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The 2022 Canadian GP seems to have come far too early for F1 fans. While many are still reeling from the porpoising debate and the Ferrari debacle at last week's Azerbaijan GP, Montréal might just be the swift turnover that they need. Having said that, this will be the 9th race of the season and it comes at a very critical juncture in the championship.
The pendulum of the championship battle is swinging towards Red Bull and there are question marks over the new regulations being raised not by the teams but the drivers themselves. Let's take a look at some of the key unanswered questions as we head into the Canadian GP.
#5 Can Aston Martin complete jump to front of midfield?
Aston Martin's new upgrade at the 2022 F1 Spanish GP had a bit of an underwhelming start. It did not score any points in that race, but since then, there's been a slow but steady uptick in the team's performance as it learns further about its car.
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The race in Baku was the third race for the "green Red Bull," as many paddock members fondly called it in Barcelona, and that was the best race for Aston Martin. Sebastian Vettel finished the race in 6th position and potentially had the pace to go one better as well. The Canadian GP track layout holds a lot of similarities to Baku. Will we see Aston Martin finally unlock the complete potential of the car and jump to the front of the midfield? Let's see if that can happen.
#4 Will the new regulations make the track racier?
The Canadian GP race track has been conducive to wheel-to-wheel racing, but this will be the first outing for the 2022 F1 cars. While the new regulations could make cars much easier to follow in the first sector, there is still a question mark over how much of an impact that ultimately has on the overtakes. Consequently, everyone will be keeping an eye on what kind of racing the new regulations will deliver.
#3 How "bouncy" will the Mercedes be?
One of the lasting images of the Azerbaijan GP was Lewis Hamilton holding his back in pain as he tried to get out of his car. While the Mercedes drivers and others as well have been vocal about the bouncing effects of the cars, there is one thing that the Brackley-based outfit will be very careful about.
The team provided Hamilton with a piece of unsafe machinery in Baku. While the media has not grabbed on to it and made headlines, it won't be missed out for two races in a row if the Mercedes is as abusive to its driver's body as it was in Baku. It will be interesting to observe how the Mercedes looks on track and what approach the team takes this weekend for the Canadian GP.
#2 Can Ferrari bounce back?
5 losses in 5 races have left Ferrari 80 points behind Red Bull in the championship. For the Italian squad, the worry is not that the car seems to be competitive for at least one lap, but rather it is reliability and in-race decision-making.
The strategy of pitting Charles Leclerc on Lap 9 of Baku was a tactic that opened up the race for Ferrari but on face value, it's still hard to convince yourself that the tactic would have helped him win. Meanwhile, the less spoken about the strategic debacle in Monaco, the better it is. The Red Bull momentum is raging right now and the battle at the front is going to be very interesting between the two teams.
#1 How much of a factor will bouncing be at the Canadian GP?
The extent of the bumpy ride experienced by the drivers in Baku was quite surprising. Multiple drivers including Pierre Gasly, Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Ocon, and others have spoken out about the discomfort of driving these cars, and have made public appeals to the FIA as well.
On paper, Montréal could bring forth the same challenges that affected the teams in Baku. If we see drivers facing similar issues with the bumps, it will be very interesting to see what the next course of action will be for the FIA. Although highly unlikely, it will be worth keeping an eye out if drivers outright refuse to race at the Canadian GP in these cars instead of suffering physical pain.
