F1 2023 season: Our Predictions for this season

The F1 pre-season test is over and we're now just a few days away from the start of the season. We've had our three days of running and after those three days, here are some pictures of what the 2023 F1 season could look like. There are, of course, a lot of questions that will be answered as the season progresses, and that is arguably the best thing about an F1 season.

Before the season officially kicks off, it's always great to first sit back and throw some predictions into the ecosystem and see what sticks. So without further ado, let's jump straight into it and share our predictions for the 2023 F1 season.

SK's official prediction for the 2023 F1 season

Biggest disappointment of the season (Driver)

When we think about disappointments, the name that could arguably pop up this season is Nyck de Vries. Much has been made about the Dutch driver making his debut at the age of 28. Pundits like Will Buxton rate him very highly and even tout him as a future Red Bull driver.

However, there's more to it than what meets the eye. De Vries is joining the sport at 28 years of age because his compatriots like Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Lando Norris, and Alex Albon beat him and progressed to F1.

De Vries is a good driver and deserves to be in F1, will he be a future Red Bull driver? Or someone that even beat Yuki Tsunoda this season? We have our doubts. There's a lot of hype surrounding the Dutch driver this season, he might end up disappointing quite a few ppl around him.

Biggest disappointment of the season(Team)

This is not much of a surprise as it does appear that McLaren is one team that is going to suffer a lot at the start of the season. Unfortunately, for the team, this is not the first year of regulations where competitors are still trying to figure out the cars. More often than not, teams are building from a foundation that was put together last season.

McLaren has been on a downward spiral since it peaked in 2020. The team was 3rd in 2020, 4th in 2021, and 5th in 2022, and this time around, it's hard to see it doing any better. McLaren by the looks of it would be the disappointment of the season by the looks of it.

Most Improved (Driver)

The most improved driver would be someone whose perception gets a bump at the end of the season. It does appear that Esteban Ocon does not get the credit he deserves from the paddock. He outscored Fernando Alonso as a teammate last season but when it comes to getting credit for it, there isn't much.

The driver was not even ranked in the top 10 by the team principals last season, which should show how low he's rated by them. This season, he's facing a new challenge in Pierre Gasly. Looking at the growth trajectory that Ocon has been on, a definitive win over Gasly will be a further boost to his credentials. We're backing the French driver to overcome perceptions this time around and be the better Alpine driver.

Most Improved (Team)

If pre-season testing is anything to go by, Aston Martin has leaped to the front of the grid. The team, in terms of performance in testing, appears to have left the midfield bunch and made the much-needed jump to the front-running group. Now, if this form can be sustained, we are looking at the true winners of the 2023 F1 season already. It remains to be seen if that can happen but signs do point towards an impressive 2023 F1 campaign for Aston Martin.

Shock winner

Would it still be a shock if Fernando Alonso wins a race this season? Well, considering the fact that the Spaniard has not won a race for a decade and Aston Martin is yet to credibly prove its pre-season form, yes, it will be a shock.

Many F1 pundits have been quick to jump on the Aston Martin bandwagon but it's safe to say that it is still a young team that has zero experience running at the front. There's a lot that needs to happen and while having a good car is a step, you need quite a few other things to be a consistent frontrunner. For the 2023 F1 season, we're picking Fernando Alonso to be the shock race winner!

Shock Podium

For the shock podium, we're picking Lando Norris. It's safe to say that the McLaren machinery has already proved itself to be a disappointment, and there are no two ways about that. Having said that, in Norris, the team has a talent that tends to transcend the car.

Can we expect 1 of the 23 races to present an opportunity for Lando Norris to capitalize and score a podium? It's not beyond the realms of possibility, that's for sure.

The most shocking news of the season!

Both drivers at Alfa Romeo Sauber are out of contract at the end of the season. Guanyu Zhou had a decent first season with the team and so did Valtteri Bottas. However, in our view, with Alfa Romeo leaving at the end of the season and Audi's influence increasing within the team, we're expecting Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher to replace the current two Alfa Romeo drivers on the grid.

Constructors Champion

For now, it's safe to say that Red Bull holds the edge over the rest of the field at the start of the season. Having said that, it can also not be denied that the compromised nature of the car's development this season (owing to the cost cap penalty) is going to help its competitors.

After the first 4-5 races this season, a swarm of upgrades has already been aligned by teams like Mercedes. By midseason, we can expect the top 3 teams Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes to have a somewhat similar level of performance this year.

When that happens, the fact that Mercedes has two elite drivers is what is going to make the difference. Expect the German team to take over in the second part of the season and secure its 9th F1 world title in 10 seasons.

Drivers F1 Champion

For any of the drivers to secure the title this season, he almost needs to execute a perfect season. There doesn't need to be not too many off-weekends, there shouldn't be too many DNFs due to reliability or mistakes, and most importantly, every weekend should be executed perfectly.

When you try to tick all those boxes, Max Verstappen's name is the one that rises above everyone else. We're picking Max Verstappen to be the driver that wins the 2023 F1 World championship.