65 replies to this topic

[KevR]

Since we are still awaiting racing to restart (NASCAR goes ahead on 17/05 for the impatient ones), I'd like to propose a simple yet fun prediction game - who you think will be the next F1 WDC up until 2025!

Here goes my guess:

2020 - L.Hamilton
2021 - M. Verstappen
(New regs incoming):
2022 - D. Ricciardo
2023 - D. Ricciardo
2024 - M. Verstappen
2025 - M. Verstappen

[Silberpfeil]

2020 – L. Hamilton
2021 – L. Hamilton
2022 – L. Hamilton
2023 – E. Ocon
2024 – C. Leclerc
2025 – M. Verstappen

[Lights]

2020 – Hamilton
2021 – Hamilton
2022 – Russell
2023 – Russell
2024 – Russell
2025 – someone who's still in karting right now

[Collombin]

I'm really good at this sort of stuff, I remember confidently predicting at the end of 1983 who the 1988 world champion would be.

That's right. Andrew Gilbert-Scott.

Edited by Collombin, 16 May 2020 - 10:48.

[DutchQuicksilver]

2020: L. Hamilton

2021: L. Hamilton

2022: C. Leclerc

2023: M. Verstappen

2024: M. Verstappen

2025: C. Leclerc

[KevR]

2020 – Hamilton
2021 – Hamilton
2022 – Russell
2023 – Russell
2024 – Russell
2025 – someone who's still in karting right now

Russell is a good shout. I think he may snatch 1 or 2 titles if he ends up at Mercedes soon.

[Risil]

2020: Hamilton

2021: Hamilton

2022: Rosberg

2023: Hamilton
2024: Hamilton

2025: Hamilton

 

Oh hang on that's the last six years.

[Muppetmad]

Fun idea! The first two years are surely more straightforward to predict...

 

2020 - Hamilton

2021 - Hamilton

 

...but after that? Tough. Essentially, it's a game of "who will get the formula right in 2022". For a variety of reasons, I have faith McLaren will come good. With that in mind, I'll say:

 

2022 - Ricciardo

2023 - Norris

2024 - Norris

2025 - Norris

 

I look forward to seeing how wrong I am at the end of 2025 

[Ali623]

2020 - Hamilton
2021 - Hamilton
(Reg change + Mercedes leave)
2022 - Verstappen
2023 - Verstappen
2024 - Leclerc
2025 - Verstappen

 

When Merc and eventually Hamilton leave, Max will dominate the sport assuming he can stay in the right team for the job.

Edited by Ali623, 16 May 2020 - 10:51.

[Marklar]

2020 Bottas = few races, can luck into it
2021 Verstappen = Red Bull & Merc could be equally matched based on pre-season testing, might be 2006 reloaded
2022 Leclerc = new regs and Ferrari is #greatagain
2023 Leclerc
2024 Leclerc
2025 Russell = rule changes again

[KevR]

2020 Bottas = few races, can luck into it

The thing that to me casts a little doubt over LH winning the title in 2020 is the fact that half of the races may go ahead without fans, and he feeds off the fans' attention so much it may be a disadvantage to him.

[Collombin]

These threads are always good to look back on a few years down the line. Can't really take part myself as I don't really watch F1 these days, but it has got me thinking as to who the most unlikely WDC in history was, based purely on how things were looking for them 5 years earlier!

[TomNokoe]

Hamilton
Hamilton
Hamilton
Verstappen
Verstappen

[Risil]

These threads are always good to look back on a few years down the line. Can't really take part myself as I don't really watch F1 these days, but it has got me thinking as to who the most unlikely WDC in history was, based purely on how things were looking for them 5 years earlier!

 

I doubt anyone would've pinned Jack Brabham as a future world champion in 1954, when he was a successful road racer but presumably not much heard-of outside the Antipodes.

[CSF]

2020 - Hamilton

2021- Hamilton

2022 - Hamilton

2023 - Hamilton

2024 - Hamilton

2025 - Hamilton 

[Beri]

2020 - Verstappen
2021 - Verstappen
2022 - Mercedes driver #1 (assuming Hamilton, but he could be retired by then)
2023 - LeClerc
2024 - Verstappen
2025 - LeClerc

[DutchQuicksilver]

The thing that to me casts a little doubt over LH winning the title in 2020 is the fact that half of the races may go ahead without fans, and he feeds off the fans' attention so much it may be a disadvantage to him.

 

Not only that, but a few Mercedes tracks are already off the calendar. Melbourne, Monaco, Spain, France, were all pretty good Mercedes tracks last season. Two races at Austria and possibly Hockenheim on the calendar all speak in Verstappen’s favour.

[P123]

These threads are always good to look back on a few years down the line. Can't really take part myself as I don't really watch F1 these days, but it has got me thinking as to who the most unlikely WDC in history was, based purely on how things were looking for them 5 years earlier!

 

I'd say Button, based on the 2007 and 2008 Honda, and then at one stage going into 2009 without a drive when Honda did a runner.

[Anderis]

I'd say Button, based on the 2007 and 2008 Honda, and then at one stage going into 2009 without a drive when Honda did a runner.

Button wasn't even seen as one of the top10 most likely candidates for 2009 title in late 2008.

[Anderis]

I'll have a try for something different:

2020 - no WDC after all, unfortunately

2021 - Hamilton

2022 - someone who has drivern an F1 race already but has not been mentioned so far in this thread

2023 - Verstappen

2024 - Verstappen

2025 - someone who will not get mentioned in this thread by name within next 3 months

[Hakki069]

2020-Hamilton
2021-Hamilton (mercedes leave and now called wolff gp)
2022-verstappen
2023-leclerc
2024-verstappen
2025-Verstappen

[Collombin]

Button wasn't even seen as one of the top10 most likely candidates for 2009 title in late 2008.

But in 2004 being told he would be the 2009 WDC wouldn't have seemed ludicrous.

John Surtees had never seen a car race or sat in a racing car until October 1959, but of course was hugely successful and well known in his particular motor sport field, so maybe not absurd, just surprising.

I don't know what Fittipaldi was up to in 1967.

[maximilian]

2020 - Hamilton

2021- Hamilton

2022 - Hamilton

2023 - Hamilton

2024 - Hamilton

2025 - Hamilton 

 

Unless he retires and/or Mercedes quit, this is by far the most likely outcome.

[aray]

2020- Max

2021- Lewis

2022- Leclerc

2023- Sainz

2024-Max

2025- Max

Edited by aray, 16 May 2020 - 13:29.

[Risil]

But in 2004 being told he would be the 2009 WDC wouldn't have seemed ludicrous.

John Surtees had never seen a car race or sat in a racing car until October 1959, but of course was hugely successful and well known in his particular motor sport field, so maybe not absurd, just surprising.

I don't know what Fittipaldi was up to in 1967.

 

Brazilian Formula Vee champion, according to this thing he wrote for McLaren's website. Which also contains this lovely passage:

 

As our British Caledonian Boeing 727 touched down, I had two thoughts: "What a cold grey foggy country!" and "I can't believe I'm now in the land of Hill, Clark and Stewart!". I remember that a shiver of excitement ran up and down my spine.

 

I don't think there's ever been quite as meteoric a rise in Grand Prix racing as Fittipaldi. Not even Max Verstappen. Oddly enough it took Emmo about the same amount of time to go from CART also-ran to race winner as it did to go from Formula Ford rookie to his first Grand Prix victory.

[AmonGods]

It's either Lewis or Max for 2020 and 2021. I'm going with Lewis. He really wants that record for most wins in F1.

Ferrari have been found out with their engine trick, they wont win anything for the next few years. They also start really slow when there's some big rule changes.

From 2022 it looks like Max is in the best spot. Merc might and I think they will leave F1, Lewis might retire, Ferrari could be nowhere, maybe Mclaren will surprise and we will have a Max vs Ricci battle for the WDC.

[Hakki069]

It's either Lewis or Max for 2020 and 2021. I'm going with Lewis. He really wants that record for most wins in F1.
Ferrari have been found out with their engine trick, they wont win anything for the next few years. They also start really slow when there's some big rule changes.
From 2022 it looks like Max is in the best spot. Merc might and I think they will leave F1, Lewis might retire, Ferrari could be nowhere, maybe Mclaren will surprise and we will have a Max vs Ricci battle for the WDC.

I think Hamilton will definitely win in 2020 and 2021 then probably retire when Mercedes eventually pullout too.

I actually think 2022 could be the year of Ferrari. There overdue to get something right surely lol but Max is definitely the hot favourite as a driver post Hamilton

[kosmos]

2020-2022 Hamilton

2023-2025 Verstappen

[Risil]

I think Hamilton will definitely win in 2020 and 2021 then probably retire when Mercedes eventually pullout too.

I actually think 2022 could be the year of Ferrari. There overdue to get something right surely lol but Max is definitely the hot favourite as a driver post Hamilton

Wishful thinking! I think Lewis has another team in him. I didn't think that a few years ago but he seems to be on top of the world now.

[Yamamoto]

2020 Hamilton

2021 Hamilton

2022 Verstappen

2023 Button

2024 Verstappen

2025 Verstappen

[AmonGods]

2020 Hamilton

2021 Hamilton

2022 Verstappen  Rosberg

2023 Button

2024 Verstappen

2025 Verstappen

 

Better. 

[Yamamoto]

Better. 

 

I like the guy but he'll be 73. I just don't see it.

[BuddyHolly]

With the Merc rocketship car and a lackey in the #2 seat it's Hamilton from 2020 until the day he decides to call it a day.

I really don't see 2021 changing as much as we want it to.

[Blackmamba]

With the Merc rocketship car and a lackey in the #2 seat it's Hamilton from 2020 until the day he decides to call it a day.
I really don't see 2021 changing as much as we want it to.

There are no changes in 2021. It’s been postponed to 2022.

Edited by Blackmamba, 16 May 2020 - 15:07.

[Alan Lewis]

...who the most unlikely WDC in history was, based purely on how things were looking for them 5 years earlier!

Keke Rosberg, based on how things were looking for him ONE year earlier.

[Collombin]

Keke Rosberg, based on how things were looking for him ONE year earlier.

But I'm on about FIVE - wasn't Keke battling with Gilles in Formula Atlantic back then, and Gilles was showing early promise in F1 by the end of 1977.

I'm wondering about Lauda 1984 - did anyone think in late 1979 that he would change his mind about driving round in circles? There's a 1979 interview with him being televised on ITV4 next week that I must catch.

[Risil]

Was Jim Clark on anyone's radar as a future world champion in 1958?

[Alan Lewis]

But I'm on about FIVE...

That's fair enough, though I don't recall Keke being all that high up the list in '77.

Niki is a good one, for both his careers: who in 1970 could have foreseen the dominant figure of the mid-decade? Except Niki himself, of course.

[Collombin]

I think the occasion that Clark nearly beat Chapman at Brands was late in 1958, and Chapman had already been impressed with him at an earlier test. Impressed enough to think future WDC? Difficult to say.

Edited by Collombin, 16 May 2020 - 16:42.

[Izzyeviel]

2020: Lewis

2021: Max

2022: Max

2023: Russell

2024: Charles

2025: Lando

2026: Russell

[PayasYouRace]

But I'm on about FIVE - wasn't Keke battling with Gilles in Formula Atlantic back then, and Gilles was showing early promise in F1 by the end of 1977.

I'm wondering about Lauda 1984 - did anyone think in late 1979 that he would change his mind about driving round in circles? There's a 1979 interview with him being televised on ITV4 next week that I must catch.

 

How about Fangio? In 1946 he was still driving a Model T Ford across Argentina.

[garoidb]

2020 Vettel

2021 Vettel

2022 Verstappen

2023 Verstappen

2024 Vettel

[noikeee]

So let's try to work some logic into this.

2020 (if the season happens at all) and 2021 are definitely going Hamilton's way. Mercedes looked dominant in pre-season testing, and 2021 looks to be fought with the same cars as 2020. The question is what happens next.

I think Mercedes pulls out at the end of 21. Under a big recession, after having already won so much, and with their star driver approaching retirement time, it's time to go. Someone will buy their team but it's likely this time of upheaval might let Ferrari or RB step ahead of them.

It's hard to say who benefits from the new regs and budget cap. Long term it might even up things, and the new regs are a reset to the pecking order. But, Ferrari and RB (and Mercedes) have a big financial advantage right now over the rest of the pack, and the 22 car will be partially built under this advantage. So I think either Ferrari or RB start the new era ahead. And driver wise they seem pretty settled. I suspect Leclerc-Sainz is a pairing that will last a long time, whilst RB is built around Verstappen. It's unlikely this will change in the coming years even if others rise such as Russell.

My guess

2020 — Hamilton
2021 - Hamilton
2022 — Leclerc
2023 — Verstappen
2024 — Verstappen

[Risil]

How about Fangio? In 1946 he was still driving a Model T Ford across Argentina.

 

I reckon someone clued-up about world motorsport might have predicted that when racing restarted in Europe, the South Americans for whom racing had never stopped would be strong. After all in the early 50s you also had Galvez, Gonzalez, Marimon, Menditeguy -- no coincidence there. If anyone was doing any predicting in 1946!

[messy]

2020 - Hamilton
2021- Hamilton
2022 - Hamilton
2023 - Hamilton
2024 - Hamilton
2025 - Hamilton

Beat me to it. Yup.

[Hakki069]

So let's try to work some logic into this.

2020 (if the season happens at all) and 2021 are definitely going Hamilton's way. Mercedes looked dominant in pre-season testing, and 2021 looks to be fought with the same cars as 2020. The question is what happens next.

I think Mercedes pulls out at the end of 21. Under a big recession, after having already won so much, and with their star driver approaching retirement time, it's time to go. Someone will buy their team but it's likely this time of upheaval might let Ferrari or RB step ahead of them.

It's hard to say who benefits from the new regs and budget cap. Long term it might even up things, and the new regs are a reset to the pecking order. But, Ferrari and RB (and Mercedes) have a big financial advantage right now over the rest of the pack, and the 22 car will be partially built under this advantage. So I think either Ferrari or RB start the new era ahead. And driver wise they seem pretty settled. I suspect Leclerc-Sainz is a pairing that will last a long time, whilst RB is built around Verstappen. It's unlikely this will change in the coming years even if others rise such as Russell.

My guess

2020 — Hamilton
2021 - Hamilton
2022 — Leclerc
2023 — Verstappen
2024 — Verstappen

I would agree with this. Hamilton might still stick around in 2022 if toto wolff buys the old mercedes team for example.

I'm not completely convinced mercedes would even stick around in 2021 as such. If toto plans to take the team over mercedes might want a slow crossover. As in toto buys the team at the end of 2020. But races in 2021 under the name mercedes still as mercedes and wolff or who ever buys the team slowly complete the purchase during the year.

I mean if mercedes plan to pull out at the end of 2021 who's funding the 2022 car development at Brackley during 21? Mercedes won't want to fund a project there have nothing to do with.

But ether way from 2022 you would have to expect verstappen and leclerc to start to take centre stage in F1

Edited by Hakki069, 16 May 2020 - 18:08.

[prty]

2020: some races take place, but needs to be cancelled again, WDC is declared void

2021: F1 switches to virtual GPs for the first races with real points, the virus mutates

2022-2025: humanity goes extint, last known tweet by any F1 personnel was "#blessed"

[Fatgadget]

Heck.F1 fans must really be strung out - withdrawal symptoms.

[PayasYouRace]

So I've decided to use the past to make my prediction. The era when I started watching F1, and there was a string of different champions over the 6 year period from 1992 to 1997. So going by what each of those guys were doing in 1991, I predict the following.

 

2020: Runner-up from 2019 - Bottas.

2021: 5th place driver from 2019, former multiple champion after a season sabbatical - Vettel.

2022: 7th in WEC 2019 - Paul di Resta

2023: di Resta again.

2024: 7th in F2 from 2019 - Guanyu Zhou

2025: Eighth at F3 Macau in 2019 - Marcus Armstrong

2026: 15th in 2019 - Lance Stroll

2027: Lance Stroll

 

That's basically what Mansell, Prost, Schumacher, Hill, Villeneuve and Hakkinen were doing if you'd asked this question in 1991.

[noikeee]

I would agree with this. Hamilton might still stick around in 2022 if toto wolff buys the old mercedes team for example.

I'm not completely convinced mercedes would even stick around in 2021 as such. If toto plans to take the team over mercedes might want a slow crossover. As in toto buys the team at the end of 2020. But races in 2021 under the name mercedes still as mercedes and wolff or who ever buys the team slowly complete the purchase during the year.

I mean if mercedes plan to pull out at the end of 2021 who's funding the 2022 car development at Brackley during 21? Mercedes won't want to fund a project there have nothing to do with.

Fair, makes sense. Either way, that's still Lewis Hamilton winning the championship under the "Mercedes" name.