The first grand prix of 2022 is a month away, but there is already plenty happening in the world of Formula 1.
Teams are unveiling their new cars, the sport's governing body FIA is finalising rule changes for 2022, and the fallout from last season continues.
As the new season fast approaches, these are some of the major talking points in F1.
Masi's future remains unclear as FIA concludes Abu Dhabi report
The controversial ending to last season's finale in Abu Dhabi has hung around F1 like an albatross.
The decision of race director Michael Masi to allow only the lapped cars between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen through, effectively reducing the championship to a one-lap shootout, has been the focus all off-season.
Verstappen and his Red Bull team were jubilant as the decision allowed the young Dutchman to pass his rival on the last lap to claim his maiden title.
Hamilton and Mercedes believe Masi incorrectly applied the rules, allowing Verstappen, who was on fresh and faster tyres, an unfair advantage to steal the championship from them.
The FIA has investigated the process and decisions made from those chaotic final laps, with the outcome of the report sure to generate plenty of interest.
F1 fans took to social media to vent their disgust at what happened in Abu Dhabi, with many former drivers expressing their concerns over the credibility and integrity of the sport going forward.
The findings of the report have been seen by the teams, however, it will not be made public until March 18 — the first day of practice for the opening round in Bahrain.
Structural changes have already been flagged by FIA president Ben Sulayem, which the FIA said would be announced in the near future.
"Feedback from the commission on matters raised will be incorporated into the president's analysis and he will publicly present news of structural changes and action plan in the coming days," it said.
What that means for Michael Masi going forward is unclear, but it is a decision that will be watched very closely.
F1 goes back to the future… sort of
F1 has completely re-imagined how their race cars look.
Between seasons, the sport has gone through the most dramatic set of regulation changes seen in decades.
The difference between an F1 car in 2021 and in 2022 is massive and there are two major differences — aerodynamics and wheels.
The aerodynamics of the new F1 cars have been scaled back and simplified.
The reason being was the wings, noses, bargeboards and shape of the cars were designed in such a way that one car could not closely follow another.
One of the most important aspects of aerodynamics is to create downforce, sticking the car to the track and allowing drivers to go faster through corners.
The problem with the old regulations was the dirty and hot air that was created in the wake of an F1 car meant any other car behind it would lose its own downforce and overheat.
F1's analysis said a car that was 10 metres behind another lost as much as 47 per cent of its downforce performance in 2021.
This has changed, with bargeboards being scrapped and wings becoming simplified.
However, that has opened the door for the sport to return to something known as ground effect.
Ground effect was utilised in the last 70s and early 80s, before being banned in 1982.
Ground effect in those days was essentially adding small aeroplane wings upside-down to the car, using the air to suck the car to the track.
F1 is not going back to the upside-down wings, but the floor of the new cars will have wind tunnels that will work similarly.
And the end product is expected to lessen the dirty air spitting out of the back of the cars and promote more wheel-to-wheel racing.
Speaking of wheels, this year they are bigger and they have new contraptions over the top of them.
The size of the wheels has increased from 13 inches to 18 inches, while wheel covers have returned for the first time since 2009.
Along with the covers, over-wheel winglets will be hovering above with the sole purpose of limiting the amount of turbulent air that will spit out the back of the car into the path of another.
F1's own simulations suggest this is going to have a massive impact on racing in 2022.
A car that is 10 metres behind another is expected to only lose 18 per cent of its downforce, meaning it can race closer for longer.
Ricciardo has 'nervous excitement' ahead of second year with McLaren
Australia's Daniel Ricciardo enters his second season with McLaren after experiencing highs and lows in 2021.
Ricciardo was largely outperformed by his younger teammate Lando Norris, with the less experienced Briton finishing well ahead in the drivers' championship.
But Ricciardo did achieve McLaren's best result of the season, winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
It was the first grand prix victory for McLaren in nine years and showed the class the Australian still possesses.
With a brand new car and a full year with the team under his belt, there are high expectations for Ricciardo in 2022.
"There's always a nervous excitement around the start of the new season, but that's turned up to 11 when you enter a new era of regulations," Ricciardo said last week at the McLaren car launch.
"Securing the win in Monza was a real highlight of my career, but that's all in the past now, and I'll be giving it everything to secure more moments like that for the team throughout the 2022 season."
The Australian expresses confidence, but with a young teammate who has just penned a new deal with the team, Ricciardo may need to produce one of his best seasons to remain secure.
Sprint qualifying returns with a new points system
A new style of qualifying was introduced in 2021 and it will return again this year.
Sprint qualifying will be used three times this year to set the grid for the grand prix.
The 100km race — one-third of a full grand prix — will be used to set the grid for the Emilia Romagna, Austrian and Sao Paulo grand prix.
This will be rounds four, 11 and 22 this season.
And the sprint qualifying session will hold more importance, with more championship points on offer.
The top eight drivers will score championship points, with the winner receiving eight points, second receiving seven points and so on.
"The commission unanimously approved the three sprint events for the coming season, incorporating a number of updates to the format based on the feedback of fans, media and teams," the FIA said in a statement.
