F1: Predicting the Top 5 teammate rivalries of 2019
The 2019 F1 season is still over a month away. And already the excitement surrounding the new season is at its fever pitch. After all, those who say there’s never a dull day in Formula 1 don’t merely say it. There’s a reason for it as well.
And it’s not too hard to understand why. For a sport ever susceptible, rather hardwired in ‘change’, an ever constant, it’s not too difficult to ignore the many that await us all.
While small but important aero changes, implemented to make way for closer racing and passing (remember there’s not been much overtaking in the past couple of seasons) are hopefully going to make the Grands Prix more competitive this season, design changes such as a wider, higher front wing (wing width increased by 200M) along with a slew of developments such as the German Grand Prix- held at Hockenheimring- staying on the roster is enough to keep one on the tenterhooks.
But let’s move on.
The new team composition notwithstanding; Ricciardo in bright yellows, Leclerc in a team hoping for ‘red letter day’, ‘The Iceman’ proving that life does come full circle, courtesy the Alfa Romeo switch (formerly, Sauber), among some major shuffles; the biggest change that many would anticipate, some would dread and surely some would hope for would be a change in fortunes of the one who wins both - the WDC and the Constructors.
That said, in a sport where despite the technology being at much of the forefront of swinging fortunes in and against one’s favour, what can one expect from 5 teams, and therefore, 10 teammates this season?
Let’s predict what might happen in 2019 among 5 leading pairs in F1:
But let’s move on.
Let’s predict what might happen in 2019 among 5 leading pairs in F1:
#5 Max Verstappen vs Pierre Gasly (Red Bull)
In 2019, ‘Mad Max’, a winner of five Grands Prix will find to his utter pleasure, an opportunity to roast his opponent, Pierre Gasly, one who’s sufficiently inexperienced vis-a-vis the Dutch driver.
Having said that, Gasly, with 26 races against his name will find the Red Bull as an opportunity to prove his doubters wrong and set a couple of fastest laps, to begin with.
The podiums, the more they come from RBR’s perspective, the merrier it’ll be for Horner’s outfit.
But, it will be surprising if Verstappen- the man behind one of F1 most thrilling drives as seen in recent times, the 2016 Brazilian GP- fails to outperform his French teammate.
Moreover, to Max’s advantage, there’ll be the familiarity of having raced for a stable for whom he fetched its maiden home race win, as seen in the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix, at Spielberg.