2023 pecking order predictions

[TimW]

Lots of faith in Mercedes from many posters.
.....

...If they do it they deserve to be crowned kings of the milkyway galaxy, but it's doubtful.

I'm going to go with:
1. RB
2. SF
3. MB
4.Alpine
5. AM
6. Mclaren

Yet you have faith in AM to overcome as much (or more) of a deficit to McLaren

In the end the RB performance is the result of the first year of development. I don't see how Mercedes with their very strong team, sufficient pictures of the RB with all details to analyze and a second year of development with a wind tunnel time advantage would not be able to catch up. Not saying they will, but they definitely could (should?).

[LM10]

Mercedes is the only team (among the top ones at least) which will benefit from next year's rule changes. So I'm expecting a big performance jump from that alone.

[chrisc90]

Mercedes is the only team (among the top ones at least) which will benefit from next year's rule changes. So I'm expecting a big performance jump from that alone.

How/Why will they benefit from less downforce?

[LM10]

Mercedes is the only team (among the top ones at least) which will benefit from next year's rule changes. So I'm expecting a big performance jump from that alone.

How/Why will they benefit from less downforce?

It’s a relative benefit I’m speaking about. I’m not an aero guy, but Vanja has been quite clear about how the changes might help Mercedes (relatively) ever since they were made public.

[AR3-GP]

2. Driver line-up. Red Bull is strategically strong but they lack a competitive 2nd car/driver. Mercedes are in my opinion the best team at converting car-potential to points. Just look at 2022. It will soon turn 2-against-1 again, like in 2021 but with an even better 2nd Mercedes driver.

I strongly disagree with that.

It's been Verstappen and Red Bull who have been the best combination of converting car potential to points and then some for the last 2 straight years.

It's been Mercedes who has thrown away so many results in the last 2 seasons through daft strategy and driver mistakes which includes plenty of examples in '21 and '22. It's only with good fortune that Ferrari was making even more mistakes.

Ultimately the WDC can only be won by a single driver so Mercedes having the strongest 2 driver line up is irrelevant. Each one still has to beat Verstappen on the track. The only thing the Mercedes duo is well placed to do is split all of the points between themselves. Whereas as Red Bull and Ferrari, there is a very convenient hierarchy of Leclerc and Verstappen being faster than Sainz and Perez. This is the kind of Formula that gives RB and Ferrari and advantage. The Hamilton-Russell rivalry will be a weakness for Mercedes.

[ME4ME]

This is the 2023 pecking order prediction thread though, I was not talking about the WDC.
For the constructers championship I don't think having Hamilton and Russel is a weakness. I think it's a strenght.

I don't think any other driver pairing would have collected the points Hamilton and Russel did in such a car as the W13 over a season. And that probably also goes for when it's a better car.

I see your point though. For the WDC, absolutely you might want a clear nr1 for convience.

[Brenton]

I haven't analyzed it technically but it's always seemed people overstate the negatives of having two great drivers, because the negative moments tend to be a lot more dramatic and memorable than the many positives.

A faster second driver provides so many opportunities to take more points away from a rival team. Especially nowadays that there are so many races with a vsc / sc dice roll.

[chrisc90]

Problem arises for Mercedes when, or more likely IF ever, George is in a place to be fighting for the title. Then it becomes a choice of chosing between Lewis or George on who could potentially get their title. Do they give it to Lewis as they think he's the front 'image' of Mercedes F1 and want him to get a record 8th, or would they favour George? Who knows??


***mod edit*** - baity comment removed…

[Big Tea]

I strongly disagree with that.


Ultimately the WDC can only be won by a single driver so Mercedes having the strongest 2 driver line up is irrelevant. Each one still has to beat Verstappen on the track.

That depends if the team is capable of consistent 1- 2's. A team getting first and second will drag a lead on a team getting thirds quicker than a team getting seconds. If the 'other driver' is consistently winning it will matter not though.

[Bill]

This is the 2023 pecking order prediction thread though, I was not talking about the WDC.
For the constructers championship I don't think having Hamilton and Russel is a weakness. I think it's a strenght.

I don't think any other driver pairing would have collected the points Hamilton and Russel did in such a car as the W13 over a season. And that probably also goes for when it's a better car.

I see your point though. For the WDC, absolutely you might want a clear nr1 for convience.

George and lewis rivalry is being oversold,George has been fast than lewis in one race after summer break,but lewis didn't do a proper quali lap because of dubious crash.

[Cs98]

This is the 2023 pecking order prediction thread though, I was not talking about the WDC.
For the constructers championship I don't think having Hamilton and Russel is a weakness. I think it's a strenght.

I don't think any other driver pairing would have collected the points Hamilton and Russel did in such a car as the W13 over a season. And that probably also goes for when it's a better car.

I see your point though. For the WDC, absolutely you might want a clear nr1 for convience.

George and lewis rivalry is being oversold,George has been fast than lewis in one race after summer break,but lewis didn't do a proper quali lap because of dubious crash.

If it's Brazil you are referring to he did the same quali run which put George P3 and Lewis P8 (IIRC).

Considering that was his first year at Merc I don't see how it's oversold. George is at a point in his career where you would expect year on year improvement, Lewis is not.

[diffuser]

Mercedes is the only team (among the top ones at least) which will benefit from next year's rule changes. So I'm expecting a big performance jump from that alone.

Since for the majority of 2022 Merc had one of the cars that suffered the most with changing ride height, I don't understand how that can be true.

Here is the honest truth. The floor regs have changed significantly. This will require significant changes to the floor. Who ever can make better use of the data they collect in 2022 will create a more performant floor.

[f1jcw]

This is the 2023 pecking order prediction thread though, I was not talking about the WDC.
For the constructers championship I don't think having Hamilton and Russel is a weakness. I think it's a strenght.

I don't think any other driver pairing would have collected the points Hamilton and Russel did in such a car as the W13 over a season. And that probably also goes for when it's a better car.

I see your point though. For the WDC, absolutely you might want a clear nr1 for convience.

George and lewis rivalry is being oversold,George has been fast than lewis in one race after summer break,but lewis didn't do a proper quali lap because of dubious crash.

If it's Brazil you are referring to he did the same quali run which put George P3 and Lewis P8 (IIRC).

Considering that was his first year at Merc I don't see how it's oversold. George is at a point in his career where you would expect year on year improvement, Lewis is not.

George crashed bought out a red flag and stopped anyone bettering their times

[jordanb]

THIS IS 2023 PECKING ORDER PREDICTION THREAD!

[Bill]

THIS IS 2023 PECKING ORDER PREDICTION THREAD!

it does not specify the pecking order of what real ,drivers ,cars ,or anything for that matter