Austria: 5 Essential Questions Just Before the Restart!

A restart in early July, 8 races scheduled (for now), all in Europe, without spectators: as a consequence of the coronavirus health crisis, the 2020 Formula 1 season is, and will be, unique. And the essential questions are not lacking!

1. A surreal atmosphere?

In Formula 1, there is also a world after Covid-19. A few hours before the first laps, each team sets up in a limited space in the paddock: the large motorhomes are (temporarily) gone, replaced by awnings and tents at the end of each garage to maintain social distancing. Each driver will, for example, have their own mobile home, like in a vacation campsite.

The staff has also been limited to a minimum: each team comes to Austria with a maximum of 80 people (compared to 130 for a race before Covid-19). Of course, everyone will wear a mask, mechanic, engineer, not forgetting the driver!

Next to the track, the shock will be enormous: for the first time in Formula 1 history, the trials and the race will take place without spectators, behind closed doors. In other words, no frenzied Dutch supporters for Max Verstappen’s overtakes this weekend!

With physical distancing, race day is also profoundly altered: fewer people on the grid (40 people maximum per team), no national anthem side by side for the drivers, and especially no podium ceremony at the finish: a shorter ceremony will take place directly on the track as the cars are parked. And it’s impossible to witness an Ocon-Verstappen scuffle like the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix: the drivers will also have to observe social distancing among themselves!

This is the price for the new season to kick off this Sunday. So, will the flavor be the same as at a Grand Prix last year?

2. Mercedes as the favorite ahead of Red Bull for the opener?

The lockdown has passed, but nothing changes: before the start of the season, the German team remains the target, given a dominant 2019 season (15 wins out of 21). Private testing also allowed Mercedes to introduce a new secret weapon, the DAS (Dual-Axis Steering), to improve wheel camber and tire temperature via the steering wheel. A system that notably provokes the anger of Red Bull Racing: Christian Horner’s team is considering filing a complaint if the DAS is used in Austria.

Fortunately, hope remains allowed on the Red Bull Ring, a narrow circuit (4.318 kilometers) that demands a lot of downforce, which had troubled the Mercedes W10 in 2019 with cooling issues during a race held in intense heat.

And if the team from Brackley has improved its cooling system with the W11, one opponent stands out: Red Bull Racing, which performs well at home with 2 victories in the last 2 races at the Red Bull Ring, with Max Verstappen.

The Dutchman confidently believes that his team is “stronger than last year.” The RB16 comes with improvements, on the chassis, and a boosted Honda engine. Improvements also for Mercedes but not for Ferrari, which remains with its package from the end of February, during private testing in Barcelona. The next improvements will wait… for the Hungarian Grand Prix, in two weeks!

Before the first laps, the trend suggests a Mercedes vs Red Bull match, with Ferrari lagging behind. But with the Maranello team, you never really know what to expect: favored at the beginning of 2019 after private testing, the Scuderia was dealt a blow in Melbourne with Vettel finishing 4th ahead of Leclerc in 5th.

It should be noted in passing that this battle for the top will be unusual: the Silver Arrows are no more, as Mercedes arrives with an unprecedented black livery, initiated by Lewis Hamilton. A strong symbol in the fight against racism worldwide, in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

3. In what state of mind is Sebastian Vettel arriving?

Without a drive for 2021, on the verge of his last season with Ferrari, will Sebastian Vettel let loose? Probably: the German has been able to recharge during the winter break and lockdown, after a challenging 2019 season with Charles Leclerc’s rise. This year, Sebastian Vettel can drive primarily for himself, with less pressure on his shoulders. In the past, the four-time world champion has already demonstrated his speed when confidence is on his side, at Red Bull obviously, but also intermittently at Ferrari, such as in the first part of 2018.

To a lesser extent, we will also monitor the progress of Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz, who are starting their final season at Renault and McLaren. With a secure future, the Australian and the Spaniard are capable of great performances, perhaps even a podium? Two drivers with a future already mapped out: which is not the case for most of the grid, as 13 of them do not have a contract for 2021. The first races will also be an opportunity to showcase their skills and increase their market value during the transfer market, in the midst of Silly Season! Watch out for the tussle in the first corners this Sunday…

4. Renault, McLaren, Racing Point: who will be the best outsider?

The question is classic in the hybrid era, but the curiosity is always about who will emerge as the 4th force on the grid, assuming (likely) that the Mercedes-Ferrari-Red Bull trio has maintained its lead.

Building on the momentum of winter testing, Renault can nurture ambitions. The French team has made a gamble for 2020, with a more streamlined car, different from the previous one, with a thinner front wing, for example. More stable at the rear, the RS20 showed a very good race pace in Barcelona, only beaten by Mercedes on short stints. At the Red Bull Ring, the French team is also coming in with new improvements on its chassis.

Preserved for now by the post-Covid savings plan of the parent company, the Renault F1 Team has a big opportunity to capitalize on at the start of the season. A great opportunity for Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, who will finally start in a Grand Prix after a year and a half absence!

Faced with them, the Renault team will normally compete against McLaren. The first car entirely designed by technical director James Key, the MCL35 also impressed in race pace during the private tests in Barcelona. Less so in qualifying pace, which could hurt on the narrow Red Bull Ring track.

The momentum is still good for McLaren, following an excellent 2019 season, finishing 4th in the constructors’ standings. Financial difficulties, however, could destabilize the team, which has borrowed 164 million euros from the Bank of Bahrain to survive the post-Covid-19 economic crisis.

In the middle of the pack, close attention will also be paid to Racing Point’s performance, with its RP2020, a true clone of the 2019 Mercedes.

In Barcelona, data analysis showed that Racing Point was the third fastest car on the grid in pure speed, behind Mercedes, Red Bull… and ahead of Ferrari! Led by podium chaser Sergio Pérez (8 top 3 finishes for Sauber and Force India), the Silverstone team is the big surprise at the start of the season. Subsequently, the limited development planned for the car is expected to bring the team back to the pack, before Aston Martin’s arrival in 2021.

Behind, which of AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso), Haas, or Alfa Romeo will fare the best? Apparently, AlphaTauri has found a good base this winter, with a promising chassis and an increasingly powerful Honda engine. Team principal Franz Tost is counting on the experience of Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat, each of whom scored a podium in 2019.

On its side, the Haas team will already try to exorcise the demons of 2019 by finding consistency with the new car. Alfa Romeo also seems to be slightly behind, even though the Austrian Grand Prix was successful for Frédéric Vasseur’s men in 2019, with both Kimi Räikkönen (9th) and Antonio Giovinazzi (10th) finishing in the points.

5. Will Williams always be left behind?

A comeback after the annus horribilis? Frank Williams’ team should get closer to the pack at the start of the season. It was hard to do worse, but the new Williams has shown in Barcelona that it is faster than its predecessor. Illustrated by George Russell’s time (1:16.871) during the second week of private testing, two-tenths off Pérez’s Racing Point, with the same soft tires.

With its new livery, Team Williams must deliver good results for its credibility and secure its long-term future, which is very uncertain financially.