With the release of F1 22 right around the corner, fans can't wait to see how Codemasters has evolved with their stellar work on the series. The game will feature all the current drives and constructors from the 2022 F1 season, along with a bunch of modes and features that help diversify the gameplay quite a bit.
It can be pretty tempting to jump into the seat of a Red Bull or Ferrari car and absolutely blaze through the opposition. However, there's no denying that there's just way more thought and tactical planning that goes into playing for a weaker constructor. Keeping this in mind, here are some of the hardest manufacturers that players can start a career with.
6 Alfa Romeo
It's a shame that Alfa Romeo has to be a part of this list. Given the restrictions the team faces time and time again, Alfa Romeo actually manages to bag some great results at times, with both Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas showing why they deserve to race in an F1 team.
Unfortunately, F1 is a sport where money reigns supreme, and it's hard for Alfa Romeo to stay up-to-date when their budget is so limited. This shows in some poor strategies and engine failures, which have really held Alfa Romeo back this season. Driving this car in F1 22 isn't the worst thing in the world, but there are better avenues that players should explore if they don't want to get frustrated over time.
5 Haas
There was a time when Haas was just written off as a low-budget team that would constantly form the back row along with Williams over and over again. However, this constructor started the 2022 F1 season on a surprisingly high note, before turning into a competent middle-grid team that has seen a few bumps down the road this year.
However, in terms of sheer power, Haas is still lagging behind from the rest of the pack. The team's Ferrari engine might be paying off, but the budgetary problems really hold the team back from being something truly spectacular. As a result, Haas is easily one of the weaker and more challenging teams that players can try out in F1 22.
4 AlphaTauri
Red Bull's unofficial junior team, AlphaTauri, is definitely one of the better constructors on this list. It's a fairly decent constructor that can easily hack in while battling for the middle places. However, most people don't boot up F1 22 to bag tactical places and middling spots — they play the game to win, and this can get pretty challenging in an AlphaTauri.
If players want to roleplay as a driver fighting for a seat in a top team by settling for a lower-grade constructor, then AlphaTauri is the way to go. However, keep the limitations of this constructor in mind before settling on a long-term prospect.
3 Williams
There was a time when Williams was a name that was feared in F1. The constructor always did a competent job of building great cars that could fight for championship points and secure podiums. However, the Williams of modern times has fallen into a bit of a slump and is considered by many to be the worst team of the 2022 F1 season by a country mile.
It doesn't help that the drivers that have signed up to race with Williams aren't the most skilled racers around, with Latifi having one of his worst starts to any F1 season ever. It will take a miracle for both these drivers and the player to turn things around for Williams, with the car being a genuine struggle to drive at times in the game.
2 Alpine
Alpine is one of the most underrated constructors participating in the season right now. This manufacturer has signed on a strong racer in the form of Fernando Alonso, while Esteban Ocon has also proven his worth by performing competently in this car.
That being said, Alpine also suffers from having a lower budget when compared to the top of the pack, leading to the constructor struggling to reach the top half of the table at times. However, the car is still pretty great and a worthy start to get a grip of the mechanics in F1 22, although it's far from being one of the more powerful and engaging constructors on the list.
1 Aston Martin
Aston Martin is a team with a ton of potential that squanders it almost all the time through a combination of both bad strategic thinking and regular engine issues. While the interference of Lawrence Stroll and the continued incompetence of his son in the sport doesn't help things, Aston Martin needs to turn things around to make the most of the talent they have in the team.
The fact that Sebastian Vettel is on the team is proof enough that they already have one key to success. Of course, asking a constructor to improve their performance is easier said than done, and only time will tell if Aston Martin will have the means required to hack it with the very best in F1. It goes without saying that taking this team in F1 22 is going to be a massive challenge for even the most skilled racer around, so players should be prepared if they stick with this manufacturer in Career Mode.
F1 22 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.