BEST OF THE REST
OTHER BATTLES
Take your pick: Racing Point (formerly Force India); Toro Rosso; Alfa Romeo (formerly Sauber); or Haas. There is nothing to choose between these four (make it five, if you include Renault) when it comes to fighting for fourth in the championship table.
There was a long period last summer when it seemed Force India might not be around at all. An ongoing legal dispute between team boss Vijay Mallya and the Indian courts made the team’s future uncertain until a take over by Lawrence Stroll and a change of name.
Formerly a sponsor of Williams, the Canadian millionaire stepped up a motorsport investment that includes bank-rolling the career of his son, part of the deal being that Lance gets to drive alongside Sergio Pérez. Whether or not Stroll Jr can build on mediocre performances during two years with Williams is largely insignificant when compared with the injection of funding. This will allow the Silverstone-based outfit to develop the car and reach a potential demonstrated by consistently finishing inside the top five of the teams’ championship during the past four years.
Daniil Kvyat gets a second chance as he returns to Toro Rosso, where the Russian is joined by Alexander Albon, a 23-year-old born in London but racing under the ¢ag of Thailand when previously in F2. This will be the small Italian team’s second season with the Honda engine and improvements are expected.
Alfa Romeo’s takeover of Sauber is another sign of Ferrari’s increasing in¢uence (through parent company Fiat) over the small Swiss firm that is eectively a B-team to the Prancing Horse. Alfa Romeo will also benefit from the return of Kimi Räikkönen to the team which gave the laconic Finn his F1 debut in 2001, the 2007 world champion’s experience also benefiting the first full season for 25-yearold Antonio Giovinazzi.
In a legal loophole which annoys rivals, Ferrari will continue to supply power units and other parts to Haas, a team promising to continue punching above its weight as Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen remain onboard to ensure important continuity going into the American company’s fourth F1 season.