In our 2021 Formula 1 Preview we ask three of our contributors what they expect to happen this season. Regular F1 scribe Nick van der Meulen, writer Kyle Kock and former SA champ Claudio Piazza Musso all have their say.

The 2021 F1 world championship continues from the craziness of 2020. The Corona virus pandemic still plays a big role in our daily lives and this is carried over into world sport. Thankfully, the new F1 season can begin, although there has already been a delay, as the Australian Grand Prix has been postponed from its opening slot in mid-March to November 2021. As a result, the Bahrain Grand Prix opens proceedings… (Take a look at the 2021 F1 calendar here.)

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Nick van der Meulen

Pre-season testing took place at the Bahrain circuit recently and new team-driver pairings, as well as new team names and liveries have to be absorbed. Red Bull Racing have Sergio Perez as a new signing, alongside mainstay Max Verstappen, while Ferrari take Carlos Sainz on board with Charles Leclerc. 

McLaren filled Sainz’s seat by snapping up Daniel Ricciardo from Renault to join Lando Norris, while Haas decided to revamp their team by bringing in two rookie drivers from Formula 2: Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin. Another Formula 2 driver will make his debut in F1 in 2020, in Yuki Tsunoda, who has already shown a turn of speed in testing with teammate Pierre Gasly.

Two teams have been renamed and have new liveries, namely, Aston Martin (formerly Racing Point) and Alpine (formerly Renault). Both team names have a rich legacy of racing and will run their colours from yesteryear: Aston Martin in British Racing green and Alpine in French blue. Aston Martin has bolstered their driver lineup by hiring four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel to partner Lance Stroll, while Alpine have roped in double world champion Fernando Alonso after a few years in the wilderness. The Spaniard will partner Esteban Ocon for the season.

Mercedes, Williams and Alfa Romeo run with unchanged lineups for 2021.

Check out all the 2021 Formula One cars in this gallery.

While cost cuts have been implemented for 2021, which includes limited testing, there have been technological upgrades seen in the teams’ car unveilings, as well as in the three-day test at Bahrain recently, with a new floor design seen on the Mercedes, a new rear diffuser for McLaren, a bulky airbox on the Alpine, to name a few. 

Most of the work performed on the cars have been as a result of simulation and have not been extensively tested on track. Testing saw Mercedes fast, but fragile, while Max Verstappen was bullish with his speed and reliability. The Red Bull team believe they may be much closer to Mercedes than before, while Mercedes’ Toto Wolff is inclined to agree, as ever, downplaying their chances despite dominating for the last seven seasons. 

Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas complained of an unforgiving, twitchy rear-end of the vehicle and the team will be working hard to overcome this issue. George Russell (Williams) was particularly impressed with Alfa Romeo’s performance. Alfa pilot Kimi Raikkonen racked up the laps and looked faster than last season. The Finn confirmed that the new Ferrari engine powering his mount has improved markedly over last season. The red team is fervently hoping that the new engine and aerodynamics will vault them back into contention after a miserable 2020.

This fan hopes that the racing will be closer than last season, however, believes that Mercedes will still remain on top in 2021. Love him or hate him, Lewis Hamilton is the finest driver of his generation and the talent that is Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, in particular, will have to punch well above their weight to wrest the crown away from the Englishman. 

While Valtteri Bottas is talented, has strong days and is as hungry as ever, this fan believes that, while he may be stronger in 2021 and take a few more victories away from his illustrious teammate, it will not be enough to prevent Hamilton from claiming a record-breaking eighth title. He does fervently hope, as ever, that the racing is nail-bitingly exciting.

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Kyle Kock

Haas Ferrari has a completely untested driver line with two F1 rookies at the helm. I don’t foresee much for the line-up of Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher. The bare minimum of changes doesn’t bode well for the team. Their only saving grace will be a tweaked Ferrari powerplant, but it will be a character-developing year for the Schumacher name.  

I love that Aston Martin has teamed up with Lawrence Stroll’s F1 team. While they might not be driving a carbon copy of the 2020 Mercedes, they have no doubt benefitted from the R&D that you can only get from running close to the top for a couple of seasons. All eyes will be on four-time champ Seb Vettel to establish his dominance over little Lance, who has been improving at a rapid rate. I’m hoping that this team can once again manage a top five finish.

Check out the Aston Martin F1 Safety and Medical cars by clicking here.

Have Alpha Tauri played their hand prematurely in testing? Tsunoda and Gasly have clocked decent times. Pierre had a mammoth 2020, shaking off the choke-a-thon he had in 2019, to score his maiden win. The car is by no means slow. I predict this team’s gonna move up a few places in the constructors’ championship. Watch out, Renault, err… Alpine.

Is there anyone more likeable on the grid than Daniel Ricciardo? The Honey Badger, in my opinion, left Renault prematurely after just two years with the French outfit, but you can’t argue with his decision as McLaren are looking particularly on form again and well on the way back to the top of the grid. Lando Norris’s bromance with Carlos Sainz has been cut short, but it will do him good after the potential he’s been showing to be partnered up with a multiple race winner. I have big expectations for McLaren and its driver line-up.

Read Kyle’s BMW M3 driving review at this link.

Red Bull is fresh off their best pre-season test in the new turbo era.  Max Verstappen will be keen to capitalise on every ounce of performance he can extract from the RB16B. Of all the drivers on the grid, I feel the most for Sergio Perez, who very nearly didn’t have a drive for 2021. His consistency helped Racing Point (now Aston Martin) become the dark horses of 2020, and I hope he finds the form to challenge his teammate and grab a few more podium places in 2021.

Claudio Piazza Musso

2021 just feels different, there is a different energy and, arguably, some of the most unusual changes up and down the grid and yet some things are still rock solid. I get a sense that we are about to see various questions, theories and predictions either being proven or, rather embarrassingly, fail.

All in all it is exciting not knowing what to expect and exciting to see the new partnerships such as Ricciardo and McLaren, Perez and Red Bull, Sainz and Ferrari, Vettel and Aston Martin. Talented George Russell is still at Williams but with some extra boost in the team’s coffers to hit the track with new energy.

I fear we will get little excitement from Alfa except for when Kimi has those inspired moments, and as for Haas, I feel it will be a difficult year with few good results, although I do hope Little Schumi comes good. Who knows what Alonso can bring to Alpine (ex-Renault) and is Alpha Tauri a dark horse that could surprise us again with a more mature Gasly, who is now a proven race winner.

There is a definite possibility that Verstappen, Ricciardo, Leclerc and Sainz have a chance to win the 2021 championship; the only obstacle they need to outwit is the resilience and experience of Lewis (easier said that done – Ed). I am a firm believer that cars are made good by the talents of special drivers and this year there are definitely some interesting combinations with the potential to triumph and to dethrone the king.

Click here to read why Claudio thinks Sir Hamilton is one of the best F1 drivers of all time.

I am excited and keen to see how the season evolves especially with all the rule changes, such as the sprint races, a longer calendar, a new street circuit with high speeds and cars with less downforce to start the season. This fan is super excited for the new season.

Images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport