F1 2021- A season of champions
This season starts with a combined total of 14 F1 drivers world championship titles between four drivers present on the grid. And there has never been a moment like this in F1 history. A rare and wonderful proposition, full of unknown potentials. While Hamilton contributes half of that tally, the majority of the other half rests with Vettel and Alonso, both of whom are starting renewed careers in new teams. Incidentally, both of their careers have taken a course via Ferrari with a similar outcome of not winning a championship in the scarlet car.
I read an article today which was very apologetic for the outcome of the careers of both of these champions, at and post-Ferrari. And sympathetically made all manner of excuses for why it turned out for them as it did. One underlying argument in the article in question was that both of these champions needed a protective setup such as was available to seven times world champion Michael Schumacher during his spell at Ferrari, to get the best out of them. Something akin to the stalwart trio of Jean Todt, Russ Brawn and Rory Bryne.
We could say that was the very kind of environment provided to Vettel at Redbull which produced four world championship title for him. And once that environment was challenged by Daniel Ricciardo, the invincible quality of Vettel sort of disappeared. Well, to be fair, the Redbull car had lost it’s mojo at that point. Likewise, one could also argue that under the protective arms of Flavio Briatore, Alonso produced two championship titles. But when he tried to re-establish a similar setup at Mclaren where this was robustly challenged by rookie Lewis Hamilton, he fell short as well.
One recurring suggestion in the article was that any of these two drivers may have been as successful as Hamilton in the Mercedes. I would say very probable but also arguably not. One would have to cast our minds into two interesting scenarios, namely; Nico Rosberg versus Vettel and Nico Rosberg versus Alonso. Would Rosberg, the only teammate to beat Lewis Hamilton to a title fight in the same car, have been a multiple world champion alongside either of these two champions?
In a Mercedes team where both drivers are given equal machinery and support, with no favouritism, would Vettel and/or Alonso fair any different than they did at Ferrari? That protective support not being present would suggest that Rosberg may have faired better than he did with Hamilton, against these two other champions.
Courtesy Sky Sports
Hamilton, on the other hand, has won all of his title under an unprotected environment, fighting his teammates on equal footing. His spell at Mclaren was very restrictive and critical of his approach to racing we have read. At Mercedes, he went up against a driver that had established himself comfortably in the team before his arrival, yet forged his way forward to be on top.
In keeping with the James Brown saying, “I don’t want nobody to give me nothing, just open up the door, l’ll get it myself”
Hence, when l look at these three champions objectively, there are question marks to whether Vettel may have matched Hamilton’s record in a Mercedes car. But l struggle to say the same thing about Alonso.
Courtesy PlanetF1
What l do see is that the relationship between Rosberg and Alonso [and maybe Vettel] may have been just as fraught with bitter rivalry as it did with Hamilton. How bad relatively is the unknown quantity. Would it have been bad enough for Ferrari to steal one or two constructor or driver’s championship titles from Mercedes? Is the real question here. Especially since a similar sort of rivalry between Hamilton and Alonso deprived Mclaren of the 2007 constructors and driver titles which they were expected to win with ease. This is acutely so when we place Hamilton in the Ferrari against these champions in the Mercedes over the hybrid period to date. More so, over 2017 to 2019 seasons when Ferrari was very close on performance to Mercedes.
We all have different views on this matter, depending on our love and prejudices for each of the drivers involved, one thing is clear, the jury is out on this matter. Particularly as we would never really know how it may have turned out.
Courtesy PlanetF1
That said, if the question was; would Vettel or Alonso have seven F1 drivers world championship title to their name by now, given the opportunity to drive the Silver Arrow of Mercedes at about the same time Hamilton joined the Grove team in 2013, then the answer would be resoundingly yes. With Vettel being three titles away from the Schumacher golden standard and Alonso five titles away. But both having seven season to have a go at it. Yep, both champions have the incredible talent to reach the golden seven. But that is subject to how easy Rosberg makes it for them. And whether Hamilton would be in the Ferrari opposite them. F1 champion, Nico Rosberg is an immense talent, that would have certainly demanded Hamilton’s level of consistency and performance to be beaten. Hamilton in the Ferrari over 2017 to 2019 seasons may have won a couple of titles for Ferrari, l would guess.
So your guess is as good as mine on this one.
