Verstappen and Perez to fall out & Alonso to retire - F1 2023 Predictions
Who’s going to win the F1 World Championship? Who will take the first pole position and which drivers will clash on track? These are some of the questions we are starting to ask now the 2023 F1 season is fast approaching. We are weeks away from the start of testing and then lights out is not too far in the distance which is when we’ll start getting answers. However, until then all we can do is make predictions which is what I’m going to do today
Fernando Alonso to retire from Formula 1
We’ll start with a farewell, Fernando Alonso will retire (Again) from Formula 1! Fernando’s flirted with retirement in the past but we really don’t know when he is being serious at this point. The Spaniard has left before, even doing farewell donuts in 2018, but managed to find a way back with Alpine in 2021. Alonso had a mixed bag with Alpine and after two years finds himself replacing another veteran, Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin. Aston Martin’s form in 2022 faltered at times and there was no hiding that they just weren’t good enough. They’ll be hoping to fight back but I can see the team struggling and Alonso’s patience wearing thin. I’m saying midway through the season he’ll announce his retirement with no teams with a competitive car prepared to offer him a contract. Maybe he’ll pursue the triple crown again, but all I know is he won’t be in F1 this time next year.
Nyck de Vries to end Tsunoda’s F1 career
Nyck de Vries will end Yuki Tsunoda’s Formula 1 career! De Vries will be so much better than his teammate that it will completely highlights the Japanese driver’s flaws. Vibes only gets you so far in Formula 1 and Tsunoda’s vibes will run out in 2023. He’s shown glimpses of potential but he’s living off Marko credit right now and De Vries’ ultimate consistency and superior skill will see Tsunoda without a seat in 2024. Whether he’s given the boot mid campaign is another question but I’m not confident he won’t see the finish line in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen and Perez’s relationship goes up in flames
Right now hear me out, I said this years ago. Alright alright it never happened in 2021, but it’s happening in 2023! We got a hint at some discontent when Max wouldn’t let Sergio back through in Brazil after the Dutchman accused his teammate of crashing on purpose in Monaco, but it then went a bit quiet. But it won’t stay quiet I’m saying their relationship will hit some rocky road causing the pair to feud at times throughout the season. In team squabbling is never good for a team, well unless you’re Mercedes in 2016, but it could seriously damage their chances in the title race despite starting as strong favourites. If it does boil over there’s only one driver coming out on top…
Who will be crowned World Champions?
If you’ve made it this far it’s time for our final prediction our World Champions… MERCEDES WILL WIN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! Which driver I’ve got no idea they are both incredible but if the Silver Arrows get their act together they will be unstoppable. Whether Lewis Hamilton wins an eighth Drivers’ crown or George Russell wins his first, it will be a momentous year for Mercedes. Russell is undoubtedly in my eyes the heir to Lewis Hamilton and pipping his teammate to the title would be quite the story. But if Hamilton does win it, it asks the question will he retire? That’s a story for another time.
This was a script written by Joe Tyrrell for the GP Blog YouTube channel.
