F1: Predicting the Top 5 teammate rivalries of 2019

The 2019 F1 season is still over a month away. And already the excitement surrounding the new season is at its fever pitch. After all, those who say there’s never a dull day in Formula 1 don’t merely say it. There’s a reason for it as well.

And it’s not too hard to understand why. For a sport ever susceptible, rather hardwired in ‘change’, an ever constant, it’s not too difficult to ignore the many that await us all.

While small but important aero changes, implemented to make way for closer racing and passing (remember there’s not been much overtaking in the past couple of seasons) are hopefully going to make the Grands Prix more competitive this season, design changes such as a wider, higher front wing (wing width increased by 200M) along with a slew of developments such as the German Grand Prix- held at Hockenheimring- staying on the roster is enough to keep one on the tenterhooks.

But let’s move on.

The new team composition notwithstanding; Ricciardo in bright yellows, Leclerc in a team hoping for ‘red letter day’, ‘The Iceman’ proving that life does come full circle, courtesy the Alfa Romeo switch (formerly, Sauber), among some major shuffles; the biggest change that many would anticipate, some would dread and surely some would hope for would be a change in fortunes of the one who wins both - the WDC and the Constructors.

That said, in a sport where despite the technology being at much of the forefront of swinging fortunes in and against one’s favour, what can one expect from 5 teams, and therefore, 10 teammates this season?

Let’s predict what might happen in 2019 among 5 leading pairs in F1:

But let’s move on.

Let’s predict what might happen in 2019 among 5 leading pairs in F1:

#5 Max Verstappen vs Pierre Gasly (Red Bull)

Mad Max will be uncontrollable and therefore, unstoppable from Gasly's perspective

In 2019, ‘Mad Max’, a winner of five Grands Prix will find to his utter pleasure, an opportunity to roast his opponent, Pierre Gasly, one who’s sufficiently inexperienced vis-a-vis the Dutch driver.

Having said that, Gasly, with 26 races against his name will find the Red Bull as an opportunity to prove his doubters wrong and set a couple of fastest laps, to begin with.

The podiums, the more they come from RBR’s perspective, the merrier it’ll be for Horner’s outfit.

But, it will be surprising if Verstappen- the man behind one of F1 most thrilling drives as seen in recent times, the 2016 Brazilian GP- fails to outperform his French teammate.

Moreover, to Max’s advantage, there’ll be the familiarity of having raced for a stable for whom he fetched its maiden home race win, as seen in the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix, at Spielberg.

#4 Kimi Raikkonen vs Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo)

The Iceman was done and dusted, they said. And it wasn’t too surprising why he was being picked. For if you do not secure a win in over five years in Grand Prix Racing- what good are you anyway?

So when Kimi Raikkonen found a way to snub his critics albeit sans words, first by putting relentless speed at work at Monza and later, by winning the US GP tackling none other than Lewis Hamilton, those who’d questioned the “laconic” Finn found their mouths shut.

That said, now as life’s come full circle for the Kimster, with the oldest man (also the fastest in the sport’s history- 1:19:119 at Monza) getting behind the wheel of a car that birthed him in the sport, it can be expected that the 2007 World champion will go for the ‘kill!’

Having said that, will the C38 give Raikkonen some flying lap times and can a Kimi, who’s not growing any younger, easily beat Antonio Giovinazzi, interestingly someone who looks up to the Finn- we don’t know yet.

For starters, Raikkonen will easily hold the upper hand in the battle for track ascendency and maybe put the car on a podium- if at all- there’s so much power in that Ferrari engine.

#3 Nico Hulkenberg vs Daniel Ricciardo (Renault)

Hulkenberg will go down fighting Daniel in the Aussie's first year at Renault

Perhaps it may not be wrong to say that if one had a secret power to right a major wrong in the sport then correcting Nico Hulkenberg’s underwhelming stats in a decade-long stint wouldn’t be a bad point to start with.

What do you reckon?

The German driver who has to his credit a lot of experience in the sport, amplified by 156 races against his name, has not only failed to stand on the podium but has only collected a solitary pole position and two fastest laps.

To that end, his teammate, the man behind (perhaps) the sport’s most infectious smile- Daniel Ricciardo- could assert quick influence.

Not only since Ricciardo has to his credit - seven race wins compared to none by the ‘Hulk’ but also 29 podium finishes and 13 fastest laps.

That said, the 2019 Renault car may surely not be the strongest even as the ‘Honeybadger’, content at leaving 2018’s highly unreliable Red Bull may expect things to be different.

And should that be the case, Hulkenberg racing against Ricciardo in a mediocre car- if at all Renault fail to deliver a sufficiently driveable, if not a Grand Prix-winning car- could well prove a point to his critics.

#2 Lewis Hamilton vs Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

It will take a behemoth on the grid to stop Hamilton from claiming his 6th title, leave aside Bottas

It’s pretty clear as to who the best man on the grid currently is.

It’s even clearer that he’s been driving and reigning in a team that is ruling the charts since the past half a decade.

Now interestingly, even as that man may not be the fastest, for clearly where 2018 stood, the winless Valtteri Bottas set not one but seven fastest laps, one reckons it’ll be tough for the Finn to beat Hamilton.

Gunning for a sixth world title, which should it happen will not only further pressurize Sebastian Vettel and in turn, bring the Briton further up close to the enigmatic ‘Schumi’, Hamilton will go all guns blazing.

But, this is where Bottas, clearly under pressure to save his Mercedes seat will be completed and heck, it’s about time, to deliver a gold of a performance for the Silver Arrows.

This, however, could produce an intra-teammate battle of epic proportions, which Hamilton, given his incredible ability to remain calm (especially during intense moments), will clinch.

Where Hamilton’s stats stand- then none barring Vettel with 52 race wins, never mind the gap- even come close to matching 73 wins.

Moreover, to beat the finest from Her Majesty’s Kingdom would require something special not only from Valtteri - should he produce something terrific like the Abu Dhabi 2017 win- but from the rest who’ve been constantly struck by ‘Hammertime!’

#1 Charles Leclerc vs Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

Vettel will find himself challenged but will beat Charles

Sebastian Vettel, a four-time world champion, many believe will be challenged by the undoubtedly talented Charles Leclerc.

Given that the SF90 is yet to hit the tracks but comes from a team that’s been pushed to the limit and has(as seen in various interjections of the 2018 season) been the fastest car on the grid would provide comfort and stability to Vettel’s hopes.

But that Sebastian Vettel, as the purist would note, perhaps handed away the championship through lapses such as the loss at Hockenheimring and collisions at multiple tracks including the one at Monza (where Vettel spun around inside Lap 1) would only increase the pressure should the German feel the heat.

That said, the former ruler at Red Bull will have to exhibit utter control and near perfection such as the 2018 drives at Silverstone (albeit luck-assisted) and Spa-Francorchamps to keep himself in contention for being the top man at Ferrari.

And while one cannot undermine the mega-successful driver, one also cannot rule out the possibility that Charles Leclerc- given the exuberance of youth and sheer maturity as seen in 2018- would challenge his senior endlessly.

Perhaps Vettel will win this battle purely out of the experience.