Not only does Formula 1 return this weekend but its two top junior categories, Formula 2 and Formula 3, also begin their seasons at the Bahrain International Circuit.
In the five years since it was rebranded from GP2 into its current identity, F2 has been through some disruptions.
The introduction of a new chassis in 2018 was beset by technical problems which briefly led the series to abandon using standing starts. That was followed by the trauma of 2019, when Anthoine Hubert was killed at Spa-Francorchamps.
Following the further Covid-induced disruptions of the last two seasons, 2022 offers a chance for F2 and its teams to get back on an even keel. After introducing 18-inch wheels in 2020 and then a new, triple-header format in 2021, the series has a feeling of a return to normality this year.
The F2 teams sometimes struggled last year to handle the demands of running three races per season, which was also problematic for the series organisers from a logistics point of view. Unlike…