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Roundtable Reads — F1 2021 Midseason Review
We’re halfway into the 2021 season of Formula One, what do our writers think about the season so far?
The 2021 Formula One season is finally in the summer break period. A 3-week period in which the team’s factories have to shut down, and the staff and drivers can go on holiday after 10 grueling race weekends. The summer break, widely recognized in the F1 community as the midseason, is the best time to review what has been happening in the season so far. The Amateurs’ writers with the help of WNF1 Podcast take a look at the 2021 season so far to answer some questions and give their opinions about this year’s race. Write your comments about this year’s Formula One season down below or hit us up on Twitter @TheAmateursID and @WNF1official.
Which driver and team have impressed you the most this season?
Andra: Aside from Max Verstappen who has shown his maturity through the season, I choose Lando Norris as my most impressive driver. His consistency to challenge Red Bull and Mercedes in a midfield car, and snatched three podiums along the way showed that he’s improving and getting comfortable in that car. I’m going to cheat for my most impressive team and pick Red Bull Racing. They cut their gap in 2020 from Mercedes quite quickly, and now they arguably have the best car on the grid. If it’s not because of some reckless driving by both Mercedes’ drivers in Silverstone and Hungaroring, they would have a comfortable lead in the championship going into the summer break.
Fattah: The duet of Lando Norris and McLaren has impressed me the most so far. Lando’s consistency in challenging Mercedes and Red Bull’s second cars could be costly to both teams going into the last half of the season, especially with McLaren delivering such a great car this year. Not only did they quickly adapt to new regulations but also a brand new engine for this season. For them to be this fast with a new engine and especially with a strict rule for developments this year, it’s impressive to me.
Petrick: For the driver, I think it’s either Lando Norris or Pierre Gasly. Both have punched above their weights this season. But, I think Norris’ last season success put Gasly slightly above him in this regard. The Frenchman is proving the world that his 2020 Monza win wasn’t a fluke. Kudos to him. For the team, of course it’s Scuderia Ferrari. Although they are not a title challenger yet, I believe they have been the most improved team this season.
Farhan: Lando Norris is consistently fighting for a podium spot in a car that doesn’t compete with the top two constructors, so he’s got my pick for most impressive driver. On the other hand, while both of the new teams have been punching above their weight class, this season’s most impressive feat would have to be Williams not being at the bottom of the table anymore. Kudos to the Mercedes boy, George Russell.
Which driver and team have been the most disappointing?
Andra: Sergio Perez. Yes, he got a win in Baku and has been a good teammate for Verstappen, especially in France, but I’m surprised that he couldn’t keep up his good momentum,made a lot of mistakes in Austria and Great Britain, and while not his fault, didn’t finish in Hungary. He can be really good at times, but surprisingly he has been too inconsistent so far. My most disappointing team would be Aston Martin. To be honest there haven’t been any teams who have performed under my expectation. My other candidate is Alpha Tauri, but it makes sense since they have a rookie in their lineup. Aston Martin started things off a little rough. Sebastian Vettel didn’t adapt as quickly as they wanted to, and they have a problem with their low-rake car system, which makes the rear of the car a little unstable with the new floor rules.
Fattah: Daniel Ricciardo has been underwhelming to say the least. Yes, he has made some improvements in the last few races, but with 10 years of Formula One experience under his belt, he is expected to be above his teammate. But his performance in some qualifying races has been subpar. So far Ricciardo has only accumulated 50 points while his teammate Lando Norris already accumulated 113 points. If he performs 80 percent of where Lando is performing, McLaren would have been miles above Ferrari. He needs to make a big improvement in the second half of the season for McLaren to secure third place in the Constructors’ Championship. Alfa Romeo and their decline from 2018 has been disappointing to watch. They were improving as a team, and the 2019 arrival of the old but experienced veteran Kimi Räikkönen, should’ve put their team from the back of the grid to the lower part of the midfield alongside Alpine and Alpha Tauri. But they are now in the bottom of the grid with only three points this year, battling with Williams and Haas to scrape for whatever points are left from the midfield.
Petrick: I would like to say Daniel Ricciardo, but Valtteri Bottas is just unbearable. In 18 races since his last win in Sochi 2020, he has retired four times, finished out of the top 10 twice, and got overlapped by his teammate once. Of course, Bottas was unlucky at times, but I truly expect more from a guy driving for Mercedes. For the team, surely it’s Haas. They were still in the points range in 2020, but these days the only thing in their range is Guenther Steiner’s Dictionary of Swear Words.
Farhan: Man, I used to love Haas. Small American team with lovable drivers and decent performance. I think their downfall started when they had numerous DNFs in 2018, and it just kept getting worse from there. Money for maintenance takes away money for research and development. Now, they have to settle for the subpar rookie duo of a rich russian and the son of a great shoemaker. It sucks to be honest. In other news, Lance Stroll is still mediocre, scoring the same amount of points as rookie Yuki Tsunoda. I’ve been rooting for him to break free from the pay driver stigma, but he seems to only have a couple of breakout races per season to just barely keep the light shining. But no one can really do anything about it since he owns the team.
Which team has improved the most from 2020 to 2021?
Andra: It has to be Scuderia Ferrari. The Prancing Horse had a year to forget in 2020, dealing with a much slower engine from 2019, and some miscues regarding race strategies and pit stops. But in 2021, it feels like they are a refreshed team with very little mistakes in terms of strategies, and a stronger engine at the back of their car. The combination of two strong drivers in Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz also helped them from fighting for fifth place in 2020, to now fighting for the best of the rest at the third position in the Constructors’ Championship. Keep an eye on them in the second half of the season as they plan to have a massive engine upgrade.
Fattah: Scuderia Ferrari. Their state in 2020 was one of their worst all time. Fresh off a complicated scandal regarding their fuel flow sensor, Ferrari came into the 2020 season with a dreadful performance. Despite finishing P2 in the first race, it was clear that they are not anywhere near their performance in 2019, finishing the 2020 season only in sixth place. But they have improved massively in 2021. Now they are a clear contender in Q3 every race weekend when they could only limp in Q2 in 2020. Ferrari now with a fresh pair of drivers in Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, a more improved car, and smartly spent development tokens, can consistently challenge for points and, even podium places, in some races.
Petrick: Scuderia Ferrari. Last year was really dreadful, but 2021 has been pretty decent for them. At the time of writing, they have scored 83 more points than in last season’s opening 11 races. That’s the biggest improvement among all F1 teams in this campaign, including Red Bull (80). Charles Leclerc has shown his class on Saturdays, but I’m more impressed with Carlos Sainz Jr. The Spanish driver has silently been better on race days and he’s three points better off Leclerc in this summer break. Bring on Belgium!
Farhan: Man, Ferrari was so bad in 2020 that anything above average would grant them this award. Leclerc and Sainz are back to fighting for the best of the rest positions against teams they would and should have smoked. The Constructors’ Championship is still mathematically possible, but a Williams one-two is also technically possible. Regardless, I’m hoping for the return of a six-horse race next season.
Most impressive transfer?
Andra: Carlos Sainz Jr. from McLaren to Ferrari. Many doubted his move as a downgrade, considering where McLaren and Ferrari finished in 2020. But, he proved to be a strong companion to Charles Leclerc, and made the team’s atmosphere a little bit better. He’s constantly finishing in the points, and occasionally he can make an unusual race strategy to work in his favor, like going a little bit longer in one tire stint.
Fattah: Sergio Perez. Though he has not delivered as much as what Red Bull is expecting, it is nice to see Max Verstappen having a teammate that he does not lap every race.
Petrick: Sainz. You already know why.
Farhan: Wildcard here, but Yuki Tsunoda is impressive considering his age. Hoping his “talent” (financial backing) doesn’t disappear when Honda does.
We’re halfway through the season-battle of Red Bull vs. Mercedes, who do you think has the edge going into summer break?
Andra: Red Bull has been super unlucky for the past two races. Both cars only scored a total of two points, coming from Verstappen’s P9 finish in Hungary. This of course hurt their lead in the championship. But this is the fact, Mercedes haven’t been able to beat Red Bull on a clean race since Monaco GP back in May. Mercedes is still Mercedes, they have Lewis Hamilton and a whole championship team behind the drivers. It’s going to go down to who will make mistakes the most, or who got crashed into the barrier the most by their rival team/driver.
Fattah: Red Bull has a thirst for revenge. Being taken out of a race by your rival once is bad enough, but two races in a row? They are coming out of the summer break determined to take back what they deserve; the lead in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.
Petrick: Red Bull seems to have better cars in 2021, but Mercedes still has Lewis. He will use all of his experience to improve his team this summer. The Silver Arrows also have a slight advantage in Bottas, who knows his car much better than Perez does with his RB16B.
Farhan: If luck were on their [Red Bull’s] side the past two races, this would not have been a question. 2021 is Max’s year, and I hope he wins it all in Abu Dhabi.
Another battle that has been brewing this season is Ferrari vs. McLaren. Which team has the advantage now and why?
Andra: McLaren has the better car, Ferrari has the better combination of drivers. Lando Norris can battle with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, but the problem is in McLaren’s second driver, Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian driver has to find his form fast, or else Norris will just have to battle by himself like how he has for the majority of the season so far.
Fattah: McLaren clearly has a better car than Ferrari. Ferrari still has not come back from their pre-2020 machinery, which was a consistent race winner. But, Ferrari has a better driver pairing in Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc. They are faster and more consistent. Until Daniel Ricciardo can consistently get into Q3 and finish in the higher points position, Lando Norris still has to carry that team on his back. Daniel Ricciardo’s lack of good performance could be costly for McLaren going into the second half of the season, and could cost them the third position in the Constructors’ Championship.
Petrick: McLaren simply has the better machinery for getting podiums. Not only that, but Norris’ impressive form will only help them in the remaining 12 races. I think the only thing that can stop them is their own Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian has only finished in the top 5 once in 2021, while last season he did that 7 times with Renault. This is simply not good for a 10-year veteran.
Farhan: The only thing holding Mclaren back is Daniel Ricciardo’s long adjustment period. He’s in his third car in four years, and he seems like he’s struggling to adjust to the Papaya Rocket. Looking at his previous tenure at Renault, he only got his act together in his second season. I hope he adapts sooner rather than later so they can re-expand their gap with Ferrari for the upcoming races.
Pick one team from the grid, what do they have to do to have a better second half of the season?
Andra: Aston Martin, figure out your aero problem immediately. I know you can’t copy another man’s homework this year but at least be better. Mercedes has been able to adapt with their low-rake concept, why couldn’t you?
Fattah: McLaren. They need to invest more time in helping Daniel Ricciardo adjust to the car. He is essential in the battle for third place. If he is not there to pick it up when Lando has a bad race weekend, McLaren might just lose third place to Ferrari.
Petrick: I’ll pick Mercedes. I hope they drop Bottas immediately, and sign that lanky English driver from Williams.
Farhan: Williams should take a page out of Pete Carroll’s playbook and Let Russ Cook.
Will George Russell be announced as one of the 2022 Mercedes drivers in the middle of the season or afterwards?
Andra: Russell will be the 2022 Mercedes driver but I don’t think he will be announced in the middle of the season. Why would Mercedes ruin the team’s chemistry, as they also still need Bottas in Hamilton’s championship fight. If Russell is announced in the middle of the season, why would Bottas fight for Mercedes and Hamilton?
Fattah: Russell will get that second Mercedes seat in 2022, but it will not be announced in the middle of the season. Why would Mercedes risk demotivating Valtteri Bottas when they need both him and Lewis to secure their eighth Constructors’ title. If Mercedes announced Russell as the 2022 driver in the middle of the 2021 season, Bottas might not comply the next time they give him a team order. Why risk that when it makes no difference when George Russell is announced for the second seat?
Petrick: If Mr. Wolff agrees with me, he will do it immediately. But I think they will wait until this season is finished. Who knows if Bottas can repeat his late 2019 run, where he got six podiums, including two wins, in the last nine races.
Farhan: No reason to rush; he’ll get there sooner or later. He’s got a PowerPoint to prove it.
Which driver do you think has the most fun during summer break?
Andra: Max Verstappen, why? Kelly Piquet.
Fattah: All of them do. Those guys are having fun in Greece while I am stuck in my house.
Petrick: Esteban Ocon. The latest winner is getting laid 24/7 in Normandy as we speak.
Farhan: Yuki Tsunoda just turned 21. You know what that means.
Welcome to our latest segment addition, Roundtable Reads! In this segment, our editorial team will answer intriguing questions about what’s going on in the world of sports, in turn, like they’re sitting in a roundtable.
Our current Motorsports editorial team consists of:
- Rafiandra Putra Andika — Motorsport & Football Editor, Co-Host of WNF1 Podcast
- Abdul Fattah — Co-Host of WNF1 Podcast
- Petrick Sinuraya — Motorsport & Soccer Writer
- Farhan Rafi — Motorsport & Football Writer
Stay tuned for more Roundtable Reads content from #TheAmateursID!
