2022 F1 Championship schedule: race start times, pre-season testing, car-launch schedules and everything else you need to know

Here is the schedule for the 2022 F1 season, including all 23 Grand Prix and more information on the 2022 season

The action is set to kick off with the Bahrain Grand Prix in March and end with Abu Dhabi in November. But before that, we have the car launches to look forward to, giving us the first glimpse of the 2022 liveries on the brand-new breed of F1 cars.

Miami makes its debut on the calendar on May 8, while Abu Dhabi will host the final race of the season on November 20 – as the likes of Singapore, Melbourne and Montreal return to the schedule in 2022 after their previous Covid-related absences. [via formulaone.com]

2022 F1 Car launch dates and Technical changes

Car launch dates :

Technical changes that will be introduced this year.

Closer racing is the name of the game here with a new aerodynamic philosophy aimed at helping cars follow each other much closer through the corners without losing downforce.

The cutting-edge turbo-hybrid engines will also evolve, with more standardised parts plus E10 biofuel, which is part of F1’s commitment to making a fully sustainable fuel in the future.

Safety changes, plus 18-inch Pirelli tyres, wake-control winglets and wheel covers will also feature on the new-for-2022 cars.

2022 Pre-season testing dates

Pre-season testing will take place at two tracks, with Barcelona hosting the first three days on February 23-25, and 2021 pre-season venue Bahrain then staging the follow-up on March 10-12.

2022 Formula 1 calendar and race start timings

2022 Calendar :

2022 Race start timings :

The F1 Commission has approved plans to run the F1 Sprint format at three Grand Prix weekends – at Imola, the Red Bull Ring and Interlagos – in 2022

F1 Sprint was introduced last year and involved a 100km dash with each lasting around 25-30 minutes. The result determined the grid for the weekend’s main event – the Grand Prix on Sunday.

Following talks with all the key stakeholders, including governing body the FIA and all the teams, an agreement has been reached to hold events at the Emilia Romagna, Austrian and Sao Paulo Grands Prix.

The points system has been tweaked, with the top eight drivers scoring points; previously it was just the top three finishers who received points. It’s now more lucrative: the driver who finishes P1 will receive eight points, down to one point for the driver in P8.

It has also been decided that the driver who sets the fastest time in qualifying – which on Sprint weekends will take place on Friday – will be attributed ‘pole position’. Last year, it was the driver who won the Sprint who earned that accolade.

Qualifying will continue to determine the grid for Saturday’s F1 Sprint, with the result of the Sprint forming the line-up for the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix.

The F1 Commission has voted in favour of changes to the Sporting Regulations regarding how points are awarded should a Grand Prix not complete its intended race distance.

Talks on the subject have been taking place since the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps was shortened due to bad weather.

No points will be awarded unless a minimum of two laps have been completed by the leader without a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car intervention.

Should the leader have completed more than two laps but less than 25% of the scheduled race distance, the top-five finishers will be awarded points as follows:

1st – 6 points
2nd – 4 points
3rd – 3 points
4th – 2 points
5th – 1 point

If the leader has completed 25% but less than 50% of the scheduled race distance, points will be awarded to the top-nine as follows:

1st – 13 points
2nd – 10 points
3rd – 8 points
4th – 6 points
5th – 5 points
6th – 4 points
7th – 3 points
8th – 2 points
9th – 1 point

Should the leader complete 50% but less than 75% of the scheduled race distance, points will be awarded to the top-10 as follows:

1st – 19 points
2nd – 14 points
3rd – 12 points
4th – 9 points
5th – 8 points
6th – 6 points
7th – 5 points
8th – 3 points
9th – 2 points
10th – 1 point

Any percentage of race distance completed above that threshold will see full points awarded to the top 10.

As is always the case, all regulatory changes are subject to approval by the World Motor Sport Council. [via formulaone.com]

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