2023 F1 Season Predictions

After a long three months, the 2023 F1 season is almost here. Once again, ten teams and twenty drivers will engage in the world’s biggest traveling circus. In a world where the clock never lies, predictions are not the easiest thing to get correct. However, it is always worth a try. After a Red Bull-dominated season last year, the slate is wiped clean. This season will feature three rookie drivers, returning faces and new rivalries waiting to be formed on track. What will end up happening this season? Here are some F1 predictions for the 2023 season.

No driver earns more than seven poll positions

Last year, Charles Leclerc topped the poll position chart with nine poll positions, with Max Verstappen close behind with seven. Outside of them, no one had more than three poll positions. Given Mercedes’ end-of-year form, it appears reasonable to suggest that they claim more than their single pole position in 2023. They are the key cog to this entire prediction. If Mercedes is within a few tenths or the other two teams, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are both quick enough to land the car on poll position. This prediction could easily be wishful thinking, though. The only time the poll positions leader finished with seven or less polls this decade was in 2019, featuring seven Charles Leclerc polls.

Nyck de Vries outperforms Yuki Tsunoda

AlphaTauri had a horrid 2022 season. Not only did they plummet three spots in the Constructers’ Championship, but Yuki Tsunoda took both a step forward and a step back last year. After a strong opening quarter of the season, he finished in the points once and retired his car five times.  All of that combined to tie for 16th in the Driver’s Championship. Now entering his third season in F1, it is his make-or-break season in F1. Red Bull restocked their junior system this offseason, resulting in six drivers on the F2 grid. Now, inside his team, one of the most experienced new drivers to never race in F1 is there to use as a measuring stick.

Nyck de Vries won F2 in 2019, which he parlayed into winning the 2020-2021 Formula E World Championship. Alongside those accolades, he spent the last three years running in the World Endurance Championship. If he brings even 80% of that talent to the team, there is a decent chance he will outperform Tsunoda unless the Japanese driver takes a major step forward. Despite the mass affection Yuki holds, I don’t believe he will end up beating Tsunoda. Of all the F1 predictions, this one could go wrong in the worst way.

Aston Martin finish fourth in the 2023 Constructors’ Championship

This may seem somewhat crazy for anyone out of the loop this off-season. After all, the green machine finished tied for sixth in the Constructors’ Championship last season. Yet, signs continue to point towards an ascension by the British operation. 

At the end of last season, Aston Martin became a major points threat every week after a poor start to the season. That car development continued during the off-season and now, post-winter testing, looks like a force to be tangled with. 

Alongside that, this year’s driver’s lineup is the best yet. Lance Stroll, when not turning off his brain, became a consistent performer. In place of the retired Sebastian Vettel, two-time world champions Fernando Alonso is now across the garage. The fiery Spaniard finished ninth in the Drivers’ Championship last year with Alpine. That ninth place feels like a minor miracle given how many points he lost out on following multiple engine failures. If the testing data continues into the start of the season, Aston Martin will be a force in the midfield.

Mercedes win the 2023 World Constructors’ Championship

This is not a bet against Max Verstappen as much as it is against Sergio Perez. The Mexican Minister of Defense finished tied for second in podiums last year, but quite a few came from Ferrari blunders. If Mercedes truly is back in form and Ferrari’s engine is not exploding again, Perez will face much stiffer competition for podiums. The terrifying thing about Mercedes is that their drivers go so fast and they rarely crash. Their ability to consistently collect points is something only Red Bull has matched over the past few seasons, even with some Mad Max moments. This one will come down to the wire, and in this writer’s opinion, end up just barely landing in the Mercedes garage.

Max Verstappen wins the 2023 World Drivers’ Championship.

The Flying Dutchman will claim his third consecutive championship this season. When it happens, Verstappen will be the fourth person ever to win three straight Driver’s Titles. Entering this season, Red Bull have the least questions surrounding them of any top team. Their car likely will not be impacted by their cost cap penalty at the start of the year, allowing them to have a strong start to the year. As things progress, however, that is where a challenge will arise. Of every driver on the grid, Max is the one most teams would like in a scrappy title fight. He possesses immense pace, is carefully aggressive and not afraid of anyone. That mentality, with a great car under him, will win him the 2023 title. This is most likely of all the F1 Predictions to occur this year.

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What do you think? Tell Christian about your 2023 F1 Predictions on Twitter at @TheWiz_SPM.

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