8 Predictions For The F1 2016 Season

1. Ferrari closes the gap

This is probably wishful thinking but I really believe (and hope) Ferrari cuts the gap to Mercedes and we have a real fight for both championships. The team made big improvements last season, so why would it not make similar steps forward in 2016? A Hamilton vs Rosberg vs Vettel vs Raikkonen (okay, maybe not him) title fight is desperately needed!

He was a slightly tamer in 2015, but I think we will see a return to ‘form’ for Pastor Maldonado. He’s always complaining about how he is portrayed negatively in the media but after so many incidents, it is easy to see why. It may well be a tough and rebuilding season for Renault after buying Lotus and battling near the back could bring out the Maldonado we all know and love.

Of course, all this is dependent on whether or not Kevin Magnussen nabs the Venezuelan’s seat. If the rumours turn out to be true the second Renault will given to a much more deserving driver, but we’ll lose a little excitement in the process…

3. Manor in the midfield?

The team might not be called Manor in 2016, that’s TBC, but with Mercedes power behind it and a fresh approach, hopefully we will see the plucky team move up the order this season (or at least much closer to the pack). Racing a modified 2014 car last year, there was little hope of progress. But the future is much brighter now.

Musicians are always delaying things but the reigning world champion has said an album will be out in 2016 and we even heard a snippet in a recent 60 Minutes interview for CBS. It didn’t sound quite as bad as I thought it would be, but we only got a small taste of Hamilton’s tunes…

5. Final year for Button

Jenson Button’s career can best be summed up as a rollercoaster ride. From an eye-catching debut, to tough times at Benetton, a short period of success at BAR, a troubled stint at Honda, title success with Brawn GP and a mixed bag at McLaren, and I think 2016 will likely be his final season in F1.

He has been driving well recently but with young drivers waiting in the wings and a considerable amount of work to do before McLaren Honda returns to the front, he may decide to try something else, like the FIA World Endurance Championship or becoming a TV pundit.

The Haas F1 Team joins F1 in 2016, with Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez as its drivers. Led by Nascar team co-owner Gene Haas and with Ferrari power units, technical support and a Dallara chassis, we could well see the American outfit in the points this year.

7. Tyre rules to shake things up

In case you don’t know, the new tyre rules for 2016 are ridiculously complicated. This video does a good job of explaining it in more simplistic terms, but I do think it could generate better racing. There will be more strategy opportunities, less durable compounds and this will hopefully create more wheel-to-wheel racing. But, as with any prediction, we will have to wait and see.

8. No more McLaren Honda jokes?

“Still faster than a McLaren Honda”, ‘VTEC didn’t kick in” etc. The 2015 season was pretty much a complete failure for McLaren Honda. It was the subject of so many jokes and memes, it was both hilarious and tragic. But Honda knew where it went wrong and will be hard at work rectifying the issues. While it may not be a championship-winning season, I think the team will be in a much better situation. Well, it can’t get much worse, surely?