what to tell you. I don't think you understand how difficult it is to win multiple WDC's in a row. What Mercedes and LH/Rosberg did from 2014 to 2021 will probably never be seen in F1 for many years.


I can agree with this, it doesn't change that LH was running experiments this first half of the season and ever since he said he doesn't want to do experimental setups at the end of June, he's beaten Russell every weekend.

Russell is good, I have no doubts he will be a champion contender eventually if Mercedes gives him a car worthy of it, but he's no Lewis Hamilton. At least not at this point in his career. His radio spam requiring Toto to get on the comms and tell him to "chill the F out" is proof of it. LH is no stranger to whining on the radio ("It's a conspiracy", "he drove right into me" Silverstone, etc) but LH typically whines a bit and then gets back to it (Max is also like this).

And I don't know what this has to do with George Russell? I didn't even bring up 2021 or Abu Dhabi and you came out swinging about it. Kind of weird. Maybe you have some kind of complex about it? Sounds like you're more defensive of it than supposed "LH fans".

I agree with you about LH being better than Russell and being a "once in 30 years" type of driver. However, LH didn't deserve 2021.
You can say the stewards handed him the last lap of Abu Dhabi, but you'd be a liar if you're going to suggest the entire season didn't get to that point.

LH had a LOT of calls go his way, all season. They gave him basically no penalty for taking Max out in Silverstone (he literally oversteered when Max was ahead and put him into the wall) and Bottas literally took Max out.

Personally, I think everyone in this thread has a very immature understanding of this sport.

It's quite simple:

Max deserved 2021 title because he won more races and LH had some bogus calls go his way.

Max beating LH last year doesn't somehow negate how amazing of a driver LH is. Even if Max is in top form for the next 10 years, it would be insanely good fortune if he wins more than 5 WDC's. There's been only 1 other driver to do that.

Russell was faster than LH because LH was running experimental setups. Russell is having trouble even staying 1 second within LH ever since he stopped experiments.

Russell is still fast. He's done amazing for a first year in Mercedes, how about giving him credit for that? If not being faster than LH is some kind of proof you're a bad driver, then like 17 or 18 other F1 drivers are "bad" drivers.

If you shared these thoughts about what you think about any of these drivers, with any F1 drivers, they'd think you are a very strange person. These guys are the best race drivers in the world. Comparing them to each other is fine, but calling them overrated or insulting them? Seriously, grow up.
Aged like bad wine, considering the result of today's qualy :)
 
lol. After the race result how did my comment age?

If F1 is too fast, maybe you can keep up with what's happening in IndyCar races?
Seems too fast for you because you were nowhere to be seen yesterday.

You said Russell is nowhere near Hamilton. This weekend's performance beg to disagree, Russell is perfectly on part with Lewis. Different strategies dictated the final result.
 

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