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

#6 – Lando Norris, McLaren

Following a new four-year contract extension keeping him within the ranks of McLaren through 2025, Lando Norris has solidified not only his place as the team’s clear number one driver, but also as the team’s future and centerpiece to their brand.

In his best season to date, Norris excelled with multiple podium finishes and only two finishes outside of the points through no fault of his own (Hungary: unfortunate turn one, Spa: torrential conditions worthy of a red flag).

What could offer trouble for the British prodigy is the transition to low-grip regulations, which will offer a massive change to the flowing driving style with which he has become accustomed throughout his Formula 1 career thus far. Excelling on the brakes and managing smooth corner entry, Norris could very well be the youngster to struggle the most with adjusting to the new car characteristics.

What bodes well for his transition though is a historical trend of superior performance in wet and mixed conditions, suggesting high adaptability and the intuition to be able to manipulate his driving style in order to manage a loose rear end far better than his competition.

#5 – Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren

Yes, Norris is the centerpiece of McLaren’s Formula 1 program. Yes, the development of the 2022 machinery will likely be geared toward helping the young Brit rack up as many points as possible throughout the season.

What he doesn’t have though is a career of experience, including experience machinery which resembles the low-downforce nature presented by the 2022 regulations.

Following the retirement of Mark Webber, a young Daniel Ricciardo took the sport by storm with a bold smile and even more bold style of driving, dipping and diving with iconic late-braking moves on the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and teammate Sebastian Vettel. Ricciardo would go on to beat the four-time reigning champion by 71 points in 2014.

With a proven mastery of overtaking, Ricciardo could have the single best transition to the new regulations, which have been purpose-built to promote overtaking with increased downforce directly behind another car and a shortened wheelbase, allowing for more physical space on-track, space of which the Australian will utilize every centimeter.