Is 2017 Verstappen's Year?

verstappen's year.jpg
We’ve yet to see what Red Bull will answer Mercedes W08 EQ Power+ with, but we know we can expect the Austrian team to be one of Mercedes biggest rivals this season.


If anybody can unlock the true potential of the new regulations, it’ll be Adrian Newey so, though the Renault engine might still be behind Mercedes, they may just be able to close the gap.

Whether Red Bull are running at the back of the pack or challenging for race wins, you know we’ll get a good battle between the two teammates. Daniel Ricciardo, the more experienced of the two, is generally favoured to beat teenager Max Verstappen, but Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko believes Verstappen could take the title this season.

Could he though?

There’s no denying Verstappen has an insane amount of talent. Perhaps it’s the lack of junior series running, perhaps it’s because he’s so young, or maybe it’s just raw talent, but Verstappen’s risk taking is something we haven’t seen in Formula One for a while, and it definitely grabbed people’s attention.

The young Dutchman’s performance in the wet in Brazil was the stand out performance of the season last year and we can only expect more of the same.

But, even with these exciting performances, he was still beaten by Ricciardo in the team battle. Of the seventeen races the pair were actually teammates, Ricciardo outscored Verstappen in ten.

Of course, Ricciardo did have the advantage of having more experience in the RB12, something he won’t have this season, but his experience in F1 is most likely what gave him the edge over his young teammate. Ricciardo has five years in F1 compared to Verstappen’s two, and is an extremely talented driver in his own rights. If the Red Bull team were to be in the same position Mercedes has been in the past three years, there’s no way Verstappen would just walk away with the title. Not this season anyway.

And, of course, it’s unlikely Red Bull will be in the position to challenge for the title, as everyone expects Mercedes to enjoy another year at the top.

2018, though? That’s a different matter entirely.

For more thoughts on Formula One and the latest news, head to the Formula One sub forum here at RaceDepartment.

Will this season be Verstappen’s year or does Ricciardo have the best chance at bringing the fight to Mercedes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
 

burrito

It's an opinion, nothing more, nothing less.
Why does everyone think Newey is king of "unlocking new regulations"? Double diffuser anyone?

In no way am I bashing his obvious talent. There was a time where only newey or bryne (correct me if I am wrong on this) cars won championships but this worshipping is getting beyond silly. There are other great aerodynamicists up and down the grid and as stated he doesn't always get it right.
 

Paul Jeffrey

Premium
He doesn't always get it right you are correct, but in the last 20 years he's got it right considerably more times than any of his rivals.

If I had to choose between Newey designing my car or any of the drivers on the grid behind the wheel I'd pick Newey every single time. I suspect the vast majority of the teams would follow my opinion on that one too :)

As you say though the level has increased somewhat in recent years, but the bloke is still very easily the king of car design...
 
Why does everyone think Newey is king of "unlocking new regulations"? Double diffuser anyone?

In no way am I bashing his obvious talent. There was a time where only newey or bryne (correct me if I am wrong on this) cars won championships but this worshipping is getting beyond silly. There are other great aerodynamicists up and down the grid and as stated he doesn't always get it right.
He is a genius. However...arent computers and wind tunnels replacing some of the individual talent? I thinks its maybe become more about the quality of the technology and the strength of the TEAM who analyse its data. But that may well just an ignorant perception.
 

burrito

It's an opinion, nothing more, nothing less.
He doesn't always get it right you are correct, but in the last 20 years he's got it right considerably more times than any of his rivals.

If I had to choose between Newey designing my car or any of the drivers on the grid behind the wheel I'd pick Newey every single time. I suspect the vast majority of the teams would follow my opinion on that one too :)

As you say though the level has increased somewhat in recent years, but the bloke is still very easily the king of car design...
Totally agree. The man is amazing and would be first pick. I suppose I just get sick of people always interviewing him or using his word as the last word :p
 
Verstappen is going to get schooled this year big time. My perdiction

Schooled by the University of Payback and Hard Knocks, most likely (80% of the paddock can't stand him because they value their life...and the FIA coddles him), and most likely gone after the season. Poor Ricciardo has to put up with drivers mistaking him for Verstappen.
 
He is a genius. However...arent computers and wind tunnels replacing some of the individual talent? I thinks its maybe become more about the quality of the technology and the strength of the TEAM who analyse its data. But that may well just an ignorant perception.
Wind tunnels are incredibly valuable, but that's only if you try the right things in the wind tunnels in the first place. And they aren't the answer to everything. You can have all the technology in the world but if you don't have the right brains behind it (like you say with the analysing the data) then there's no point having it.
 

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