2020 season plot and predictions?

[TheDeuce]

In between the current season (which has been great) and 2021 which is the shake-up year, the upcoming 2020 season hasn't been given too much attention. But it's the final year of evolution in the current era - it *should* be amazing.

As the title - predictions please

Brave predictions only, expect them to be referred to as 2020 unfolds

[TheDeuce]

stevemcs said:

They will ban team radios, give them one set of tyres and will have to buy a parking ticket and avoid double yellows if they enter the pits. Hamilton will be banned from saying you fans are the best or the tyres are rubbish.

Oh and overtaking will have to be carried out on the track and not in the pits and each driver has to pick another car for one round.

I guess my predictions won’t happen, if they do i’ll Start watching it again

Ferrari will win the world championship, Hamilton the drivers championship, mclaren will work themselves to the back of the grid, vettlel will have retired George Russell will be in a better car and Williams will replace Claire Williams

Edited by stevemcs on Friday 4th October 19:43

Umm... well at least if you're still not watching then you won't know how wrong you might end up being

(although you probably do still watch anyway..)

[TheDeuce]

sandman77 said:

Teddy Lop said:

Certainly threatens to be tight at the front doesn't it, and also some close midfield battles both on track and strategically, you do wonder if changing the regs so soon is the best idea.

Exactly! Have they still not learned that every single time there is a shake up in the regulations it results in one team with a huge advantage over the rest. Currently Ferrari and Merc are pretty even and Red Bull are quickly catching so why the need for the new regs?

Back on topic and my prediction is that 2020 will be the closest battle we have for the next 5 years.

Yep, next season will be like his season but turned up another notch, I'm sure of it!

Generally I agree about the regs changes - but I do also think the cars have ended up a little silly at this point (the dirty air problem definitely takes away from 'racing') and also, they're not exactly pin-up lookers imo. A change is probably due, and the 2021 cars look to be far better proportioned, and will allow more over taking. We have already seen an increase in over taking this season based on some far smaller aero reg changes, and to be fair, it has improved many previously dull circuits.

[TheDeuce]

I'm assuming Mercedes will win - pretty much on the basis it's likely the most valuable win opportunity they will ever get, so they will pull no punches (or resources) in 2020 to make it so.

That doesn't mean they can't screw it up, or be out done by another team making an innovative break-through of course... But ignoring such entirely unpredictable possibilities, I think it's very likely they will be successful in 2020. If they are, sod it - they deserve it.

[TheDeuce]

HustleRussell said:

Ricciardo / Ocon is going to come to blows and will become one of the most talked about intra-team rivalries.

If next year's car is a bit of a let down again, that rivalry could be epic - they would have nothing to do other than battle and knock spots off one another.

Not least as Ocon has to prove he was worth bringing back to the grid, whilst DR has to prove he still deserves a better car.

I can see it happening. Maybe I even welcome the idea...

[TheDeuce]

Teddy Lop said:

TheDeuce said:

HustleRussell said:

Ricciardo / Ocon is going to come to blows and will become one of the most talked about intra-team rivalries.

If next year's car is a bit of a let down again, that rivalry could be epic - they would have nothing to do other than battle and knock spots off one another.

Not least as Ocon has to prove he was worth bringing back to the grid, whilst DR has to prove he still deserves a better car.

I can see it happening. Maybe I even welcome the idea...

I dunno, rivalries never flare up bigger, and buddy team mates sour, than where the car has a chance of something in my experience...

Them both needing to prove something is on point though.

I wonder how close Albon (assuming he retains the seat) can get to max, and if they're fighting together whether the cool and collected unthreatened max we've seen this year can avoid reverting to the crashstappen he was when Danny was pushing him? Be interesting to see how this one plays out.

That's probably true - although I think the car would have to be capable of something notable, at least 3rd in WDC for example (which it patently won't be capable of..). There are various reasons why team mates might battle more than is desirable.

And yes, Albon v Max could be interesting. At least part of the 'new Max' we have seen has to be down to the fact he really hasn't been threatened this year at all. I do also think he's done exceptionally well as a raw talent though, and probably will stay ahead of Albon next year by a safe-ish margin. If not, it could be an excellent sub-plot of many races.

Edited by TheDeuce on Sunday 6th October 12:13

[TheDeuce]

ukaskew said:

1. McLaren will score a few podiums

2. Leclerc and Vettel will run each other off at the first corner somewhere

3. Ricciardo will become increasingly banzai as he grows frustrated with the Renault

4. The Haas boys will crash into each other

5. Most of the races will be good, but people will still complain and say F1 isn't what it once was.

I agree with points 2-4.

Point 1: a few podiums!? That means they're gonna better the top half of the top three several times? That seems optimistic! However, it's your prediction so fair enough.

Point 5: I agree with your feelings in general about the old age whiners.. but I think it's not 'most people', it's just a noisy small %

[TheDeuce]

slipstream 1985 said:

Yep they would need 4 of the top 6 to have aan issue or a mixed up wet race in which case its anyones chance for a lucky podium.

Which honestly won't happen of course. The top 6 cars are capable of pulling a pitstop ahead of the midfield way before anyone would plan to pit. The gulf in pace is huge and in reality number 4 team is basically in a different race to number 3 team. Not even within sniffing distance unless circumstance plays it's part and they get very lucky.

[TheDeuce]

vaud said:

The entire world will be struck by a pandemic that will disrupt global supply chains, kill thousands of people and lead to a massive contraction in GDP. The world will essentially shut down in phases leading to the cancellation of the first half of the season. The first race will be in Austria as part of a double header with the Styrian GP. Also it will not be the final year of the current era. Teams, seeing financial pain even agreed to costs caps.

Happy to help.

Cheers

You forgot to predict that in the opening GP George Russell in his Williams will spend about 20 laps battling Seb in his Ferrari!