The new season is edging closer and closer, meaning fans will finally get a glimpse of what this year’s championship will have to offer.
Will Mercedes resolve issues met during pre-season testing on time? Will Red Bull’s newest recruit give Verstappen a run for his money? How will the rookies fare on track, and will Ferrari make strides in the right direction this year after a disappointing 2020 season?
There are endless potential outcomes as we enter into the 2021 season, and one of the most talked-about scenarios is, could Max Verstappen clinch the title from Lewis Hamilton this year?
According to Nico Rosberg, Verstappen is closer than anyone has been in years.
Speaking on the Sky F1 Show: 2021 Season Launch Rosberg said:
“It still has to go on Lewis because nobody can fathom someone actually beating Lewis throughout the entire season on points. So, the money would still have to go to Lewis.
“But Max Verstappen, in particular, is as close as ever before in pre-season in terms of the odds to beat Lewis to the championship.
“I don’t think anyone’s been that close for many, many years.”
Mercedes
Another topic flooding headlines this week is whether or not Mercedes will resolve issues with the W12 ahead of the new season, however, Karun Chandhok, who was trackside during testing, said:
“By the time we got to the end of testing the Mercedes started to look more like the Mercedes we know.
“They are a very high-quality operation and haven’t forgotten how to build a good car.
“But what is clear that for the first time since 2013, Red Bull will head to the first Grand Prix being a genuine contender for wins.
“That doesn’t mean they are going to win it and they’re the dominant force but it at least means they are in the fight.
“And that’s what we want: we want the championship battle to go from round one until the final round between two teams.”
