The state of the early 2022 F1 pecking order as Barcelona testing ends

With new rules, new cars and new drivers, plenty has happened over the three days of running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Here, Autosport takes stock after the first of Formula 1's pre-season tests in 2022

Alex Kalinauckas Feb 25, 2022, 10:09 PM

Upd: Mar 1, 2022, 9:34 AM

No matter how interesting the new cars are, Formula 1 is of no significance compared to the horror of war breaking out in Ukraine. But, what it can do, hopefully, is provide the escapism of sport – even during testing.

New designs, new drivers, new rules returning to an old problem – there has been plenty to dig into over the three days of running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. As ever, the usual caveats of testing apply, as all the teams and drivers are keen to point out at every available opportunity. Everyone is somewhere and everyone is nowhere.

Share Or Save This Story

Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.