2021 Anticipation and predictions
Discussion
Because... what else is there to do right now? 
Aston to put in a very strong showing and battle with Mclaren, occasionally either/both to battle with Red Bull.
Renault ('Alpine'..) to probably not be as competitive relative to this year as I reckon seb will try and elevate the car is desperate ways, as opposed to DR who last year elevated it by being DR.
Williams v Haas, could go either way. Williams probably won't have invested very much in to this years car as their limited funds are better directed at 2022. Haas can't invest anything in this years car other than waiting to see what Dallara/Ferrari send them as a flat pack kit.
Ferrari - not a clue just yet. I think they probably compromised their chassis last year in anticipation of last years limited power - so may well be stuck with a 'not ideal' chassis even if they do find a substantial power increase. They may not even find the power increase anyway. I struggle to believe it's likely they'll bounce back so quickly with a fully competitive PU and ALSO not in some way be compromised by the locked chassis development. But it's Ferrari, they can be brilliant, and/or simply cheat - so who knows. My only outright prediction for them is that even if they do come back with a monster car and cheat, and their drivers both perform.. They'll still find some typically Italian ways to screw it up and Merc will still win.
Aston to put in a very strong showing and battle with Mclaren, occasionally either/both to battle with Red Bull.
Renault ('Alpine'..) to probably not be as competitive relative to this year as I reckon seb will try and elevate the car is desperate ways, as opposed to DR who last year elevated it by being DR.
Williams v Haas, could go either way. Williams probably won't have invested very much in to this years car as their limited funds are better directed at 2022. Haas can't invest anything in this years car other than waiting to see what Dallara/Ferrari send them as a flat pack kit.
Ferrari - not a clue just yet. I think they probably compromised their chassis last year in anticipation of last years limited power - so may well be stuck with a 'not ideal' chassis even if they do find a substantial power increase. They may not even find the power increase anyway. I struggle to believe it's likely they'll bounce back so quickly with a fully competitive PU and ALSO not in some way be compromised by the locked chassis development. But it's Ferrari, they can be brilliant, and/or simply cheat - so who knows. My only outright prediction for them is that even if they do come back with a monster car and cheat, and their drivers both perform.. They'll still find some typically Italian ways to screw it up and Merc will still win.
HardtopManual said:
Seb's driving for AM this year.
AHH crap I meant Alonso! I was distracted as I was going to type a whole thing about seb but didn't as I really have no clue what his mental state will be. His entire success as a driver (without a huge car advantage) seems to come down to his mental state - so predictions are at best fraught... Tyre Smoke said:
Seb to show up Lance for the absolute clown he is, and reinforce why they should have kept Checo, but because daddy.
Otherwise rinse and repeat 2020.
We said 2020 would be a rinse and repeat of 2019 I think...Otherwise rinse and repeat 2020.
Even in the most seemingly predictable seasons, it hardly ever plays out that way.
Apart from Merc winning everything of course. That is a given.
Checo at Red Bull closer to Max than expected, to the point that it becomes quite the fractious relationship at times. It will give us some good strategic races though, as the four top cars battle it out and can interfere with each other, in a way that wasn’t possible when RB had only only the one car in the Mercedes pit window.
Season disruption already... not a great surprise.
2021 F1 Australian GP set to be postponed amid COVID restrictions
2021 F1 Australian GP set to be postponed amid COVID restrictions
vaud said:
Season disruption already... not a great surprise.
2021 F1 Australian GP set to be postponed amid COVID restrictions
Unless the combination of vaccination and increased lockdowns shows positive effects in the data quicker than currently predicted, then the start of this season is going to be tricky indeed. It's only 6 and half weeks until F1 is due to be in Barcelona for testing... So only realistically about 4 weeks until a final decision must be made about that going ahead. For now the borders are open allowing some britons entry to Spain (which will include F1), but clearly if the situation in the UK worsens too much that could be changed at short notice.2021 F1 Australian GP set to be postponed amid COVID restrictions
Same problem as last season really - closed borders. Even if a country allows international sporting events in principle, if the situation is particularly dire in a country, or in the last country F1 staff travelled from, then temporary laws and border closures screw up the schedule.
I remain confident that the season will go ahead as it did last season - but also I'd be amazed if it all goes ahead as planned. Especially the first few months.
I can't see Monaco happening either - its the circuit where controlling people/proximity/safety/bubbles will be harder than any other (impossible, really) and whilst I think it is being rolled out very well in the UK, theres not going to be anywhere near enough vaccinated and 'safe' people for it to happen by May.
Ferrari to be closer to the front than in 2020, Sainz to give a good account of himself against Leclerc.
Red Bull to progress through the season and get closer to Mercedes by season end but still offer no real challenge over the whole season. Verstappen finds another step up but Perez is closer than Albon ever got.
Aston Martin can challenge Red Bull at the start with the upgrades they have at the season start, whenever that may be, Seb shows Stroll a clean pair of heels from day one with the better handling AM than he was used to at Ferrari.
McLaren and AM are close but the twin jokers of Ricciardo and Norris outscore AM over the season due to Stroll being a whining little t
t.
Russell finally scores a point for Williams while passing Bottas for 10th place. This cements his place in Mercedes for 2022.
Raikkonen outscores Giovinnazi, KR still shows no signs of giving a fk but gets another year in the car for 2022.
Bottas Ver. 2.7.4.2.1 wins 3 races but the troughs outweigh any peaks and he ends up 3rd in the WDC beaten by LH and MV.
Mercedes trounce everyone from the start, LH has season sewn up with 4 races to spare.
Red Bull to progress through the season and get closer to Mercedes by season end but still offer no real challenge over the whole season. Verstappen finds another step up but Perez is closer than Albon ever got.
Aston Martin can challenge Red Bull at the start with the upgrades they have at the season start, whenever that may be, Seb shows Stroll a clean pair of heels from day one with the better handling AM than he was used to at Ferrari.
McLaren and AM are close but the twin jokers of Ricciardo and Norris outscore AM over the season due to Stroll being a whining little t
t. Russell finally scores a point for Williams while passing Bottas for 10th place. This cements his place in Mercedes for 2022.
Raikkonen outscores Giovinnazi, KR still shows no signs of giving a f
k but gets another year in the car for 2022. Bottas Ver. 2.7.4.2.1 wins 3 races but the troughs outweigh any peaks and he ends up 3rd in the WDC beaten by LH and MV.
Mercedes trounce everyone from the start, LH has season sewn up with 4 races to spare.
Street circuits aren't going to happen this year at all.
Another year of wishing Yas Marina would just f**k off out of the calendar already.
Latifi to score a lucky point.
Aston Martin to be second fastest car to Mercedes.
Red Bull to capitulate again at the beginning of the year, because no one will tell Newey "no".
Ricciardo to finish 2nd in at least one race this year.
Another year of wishing Yas Marina would just f**k off out of the calendar already.
Latifi to score a lucky point.
Aston Martin to be second fastest car to Mercedes.
Red Bull to capitulate again at the beginning of the year, because no one will tell Newey "no".
Ricciardo to finish 2nd in at least one race this year.
I think this season will be a lot closer as teams focus on the new rules in 2022.
Red Bull will be closer to Mercedes, challenging for wins. Perez will be closer to Verstappen than other team-mates.
Ferrari will improve and be in the hunt for P3 in the championship, along with Mclaren and Aston Martin.
Vettel will win a race.
George Russell will score at least one point.
Australia won't happen, neither will Monaco.
Red Bull will be closer to Mercedes, challenging for wins. Perez will be closer to Verstappen than other team-mates.
Ferrari will improve and be in the hunt for P3 in the championship, along with Mclaren and Aston Martin.
Vettel will win a race.
George Russell will score at least one point.
Australia won't happen, neither will Monaco.
vaud said:
Season disruption already... not a great surprise.
2021 F1 Australian GP set to be postponed amid COVID restrictions
Sounds like Australia refusing to budge on 14 days’ compulsory hotel quarantine for all arrivals - would mean everyone having to arrive in Melbourne by about 3rd March for the race on 21st. 2021 F1 Australian GP set to be postponed amid COVID restrictions
TBH we might have to bin the first half of the season again - or run backwards from last season and start with Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Bahrain.
mikecassie said:
Ferrari to be closer to the front than in 2020, Sainz to give a good account of himself against Leclerc.
Red Bull to progress through the season and get closer to Mercedes by season end but still offer no real challenge over the whole season. Verstappen finds another step up but Perez is closer than Albon ever got.
Aston Martin can challenge Red Bull at the start with the upgrades they have at the season start, whenever that may be, Seb shows Stroll a clean pair of heels from day one with the better handling AM than he was used to at Ferrari.
McLaren and AM are close but the twin jokers of Ricciardo and Norris outscore AM over the season due to Stroll being a whining little tt.
Russell finally scores a point for Williams while passing Bottas for 10th place. This cements his place in Mercedes for 2022.
Raikkonen outscores Giovinnazi, KR still shows no signs of giving a fk but gets another year in the car for 2022.
Bottas Ver. 2.7.4.2.1 wins 3 races but the troughs outweigh any peaks and he ends up 3rd in the WDC beaten by LH and MV.
Mercedes trounce everyone from the start, LH has season sewn up with 4 races to spare.
I think this is just about right.Red Bull to progress through the season and get closer to Mercedes by season end but still offer no real challenge over the whole season. Verstappen finds another step up but Perez is closer than Albon ever got.
Aston Martin can challenge Red Bull at the start with the upgrades they have at the season start, whenever that may be, Seb shows Stroll a clean pair of heels from day one with the better handling AM than he was used to at Ferrari.
McLaren and AM are close but the twin jokers of Ricciardo and Norris outscore AM over the season due to Stroll being a whining little t
t. Russell finally scores a point for Williams while passing Bottas for 10th place. This cements his place in Mercedes for 2022.
Raikkonen outscores Giovinnazi, KR still shows no signs of giving a f
k but gets another year in the car for 2022. Bottas Ver. 2.7.4.2.1 wins 3 races but the troughs outweigh any peaks and he ends up 3rd in the WDC beaten by LH and MV.
Mercedes trounce everyone from the start, LH has season sewn up with 4 races to spare.
Sandpit Steve said:
vaud said:
Season disruption already... not a great surprise.
2021 F1 Australian GP set to be postponed amid COVID restrictions
Sounds like Australia refusing to budge on 14 days’ compulsory hotel quarantine for all arrivals - would mean everyone having to arrive in Melbourne by about 3rd March for the race on 21st. 2021 F1 Australian GP set to be postponed amid COVID restrictions
TBH we might have to bin the first half of the season again - or run backwards from last season and start with Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Bahrain.
Tyre Smoke said:
Seb to show up Lance for the absolute clown he is, and reinforce why they should have kept Checo, but because daddy.
Otherwise rinse and repeat 2020.
Complete opposite for me; I reckon they'll be neck and neck most of the time, although Seb will likely win most head-to-head battles given his experience. But Lance will have a strong season I think.Otherwise rinse and repeat 2020.
Anyways, with Mazepin entering the paddock the titile of 'only there because of daddy's money' is going to be taken by him.
Tyre Smoke said:
Seb to show up Lance for the absolute clown he is, and reinforce why they should have kept Checo, but because daddy.
Otherwise rinse and repeat 2020.
Agree with the latter, but the use of different circuits definitely made 2020 a more interesting season!Otherwise rinse and repeat 2020.
I'm not convinced about the former though. After his performances the last couple of seasons I can't help thinking Seb couldn't get near Checo in the same car - he has seemed clueless so he may actually end up making Lance look competent.
I'd give Aston Martin no more than 2 or 3 years in F1, much like Jaguar's brief presence.
Lastly as much as I like Valtteri I really hope we see George in a competitive car, like a Mercedes - the sooner the better!
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