We love F1 2021. The official Formula 1 game seems to get better and better every year, we can't get enough of it! We've no doubt that F1 2022 will surpass its predecessors again as well, with more content than ever before on the cards.
Whether you love them or loathe them, it can't be denied that EA has expanded the F1 games' scope. Something that's already been added is Formula 1 icons. Some think that this is the precursor to F1 Ultimate Team, but let's step away from that and look at who could be added for this year's game.
Who have we got so far?
Seven Icons were included in F1 2021. These included world champions Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Jenson Button, and Nico Rosberg. Also in this magnificent seven were David Coulthard and Felipe Massa.
While we don't know for sure if these drivers will carry over to F1 2022, it is likely given Codemasters will want to expand this element of the game rather than minimise it.
Kimi Raikkonen
We start with a driver that was already in F1 2021, but as a regular season driver. Kimi Raikkonen is a driver that has perhaps become more famous for his humorous radio messages and general nonchalant attitude than his driving in recent seasons.
Don't let that take away from his talents though, as Kimi was absolutely rapid during his McLaren Ferrari days in the early to mid-2000s. The Finnish legend also won the 2007 World Championship with Ferrari and is to date the most recent Scuderia champion.
An F1 career that spanned 20 years is nothing to shake a stick at, and a prime Kimi Raikkonen is a driver we'd love to sign in My Team.
Mika Hakkinen
From one Flying Finn to another, we think Mika Hakkinen should also be in F1 2022. Hakkinen was a double world champion for McLaren in 1998 and '99. In F1 2020, you could drive Hakkinen's title-winning MP4/13, so if classic cars do come back, this would fit like a glove.
With Schumacher also likely to return in F1 2022, we could rekindle one of Formula 1's most legendary rivalries. Hakkinen's F1 career was shorter than most, so you can see what would happen if he came back from that famous sabbatical.
Niki Lauda
Formula 1 lost a true legend in 2019 when Niki Lauda passed away. Lauda was a giant of his era, winning three championships in the 1970s and 80s. Lauda was a driver who could win in whichever car you put him in, being incredibly successful with Ferrari, McLaren and Brabham.
Lauda's 1976 Ferrari has also been included in previous games. This is the car that Lauda had his infamous Nurburgring crash in and made his incredible comeback to challenge James Hunt for the title.
Lauda has also been instrumental in Mercedes' rise to an all-conquering team too. To see him return to F1 in the official game would be a nice touch from Codies.
James Hunt
You can't have Lauda without Hunt, the two would have to be added as a pair. Just like Lauda's Ferrari, James Hunt's 1976 McLaren has been included in previous F1 games. Hunt was the world champion in 1976, the last British champion for 16 years.
Hunt was supremely quick on his day and had a lifestyle outside of the paddock that will see his legacy live on forever. If we could rekindle the Hunt-Lauda rivalry in F1 2022, that would be very special.
Having Hunt in the F1 game as well could open the door for the likes of Wolf and Hesketh's race-winning cars to enter the game.
Nigel Mansell
Britain's title drought was ended by Nigel Mansell in 1992. "Our Nige" drove for every top team in his era, donning the overalls of Lotus, Williams, Ferrari and McLaren during 15 years in F1. Mansell was runner-up three times before finally winning his only world championship in the iconic Williams FW14B.
Mansell was legendarily fast on his day but often lost out in the political battles against his savvier teammates. Had he had a cooler temperament and more nous, he could've easily been a double or triple world champion. Another previous car of Mansell's in F1 2020 was the 1990 Ferrari, where he raced alongside Prost.
Nelson Piquet
Nelson Piquet is a triple world champion that somehow finds himself being underrated. Piquet is perhaps a victim of the golden era of F1 he competed in, as he's always compared to Senna, Prost, Mansell and other legends of the sport. Piquet was a champion with Williams, but his best years were at Brabham, where he won two titles.
Piquet's introduction into the F1 games could open the door for some classic Brabham F1 cars to be introduced. Having both Piquet and Mansell in F1 2022 would also give Codies the perfect opportunity to add the 1986 Williams car to the game as well.
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Barrichello did everything in Formula 1 bar winning the championship. Barrichello had his best years in F1 supporting Michael Schumacher at Ferrari between 2000 and 2004. During this period, Ferrari won five constructor's championships in a row and Rubinho was runner-up twice.
Barrichello also produced brilliant displays at Jordan in the 1990s, as well as a resurgence at Brawn in 2009. The Brazilian was the most experienced F1 driver ever until very recently as well, being usurped by Raikkonen. It'd be great to recreate the partnerships between Barrichello and Schumacher and Button in F1 2022.