2019 season predictions | FerrariChat

2019 season predictions

Discussion in 'F1' started by Bas, Sep 15, 2018.

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Who will win the title?

Poll closed Mar 15, 2019.
  1. Vettel

    17.0%
  2. Leclerc

    9.4%
  3. Verstappen

    3.8%
  4. Gasly

    3.8%
  5. Hamilton

    64.2%
  6. Bottas

    1.9%
  1. Bas

    Bas Four Time F1 World Champ

    Mar 24, 2008
    41,299
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    Bas
    What are your season predictions and why?

    I think that it'll be between Hamilton and Verstappen. Honda to introduce the Spec C engine in USA, only 30hp down on Mercedes. I expect them to find more by start of 2019. If within 20bhp of Mercedes/Ferrari Red Bull will be fighting tooth and nail for the title. Verstappen is ludicrously fast. He'll lose some points on reliability and no doubt a penalty here and there, but he'll go for a gap. He will be toughest to overtake.

    Ferrari seems to be in disarray. Vettel is getting frustrated with the team. The constant strategy errors are laughable. I get Vettel for trying harder and making costly mistakes when the car was not the very fastests, but the pressure is getting to him as much as Ferrari. He's a very intelligent guy and seems to do half the strategy work for Ferrari who are completely inept at what they do. He does great work with the engineers to get the car where it is but it seems it's not enough. With Leclerc now joining the team, I expect them to have an internal battle for points all season, which will be extremely costly. Even if they have the best car, I think Ferrari will blow it strategically and still lose the championship.

    If Mercedes has competition, by which I mean Verstappen qualifying on the front row next to them every week, Hamilton will get extremely frustrated and also start making the same mistakes Vettel has done over the last 2 years. Bottas will continue to play lapdog, likely crash into other cars and not get penalized for it.

    I predict 2019 to be Verstappens year. And it'll be an entertaining and frustrating one.
     
    Archer911 and daytona355 like this.
  2. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 7, 2003
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    C9H8O4
    Invalid poll.

    No option for Stroll.
     
    Archer911, DeSoto, ATBNM3 and 4 others like this.
  3. jgonzalesm6

    jgonzalesm6 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 31, 2016
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    Joe R Gonzales
    Ferrari will have their hands full for 2019: new rookie, pitwall strat mistakes thereby, putting more pressure on Vettel to produce thereby, Vettel making mistakes. It's gonna be a difficult year.

    Mercedes camp: nothing will change so rinse and repeat.
     
    daytona355 likes this.
  4. JStone414

    JStone414 Formula 3

    Sep 23, 2004
    1,159
    Gotham
    Full Name:
    Roman Sionis
    well said. I really hope Verstappen is in the mix big time. Anytime it is more than two drivers in the hunt its a lot more fun.
     
    daytona355 likes this.
  5. blkfxstc

    blkfxstc Formula Junior
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    Nov 30, 2016
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    Eric
    Hamilton unless his mind is elsewhere (or on retirement - referring to his interview with Button earlier this year). Mercedes is going to be consistent and his driving speaks for itself (see pole lap from this weekend for example).

    Vettel has gotten too involved with the team decisions, race politics, whining about things in races, etc. to be successful. Unless he goes back to just driving the car with his mind clear, he will continue the backwards slide.

    Max has the ability, but will need a better car to be considered for WDC. I am less bullish on the Honda powerplant.
     
    ATBNM3 likes this.
  6. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    98,533
    Vegas baby
    I think Honda is "the big unknown". Rumors have it RB are very happy with what Honda is up to. RB we know always makes a great chassis and Max, when he doesn't do something stupid, is very fast.

    After this season, Ferrari will shuffle the deck again.

    I give Max 1 out of 3 to win.
    Hamilton 2 out of 3 to win.
    Vettel and Leclerc no chance to win.

    I think Kimi at Alfa might surprise people. Alfa may have a few podiums.

    If Alfa does not finish ahead of Haas next year they should all hang their heads in shame. Same engine, Ferrari direct technical support and --

    --Kimi vs Grosjean? Are you kidding me?

    .
     
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  7. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

    Nov 18, 2007
    8,468
    Kansas City, MO
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    DJ
    Merc Merc Merc Merc and more MErc
     
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  8. subirg

    subirg F1 Rookie

    Dec 19, 2003
    4,186
    Cheshire
    Ferrari will continue to out develop Mercedes, and they have two drivers who are good enough to get the job done. But... they have collectively erased all knowledge of how to manage a team and manage race strategy. So, it's Mercedes all the way sadly.

    ps - I would love RB to be in the mix, but let's face it, the Honda still isn't proven, so I'm not holding my breath. If it works, then Verstappen has to be in with a shout. Fantasy F1...
     
  9. itschris

    itschris Formula 3

    Sep 15, 2011
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    Chris
    I believe that Lewis and Merc will take it again. Ferrari are just snatching defeat from the hands of victory and I don't see anything on the horizon that will fundamentally change. The team does not seem to learn from their mistakes. I don't know what it is... arrogance, laziness, denial... what... but they are simply not anywhere as put together as Merc. Look how Merc went from not even competing at this last track to taking the win. I used to think it was 80% car, 10% driver, 10% team. Bottas has proved that drivers makes a much bigger difference in F1. You can no longer just say... "oh put X driver in that car and he'll win every time." That's a proven myth by Bottas as he's had his ass shown to him.

    Clearly Ferrari as a team let far too many points slip away needlessly... especially in the early part of the season. The other issue is luck. Lewis has it... Seb does not not. Maybe you make your own luck.. I don't know. When Lewis should have been out ... off the podium... he somehow found his way there. He avoided Max crashing him out while Seb could not. How many points has Max cost Ferrari this year? Either way... Lewis always ends up shining somehow and I think it's because you have CAR+DRIVER+TEAM all working at the highest levels creating a synergism... and thus opportunity... that Ferrari do not have or don't know how to take advantage of. It's disappointing.
     
  10. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 3, 2002
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    My heart says Max but my brain says Hamilton

    WDC 6 would put him onto the Vice-GOAT pedestal

    PS: Whoever voted for Gasly has a lot of humor
     
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  11. Ferrari 308 GTB

    Ferrari 308 GTB F1 Veteran

    Feb 21, 2015
    7,716
    Tropical
    Bit early to call 2019, with a few changes on the cars.

    Hard to bet against Lewis. Just hope we get some decent racing,for once.
     
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  12. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2012
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    The Horn
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    Vettel! You gotta believe!
     
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  13. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 3, 2006
    25,447
    I see Hamilton winning again in 2019. I would almost bet on it.

    Ferrari may have the best car, Red Bull the best organisation and Verstappen may surprise us with his driving next year

    But Mercedes has a better overall package :car + driver + organisation. Hamilton and Mercedes work like a well-oiled machine.
     
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  14. DF1

    DF1 Two Time F1 World Champ

    After reading this - I think Mercedes will win LOL - https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139134/mercedes-f1-titlewinning-budget-revealed

    The Mercedes Formula 1 team spent £309.7m in 2017, a rise of £45.9m over the '16 figure reflecting the extra R&D costs of developing a car for the new rules.

    The numbers, which only reflect the cost of the team and not engine development at HPP in Brixworth, compare to the £263.8m spend of Mercedes' 2016 campaign.

    Only around £60m of the 2017 total was actually paid by parent company Daimler AG, indicating that Mercedes' F1 campaign continues to fare well for sponsorship and prize money revenue.

    Overall turnover, which includes F1 prize money payments, sponsorship and marketing revenue from Daimler, rose from £289.4m to £337.2m. A foreign exchange gain also contributed to that rise.

    Mercedes points out that its revenue has increased by 194% since 2012.
     
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  15. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 3, 2002
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    It's amazing how Mercedes got behind its own plan. This is so different from the half hearted approach BMW and (German) Toyota took. I hope this won't change with the new CEO.
     
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  16. DF1

    DF1 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Appears to be a successful system. This number shows why they wont take quickly to a budget limit of F1 potentially. That subject is not being spoken of lately is it :)
     
  17. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 3, 2002
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    Funny how they're beating Ferrari at their own game: Used to be Ferrari outspending everybody else. Now they found their match.
     
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  18. itschris

    itschris Formula 3

    Sep 15, 2011
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    Chris
    I saw the best meme the other day:

    "Ferrari have given up on 2018 and are now concentrating on how to lose in 2019"

    It's be funny if there wasn't some truth to it.
     
    G. Pepper and 375+ like this.
  19. A348W

    A348W Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2017
    1,741
    North Wiltshire, UK
    2019 will be interesting I'm sure with the shake up in drivers and engines/teams.

    But don't expect Mercedes to drop to the bottom of the pecking order too quickly; others might creep up and the midfield should be interesting. McLaren will be interesting to watch, as all the teams with the pedigree to do better, its them. I think Williams have just lost their way and I hope the money hangs out till they find their way again.

    I think the only thing you can predict with certainty is that we wont have a balanced view on here! :D People on here will whine when Hamilton/Mercedes do well and bring out all sorts of conspiracy theories about how favoured they are and the world is so against Ferrari, whilst when Ferrari does well; nobody can do any wrong!!!

    So bring on the fun, and lets hope more tracks have helper girls next year. :rolleyes:
     
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  20. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,252
    I basically agree with this.
     
  21. Robb

    Robb Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Feb 28, 2004
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    I would hope that it would not be obvious who the typical place markers would be. Even though we will always route for our favorites. The fact that you only have 6 names should sound warning bells.

    I guess we have to wait for the next design rules to kick in for there to be any sort of excitement again across the field.

    Like the NFL, there are strong teams and teams with no chance in hell, but it changes up every few years. And there are underdogs that also win and make it to the championship.

    I would rather rules and engineering that give us more of this and less of a parade.

    So my vote would go toward, “ I hope it is a big tossup...”

    Robb
     
  22. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
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    Mar 25, 2009
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    Sid Korshak
    If ferrari stop chasing shadows for this year and concentrate on developing the car for next year, hire some decent strategists (even one or two from here would be a step up, long as they don’t pick the donuts :) ), and fire a few deadbeats, then the Vettel/le clerc partnership might well work.

    I think Seb May well then calm down and stop making desperate moves, and chuckie is a well rounded, very mature young man. I don’t think he will be the type to ‘Max’ his first year. I see him being prepared to learn at the knee of seb and the team, but with the ability to recognise when things have gone wrong for strategy A (Seb win) and will be capable to drive to rescue the Day. I don’t see him as a bang wheels with Seb type, he’s far too thoughtful and I don’t think he would want to damage his own race, he’s far too calculating in the car. With the crap he’s had this year, given the chance, he has shone. Next year he will have a car that is without doubt top three in the grid, with few of the niggly issues that affect the mid and lower grid.

    If only ferrari can get their strategy right, and forget being fair and pc, copy Mercedes approach to the weekend (well do whatever the **** we want, and argue about it later when necessary), ferrari can win in. Forza Scuderia Ferrari..... wipe the smug grin off the faces of the mugs at Mercedes, I want to see toto break his table every race thumping it in annoyance

    On the plus side, maybe 2019 might see some testing with Mick Schumacher, maybe he will be lined up for Kimi’s Alfa seat in 2020, and follow Le Clerc to Ferrari for 2021/22 (assuming f1 still exists, and ferrari are still competing, which depends on Liberty not ****ing it up more than they already have). I would love for Mick to get his chance, and have even a tenth the talent of his dad, it would be so amazing to see that name on the car again, if only for a race or two, maybe Monaco and Monza!

    Id like to think that as there is so much talent now apparently held up in GP2 and the rest that should, but can’t, get a drive in F1, somehow 2019 or 2020 the deadwood gets thrown out of f1 (Hartley, Ericsson, grosjean, elton hehehe etc) and those people get their shot at either racing, or at least test driving with a view to promotion. Some of the crap drivers have now been around too long, time they moved on
     
  23. itschris

    itschris Formula 3

    Sep 15, 2011
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    Chris
    You're definitely right on this. How many points did strategy alone cost them? If you're a driver and cannot depend on the pit wall to do their very critical piece... someone like Seb is not going to just sit in the car and be a victim. He's going to try and put his finger on the scale. Sometimes that works... other times not so much.

    The other wildcard is Max. You don't see him colliding with Merc. It's just very odd how many times over the past 2 or 3 years that he has compromised Ferrari's races... either leading to damage or outright DNF's. I'm not suggesting a conspiracy, but perhaps it's just circumstance. At some point, however, you have to start scratching your head and look at it as something else.
     
  24. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,252
    Belief in next year is for losers.
    Winners have faith.
     
  25. DF1

    DF1 Two Time F1 World Champ

    https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139318/wolff-2019-changes-can-turn-f1-upside-down

    Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reckons changes to aerodynamic rules for 2019 could mix up Formula 1's competitive order and allow a team to gain an early advantage.

    The new front wing regulations, which make the devices 200mm wider and 25mm deeper and more simplistic designs, are intended to aid overtaking.

    A revision to make brake ducts simpler will also be implemented as part of F1's push to improve racing ahead of a larger regulation overhaul in 2021.

    Earlier this year, Williams technical chief Paddy Lowe said the incoming change is making it harder for F1 teams to judge aerodynamic targets.

    The approval of the 2019 rule changes came in July, but required further discussion between F1 and the teams to close loopholes that had arisen.

    Wolff believes the aero changes can change the F1 competitive order. "The biggest impact will be the completely new aerodynamic regulations," he said.

    "That will change everything upside down. Somebody might find a loophole or an innovation or understand how these cars work earlier than others.

    "There's a big variable in those regulations next year, and we could even have teams being right up there that are not on the radar today."
     

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