8 Predictions For The F1 2016 Season

With the F1 2016 season approaching at a steady pace, we thought it would be a good time to share some predictions of what could happen!
8 Predictions For The F1 2016 Season

1. Ferrari closes the gap

8 Predictions For The F1 2016 Season

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!

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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?

8 Predictions For The F1 2016 Season

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

8 Predictions For The F1 2016 Season

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.

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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

8 Predictions For The F1 2016 Season

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?

8 Predictions For The F1 2016 Season

“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?

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Comments

Ben Saville
  1. The FIA still won’t allow ground effect, for some reason..
01/18/2016 - 00:38 |
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Anonymous

Why was there alot more overtaking in the early 2000 than it is now or prior to DRS?
What have changed that made overtaking so difficult? when you look at Hakinen and Schumacher they were overtaking without DRS no problem.

01/18/2016 - 03:07 |
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iAlexFIN

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

This is not true, you maybe remember the overtakes because they were so rare that they stuck in your head. Between 2000 and 2005 there were on average between 13 and 17 overtakes per GP while in 2015 there were 31 per GP, (in -14 43, -13 52, -12 57, and in -11 over 60 overtakes per GP)

01/18/2016 - 15:29 |
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Mr. Bird

This video about Maldonaldo is exactly me in any racing game…

01/18/2016 - 06:02 |
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Black Coyote "Rogue Driver" Ray 6T

Memes about McLaren Honda… Ahem ahem I feel a bit charged LOL

01/18/2016 - 08:11 |
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Simon Hansen

“Well, it can’t get much worse, surely?”

Renault managed to go backwards last year

01/18/2016 - 12:22 |
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iAlexFIN

And the reason is refuelling, the overtakes were planned in the strategy and were all done in the pits.

01/18/2016 - 15:31 |
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