74 replies to this topic

[Beri]

Williams. In recent history they tend to come out strongly when the regulations change (2009, 2014) and I think what Charles Leclerc showed this year with Sauber holds true there as well - having a proper driver makes a difference. God, they had a rubbish pairing last season. Now they've got George Russell, a guy in a lot of ways similar to Leclerc, in a hurry having blazed a trail through the junior ranks.

To be honest, if they're not instantly pushed back into the midfield pack on that alone something's wrong.

Nothing more to add.

[Unicast]

Most likely McLaren (in my view), they can't possibly be worse than 2018... in fact I think we'll see quite a change of form this year.

McLaren is still a very solid team, which is well financed and has very good and talented people so I really expect them to make a step up from last year.

[MattK9]

• Merc - Cant improve in position or in supertime % as they are going to be barometer that everyone elses improvement will be measured against. They can only maintain their high level or regress.
• Ferrari - Can only improve by actually beating merc over a season and not dropping the ball near the end of the season like they have 2 years in a row. Hopefully Leclerc can help a push towards WCC challenge as well.
• Red Bull - Hopefully the Red Bulls will have the outright fastest car at a couple of circuits this year and can regularly challenge for wins. However they will also be plenty of early baths when engine expire and grid penalty's so i cant see them improving there overall position in WCC but will likely get closer to Merc on supertime.
• Renault - They are making all the noises for a much better car than last year with the recruitment drive of staff based at Enstone. I think that they will improve into the void behind Red Bull. They wont be able to challenge the top 3 teams but will be comfortably best of the rest.
• Racing Point - We can only really compare to the combined effects of last years force india and racing point. I expect them to move forwards as they are now but funded. But how much of an impact will the new management have on the technical development of the car? it is an unknown.
• Haas & Sauber - I cant see them moving forwards in position or supertime. They might actually be just as fast as last year but end up behind other teams who improve more.
• Toro Rosso - They are increasing the number of common parts between themselves and sister red bull team. I expect them to move forwards.
• Mclaren - They got their calcs wrong last year with the front wing/barge board and didnt work out the problem for some time. They say that they have fixed the problem but with new front wings i expect them to get it wrong again. I dont have any faith in them to sort it out. And with two key members of staff still on gardening leave from their old jobs i dont see that changing for this year.
• Williams - Perennial backmarkers. The new Minardi. Paddy Lowe has been a real disappointment at Williams. I hope i am wrong and i am super pleased to see Kubica back in the drivers seat. 

[JG]

Why do people think McLaren will be great in 2019? In 2018 they were carried by Alonso, and he is out remember. 

[Reddington]

Sauber.

 

Arguably the best team boss, who has laid the foundations. The way he has set up the team since he joined has already shown great progress and 2019 might be the year where we see more results because of it. Funding is better, they got the latest spec Ferrari PU, a driver who some might think is over the top, but is there to have fun, but most importantly is renowned for his excellent feedback and a great team player. And a team that will have a positive upwards spiral vibe, which always brings a team together. And they have a lot to gain coming from further down the field.

 

* Renault are saying they are aiming for fourth. Self proclaimed. Yes, by closing the gap, but then you stay fourth nonetheless. So gaining, but bettering their WCC position.

* If Honda comes good, RBR might be on the up, but unless the engine goes bang every race, it's not expected they would suddenly be the 5th or 6th best team. So most likely they will remain top 3.

* STR might look they could be a climber due to the "Haas-Model" with RBR, sharing parts and certain areas of design, however, they will be the secondary team that will be sacrificed for testing and also had seriously debatable strategic decision making during races.

* Ferrari and Merc are not likely to fall out of the top three.

* McLaren should be way further up this year. But compared to Sauber they still are in the midst of their restructuring and the team still needs to prove they're not a mess anymore. And since the 2019 car design and concept will have started inception somewhere around March last year, it remains to be seen if it will be the car they are hoping for. Same goes for their engine. In that regard Sauber just seems to be in a better place.

* Racing Point and Haas? I expect Haas to be a team going backwards. Racing Point should be in the battle for fifth if Renault indeed makes the step forward I expect.

* Williams should be another team on the up, but they are only discovering how big their problems really are and a full mindset change needs to take place before I see them getting back to where they once were.

 

I can think of thousands of reasons to make a entirely different list, but I liked what I saw at Sauber last year. And it will be fun to see if they can make a good leap forward in 2019.

Edited by Reddington, 22 January 2019 - 15:50.

[TomNokoe]

The entire midfield sound pretty bullish going into 2019.

Renault
Winter gains with 2019 F1 car our biggest ever

Renault beginning 'three years of attack' on championship
--

Haas
Renault should be 'scared' of Haas for 2019 Formula 1 season

Haas have to ‘step up our game’ in 2019
--

Racing Point
Force India eyes top 3 target in 2019 - Szafnauer

Perez: Racing Point more convincing than McLaren reunion
--

McLaren
McLaren anticipating its 2019 F1 car to be 'good'

Alonso predicts more competitive McLaren in 2019
--

Sauber
Raikkonen: Sauber has all it needs to build a 'great' 2019 F1 car

Feared Sauber the "team to watch" in 2019
--

Toro Rosso
Toro Rosso will have ‘very close cooperation’ with Red Bull for 2019

Assorted Honda engine articles
--

Williams
There's not much for Williams, unless you place enough stock in their new driver line-up. Maybe it's an omen. The exception that proves the rule.

Edited by TomNokoe, 22 January 2019 - 16:29.

[Alfisti]

Why do people think McLaren will be great in 2019? In 2018 they were carried by Alonso, and he is out remember. 

 

I think because we can see other teams going backwards. Racing Point could be dire IMHO, Hass and Sauber have been over-achieving, 

[chrisj]

Why do people think McLaren will be great in 2019? In 2018 they were carried by Alonso, and he is out remember. 

I don't get it either. They've made a couple of potentially good hires (Key and the ex Porsche guy), but it will take time for either to have any positive impact. They have a big enough budget to (theoretically) adapt well to the rule change. But, as you said, their biggest asset isn't around any more, and the new driver lineup is suspect. I wouldn't be shocked if McLaren finished dead last.

[alframsey]

Head says Renault but voted with my heart for McLaren, I expect both to make relatively good gains either way.

[Reinmuster]

I vote for McLaren but hoping that Williams will have biggest jump of them all.

[AvranaKern]

I have a feeling that Honda will emerge as the third best engine, leaving McLaren and Renault in a very precarious position--at the beginning of the season at least. Ferrari will be the team to beat before European races with Mercedes a clear second. I don't think Red Bull will be able to fight for wins in the first third of the season, but they will stay third.

 

The mid-field battle is where I'll be really interested in. I do expect Sauber and Racing Point making a strong bid in getting the Best of the Rest title on account of their smooth racing operation, nice cash-flow, good drivers and engines at the back of their cars. William, I believe, will be behind them with hopes that they can overtake the two once the teams will move to Europe. Toro Rosso and Haas will pick up the pieces.

[JG]

I can't see Honda do everthing right all of a sudden, They have not impressed since the late 1980's.. Renault however, they have done good time after time, sooner or later they will be on top again.

Sauber may take another step forward, and I see ex-Force India being very underrated here, I predict they will be on level or even better than Force India, as they now have more money. 

[sopa]

It's worth remembering though that McLaren has been overrated basically every pre-season for eternity already. So one should be careful before counting on them. I certainly wouldn't. However, if one day they really end up last like Williams has done, then obviously it can't get worse any more.

[ExFlagMan]

Probably someone from the roof of a NASCAR....

[BRK]

I think Renault.

 

Top drivers play a big - but lately underappreciated - role in the direction of car development, whether with their inputs or by attracting the best around them. Michael and later Hamilton at Mercedes, Seb and the new breed of fast Ferraris, Max at Red Bull 2.0. I think we will start seeing the Danny Ric effect by mid-season..

[CL16]

Mercedes, rules tailored to them that they were more than happy to agree to.

2015 season for Hamilton

[ArrowsLivery]

Red Bull are getting a big PU power increase, so they are the easy answer.

 

 

I think (and hope) it'll be McLaren. They've had an undeveloped and flawed car for much of the season and have switched their focus to their 2019 car very early on. 

 

It doesn't look like McLaren are capable of building a decent car anymore, and they seriously downgraded their driver pairing this year. I would be surprised if they are anything but Q1 fodder. 

[DILLIGAF]

Hard to single out one team but i've gone with Renault. I expect Williams to be much better than last season also.

Edited by DILLIGAF, 23 January 2019 - 22:09.

[TF110]

I think it's going to be Williams. They may not score a lot but they will improve the most from their previous year imo. I believe the midfield will be crowded this year. Hoping so at least. 

[BRG]

Red Bull are getting a big PU power increase, so they are the easy answer.

This must be true, because Honda and Red Bull said so.

[pdac]

Red Bull are getting a big PU power increase, so they are the easy answer.

 

 

Good point. Any team that were to get the giant leap in performance that Red Bull are going to have^†   would be sure to outperform everyone.

 

(† if statements from the team and their PU supplier are accurate)

[ViMaMo]

While Honda improves .... will Renault benefit from Marcin Budkowski? https://www.crash.ne...f1-engine-gains

Edited by ViMaMo, 27 January 2019 - 13:52.

[turssi]

2018 Constructor Standings
POS TEAM PTS
1 MERCEDES 655
2 FERRARI 571
3 RED BULL RACING TAG HEUER 419
4 RENAULT 122
5 HAAS FERRARI 93
6 MCLAREN RENAULT 62
7 FORCE INDIA MERCEDES 52
8 SAUBER FERRARI 48
9 SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO HONDA 33
10 WILLIAMS MERCEDES 7

Fingers crossed for a Sauber jump challenging Haas in 2019.

[Dalton007]

Should be McLaren:

1) The renault engine should be quite a lot better

2) The car design should be optimized for the Renault engine unlike the 2018 season car that was a frankenstein.

 

 

They couldn't any worse.

 

I think they can become a regular top 10 car.

[DrF]

Fingers crossed for a Sauber jump challenging Haas in 2019.

That's one major jump