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After a two-year hiatus, the Canadian GP is back! The first day of the 2022 event went as smoothly as it could for the teams. There weren't too many shockers as we didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The usual suspects are fast and the notorious midfield cluster is still in place. Having said that, we've covered all of what happened in FP1 and FP2 and this piece is not for that!
In this piece, we guide you on what you can expect from qualifying, as we put our necks on the line and predict how the 2022 F1 Canadian GP qualifying will pan out. So, without further ado, let's jump straight to it and make our predictions for the 2022 F1 Canadian GP qualifying.
Disappointment of the session (Team)
Mercedes has been a disappointment this season anyway, but it has still maintained a safe stranglehold over P3 in the championship. The Montréal track does not play to the strengths of the car in any which way. The team might just be playing a bit extra careful with the setup after a rather bumpy weekend for Lewis Hamilton last weekend.
Trending
Keeping the whacky setup aside that Lewis Hamilton has been left running for the team, the intrinsic pace at the hands of George Russell does not look good either. This weekend, perhaps more than ever, we might see the two Mercedes drivers struggle to place their cars on the third row. Considering the kind of lofty heights that the Brackley-based outfit has enjoyed in the last decade, this is another letdown for the team.
Disappointment of the session (Driver)
Strange experimental setups or not, somewhere down the line Lewis Hamilton getting outpaced by George Russell should be a cause for concern at Mercedes. The seven-time champion has not beaten his teammate since the 2022 F1 Bahrain GP. If he does not do it at the 2022 F1 Canadian GP, this will be the worst losing streak of his career against his teammate.
Does Mercedes really believe that every experimental setup that Lewis Hamilton has run on his car this season has been slower than the conventional setup George Russell has used? It's a bit disappointing to watch Hamilton always being 2-3 tenths (sometimes even more) slower than his teammate. It would be very disappointing if that happens in the Canadian GP, which is his favorite hunting ground.
Having said that, looking at the trends in the 2022 F1 Canadian GP FP1 and FP2, the seven-time world champion is in for a rough one again.
Surprise of the session (Team)
Aston Martin, or should we call it the "Green Red Bull", is starting to come into its own after taking a few races to understand what's in there beneath that new major upgrade. After finally unleashing some of that speed in Baku, it does appear that the Silverstone-based outfit is in a strong position to unleash more of it in the 2022 F1 Canadian GP.
Sebastian Vettel's time in FP2 which was good enough for a top-5 slot is a testament to the team getting its act together. Keep an eye on it during the 2022 F1 Canadian GP qualifying because the team might be able to pull off something impressive.
Surprise of the session (Driver)
Fernando Alonso seems to have a spring in his step this season and the last few races are proof of that. More than that, it does appear that the Spaniard's Alpine is getting more and more competitive every time he steps into it.
His performance in Baku, where he held off the McLarens, was very impressive, and at the 2022 F1 Canadian GP, it was once again the Spaniard who is starting to put together some very impressive lap times. Now, Alpine does run a bit lighter and at a higher engine on Friday, but even when it all evens out, it does appear that the Spaniard will still have something in the pocket.
In the 2022 F1 Canadian GP qualifying, keep an eye on Fernando Alonso! He's going to surprise a few people, that's for sure.
Top 3 in 2022 F1 Canadian GP qualifying
At the top of the order at the 2022 F1 Canadian GP, it is once again the usual suspects. Only this time around, it does appear that Red Bull has the overall edge, not only in the long runs, which has been the case for the last few races, but also in qualifying sims as well.
Max Verstappen is in the groove while Sergio Perez is struggling to keep up. Speaking of Ferrari drivers, both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have been trying very hard to keep up but are still a few tenths down on Verstappen for now.
Now, as we have set the context for you, it's hard to look beyond Max Verstappen as the pick for pole. Since Sergio Perez seems to be struggling with the one-lap pace of the Red Bull, we might be looking at both Charles Leclerc (of course the Ferrari driver will have a grid penalty to serve as well) and Carlos Sainz to occupy the top-3 spots.
The qualifying session will be very important because this could define the momentum that teams build over the next few races. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve takes no prisoners when it comes to mistakes, so we could see someone slip up and lose out big time!
