The most-awaited 2022 Formula One season is almost here, and the hype has consistently been high due to the incoming regulation changes. A lot of questions have been running inside the fans’ heads; Will this gamble work? Can the mid-field afford to challenge the title-favorites, Mercedes and Red Bull?

Well, Former F1 driver, Stefan Johansson, has the answer! The 65-year-old opined that the upcoming regulatory tweaks might resist teams like McLaren and Ferrari from taking their fight to the top-runners in 2022. Nevertheless, he lauded F1’s efforts, admitting that the sport desperately needed stability in rules and a level playing field.

Furthermore, Johansson also offered a grim prediction for Mercedes amidst their potential extension of rivalry with Red Bull Racing.

What did Johansson say about Mercedes?

Johansson felt that the aerodynamical changes that are in the offing might play to Red Bull’s strengths. Hence, after embracing such a dominant spell in 2021, it looks like the Milton Keynes outfit could extend their pace advantage to Mercedes, heading into the 2022 season.

And of course, there is also the fact that it will be Max Verstappen at the wheel. So, according to Johansson, the chances are that Red Bull will yet again hold the upper hand against the Brackley outfit.

“My gut tells me that with the drastic changes in aerodynamics for next season Red Bull will probably be the team that gets closest to where it needs to be the fastest,” he mentioned as saying in his own blog.

Watch Story: Lewis Hamilton’s Biggest F1 Crashes

Johansson predicts repeat of 2014

The Swedish racing driver reckoned that the 2022 season might witness a repeat of 2014, with a handful of teams managing to build a commendable car while the rest of the grid plays catch-up for the following three years.

“Had the rules remained the same for next season, I think the grid would be even tighter. I keep saying it but the easiest way to even up the field and get close racing is rules stability. Eventually, the smaller, less well-resourced teams will catch up,” he said.

“We’ve seen that many times over the years. But as soon as the rules change, you’ll have one, maybe two teams that have the resources and talent to get it right out of the gate. The rest spend the next three years catching up again.”

So, let’s hear it from you – Do you believe Johansson’s prediction might come true? Are we likely to witness Red Bull extend their dominance into the next few years? Well, we’ll know soon enough!

Read More: Can F1 Teams Have 3 Drivers?