4 drivers to follow in 2023
For the twenty drivers on the grid, pressure is part of their daily life. However, while most start the season with a comfortable position, some will have to prove themselves.
Not everyone is in the same boat in the paddock. While Max Verstappen begins the season calmly once again with the label of favorite for the world champion title, some of his colleagues have everything to prove.
Oscar Piastri
After promising starts and a championship title in F3 and F2, Piastri arrives in F1 with high expectations surrounding him. As a reserve driver at Alpine in 2022, the Australian had turned down a starting position for 2023 before committing to McLaren. This undercutting of the French team didn’t really boost his popularity, on the contrary, some see it as arrogance. His start to the season with McLaren will therefore be closely watched, especially because his garage neighbor is none other than Lando Norris, one of the most promising drivers of his generation. In cases where Piastri adapts quickly and achieves decent or even better results than Norris, all is well. However, a scenario where he fails to adapt to the car and sinks like a certain Daniel Ricciardo would be a catastrophe for the young driver.
Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon will start his third season with Alpine next March. After Alonso’s departure, he naturally has a leadership position to take. It remains to be seen how he will handle the arrival of Pierre Gasly. Although the two drivers have known each other since childhood, their relationship is not really perfect. They will have to put their differences aside if they want to perform well. If Gasly integrates perfectly and achieves very good results from the start, which we hope for, Ocon could easily be overtaken, which would be difficult to accept mentally. However, even though the driver from Rouen is far from being last on the grid, this scenario remains unlikely given Ocon’s knowledge of the team and the car. Close results between the two drivers are more likely, which would fuel a healthy rivalry. We obviously want to see the French pair succeed in 2023, so we’ll see what happens…
Yuki Tsunoda
Surpassed by Pierre Gasly in 2021, the Japanese driver had only scored 32 points compared to his teammate’s 110. If he has improved in 2022, he still needs to gain consistency and maturity. Especially now that De Vries has replaced Gasly, and although he is older, Tsunoda remains the more experienced one. A leadership position is at stake, and if he wants it, he will have to prove that he is better than his teammate. Therefore, he doesn’t really have the right to make mistakes this season if he wants to secure his survival within the Red Bull entity.
Charles Leclerc
After a mixed season, Leclerc is more determined than ever to go for the title in 2023. While leading the 2022 championship with a 46-point advantage after the first three Grand Prix races, the rest of his season was a disappointment due to numerous errors from Ferrari as well as a few personal mistakes. This year can hardly be worse. However, the arrival of Frédéric Vasseur could indirectly add pressure on the Monegasque’s shoulders since everyone expects Ferrari to improve immediately. Leclerc will have to manage the expectations surrounding him without rushing. Of course, he is a rare talent and remains one of the top contenders to win the world championship.
