The 2021 F1 season

[NicoRosberg.]

The 2021 season will be upon us soon.

What are people most looking forward to?

For me it is seeing who can make the best B cars, navigate the token system and manage/game the new budget cap.

The aero handicap I look forward too much less, I don't like handicaps generally, and this is a fix from the new-world owners that worries me as it confirms their outlook to sport even with the risible Bratches gone and his boss about to depart too......

New races in Holland, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia looked to be on the schedule again, although I think this terribly-handled virus may have a big say in what actually happens. Two of those three confirm the new owners are a very mixed blessing.

[bov]

Dan in the Macca Merc has potential that I hope is realised......

[Kevan]

The 2021 season will be upon us soon.

What are people most looking forward to?

Win #100 for Lewis
Title #8 for Lewis
Fans back at circuits
A working and freely available Covid vaccine

[NicoRosberg.]

I think we all want to see and have a vaccine, for many reasons, but, in this context, it will allow F1 to get back to something like normal.

However, given there is no vaccine yet the calendar I saw does come across like F1 sticking it's head in the sand.

[NicoRosberg.]

Dan in the Macca Merc has potential that I hope is realised......

That is going to be interesting, to see if he had moved up the grid or down. My money is on down.

Which he could not of expected back in March.

[NicoRosberg.]

Provisional dates

1 Bahrain GP (Bahrain) 14 March
2 Vietnam GP (Hanoï) 28 March
3 China GP (Shanghaï) 11 April
4 Azerbaijan GP (Baku) 25 April
5 Dutch GP (Zandvoort) 2 May
6 Spanish GP (Barcelona) 9 May
7 Monaco GP (Monte-Carlo) 23 May
8 Canadian GP (Montreal) 6 June
9 Austrian GP (Spielberg) 20 June
10 French GP (Paul Ricard) 27 June
11 British GP (Silverstone) 11 July
12 Hungarian GP (Budapest) 25 July
13 Belgium GP (Spa) 29 August
14 Italian GP (Monza) 5 September
15 Russian GP (Sochi) 19 September
16 Singapore GP (Marina Bay) 26 September
17 Japanese GP (Suzuka) 10 October
18 Australian GP (Melbourne) 24 October
19 US GP (Austin) 7 November
20 Mexican GP (Mexico) 14 November
21 Saudi Arabian GP (Jeddah) 28 November
22 Abu Dhabi GP (Yas Marina) 5 December

[Kevan]

Vietnam is cancelled.

[NicoRosberg.]

That is the 2020 race.

[Kevan]

That is the 2020 race.

This popped up a couple of days ago, I presumed it was 2021 but it's 2020

[Wet Coast Racer]

What are people most looking forward to?

The competition, is what I enjoy. When it happens. It will be impressive to see LH get his 8th WDC, and sadly he may just be able to zoom off from pole to finish enough times to make this look easy in 2021. But that's not guaranteed; VB is capable of beating him in the sister car, and I have faith in the Red Bull team in this last year of Honda power; MV could make things contentious, which is how it should be.

But even if the Mercedes/Hamilton machine has another perfect year, the competition behind them and Red Bull has already heated up a lot this season (2020 has been great!) so the inevitable fight between Alpine and McLaren should provide that gripping, competitive interest that makes motor racing so exciting each race weekend. I'm finding myself torn between DR and FA, while also having confidence in LN. There will no doubt be some pink noise in the middle ...

Realistically, I have my doubts about them managing to complete 22 races with stands full of spectators, though it would be great to achieve that safely. As it is, given the logistics, I think they've done a heck of a job so far!

[NicoRosberg.]

Would you be sad if Verstappen zoomed of from pole and won a lot?

[Wet Coast Racer]

Would you be sad if Verstappen zoomed of from pole and won a lot?

Do you have a reading problem?

You asked what most people are looking forward to. I answered that. Quite well, I thought. Don't troll me, Deane. Last warning.

[NicoRosberg.]

I did ask that, now I am asking something else. Isn't discussing this stuff the point?

If you want to ban me over this, go ahead.

[NicoRosberg.]

This popped up a couple of days ago, I presumed it was 2021 but it's 2020

Yeah, it was very odd. It was almost like F1 decided to let the Vietnamese save some face, when everyone knew the 2020 race was toast.

I suspect the track to be another Tilke Boredrome, but I am willing to watch the first race there with an open mind. Zandvoort is a great track, I went there many times (saw Hunt win in the minnow Hesketh etc) and loved it - BUT - I suspect it will be like Mugello, great to look at but low on overtaking places with modern, wide F1 cars.

Jeddah I'd much rather we gave a wide berth to, I may not even watch it.

[Kevan]

It's nice to see the dawning of realisation of what Lewis has actually achieved thus far, he's equalled or on the cusp of equalling and surpassing what many thought was impossible but he's done it clean, without team orders or veto or dirty tricks. Many a great driver has deliberately taken an opponent out during a race, Prost did it, Senna did it, Shumacher did it...Lewis has never done that in F1. Let's remember when he joined Mercedes that team had won only one race in three years and the Red Bulls were winning for fun.

Lewis said years ago he intends leaving a very high tide line when he leaves F1, that tide came in rather quickly and hasn't stopped rising.