Intrigue awaits as F1 returns
Some fascinating storylines are set to play out, even if Red Bull's F1 domination continues.
I’m hyped for F1’s return this week - but I wouldn’t blame you if the feeling isn’t mutual.
On the surface, the rest of 2023 is a boring prospect. There’s no competition whatsoever for the drivers’ or teams’ crown, as those are almost certainly going the way of Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
But peer a bit deeper and there are intriguing storylines primed to play out during the remaining 10 races of 2023. Hopefully, they’ll be a good reason to keep watching.
While continued Verstappen domination doesn’t sound like much fun, keep in mind that he and Red Bull are on the verge of rewriting two major records this year.
In the next few races, we could witness history being rewritten.
Firstly, if Verstappen wins the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, he will equal Sebastian Vettel’s record for the longest-ever run of consecutive race wins, which is nine.
Vettel set the record back in 2013 during the final races of the season. Verstappen’s run started far earlier, which has left him with a phenomenal opportunity to not only equal the record but comprehensively beat it.
If Verstappen goes unbeaten for the rest of 2023, he’ll end the year on an 18-race win streak…
The other major record on the line is whether Red Bull can go unbeaten for the entire season, a feat that no team has ever managed in F1’s 74-year history. The closest a team in recent history has gotten. was when Mercedes won all but two races in 2016.
I appreciate that Red Bull records aren’t exciting for everyone. If that’s you, then you’ll want to keep your eyes on some wide-open championship battles further down the grid.
Like, will Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, or Aston Martin emerge as the next best behind Red Bull in the second half of the year? Those four teams have all held the honor at different stages of the season so far, but none of them have cemented the position.
Will we see one team pull clear in the coming races? McLaren’s incredible uptick in form only started recently, is there more to come from them? On the other hand, Aston Martin has lost ground recently. What can they do about that? Can they rediscover their form from earlier this year?
Additionally, Aston Martin will need to pick up the pace if they want any chance of holding onto the unofficial bragging right of having the most successful non-Red Bull driver. Fernando Alonso currently sits 3rd in the drivers’ championship, but he is only one point clear of Lewis Hamilton.
Another scrap to keep an eye on is the “Battle of the Minnows”.
Just eight points cover Williams, Haas, Alfa Romeo, and AlphaTauri in the championship - and with so few points between them, one chaotic race could flip the order on its head.
Another big thing to follow is driver contracts.
Lewis Hamilton is yet to officially confirm that he’ll be staying with Mercedes in 2024, while the fates of Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Daniel Ricciardo, and Yuki Tsunoda remain undecided too.
The driver situation is most unique at AlphaTauri, as young Kiwi Liam Lawson is possibly in the frame too. That means the team has three potential options for its two seats. Someone is going to miss out.
And lastly, the story that consumed F1 before the break was the clearout of Alpine’s senior management. Interim management will be in place this weekend in Zandvoort.
From here, it will be fascinating to see how Alpine go about rebuilding - and who they put in charge of such a task. Ex-Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto is rumored to be a contender…
All will be revealed in time.