When and where is the next F1 2022 race?

All you need to know ahead of the next Formula 1 race of the 2022 season

(AFP via Getty Images)

The Formula One season has reached the half-way stage as the drivers prepare for the 12th Grand Prix weekend of the 22-race calendar in 2022.

Charles Leclerc reignited his world championship hopes by racing to victory at the Austrian Grand Prix last time out as team-mate Carlos Sainz emerged unscathed from his Ferrari after it caught fire. Leclerc passed championship leader Max Verstappen three times to claim his first triumph since he took the chequered flag in Australia on April 10. Verstappen finished second after Sainz’s engine expired with 14 laps remaining.

Sainz broke down at the uphill Turn 4 but moments later later his car dramatically caught alight. With Sainz still in his cockpit and his car rolling downhill, the Spaniard had to battle gravity as he unstrapped his seatbelts and attempted to leap from his flaming machine.

The television cameras cut away from the flashpoint, but seconds later, Sainz was seen walking away from his wreckage, with the flames extinguished by marshals. Sainz’s retirement allowed Lewis Hamilton to take third with Mercedes team-mate George Russell fourth despite an opening-lap collision with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

At the half-way mark, Verstappen has a 38-point lead from Leclerc in second, while Perez - who retired from last Sunday’s race - is third a further 19 points back. The next race is this weekend of 22-24 July at Circuit Paul Ricard at the French Grand Prix.

Here is everything you need to know.

When and where is the next race?

After a sprint weekend last time out in Austria, Formula 1 reverts to the traditional weekend layout as Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet plays host to the French Grand Prix from 22-24 July.

First and second practice takes place at 1pm and 4pm (BST) respecively on Friday, before third practice at midday on Saturday and qualifying at 3pm (BST).

The race on Sunday starts at 2pm (BST).

The top three in Austria celebrate on the podium (Getty Images)

What has been said?

Christian Horner believes Mercedes will be “quick” at this weekend’s French Grand Prix and a contender throughout the rest of the season after a tricky first half of the year.

Mercedes, who have won the Constructors’ Championship eight years in a row, have struggled to control the porpoising and bouncing which has slowed down their W13 car and made it uncomfortable to drive at times for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

Yet the past three races, with Hamilton earning podiums, have seen improvement for the Silver Arrows and after another strong showing in Austria last week, Red Bull boss Horner believes this week at Circuit Paul Ricard will suit Mercedes as Toto Wolff’s team look to “bring themselves back into the game.”

“We’ll expect them to be quick in [Paul] Ricard,” Horner said. “They are showing flashes of being there or thereabouts. The last two races have been pretty decent for them and there’s been no sign I think of any porpoising at all, so they seem to be slowly bringing themselves back into the game.”

Horner - who was embroiled in a fierce battle last year with Mercedes and Wolff as Hamilton and Max Verstappen fought for the Drivers Championship - feels his arch rivals could well be competing for race wins soon as they look to close the gap to the front two.

“I think they will be a contender,” Horner added. “They keep consistently scoring points. I’m not sure how far off they are in the Constructors’ or Drivers’ [championships] at the moment but sometimes having more cars in play is a good thing, sometimes it might be a bad thing. But I think for the fans it’s great to have six cars competing for victories.”

Christian Horner believes Mercedes will be “quick” at this weekend’s French Grand Prix (Getty Images)

Current driver standings

1. Max Verstappen - 208 points

2. Charles Leclerc - 170 points

3. Sergio Perez - 151 points

4. Carlos Sainz - 133 points

5. George Russell - 128 points

6. Lewis Hamilton - 109 points

7. Lando Norris - 64 points

8. Esteban Ocon - 52 points

9. Valtteri Bottas - 46 points

10. Fernando Alonso - 29 points

11. Kevin Magnussen - 22 points

12. Daniel Ricciardo -17 points

13. Pierre Gasly - 16 points

14. Sebastian Vettel -15 points

15. Mick Schumacher - 12 points

16. Yuki Tsunoda - 11 points

17. Guanyu Zhou - 5 points

18. Alex Albon - 3 points

19. Lance Stroll - 3 points

20. Nicholas Latifi - 0 points

21. Nico Hulkenberg - 0 points

Max Verstappen currently leads the World Championship by 38 points (PA)

Full 2022 schedule

ROUND 12 — FRANCE

Paul Ricard — 22-24 July

ROUND 13 —HUNGARY

Hungaroring — 29-31 July

ROUND 14 —BELGIUM

Spa-Francorchamps — 26-28 August

ROUND 15 —NETHERLANDS

Zandvoort — 2-4 September

ROUND 16 —ITALY

Monza — 9-11 September

ROUND 17 —SINGAPORE

Marina Bay — 30-2 September/October

ROUND 18 —JAPAN

Suzuka — 7-9 October

ROUND 19 —UNITED STATES

Circuit of the Americas — 21-23 October

ROUND 20 —MEXICO

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez — 28-30 October

ROUND 21 —BRAZIL

Interlagos — 11-13 November

ROUND 22 —ABU DHABI

Yas Marina — 18-20 November