Formula 1: Way-too-early 2022 driver power rankings

#8 – Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Sunday, September 22, 2019: the last time a driver in “Rosso Corsa” has resided on the top step of the podium. Charles Leclerc nearly changed that date twice during the course of the 2021 season, first with an unclaimed pole position in Monaco followed by 49 laps led in the British Grand Prix under the pressure of Lewis Hamilton and a faltering power unit.

Having already proven his capability as a front-running driver in 2019 with victories at both Spa and Monza, the Monegasque driver is starving for his return to the top of the sport. Another young driver without reference to pre-2017 equipment, Leclerc could be another youthful victim of the 2022 regulations and the radical change demanded in driving style to find pace.

What could potentially plague Leclerc though is his persistent aggression in open-air, which cost Ferrari just over 4 million Euros over the course of the 2021 season. If unable to quickly adapt to a new car philosophy, Leclerc could find himself in a negative spiral of repeatedly pushing the car too far when attempting to find its limits. This will not only hurt Ferrari’s efforts to operate within the cost cap but also place unnecessary strain on his mechanics, who would be far more productive refining their setup than repairing damaged parts.

#7 – Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin

Entering a team which had previously far outperformed expectations with their “Pink Mercedes”, Sebastian Vettel experienced a lackluster season of midfield finishes. After being kicked to the curb by a Ferrari team which had made their preference for the younger of their two drivers very clear, Vettel landed in a newly branded Aston Martin team which seek to put themselves among the best in motorsport with the financial backing of team owner Lawrence Stroll.

Unable to display the talent which was hidden from us by a collapsing Ferrari since late-2019, Vettel was only able to compete at the front in Baku and Hungary, both races in which external circumstances helped put him into the position to bring home major points.

Having switched their focus to 2022 early in the season once it was realized that their 2021 car was unable to compete with the likes of Alpine and AlphaTauri, Aston Martin will hopefully provide the package for Vettel to display his veteran savvy.

First coming to Formula 1 in place of Robert Kubica in 2007, Vettel can call back upon multiple years of experience within lower-downforce machinery as well as a rookie campaign on grooved tires providing reduced mechanical grip compared to the gluttonous Pirellis used in 2021.