This weekend sees the long awaited start of the 2021 Formula 1 season. While the Australian Grand Prix has been pushed back and won’t be the season opener, we instead look to kick things off with the Bahrain Grand Prix. With hope for a much more competitive landscape and a host of driver changes, we took a closer look and ask one question of each team.
1. Mercedes (2020 position - First)
How long will it take to right the ship in 2021?
While it seems crazy asking that of a team that has won the last seven constructors championships, the early signs out of the Mercedes team for season 2021 have not been great. After a prolonged and messy contract negotiation that saw him sign on for just a solitary year, Sir Lewis Hamilton joined teammate Valteri Bottas in what was a highly entertaining yet slightly alarming few days of testing. From handling issues that saw a number of spins to sluggish pace, the Mercedes team looked a fair way behind their main rivals Red Bull. Was it the high winds playing havoc with car? Will more favourable conditions return the Milton Keynes outfit to their intimidating selves? Time will tell.
2. Red Bull Racing (2020 position - Second)
How far can Checo push Max?
For the past two years since Daniel Ricciardo left, the Red Bull team have been looking for a driving partner for Max Verstappen, someone who will not only push Verstappen, but allow the team to take on Mercedes in both performance and strategy. While both Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon were found wanting, 2021 sees Mexican driver Sergio Perez in the Red Bull seat. Widely regarded among the critics, Perez finished 2020 on a high that saw him win the Russian Grand Prix for Racing Point. A fiercly competitive driver who is known to very rarely back down, including to teammates, the pairing of Verstappen and Perez could be everything from a brilliant match up that spurs both the drivers and the team to glory, or a volatile connection that tears the team apart. With early testing results showing Perez matching Verstappen in performance, Red Bull might have the line up that can not just push Mercedes all the way, but beat them to the finish line.
3. McLaren (2020 position - Third)
What effect will the change from Renault to Mercedes engines have?
While plenty has been written about the addition of Daniel Ricciardo to the McLaren line up, another big change has been made under the bonnet. After showing positive signs last year in a third place finish using Renault engines, this year the team has made the switch to the widely regarded superior Mercedes engines. Wether it is added grunt and power or a case of looking for more stability and reliability, McLaren fans will be watching on with fingers crossed that the new Mercedes powered cars will push them closer to the big two of Mercedes and Red Bull on the constructors standings.
4. Aston Martin - formerly Racing Point (2020 position - Fourth)
Can they back up their 2020 efforts?
2020 was a great year for the team formerly known as Racing Point (and formerly known as Force India). The Mercedes powered cars were consistently pushing the top teams and they earned three podiums, including Sergio Perez powering the team to its maiden victory at the Russian Grand Prix. But with Perez gone to red Bull and with Sebastian Vettel taking his place to join racing partner Lance Stroll, all eyes will be on the Racing Point team with new expectations. Will the car that struggled during testing be right come race day? Can Stroll fix the inconsistency that hurt him last season? Has former great Vettell passed his prime driving days? Racing Point will surely be one of the most fascinating teams to watch in 2021.
5. Alpine - formerly Renault (2020 position - Fifth)
How much change is too much change?
While some teams have changed drivers, some engines and others names, no team has gone through more change this off season than Alpine. After a promising 2020 lead driver Daniel Ricciardo left for McLaren, opening a spot for former two time champion Fernando Alonso to make his F1 return. But while the driver change and new name were minor, the complete overhaul of the team’s hierarchy in late January is a major hurdle to overcome. Former boss Cyril Abiteboul is out, replaced by Laurent Rossi, an F1 rookie, and the team below him has also changed greatly. It will be fascinating to see how smoothly the Alpine team is running over the first few rounds.
Unfortunately one area that saw less change was in the car’s engine. While both Mercedes and Honda have provided their teams with upgraded models, the Renault engines that Alpine are running with (the only F1 team doing so) remain the same as 2020.
6. Ferrari (2020 position - Sixth)
How to fix the prancing horse?
While the Alpine team may be hoping that there hasn’t been too much change, after a disastrous 2020 the Ferrari outfit would have been ready to start over again! From a car that seemed miles of it’s performances of years prior to a former champion who lost his mojo, the sixth place finish was a hugely disappointing result. With furious work being done on both the engine and chassis over the off season, along with the signing of Carlos Sainz Jnr to team up with Charles Leclerc and take the vacated seat of Sebastian Vettel, all fingers at the Scuderia will be crossed for a quick return to the top end of the standings.
7. AlphaTauri (2020 position - Seventh)
How good is Yuki Tsunoda?
After a seventh placing in the 2020 constructors championship and the first branded as AlphaTauri, the team of Frenchman Pierre Gasly and Russian Daniil Kvyat was broken up. Gasly, who had won the Italian Grand Prix was retained while Kvyatt was let go. In his place the team signed 20 year old Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda. Fresh off a third placing in the Formula 2 drivers championship behind new Haas driver Mick Schumacher, Tsunoda is the first Formula 1 driver from Japan since 2014. While the pundits have been watching for a while (his latest promotion is his third in as many years), his performance during testing raised many eyebrows, where he finished less than a tenth off the best time from Max Verstappen. While there are surely rockier days ahead, Yuki is one to watch in 2021.
8. Alfa Romeo Racing (2020 position - Eighth)
Is consistency the key?
While many other teams have changed drivers line ups and engine suppliers, the Alfa Romeo unit will be hoping that in their third year together, Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi can drive their Ferrari powered machines up the leaderboard. In what is again rumoured to be his last season in F1, the ‘Iceman' Raikkonen will be keen to succeed, as shown in his amazing efforts during the testing period where the 41 year old completed the second most laps of any driver.
9. Haas F1 Team (2020 position - Ninth)
Can the young guns push Haas back up into the points?
After a great year in 2018 Haas has endured a couple of down seasons, consistently at the back of the field in both qualifying and on race day. Last year the added poor performance gave Haas fans little hope and a disappointing ninth place in the standings was the result. 2021 is a new story. With positive talk about the performance of their Ferrari engines, team Haas has put their chips in on two rookies, Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, son of seven time world champion Michael. While Mazepin has brought unwanted headlines, and Schumacher comes from exceptional pedigree, there is no doubt that both are excellent drivers. Watching their development throughout the year will be crucial to Haas’ performance in 2021 and beyond.
10. Williams (2020 position - Tenth)
Is George Russell ready to take the next step?
2020 was another disappointing year for the Williams team that saw little success on the track, and a new owner off it. While the car just simply didn’t have what it takes to compete against the big layers, there was plenty to like about it’s young driver George Russell. In just his second season in F1, Russell’s performance behind the Williams wheel was widely applauded, so much that when Lewis Hamilton was unavailable due to Covid protocols for the Sakhir Grand Prix, the Mercedes team called on Russell to fill his seat. Not only did Russell perform brilliantly in qualifying, finishing just behind Bottas into second spot on the grid, but he was cruelly denied a maiden win by a pit lane error that cost him the race. The silver lining was that he managed to pick up his first ever championship points. Eyes will be watching Russell for continued improvement to warrant a possible permanent Mercedes move in the future
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Let’s spread some optimism.
