F1 2022: The impact one less race could have on the budget caps of teams

F1 2022: The impact one less race could have on the budget caps of teams

Russian Grand Prix will not be replaced and will stay cancelled in the 2022 season, leading to only having 22 races. Sochi was announced cancelled in the month of February after a meeting was conducted between FIA, Formula 1 and the team ahead of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Originally it was decided this year would conduct 23 Grand Prix making it the season with most races in the history of the sport. But later a decision made to cancel the Sochi race lead to speculations of Singapore replacing that race. 

With teams having a limit on the money they could spend overall on their car upgrades as per the new regulations, cancelling a race could affect this in a good way. Teams would have to get their engines to suffer a race-less, that to Sochi where engines are pushed to their limits, giving them an overall good mileage and getting their V6’s hybrid some more life.

Teams saving some money from their limit would be able to add some additional resources to the car in the latter half of the season. Teams will also have a decent amount of time to work o their cars leading to the next race weekend.

Also Read: “He will be a good driver”: Marc Surer sees the makings of a good F1 racer in Mick Schumacher

Having a little upgrade could also let lead to making huge differences in the position of the teams, as we the impact of upgrades McLaren did to get their car from a typical last position to a podium in only 2 races. 

Singapore could have been a possible replacement for Sochi

Budget Cap
Budget Cap will be affected by the cancellation of one race for the Teams

Russian Grand Prix was planned to happen September 23-25. Singapore is going to conduct its first race after a two-year break in the month of October and could have conducted two races in a row. 2020 saw a lot of tracks conducting two simultaneous race weekends due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Also Read: “At some stage, they will need to stop”: Mattia Binotto blasts Red Bull for tweaking the budget cap in Formula 1 2022

But it is now decided as the Russian stays cancelled and won’t be replaced by any other track even with a two-race weekend making it a 22 race Season.

Now cancelling one race could affect the upgrades and budget caps of all the teams.

YouTube video

Now with only 22 races this season, it won’t serve the purpose of being a season with most races, but would definitely become in the 2023 season.

Also Read: Spanish GP 2016: Throwback to when Max Verstappen broke a near unbreakable F1 record