Bit of a change, going to start previewing the 2014 F1 season from now on instead of just reviewing the races. It gives me more of an opportunity to talk about the sport I love, plus with so many changes for next season I can also begin to look forward to it..
I'm fairly sure you may be wondering why I'm not reviewing a race.. I simply find it boring; all I'm doing is recapping what actually happened without many opportunities to get out my opinion. In 2014, there will be the biggest shake-up in regulations for 20 years, a vastly changed F1 calendar and drivers swapping teams before lights out in Melbourne..
So, let's talk about the teams first. Assuming all of the current 11 teams will be on the grid next year, that leaves me room to post out at least 11 articles. Let us begin with the champions, Red Bull..
Infiniti Red Bull Racing Renault, as is there full name. What is there to say that hasn't already been said? They're the best team on the grid and this season have the best car all round. It can dominate in qualifying and can leave other teams with egg on their face during the race, usually when it stretches a large lead in the very early stages. With Adrian Newey at the helm there will surely be no problems for them in terms of constructing next year's car.
In my opinion, he is the true architect of that team. He is truly a genius! He will relish the challenge of constructing a competitive car within next season's regulations. If any team is in the right place to do this its Red Bull.
As long as Vettel keeps getting poles, wins and championships Red Bull will run into no trouble what so ever.
Now for the drivers. Names like Raikkonen and even Alonso were linked with the seat but the Austrian-owned team decided otherwise. Red Bull were the earliest team to confirm their driver line up for next season. Mark Webber announced earlier on this season that his Formula 1 stay was coming to an end. At the right time to. He's won many prestigious races and has shown his grit on more than one occasion, however he never really looked like challenging his teammate in all honesty. Vettel can create a dominant lead in a race during the first 5 laps whereas Webber always seems to have issues.
It is fair to say that Mark Webber does indeed get the lions-share of Red Bull's bad luck. Now for whatever reason that is, I shan't comment on this now for fear of myself sounding unbelievably biased.
I do like Mark Webber and I'm sad to see him go but if I had experienced the exact same problems he has had with his teammate over the years I would have quit years earlier. His relationship with Sebastian Vettel is clearly one of tension. And who could blame them?
Turkey 2010: Webber leading the race heading hoping for a third consecutive victory with Vettel just behind. However, the gaining McLaren's forced Vettel into action as he tried passing Mark Webber at the end of the straight. The result; catastrophic. Who's fault was it? Don't really know. But both cars fell out of the lead, 43 points were thrown away and there were clear divisions created within the team afterwards.
Britain 2010: Both Red Bull's given new front wings. Vettel breaks his and Webber is forced to give his to his teammate. I would be angry if that had happened to me. If ever there was bias shown within a team, it was at that moment. Fortunately for Mark, he won the race. Not bad for a number 2 driver!
Brazil 2012: Webber refuses to help his teammate in the last race of the season; the 2012 championship decider. Vettel made a bad start and was bogged down by Mark. He crashed, yet miraculously recovered to win the championship.
Malaysia 2013: Multi 21 Seb? Webber told my team Vettel would not overtake him. Vettel overtook him. Vettel thought they were racing yet he clearly disobeyed obvious team orders. That may have pushed Mark over the edge.
As you can see, its a rough relationship and with him leaving the team could be more harmonious perhaps? Could you imagine what it would be like if Vettel and Webber both won races like Vettel does? It would be very reminiscent of Senna vs Prost.
Vettel is tied down to Red Bull for next season and that won't bother him one bit. The quickest car in both qualifying and during the race and we all know how good Sebastian Vettel is at dominating Grands Prix! There would be no reason for him to leave. But the questions on peoples lips are, "Can Vettel win a race coming through the pack?", "Would he do the same job in the Ferrari as Alonso?". These questions are ripe yet are not relevant for next season. Vettel stays. God hopes his dominace ends soon I'm writing this as Vettel expands his lead at Singapore by about 2 seconds per lap!
Webber's replacement is another Australian in Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo. Only time will tell if this is a good move. However, we do know that he is very quick in qualifying and that he can score good points in the race. He as out-and-out pace also. But he has never been on the F1 rostrum has is car has never allowed him to be. Inexperience could also be a factor.
Commercially its a good move for the team still having that Australian following. He's a nice guy as well. Its not relevant but I'm just mentioning it!
Will Ricciardo challenge Vettel though? I really don't think so. Years and years of dominating races in that car and an exceptional stance within the team will make it very challenging indeed for the young, in-coming Australian. I know that it would have undermined the purpose of having a B team of young drivers (Toro Rosso) but if they really wanted equal status within the team Red Bull would have gone to Red Bull. Ricciardo is clearly the number 2.
Driver line up
Sebastian Vettel (Staying)
Daniel Ricciardo (Moving from Toro Rosso)
I think this could make the Constructor's Championship that little bit harder for them. However at this moment in time they are going to win both championships this year.
It's sad to watch the Red Bull dominate everything and I hope for the good for the sport they don't win the championship next season. That's my brutally honest opinion.
Can anyone see the end of the Red Bull domination? Comment whatever you think..
Thanks for reading,
Matt
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