F1 preview 2022: All the drivers and teams on the grid this season

All of the cars lining up for the 2022 F1 season will be brand-new designs after sweeping changes to regulations for this season.

We have seen changes in personnel at Alfa Romeo, Mercedes and Williams.

2022 F1 DRIVER LINE UPS

Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton – #44

George Russell – #63

George Russell partners seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. 

Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas has left the team after five seasons, having helped the Silver Arrows clinch a record eighth consecutive constructors’ championship. 

Another former Williams driver, Russell, makes a long-awaited step up to the team that has dominated the turbo-hybrid era.

Red Bull

Max Verstappen – #1

Sergio Perez – #11

Red Bull have all the ones on their cars this season. 2021 drivers’ title winner Max Verstappen sports the champion’s #1 (instead of his usual #33) and Sergio Perez partners him in the #33 car. The pair continue their successful partnership with Mexican racer Perez, already confirmed to stay back in August 2021, before his heroics in helping claim the WDC.

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Ferrari Scuderia F1

Charles Leclerc – #16

Carlos Sainz – #55

Carlos Sainz readies himself for his second season with Ferrari, who clinched P3 in the constructors’ standings in 2021, as the team aim to fight the frontrunners. Charles Leclerc continues his successful tenure with the squad, hoping for a first win since 2019.

McLaren

Daniel Ricciardo – #3

Lando Norris – #4

Lando Norris continues alongside Daniel Ricciardo with McLaren, who narrowly missed out on P3 to Ferrari last season but showed that they too are fighting their way back towards the top. After all, their one-two at Monza was the only such finish of the 2021 season.

Alpine

Fernando Alonso – #14

Esteban Ocon – #31

Alpine have an unchanged lineup.  

After an undeniably strong season in 2021 with veteran Fernando Alonso taking a podium and helping team mate Esteban Ocon to a brilliant Hungarian Grand Prix victory. 

The pair will also aim to bring Alpine up to the pace of McLaren and Ferrari and beyond.

AlphaTauri

Pierre Gasly – #10

Yuki Tsunoda – #22

Yuki Tsunoda is no longer a rookie as he prepares for a second season with AlphaTauri. Pierre Gasly, who had a terrific 2021 season and finished ninth in the standings, continues with the Faenza team formerly known as Toro Rosso.

Aston Martin

Sebastian Vettel – #5

Lance Stroll – #18

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel continues with Aston Martin, the marque readying for their second full Formula 1 season. Lance Stroll stays with the team, who will be aiming for higher than their 2021 finishing position of seventh in the standings.

Williams

Nicholas Latifi – #6

Alex Albon – #23

Williams change their line-up for 2022, with ex-Red Bull racer Alex Albon stepping in to replace Mercedes-bound Russell. Albon partners Nicholas Latifi as Williams come off a 2021 season that saw them score 23 points and finish above Alfa Romeo and Haas in the standings.

A brand-new set of rules mean brand-new cars for 20 drivers on the F1 grid, with changes at Alfa Romeo and Mercedes plus one rookie. Here is how the 2022 F1 grid will line up.

Alfa Romeo F1

Zhou Guanyu – #24

Valtteri Bottas – #77

Alfa Romeo are the only team to field a totally fresh line-up for 2022 as Valtteri Bottas joins the squad from Mercedes. Meanwhile the first full-time Chinese F1 driver in history Zhou Guanyu will be the grid’s sole rookie as he graduates from F2.

Haas

Nikita Mazepin – #9

Mick Schumacher – #47

It’s the same line-up for Haas this season but neither driver has rookie status in 2022, with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin entering their sophomore F1 seasons – and both aiming for their maiden F1 points too.

2022 F1 driver line-ups

TEAM	2022 F1 DRIVERS
Mercedes	Lewis Hamilton #44 George Russell #63
Red Bull	Max Verstappen #1 Sergio Perez #11
Ferrari	Charles Leclerc #16 Carlos Sainz #55
McLaren	Lando Norris #3 Daniel Ricciardo #4
Alpine	Fernando Alonso #14 Esteban Ocon #31
AlphaTauri	Pierre Gasly #10 Yuki Tsunoda #22
Aston Martin	Sebastian Vettel #5 Lance Stroll #18
Williams	Nicholas Latifi #6 Alex Albon #23
Alfa Romeo	Valtteri Bottas #77 Guanyu Zhou #24
Haas	Mick Schumacher #47 Nikita Mazepin #9