2021 Pecking order prediction

[GalacticHitchHiker]

Here goes nothing.

1. Sir Hamilton
2. Verstappen
3. Perez
4. Ricciardo
5. Bottas
6. Alonso
7. Vettel
8. Sainz
9. Stroll
10. LeClerc
11. Norris
12. Ocon
13. Gasly
14. Schumacher
15. Raikkonen
16. Tsunoda
17. Russell
18. Giovanazzi
19. Fittipaldi
20. Hulkenberg
21. Mazepin
22. Latifi

Based upon : only the effect of the brew of coffee to my brains, BUT:

Mercedes will obviously not have sunken away from their position and will, as usual, start strong.
RedBull will improve during the season but will greatly benefit from Perez, who will shine
Bottas is in a slump and he'll only get worse, a Covid contraption where King George will take his seat will not do him any favours
Ricciardo will instantly be fast and benefit from crazy races, likely to get podium(s) and perhaps even a win,
Alonso has all of Alpine behind him and will have solid and stable results during the season which will get him high up in the standings
Vettel is rejuvenated with a quick Aston BUT the car will lack some progress
Sainz is going to beat LeClerc, and the fire that'll happen and more sweeping inside Ferrari will hamper the full potential of the improved Ferraris
Stroll possibly grabs a win, but at the same time is going to get the ghost of bad luck knocking on his door constantly
Schumacher will be pretty decent with a pretty good Haas, but tool of the shed Mazepin will hamper progress at the team and cause mayhem
Williams won't improve
Russell wil grab good points when he takes the wheel of Bottas for a cause of Covid.

Hulkenberg will take a seat here and there and MIGHT catch some points.

Mazepin is going to get DSQ, is going to get a race ban or two, and might even get his seat rejected after some crazy stuff, causing mayhem between Haas
and the UralKali camp, leading to have Fittipaldi take his seat and will show better results despite not being a spectacular driver at all.

Oh yes, and Mazepin is going to throw a literal fist into the face of either Schumacher or Latifi, and call a bunch of drivers gay.

Grosjean will be given a practice session at the latter half of the season as a present and at the end of the year he will be given a 2021 Haas F1 car.

What coffee do you drink? I'd love to live in this world.

[Stu]

Mercedes AMG
RBR
Aston Martin*
McLaren*
Ferrari
Renault
AT
Alfa Romeo
Williams
Haas

*This will be the most interesting battle of the year, I think.

[Scorpaguy]

Even if Ham does not sign with Merc for 2021, I think he has enough extra points from 2020 that he/they still win both the WDC and WCC in 2021. Thus, no need to waste neurons contemplating at the top of the charts. This is what I think will be interesting:

1. Does RB emerge stronger with a good paring or does Max destroy Checo? Max does not seem the type of bloke that needs a good deal of external motivation (plenty of internal drive IMHO)...but I think his motivation may be "tweaked" and we see his best year yet. If the car is good, I could see Max as runner up and Checo rounding out the top 3. However, if Newey creates another undrivable monster and Checo folds/fails to live up to the hype...another 2020 style year.

2. Aston...does the new, hairless/more aerodynamic Vet return reenergized. I suspect so. The 2019 Canadian GP seemed to be the camel's straw for Vet's psyche...not the same sense...he definitely just mailed in his 2020 duties. A continued surge from "blink pink/mean green" could have Vet take anywhere from 2nd to 4th depending upon Newey's prowess. I will go with an average and say 3rd, splitting the RB's. Lance 2 places down.

3. Alpine...a solid 4th all the the way across. Nando will crush Ocon I fear. If RB or Aston stumbles, maybe slipping into second a time or two as I think Cyril had a pretty good show going. Ocon 4 or 5 spots down on Nando.

4. Bino's theft of Vet's hair will place his karmic debt into negative territory and not much progress. 5th...but the 2nd most interesting Driver pairing.

5. Mcl picking up scraps only and not that regularly. Riccardo once again rues his swap of machinery. Norris begins proving his lack of value.

6. Williams nipping at Mcl's heels...or should I say Russell (as Lat remains a no-show).

7. Alpha T sinks this year...but the Tsu and Gas pairing fights tooth & nail all year with Tsu galling the Gaul.

8. Alfa...not much to say/see here.

9. Haas...does not anyone want to buy this team???

[Just_a_fan]

1. Does RB emerge stronger with a good paring or does Max destroy Checo? Max does not seem the type of bloke that needs a good deal of external motivation (plenty of internal drive IMHO)...but I think his motivation may be "tweaked" and we see his best year yet. If the car is good, I could see Max as runner up and Checo rounding out the top 3. However, if Newey creates another undrivable monster and Checo folds/fails to live up to the hype...another 2020 style year.

I think the interest is in how a more mature Max handles a strong team mate. Crush or fight? If he takes it personally he'll lose the title even if the car is a winner. Think 2007.

I can see Max taking it all personally with his team mate sneaking by in the title race.

[Big Tea]

I hope it does not develop in to a squabble where being in front of the team mate becomes more important than maximum team points. More than one Bull on Bull and I see one of them being sidelined for the rest of the season. I think that if the management is not strong and upfront, it could easily become a personal fight, and all lose out

[Just_a_fan]

Red Bull will back Max. He is their stated man and the other driver will be required to do the right thing by the team. For a team that isn't at the top of the pile, this is probably the "right thing to do".

[Big Tea]

Red Bull will back Max. He is their stated man and the other driver will be required to do the right thing by the team. For a team that isn't at the top of the pile, this is probably the "right thing to do".

Red Bull say they are backing Max because they think Max is their best bet. If he seems not to be, would it take them long to have a change of mind?

Not saying Perez is a better driver, but sometimes things dont work out as expected.

[the EDGE]

Red Bull will back Max. He is their stated man and the other driver will be required to do the right thing by the team. For a team that isn't at the top of the pile, this is probably the "right thing to do".

Red Bull say they are backing Max because they think Max is their best bet. If he seems not to be, would it take them long to have a change of mind?

Not saying Perez is a better driver, but sometimes things dont work out as expected.

Well they dropped Seb for Danny and Danny for Max, so nothings impossible (accept Perez beating Max of course)

[Big Tea]

Red Bull will back Max. He is their stated man and the other driver will be required to do the right thing by the team. For a team that isn't at the top of the pile, this is probably the "right thing to do".

Red Bull say they are backing Max because they think Max is their best bet. If he seems not to be, would it take them long to have a change of mind?

Not saying Perez is a better driver, but sometimes things dont work out as expected.

Well they dropped Seb for Danny and Danny for Max, so nothings impossible (accept Perez beating Max of course)

Beating? What if by race 4 Max had 3 dnf's and Perez had 3 2nd places?

[the EDGE]

Red Bull say they are backing Max because they think Max is their best bet. If he seems not to be, would it take them long to have a change of mind?

Not saying Perez is a better driver, but sometimes things dont work out as expected.

Well they dropped Seb for Danny and Danny for Max, so nothings impossible (accept Perez beating Max of course)

Beating? What if by race 4 Max had 3 dnf's and Perez had 3 2nd places?

Yer... cos that going to happen right?

[Big Tea]

Well they dropped Seb for Danny and Danny for Max, so nothings impossible (accept Perez beating Max of course)

Beating? What if by race 4 Max had 3 dnf's and Perez had 3 2nd places?

Yer... cos that going to happen right?

I tell you after the 3 rd race

[Jambier]

Prediction


Mercedes: Of course, dominating, 8th title for Lewis
Red Bull: As usual they will be strong, and Perez will help
Aston Martin Racing: I think if Vettel is back to a good level, they will be more easily third but...
McLaren: But McLaren may handle better 2021 aero restiction, and RIC will be a big boost for them !
Ferrari: ? I really struggle to place them. New engine, maybe they will only be fifth... or just behind RB! Difficult to say
Alpine: I think they will be in difficulties, 2020 was already a 2019 car with some tweaks. Let them focus on 2022
Alpha Tauri
Alfa Romeo
Haas
Williams

[Hammerfist]

Mercedes
Redbull
Ferrari
Aston Martin
Renault
Mclaren
Alfa Tauri
Alfa Romeo
Haas
Williams


I am bullish on Ferrari. All signs point to a much improved car and if you follow the money you have to put them in the top 3 in my opinion. They are a big team and will prove it again this year.
Not as bullish on Mclaren than most. I think they are going to have problems incorporating that Mercedes engine and with the engine convergence that will be obvious this year they will see themselves take a few steps down the pecking order.
Aston Martin will be the class car of the midfield again, Vettel will have a strong season, but Stroll might hold them back.

[Just_a_fan]

I am bullish on Ferrari. All signs point to a much improved car

What signs? We've seen nothing from them yet other than whispers in the wind. Not saying they won't turn up at the first test and surprise everyone, but until then we have no idea whether they will be like last year or like early 2018.

[the EDGE]

I am bullish on Ferrari. All signs point to a much improved car

What signs? We've seen nothing from them yet other than whispers in the wind. Not saying they won't turn up at the first test and surprise everyone, but until then we have no idea whether they will be like last year or like early 2018.

Well it doesn’t matter about the chassis because I heard the guys at Brixworth were so impressed with their work in 2019 they all the took 2020 off to allow everyone plenty of time to ‘equalise’ the PUs /sarcasm