F1 2023

[SaintHacker]

Not long until the first of this years cars get revealed. Rumours of Ferarri finding a second per lap, that should make up for what they throw away with bad strategy calls. Merc should be far more competitive having clearly given up on last years dog halfway through the season. And will be very interesting to see if Adrian Newey can overcome a lack of decent sandwiches in the RB factory to keep them at the top.

 

[Newtonuti]

My prediction is a three way battle between RB, Merc and Ferrari through the first half of the season, followed by a Ferrari drop off. No idea who'll win the constructors between RB and Merc, but I can't see either Merc driver beating Verstappen in the WDC.

 

[theoneandonly]

If Merc are much more competitive, I wonder how SLH v George will go this year.

 

[BiMGuy]

If Merc are much more competitive, I wonder how SLH v George will go this year.

I think we may see team orders from them in favour of Lewis if they are. They will need to maximise points not loses them battling each other. And they have unfinished business after Lewis was cheated out of title number 8.

Also, having the undisputed ? crowned in a car with their name on it would be worth a fortune to Mercedes, and probably to Lewis too.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I can’t see beyond another year of Verstappen dominance. Constructors could be tighter though

 

[Piece]

That Ferrari launch was the best I've seen for a while. Great to see the actual car in action.

 

[BiMGuy]

The Ferrari is the best looking car so far.

 

[Piece]

Mercedes FW14

Back in black

 

[BiMGuy]

Mercedes FW14

Back in black

The black Mercedes looks epic

 

[Jason.H]

The black Mercedes looks epic

I think they look the same as last years

 

[SaintHacker]

I think they look the same as last years

The differences are all very subtle. Interesting that Ferrari seem to have got round the front wing seperators that Merc got told to remove last season

 

[Wabinez]

The differences are all very subtle. Interesting that Ferrari seem to have got round the front wing seperators that Merc got told to remove last season

I partly wonder if they are there to draw focus and get told to remove, but there is something questionable elsewhere they don’t want to put attention on.

If they are on the actual car that tests in Bahrain, then I can see Merc making a challenge

 

[Jason.H]

History has shown that a team that starts well under new regulations tend to stay ahead. For every tenth Mercedes shave off Red Bull and Ferrari will probably match the improvement. Ferrari could probably stay in front of Mercedes with better strategy calls alone.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I know pre-season testing is notorious for being hard to read into, but I still can't see past a Verstappen procession this season.

Good that the Merc isn't bouncing. I'm not convinced it will have enough speed though, suspect the setup required to make the car work well will be draggier than the red bull and maybe ferraris too.

 

[bobmac]

I know pre-season testing is notorious for being hard to read into, but I still can't see past a Verstappen procession this season.

I certainly hope there isn't a repeat of last season, I'd rather see Lewis win his 8th championship that he deserved to win in 2021 and then he can retire as the champion that he is.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I certainly hope there isn't a repeat of last season, I'd rather see Lewis win his 8th championship that he deserved to win in 2021 and then he can retire as the champion that he is.

100% agree. Can't be just me that thinks that unlikely though. Constructors might be close. If the gap is narrowed, I'm not sure Perez will come out on top of the two Ferraris and the Mercs.

 

[Piece]

The Aston Martin could be the slippery one early season.

 

[bobmac]

With only 3 days of testing Max takes a day off

 

[ger147]

With only 3 days of testing Max takes a day off

The teams are only allowed to run 1 car so the drivers have to share the 3 days between them. How they chunk up the sessions are up to the teams. RB obviously decided each driver would have a whole day each to themselves.

 

[bobmac]

The teams are only allowed to run 1 car so the drivers have to share the 3 days between them. How they chunk up the sessions are up to the teams. RB obviously decided each driver would have a whole day each to themselves.

Yes I know all that.
But why wouldn't Max let Checo have the first day and a half, sort out any niggles leaving him the second day and a half to use the knowledge learned, it doesn't make sense