For the second consecutive year, Formula 1 hosted 22 Grands Prix and three Sprints in eight months, achieving a record 25 races in one season.
It wasn’t a one-year title battle this time, but the 2022 technical rules led to the latest procedural step as drivers can spend longer behind other cars without suffering the same performance loss as in previous seasons. .
For each race, we asked RaceFans readers to rate between one and ten how fun each one was. The selections were compiled to form the averages, and that’s how the Great Race went – starting with the lowest race and finishing with the highest.
22. Mexican Grand Prix
Average rating: 3.90/10
An exciting race for Daniel Ricciardo fans, especially as the struggling McLaren driver moved up from 13th to seventh after receiving soft tires last time out and making several breakthroughs. But the combination of thinner air at higher altitudes leads to a weaker glide effect and less cool air for thermal management, and a slippery track surface makes it too difficult for many.
It was one of many victories for Max Verstappen, the top positions remained the same through the pit stops and even Sergio Perez’s favorite home stage – celebrated in style in the track’s stadium section – could not redeem this race. Features among your 10 below.
21. Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Average rating: 5.03/10

Verstappen dominated the Red Bull one-two, although it was Perez who took the lead after passing signal winner Charles Leclerc. Ferrari’s pre-season trend continued here as Carlos Sainz Jnr had a rest and Leclerc retired from a comfortable lead with engine failure.
There was less action on the track with more pit stops than stages. Lewis Hamilton’s late fight with Pierre Gaslin in the race for fourth place was one of the few moments in Baku where they had an unusually tight encounter.
20. Italian Grand Prix
Average rating: 5.28/10

Power unit penalties shook up the grid and left Leclerc in position to win for Ferrari on home soil. Verstappen was seventh and Perez 13th.
The Tifosi’s cheers were mostly directed at Sainz, who was due to start 18th and finished fourth after being sidelined due to a change in power unit components. Leclerc’s joy was further subdued when Verstappen edged him into the runner-up spot.
Although Mick Schumacher and Nicolas Latifi put in some great moves at the first chicane and Lesmos for a few corners late on, there wasn’t the usual gliding activity in midfield. A memorable race that ended behind the safety car, disappointing many.
19. Japanese Grand Prix
Average rating: 5.44/10

Delayed by rain and then red-flagged, watching any race takes a lot of patience from fans at the track and at home. Verstappen made a slow start from pole and was briefly passed by Leclerc but immediately took the lead at turn one. He was the closest they got to Verstappen that afternoon.
Low visibility and a muddy track caused many drivers to go off-track and yellow flags at several corners followed by two red flags from lap two once Sainz got out – and a recovery vehicle went to find him while drivers were speeding around.
That ensured the focus of Paddock’s frustration, rather than saving the race for long, and when the green flag waved again a great performance from Verstappen saw him clinch the world championship four races ahead. But his coronation season was punctuated by punitive and unpredictable interpretations of the rules, with back-stage battles often brutal.
Among those embarrassing moments was the fun of F1, including Schumacher’s brief lead and the battle between Leclerc and Perez for second (and then to the stewards’ room).
Sebastian Vettel also beat Fernando Alonso by a narrow sixth, but the splash meant the battle wouldn’t be seen in its full glory by television audiences until after the race.
18. Miami Grand Prix
Average rating: 5.63/10
A new race around a car park created the kind of racing you’d expect from a circuit built around a car park.
Leclerc claimed pole, but led until lap nine when Verstappen passed him. It was a straightforward affair from then on, with the late appearance of the Safety Car doing little to enliven the proceedings.
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17. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Average rating: 5.65/10

While the title has been around for a long time, there hasn’t been quite the same drama surrounding this year’s season finale. Verstappen took his 15th win of the campaign in dominant style.
A number of tests led drivers to the chicane, other maneuvers were made much easier by DRS, and the battle for third place ended with Hamilton’s car problems. Zhou Guanyu’s excellent final pass on Alexander Albon missed on the world television broadcast.
16. Belgian Grand Prix
Average rating: 5.68/10

After receiving the lowest rating from RaceFans readers last year, the Belgian Grand Prix can only do better in 2022.
Power unit penalties left Verstappen and Leclerc 14th and 15th on the grid, making Sainz the favorite to win over Pole. When Alpine’s Fernando Alonso moved into second and the Mercedes driver came into him, he sent Hamilton flying into the air at Les Combes and on the next lap Nicolas Latifi caused a multi-car collision.
But the chaos, which included Leclerc pitting due to a tear in the brake cooler, only helped Verstappen up the order and it was only time for him to win the race and take the lead. Alonso’s team-mate Esteban Ocon boosted proceedings by pulling off two hackneyed double moves.
15. Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Average Rating: 6.05/10Sprint Race: 5.4/10
A start on a wet track meant more action, but again that only set Verstappen up to dominate. This time he started from a stick, so it was a much easier and less exciting way to victory.
Sainz and Ricciardo came together on lap one to create safety car time, with Perez pushing Verstappen after him but was separated by his team-mate. As has so often happened in the first half of the season, Haas’s Kevin Magnussen found himself battling and losing the battle to Mercedes in the opening lap, and Leclerc was in danger but still managed to finish sixth.
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14. Monaco Grand Prix
Average rating: 6.05/10
A late start behind the safety car didn’t set the Monaco GP up for a thriller, and there was little to predict when the track was slippery or dry. However, Ferrari wanted to throw away the chance to lock down the front row and Sergio Perez managed to take the win.
13. French Grand Prix
Average rating: 6.3/10

Lots of action, but not all of it was necessarily fun to watch. The fight for victory ended a third of the way through the race when Leclerc fell out of the lead, and the gaps quickly opened up after the safety car period.
The most impressive driver to watch was Sainz, who came from 19th on the grid to finish fifth and made some great moves on the track. The Aston Martin drivers almost crashed into each other on the final lap. An enjoyable end to a tournament that otherwise lacked a meaningful fight for place.
12. Singapore Grand Prix
Average rating: 6.45/10
A wet track caused heavy spray in the first few laps and extra caution from drivers. At the start, Perez beat Leclerc in the lead, which proved to be a race-winning move.
The combination of real and virtual Safety Car times turned it into a timeless race. As Perez drove at the front, Hamilton and Verstappen both had a stumbling effect as they moved up the order.
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11. Australian Grand Prix
Average rating: 6.49/10
As with Singapore, there was an unexpected push for this event to return to the calendar. There was a battle for the lead between Leclerc and Verstappen, a common sight in the first few races, and this battle included George Russell when the Mercedes team was not usually seen at the front.
But there was a lack of action once a fuel system issue sent Verstappen into retirement and Leclerc won by more than 20 seconds. Alex Albo’s race to 10th was impressive for the unchallenged Williams, although it didn’t translate into any memorable moments in the race.
10. Dutch Grand Prix
Average rating: 6.93/10
Zandvoort is narrow and twisty, so overtaking is always going to be difficult, even with banked corners and long DRS zones. But the excitement of the ‘Orange Army’ fans at their home track is dwarfed by the excitement surrounding the race.
DRS-assisted passes were common during the race apart from the opening lap, where Magnussen went into the barriers but continued to go impressively, then the pit road exit also saw drivers get in front of each other and lead to several sit-down times. He had to go through the narrow first sector without crashing on cold tires.
Perhaps most of the drama of the race took place on pit road, and it was no surprise to anyone that Verstappen won again at home, although he had to pick off Hamilton after a late restart.
9. Canadian Grand Prix
Average rating: 6.96/10

During the Canadian Grand Prix, two virtual safety car periods and an extended period behind the actual safety car accounted for most of the crossings. The win allowed Sainz to use fresh tires to keep Verstappen late in the race. Another returning grand prix that benefited from much-loved fanfare during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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8. Spanish Grand Prix
Average rating: 7.17/10
It may have been the most typical contest you’ll get for the first half of the 2022 season, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t entertaining. A list of race moments included: Magnussen making contact with Mercedes in the early stages, Sainz taking a break (in this case repeated by Verstappen to add to the uncertainty of who would win), Lechler having car trouble ending his hopes of victory (in this case a power unit failure) and a win for Verstappen; In this case, he allowed Perez to pass twice.
So the highlight of this race was Russell, who battled Verstappen for position several times and even overtook him for a one-point lead. But his pace showed as he finished third, about 33 seconds late.
7. Hungarian Grand Prix
Average rating: 7.68/10

Russell claimed his first F1 pole, but again only managed a third. But Mercedes had the pace to fight off Red Bull for victory and, amid DRS-assisted passes, it was a toss-up between all three top teams.
Ferrari’s strategy choice to put Leclerc on hard tires put him out of contention at the front. Despite Verstappen driving in front of him, the Red Bull driver quickly passed his rival again. Although the spin on the road to victory was of no consequence to Verstappen, this victory was more memorable than others and gave more entertainment to the late fight between Mercedes for second place.
6. Austrian Grand Prix
Average Rating: 7.81/10 Sprint Race: 4.5/10

Leclerc’s final victory of the season came in another close battle with Verstappen. While an engine failure took out the other Ferrari, Leclerc had trouble with the throttle on the final lap.
At the back, Hamilton again fought Haas and Perez spun after meeting Russell on lap one, then retired with an injury.
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5. Bahrain Grand Prix
Average rating: 7.83/10

Leclerc and Verstappen showed how they want to approach their title fight straight from the season opener, kicking off the year with plenty of wheel-to-wheel action.
Magnusson and Hamilton had ‘very close’ starts, and if fuel system problems hadn’t killed both Red Bulls in the closing laps it could have been a different, exciting finish compared to ‘Can You Believe It’. With Verstappen and Perez retiring at the end of a tense race, it is happening. The midfield battles were completely overshadowed by the battles up front on this occasion.
4. Saudi Arabia Grand Prix
Average rating: 7.93/10

The Jeddah Corniche circuit proved capable of providing close competition in its first appearance in 2021, with others following for a second time.
In the beginning, the two Alps almost collapsed when they fought each other. Sainz and pole-winner Perez also came very close as the former left the pits.
But the highlight of the second race of the year was Leclerc and Verstappen’s battle for victory once again going to the final. Each scan led to an ongoing battle between the pair, and Verstappen won by just half a second. Ocon and Lando Norris also battled to the checkered flag for sixth place.
3. United States Grand Prix
Average rating: 8.04/10

The first corner at the Circuit of the Americas is almost guaranteed to create action, and just like the one that sent Russell Sainz spinning on lap one in 2022.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll ran third and later collided spectacularly with Alonso. A pit stop behind the resulting safety car helped Leclerc move forward after a penalty left him starting outside the top ten and he made a good pass on Perez for third.
Verstappen, on the other hand, had a slow pit stop that gave Mercedes the lead in the race, and he was able to overtake Hamilton in his final lap to take the win. The on-track showdown between them may have only lasted a triangle, but you could hear the crowd cheering on the telecast during the race.
Vettel provided plenty of on-track entertainment and briefly led the race, with Magnusson’s last-lap trip earning him eighth place. F1 and USA’s love for each other was stronger than ever in this race.
2. Brazilian Grand Prix
Average Rating: 8.2/10 Sprint Race: 7.4/10

Mercedes took their only win of the year and Friday saw the heroic Magnussen go from hero to zero over the weekend and several of F1’s biggest names charging back to front with drivers.
The Brazilian Grand Prix began with a collision between Ricciardo and Magnussen that led to an early safety car intervention, and further drama on the restart as Verstappen tried to pass Hamilton and Leclerc and Norris also collided as they crashed into each other.
Verstappen and Leclerc dropped to 17th and 18th, then recovered to sixth and fourth in stellar performances. Verstappen’s race finish had added drama when Perez ignored team orders to pass him, and the world heard an argument on team radio.
Russell had a flawless ride to win and Hamilton finished second to the delight of the Brazilian fans.
1. British Grand Prix
Average rating: 8.97/10

This race received three times as many 10 out of 10 votes as any other, but Zhou suffered a horrific crash in the opening lap and the race started at a fast pace that required a stoppage. Thankfully he emerged unscathed, and what followed on the restart was a thrilling contest.
Verstappen and Leclerc had a dicey battle on the first lap, with Perez breaking his front wing, then pole winner Sainz getting past Verstappen. The 10-lap Safety Car period set up a wheel-to-wheel battle between the Ferrari duo of Hamilton and Perez.
Sainz took the win, Perez finished second and Hamilton delighted the local crowd by finishing third on the podium. Further back, Verstappen had to fight hard to beat Schumacher to seventh place.
Your favorite Formula 1 race
Here’s how this year’s races stack up against a selection of the best and worst grands prix over the past 15 seasons:
2022 F1 season
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