WHY MERCEDES F1 DOMINATION COULD END IN 2020
It’s been more than six years since a team other than Mercedes won a Formula 1 World Championship. Since the introduction of the turbo-hybrid engine regulations, the Silver Arrows have racked up 89 wins with three drivers, 94 poles, 179 podiums, and the headline accomplishment of six title doubles. But in 2020 there’s more than just a chance that things could change.
The main thinking behind this theory (which some fans hold as hope for a change, any change) is that because F1’s rules are stable going from 2019 into the new campaign, the field will close up. This isn’t to suggest AlphaTauri or Alfa Romeo will suddenly take the fight to be the championship’s top dog to Mercedes, but that there is the possibility that another one of F1’s big three could emerge victorious.
Last year, in addition to tweaks to the rules governing bargeboards, rear wings and brake ducts, the biggest change to the regulations concerned the front wings. The resulting designs were much simpler than the convoluted (not to mention expensive) downforce-laden contraptions used previously. This was an attempt to fast-track some of the thinking behind F1’s comprehensive 2021 rules overhaul, in a bid to ease the issue the current cars have when it comes to following closely.
But in one sense, this change robbed F1 of a concentrated three-way fight for the 2019 world title. While Mercedes went on a success rampage in the early season as Ferrari regularly underwhelmed from strong positions and Red Bull took a while to get rolling – both of Mercedes’ closest challengers were ultimately undone by their initial designs. That shouldn’t be a problem this time around.
“Theoretically, the Melbourne [2020] car will be an upgrade of the Abu Dhabi [2019] car,” said Red
