I am going for Leclerc 2022.
Bring in you predictions

I went for Leclerc purely based on the fact that the law of averages must mean Ferrari gets it right at some point. Think of it being a stopped clock that gets the time right twice a day.JN23 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:58 amObviously so hard to say with the 2022 regulations. The smart money is probably on Russell as he’ll probably be in a Mercedes at some point.
Outside shout: Vettel in the Aston Martin.
Question to those who think Leclerc. Do you think Ferrari will be able to build a championship winning car with the budget cap? Since 2009, they’ve built only a few cars capable of winning a championship and that’s with one of the biggest budgets in the sport.
Yep fair pointmikeyg123 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:23 amI went for Leclerc purely based on the fact that the law of averages must mean Ferrari gets it right at some point. Think of it being a stopped clock that gets the time right twice a day.JN23 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:58 amObviously so hard to say with the 2022 regulations. The smart money is probably on Russell as he’ll probably be in a Mercedes at some point.
Outside shout: Vettel in the Aston Martin.
Question to those who think Leclerc. Do you think Ferrari will be able to build a championship winning car with the budget cap? Since 2009, they’ve built only a few cars capable of winning a championship and that’s with one of the biggest budgets in the sport.
Mercedes is already in a period of unprecedented dominance. That can't last forever. Sooner or later their era will end and the key people will move on.
If Hamilton has an awful year with reliability then I'd bet on Verstappen over Bottas if both have similar luck. Verstappen would have beaten Bottas this year without the 5 non fault retirements.TheGiantHogweed wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 12:17 pmThis thread possibly could be worded the next "new" world champion, although I guess hamilton not being an option should imply that.
Anyway, the next one likely will be him, but if his and Bottas's luck turn around next season, a Rosberg 2016 is still entirely possible for Bottas, so with luck playing into it, Bottas isn't out of the question, and actually if this happens, it will likely only be next year if Bottas is no longer at this team after that.
I don't see any other team being on top of Mercedes next year, so most likely, there will be no new champions, but there is a slim chance for Bottas if luck swings his way.
This above is about as predictable as what will happen beyond 2022 as we just don't know what teams will be at the top. Driver ability wise, Verstappen is easily the best after Hamilton at the moment, but Red Bull will need to have done something incredible to be the best or always close to to the best team in 2022.
Leclerc will have to cut down on his frequent mistakes IMO. Every year he's showing to be quick, but his mistakes are increasing every year. I'm not convinced he any better (more complete) than when he left Alfa Romeo just yet factoring in the mistakes. Causing a double team retirement in Styria, his own in Italy and Abu Dabi would have cost a well performing team a lot of points. He may be in a poor car this year, but I still think he's lost himself one or two positions in the driver standings due to these avoidable errors. It isn't like he doesn't have the ability to get them, so that is why I think his level of mistakes is poor. It wasn't just his own races he ended either. He ended one for Verstappen and Stroll too. He really needs to improve IMO if he's going to have a strong chance, especially if not in clearly the best team.
Ye I've heard a lot about Bottas' bad luck and not so much about Verstappen's. Awful lot of points kicked away from Max, mostly through no fault of his own - some think he binned his car by himself last week at the Sakhir GP, albeit with mitigating circumstances. I'd also bet on Max. I expect Red Bull to be closer to Mercedes next year as compared to this.mikeyg123 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:09 pmIf Hamilton has an awful year with reliability then I'd bet on Verstappen over Bottas if both have similar luck. Verstappen would have beaten Bottas this year without the 5 non fault retirements.TheGiantHogweed wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 12:17 pmThis thread possibly could be worded the next "new" world champion, although I guess hamilton not being an option should imply that.
Anyway, the next one likely will be him, but if his and Bottas's luck turn around next season, a Rosberg 2016 is still entirely possible for Bottas, so with luck playing into it, Bottas isn't out of the question, and actually if this happens, it will likely only be next year if Bottas is no longer at this team after that.
I don't see any other team being on top of Mercedes next year, so most likely, there will be no new champions, but there is a slim chance for Bottas if luck swings his way.
This above is about as predictable as what will happen beyond 2022 as we just don't know what teams will be at the top. Driver ability wise, Verstappen is easily the best after Hamilton at the moment, but Red Bull will need to have done something incredible to be the best or always close to to the best team in 2022.
Leclerc will have to cut down on his frequent mistakes IMO. Every year he's showing to be quick, but his mistakes are increasing every year. I'm not convinced he any better (more complete) than when he left Alfa Romeo just yet factoring in the mistakes. Causing a double team retirement in Styria, his own in Italy and Abu Dabi would have cost a well performing team a lot of points. He may be in a poor car this year, but I still think he's lost himself one or two positions in the driver standings due to these avoidable errors. It isn't like he doesn't have the ability to get them, so that is why I think his level of mistakes is poor. It wasn't just his own races he ended either. He ended one for Verstappen and Stroll too. He really needs to improve IMO if he's going to have a strong chance, especially if not in clearly the best team.
A genuine three way title fight hasn't happened for 17 years and nobody has won in the third best car for 37 years.-K- wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:34 amWith how long Red Bull’s 2nd driver problem has been going on for with no sign of being sorted, I’m plumping for Leclerc sneaking through the middle of the Mercs with an improving Ferrari. The Renault just doesn’t seem reliable enough, maybe that’ll change in 2022.
If you mean drivers racing for three constructors then surely 2010? 4 drivers in contention in the last race who drove for 3 different teams.F1Tyrant wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:29 amA genuine three way title fight hasn't happened for 17 years and nobody has won in the third best car for 37 years.-K- wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:34 amWith how long Red Bull’s 2nd driver problem has been going on for with no sign of being sorted, I’m plumping for Leclerc sneaking through the middle of the Mercs with an improving Ferrari. The Renault just doesn’t seem reliable enough, maybe that’ll change in 2022.
I expect Leclerc-Sainz to be as well matched as Hamilton-Russell with Verstappen have an enormous advantage over Albon which would give him the chance to pull off an upset if the Mercedes and Ferrari were slightly more competitive than Red Bull.
Good point but Ferrari, McLaren and Williams were within 10% of each other's points. Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari were much more spread and Hamilton was 'in contention' in the loosest sense.
Adjusting for the different points system Hamilton in 4th was closer to the championship leader going into the last race than Kimi was to Schumacher in 2003. Montoya was already knocked out.
Exactly. Incredible to think that between 2007-2010 we had at least three drivers in contention in the penultimate race for every season. I think some of the racing in that era gets underrated as well. I miss the field spread being so tight one slight error for a driver in a championship contending car would lose them multiple positions come the end of the race.
He's done that this season though. Give Max the fastest car and a Bottas like team mate and he'd stroll to the championship.yodasarmpit wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:49 pmI sincerely believe Max may never win the WDC, he is blindingly quick - but I fear he will never mature enough to manage races through a whole season.
Surprisingly, or maybe not so, outside karting he's never finished higher than 3rd in any series.
I think Lewis will most likely win 2021, then either George of Charles will be the star of the future.
Quite a similar performance in 2019 also, no?mikeyg123 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:02 pmHe's done that this season though. Give Max the fastest car and a Bottas like team mate and he'd stroll to the championship.yodasarmpit wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:49 pmI sincerely believe Max may never win the WDC, he is blindingly quick - but I fear he will never mature enough to manage races through a whole season.
Surprisingly, or maybe not so, outside karting he's never finished higher than 3rd in any series.
I think Lewis will most likely win 2021, then either George of Charles will be the star of the future.
I would agree he has matured a little, and most notably this year, however retains a rashness that I don’t think he’ll ever rid.mikeyg123 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:02 pmHe's done that this season though. Give Max the fastest car and a Bottas like team mate and he'd stroll to the championship.yodasarmpit wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:49 pmI sincerely believe Max may never win the WDC, he is blindingly quick - but I fear he will never mature enough to manage races through a whole season.
Surprisingly, or maybe not so, outside karting he's never finished higher than 3rd in any series.
I think Lewis will most likely win 2021, then either George of Charles will be the star of the future.
He's the closest outside Hamilton. He's not made many errors this year and didn't make many last year. What more could he do that he's currently not doing?yodasarmpit wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:37 pmI would agree he has matured a little, and most notably this year, however retains a rashness that I don’t think he’ll ever rid.mikeyg123 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:02 pmHe's done that this season though. Give Max the fastest car and a Bottas like team mate and he'd stroll to the championship.yodasarmpit wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:49 pmI sincerely believe Max may never win the WDC, he is blindingly quick - but I fear he will never mature enough to manage races through a whole season.
Surprisingly, or maybe not so, outside karting he's never finished higher than 3rd in any series.
I think Lewis will most likely win 2021, then either George of Charles will be the star of the future.
He’s about to enter his 7th season, the level of competition is only getting stronger.
Whilst he had the raw speed over pretty much any driver, I just think he doesn’t present the fully rounded package.
Don't get me wrong, I believe he'll go down in history as one of the greats - but there are times where a little less haste would lead to a better result.mikeyg123 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:17 pmHe's the closest outside Hamilton. He's not made many errors this year and didn't make many last year. What more could he do that he's currently not doing?yodasarmpit wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:37 pmI would agree he has matured a little, and most notably this year, however retains a rashness that I don’t think he’ll ever rid.mikeyg123 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:02 pmHe's done that this season though. Give Max the fastest car and a Bottas like team mate and he'd stroll to the championship.yodasarmpit wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:49 pmI sincerely believe Max may never win the WDC, he is blindingly quick - but I fear he will never mature enough to manage races through a whole season.
Surprisingly, or maybe not so, outside karting he's never finished higher than 3rd in any series.
I think Lewis will most likely win 2021, then either George of Charles will be the star of the future.
He’s about to enter his 7th season, the level of competition is only getting stronger.
Whilst he had the raw speed over pretty much any driver, I just think he doesn’t present the fully rounded package.