![]() Last year, we saw battles between Alpine and McLaren for fourth place, Alfa Romeo versus Aston Martin for sixth, and AlphaTauri versus Haas for eighth, all heading into the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It seems expected that the midfield will be closer this year compared to past years, and millions of dollars in prize money separate each final position for the teams. The key thing is knowing that there is more at stake than just the drivers’ and constructors’ titles. The concern is understandable and warranted given the recent shift in who’s dominating the championships. Why should a beginner stick with the sport, and where might they find excitement over the coming weeks/months? - Brad S. When the drivers themselves have already resigned themselves to Red Bull’s success this season, it seems as though the battle is no longer for 1st place but rather for 3rd, 4th, etc. How much of a concern is there that the new F1 fans brought on by the Netflix show will quickly fade as racing fans when they see Red Bull win every race this year (as other teams have said they should) and 90% or more of races generally being uncompetitive upfront? - Joe M. Luke Smith Why new fans should stick around during a single-team dominance era The next major aerodynamic rule change isn’t planned until 2026, but that doesn’t mean we might not see tweaks - like we saw in 2019, when the front and rear wing designs changed - that could shift things a bit. ![]() As regulations mature, there is a natural convergence through the field - look at how tight the midfield is right now - because those who started behind have time to catch up. Mercedes is one to watch, given its acceptance that it needs to change car concept, meaning its thinking could go more long-term.Īs for helping the rest of the pack catch up, rule changes can both help and hinder this process. Of course, teams will already be thinking about 2024, and once they’ve got to a performance level they’re comfortable with, all resources will be turned to next year. I expect them to be particularly strong in Jeddah next week thanks to their car’s straight-line speed. I’d be looking to Ferrari as the team to pose the biggest challenge, as I don’t think we saw its true performance level in the Bahrain race. Still, we do look set for a year of Red Bull out front, especially since it’s resolved the car’s weight issue and, to quote Verstappen, has improved the car “everywhere.” The obvious caveat is that it is just one race, on a track that played to the strengths of Red Bull’s car, particularly on the tire management front. One race in, and we’re already pondering a very one-sided F1 season. With the consensus forming that another prolonged period of one-team domination will jeopardize the recent popularity boom, what can F1 and FIA as a sporting organization do to help the rest of the pack catch up to RBR? - David S. ![]() Now that Verstappen has won the 2023 Championship, will there be competition in 2024? - Matt B. Is this going to be another Verstappen procession? - Tom H. (Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.) ![]() (For those of you who asked about Mercedes and its already shattered hopes of a 2023 comeback, check out Luke’s dedicated column.) Given the volume of questions, we’ll be doing this as a multi-parter, starting here with topics including Max’s dominance, the “green Red Bull,” and Williams’ possible resurgence. ![]()
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