Formula 1: Way-too-early 2022 manufacturer power rankings
By Ian Higgins
Formula 1 manufacturer rankings: No. 7 – Alfa Romeo
Projected to be able to meet the budget cap with new sponsorship from Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo will finally be put level with competing manufacturers from a financial standpoint.
Combined with extended wind tunnel time, in part due to Williams’ miraculous back-to-back 10-point weekends in Hungary and Spa, Alfa Romeo are set to fully capitalize on the rules implemented by the FIA to encourage more equal car development.
Alfa Romeo will also enter the 2022 season with a significant upgrade from their Ferrari power unit, not only receiving the ECU upgrade, which made a noticeable difference in pace against the McLarens throughout the second half of the 2021 season, but also potentially gaining additional advantages, depending on your trust of the word of Ferrari engineers (which hold about as much value as Volkswagen emission figures).
Alfa Romeo’s switch was also confirmed as early as April 2021, meaning they were likely the only team to complement Haas in writing off the entirety of the 2021 campaign in order to garner more time and resources for their 2022 project.
A potential midfield surprise with this combination of factors, Alfa Romeo could very well put together a top six package without it being a huge surprise. Whether or not their drivers can capitalize is up for debate.