The season begins Sunday evening in Bahrain.
Following a tough and rugged 2020 season, where factories shut down and the season did not start until July, the 2021 Formula 1 year will hopefully go ahead without a hitch.
Normally, the season begins in the southern hemisphere in Melbourne, Australia. But to avoid losing lots of money as it did last year, the venue has moved the event to November, making the Middle East venue the first race.
The big question is, who will be 2021’s top team? For the last six seasons (except Nico Rosberg’s win in 2016), Lewis Hamilton and the AMG Mercedes team have dominated. However, the Silver Arrows had a below-par testing session recently. Will those difficulties carry over to the season?
To get a sense of where things stand, here’s a team-by-team breakdown of the 2021 F1 field.
AMG Mercedes: Hamilton wants to end his career here, but he also wants to be paid what he’s worth. That’s a lot, and Hamilton ended up accepting a one-year deal. And while a record eighth-world title is in his grasp, Hamilton knows he’s in for a fight. His teammate, Valtteri Bottas, is waiting in the wings and has a lot to fight for. Bottas, who’s in his last season with the team, will be racing for his future.
Red Bull Racing: Red Bull is the odds-on favorite to challenge Mercedes this season as a team, and Max Verstappen is ready to challenge Hamilton for top driver status.
Team prospects are enhanced by Sergio Perez’s addition, who caught the team’s eye when he won at Sakir last fall.
Ferrari: Following last year’s disaster with their engine power, many observers expect the Scuderia to rebound. With Sebastian Vettel gone, the team has new life in Carlos Sainz, who comes over from McLaren. The addition gives Charles Leclerc tougher competition, and that could help both drivers. But will the team have enough to challenge the top two? Or will they fight to be the best of the rest? We’ll find out soon.
McLaren: This team has two things going for it. First, there’s Daniel Ricciardo, who comes over from the former Renault team. Then there’s the transfer of powerplants from Renault to Mercedes. It might be tough for Ricciardo to get used to the car at first but, when he does, he could–along with teammate Lando Norris–grab third in the Constructors for the second year in a row.
But many feel McLaren would be better positioned if they seek to battle other midfield teams instead of fighting for the top.
Aston Martin (Formally Racing Point): This, along with Alpine, is a team that changed names. Hopefully, the team can improve with the same Mercedes engine that their pink predecessor had. Lance Stroll remains on the team, thanks to his father being the boss, and welcomes Vettel, who comes over from Ferrari. But the team has had a tough first testing period of the season and might have a more serious battle than expected with other midfielders. It could be a tough ride ahead for Aston Martin.
Alpine: This name change was done for defensive purposes–just in case owner Renault once again withdraws from F1. In the end, Renault CEO Luca De Meo decided to use the small company for nothing but racing to improve their one-car brand. Alpine retained Frenchman Esteban Ocon for one more season and quite a few others, too, but terminated its relationship with team manager Cyril Abiteboul just before the launch. He has been replaced with David Brivio, who had success with Moto GP. There are other new faces, most notably Fernando Alonso, who at 39, is the second oldest driver in the sport.
With both continuity and change, it’s difficult to predict where Alpine may end up in 2021. Betting money says the team will do better than expected and move up in the midfield standings.
Alpha Tauri: I believe this is a team to watch in 2021. Pierre Gasly and Japanese rookie Yuki Tsunoda should secure points regularly and they might end up at the top of the midfield standings. If not, then it’s likely one or more unexpected issues popped up as the season progressed.
Alfa Romeo: Both Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi are back, and there’s nothing major or new to report with this team. Overall, I expect the team to improve a bit, but without taking long strides forward.
Haas: Hass may be the most controversial team in the 2021 field. Ferrari brings in Mick Schumacher, and the Russian sponsor takes Nikita Mazepin. That means two rookies are behind the wheel. The good news is that the team has lots of sponsorships.
Williams: There’s nowhere to go but up for Williams. George Russell and Nichols Latifi return, and they could be more points. Just don’t impose lofty expectations on this team.
Of course, the proof is always in the pudding, and pre-season banter turns to racing this weekend. Twenty-two races are on the car in a season that spans nearly nine months–from the end of March to the second week of December.
