Mercedes and Red Bull in title battle next season with rival getting 'better and better'

Toto Wolff and Christian Horner might not be the only bosses leading teams with title ambitions this season, and have been warned of an outside threat to their plans. Mercedes and Red Bull were the only two teams capable of winning the title in 2021, but that might no longer be the case in the coming campaign.

The new rules coming into force for 2022 have given teams the opportunity to close the gap on those at the top.

Whether or not they will be able to do so will depend on how their winter engineering went, with new technical regulations offering a chance for teams to out-develop their rivals with an original idea.

They will begin to discover the fruits of their labours at a testing event in Barcelona later this week.

Another testing period will take place next month, ahead of the season opener in Bahrain on March 20.

With no comparable data to go off from each team's new cars, Mercedes and Red Bull will for now remain regarded as Formula 1's two top teams.

But one former racer has warned that Ferrari might well be in the mix for race wins and the title as well this season.

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Timo Glock believes the Prancing Horse have the pedigree and the driver partnership to be able to cause their rivals serious problems.

"I think they are capable of [competing for the title]," he told Sky Sport in Germany.

"In terms of drivers they are very good and I think the performance has shown that. It was always just getting better and better.

"Carlos [Sainz] showed it last season, he was incredibly strong in the first year, put pressure on Charles Leclerc time and time again and ended up finishing ahead of him in the world championship as well."

He went on to say