Fearless F1 predictions ahead of the 2023 season

Oscar Piastri is embarking on his maiden F1 season at McLaren – and there’s likely to be many twists and turns in store for him. Our F1 experts share their fearless 2023 predictions.

Picture: AFP)

The F1 season starts in Bahrain this weekend with Australian rookie Oscar Piastri set to make his debut, world champion Max Verstappen hunting a three-peat and Lewis Hamilton seeking redemption.

What twists and turns will unfold during the 2023 Formula One season? Our F1 experts fearlessly predict some of the biggest talking points for the year ahead.

CALLUM DICK

The 2023 world champion will be …Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

Last season Ferrari and Charles Leclerc started like a bull out a gate and the Scuedria looked genuine title challengers to Max Verstappen and Red Bull. But the cream rose to the top and the Dutchman engineered one of the more dominant seasons in recent memory to race away with the title at a canter. At pre-season testing in Bahrain the Red Bull looked the top car on the grid and if so, there’s no hope for rivals so long as Verstappen remains at the wheel.

The driver to make the biggest improvement will be …Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

After a stunning test weekend that had some pundits putting Aston Martin ahead of even Mercedes, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso appears to have made the right choice in leaving Alpine. Last season he could lay claim to being the most unlucky driver on the grid, plagued with car troubles and a staggering five DNFs. This year he looks to have a car capable of leading the midfield – at least. He finished 9th in 2022 and could be challenging for a top-six finish in 2023, perhaps higher. Another option is Pierre Gasly, who is expected to have better machinery under him at Alpine than he had at AlphaTauri.

The driver under most pressure is … Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri

My heart says Sergio Perez, because that would help Daniel Ricciardo complete a stunning Red Bull return. But the head says Yuki Tsunoda, who will be asked to lead a team for the first time after Pierre Gasly left for Alpine. With rookie Nyck de Vries impressing in his one F1 start last season, scoring points in a Williams, he enters F1 with genuine pedigree and could immediately put pressure on Tsuonda. The Japanese driver is an obvious talent, but his inconsistency has been a concern – and Red Bull has been known to pull the trigger on underperformers in the past.

Oscar Piastri will make his debut with McLaren.

Oscar Piastri will … Outperform Ricciardo’s 2022 season

He hasn’t raced in more than a year and is in a car that looks to be at the lower-end of the grid to start the season. But Oscar Piastri’s pedigree will guide him through his maiden F1 campaign. He won’t beat Norris and it would probably be a shock to see him on the podium this year, unless McLaren’s upgrade packages come with a magic bullet. But he will still fair better than fellow rookies Logan Sargeant (Williams) and Nyck de Vries (AlphaTauri) and put in some pointscoring performances. Ricciardo finished 11th with 37 points in 2022. If McLaren can get its act together, Piastri has the talent to top that.

McLaren will … Have a fight to keep Lando Norris

Some pundits have McLaren finishing last after another disappointing pre-season test in Bahrain. And while that seems like a drastic over-reaction, Lando Norris’ frustration was obvious. The Briton could land a seat at just about any team he chooses, and there will be no shortage of suitors chasing his signature should he decide the McLaren experiment is not working out. Norris has world champion ability but he’s thus far been handicapped by McLaren – how much longer can he wait before jumping ship?

Will Daniel Ricciardo ever drive in F1 again? Yes.

Some may have scoffed at his decision to rejoin Red Bull as a reserve driver, but it was a financial no-brainer for Danny Ric. He’s being paid $10 million not to drive for McLaren in 2023, and he gets to take a step back from the grid and consider his future. Both Sergio Perez (Red Bull) and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) are under the microscope this season and Ricciardo has a clear path to replacing either driver, should they falter. He could also decide retirement is the more attractive option, but for now we have to trust the Honey Badger when he says he wants to drive again in 2024.

Red Bull racing team Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen and reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo.

REBECCA WILLIAMS

Who will win the world title? Max Verstappen and Red Bull

Not much of a surprise here. After the controversy of his last-race 2021 title win, there was no disputing his championship credentials last year. Verstappen romped to his second F1 crown and there is every indication so far that he and Red Bull will again be the ones to beat.

The driver to make the biggest improvement will be … Pierre Gasly

It was a difficult campaign for the Frenchman in what was to be his final season at Alpha Tauri last year, finishing 14th in the driver standings. But a move to Alpine, the best of the rest behind the big three last season, should see Gasly pick up some placings in the championship. He will surely not want to be outdone by his countryman Esteban Ocon in the all-French line-up.

The driver under most pressure is … Sergio Perez

Real or perceived, the pressure will be on here, especially with a former Red Bull star waiting in the wings as the team’s third driver. As his teammate raced to a record 15 wins to claim the championship, Perez came in third behind Charles Leclerc as tensions emerged between the Mexican and Verstappen. Perez is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2024, but these are never a guarantee in the world of F1.

Oscar Piastri will … Show his star quality amid McLaren struggles

There is no doubting the pedigree of the Australian young gun entering Formula One after winning the last three championships he has raced in. But it is set to be a bumpy start to his F1 career after McLaren’s pre-season testing struggles and an admission from the team that it missed development targets. In his rookie season, it will be tough for Piastri to surpass his teammate Lando Norris, given the Briton’s entrenchment in the team. Even amid McLaren’s woes, he should still showcase his talent and emerge as the rookie of the year.

McLaren and Piastri are under pressure this season.

McLaren will … Be lucky to make any progress on last season

Management have targeted a return to the “best four” teams, but the pre-season struggles tell a different story. McLaren has been open about the issues besetting the MCL60, mainly aerodynamic inefficiency, but the upgrade package is not due until the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the end of April, which will leave the papaya outfit playing catch-up. McLaren finished fifth in the constructors’ championship last year, but even without their car battles they will face stiff competition from Alpine and Aston Martin to lead the midfield pack.

Will Daniel Ricciardo ever drive in F1 again? Yes.

Well, fingers crossed anyway. No Australian motorsport fan wants to see Ricciardo’s F1 career come to an end the way that it did after a bleak final season at McLaren. Some time away from the full-time rigours of racing should be enough for the affable Aussie to reignite his hunger and it will surely be sparked when he is watching on from the sidelines at his home Grand Prix at Albert Park. Ricciardo has positioned himself well as Red Bull’s third driver, ready to relaunch should Perez’s position become threatened.

Ricciardo back in the driver’s seat?

JULIAN LINDEN

The 2023 world champion will be … Max Verstappen and Red Bull

He might be a bit of a hothead at times but Verstappen is on his way to being one of the all-time greats so sit back and enjoy the show.

After a slow start last season, he completely blew the opposition away to win in a procession and all the pre-season testing results suggest it’ll be one-way traffic again in 2023.

The driver to make the biggest improvement will be … Pierre Gasly

One of the most underrated drivers on the grid who already has a win to his name, at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix. The Frenchman finished 14th last year with Alpha Tauri but has switched to Alpine in a move that should give him a better shot at being among the frontrunners.

The driver under most pressure is … Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time world champion didn’t win a single race last season – the first time in his 16-year career in F1. At 38, questions about his retirement will grow louder if he struggles again this season, not only against Verstappen but his own teammate George Russell.

Can Lewis Hamilton bounce back after a winless 2022 season with Mercedes?

Oscar Piastri will … struggle in the first part of the year.

If the rocky pre-season testing performances of McLaren are a true indication of the car’s problems, it could be a tough start for the Aussie rookie. But it’s a very long season and if he remains patient he should make his presence felt in the second half of the year. He should be near the top 10 by the end of the year but will be judged on his performances against his teammate Lando Norris because that’s ultimately what brought Daniel Ricciardo down.

McLaren will … struggle to retain talent if the team doesn’t improve.

McLaren have managed to secure two of the best young drivers in the sport but will struggle to retain them in the garage if the team takes another backwards step this season. The famed British manufacturer – which has won eight constructor’s championships – managed only fifth last year with just one podium finish.

Will Daniel Ricciardo ever drive in F1 again? Yes.

F1 is a never ending roller coaster and as the reserve driver for Red Bull, Ricciardo will step straight if either Verstappen or Sergio Perez have to miss a race – or a vacancy pops up at Red Bull’s second team Alpha Tauri. And don’t discount a vacancy coming up at another outfit in 2024.

Originally published as Fearless F1 predictions ahead of the 2023 season