2021 - A season of Champions

[Nitrodaze]

This season starts with a combined total of 14 F1 drivers world championship titles won present on the grid. And there has never been a moment like this in F1 history. A rare and wonderful proposition, full of unknown potential. While Hamilton contributes half of that tally, the majority of the other half rests with Vettel and Alonso, both of which are starting renewed careers in new teams. Incidentally, both of their careers have taken a course via Ferrari with a similar outcome of not winning a championship in the scarlet car.

I read a Sky Sports article today which was very apologetic for the outcome of both of these champions careers, post-Ferrari and sympathetically made all manner of excuses for why they turned out as they did. One underlying argument in the article in question was that both of these champions needed a protective setup such as was available to Schumacher to get the best out of these champions.
We could say that was the very kind of environment provided to Vettel at Redbull which produced four world championship title for him. And once that environment was challenged by Ricciardo, the invincible quality of Vettel sort of disappeared. Likewise, one could also argue that under the protective arms of Flavio Briatore, Alonso produced two championship titles. But when he tried to establish a similar setup at Mclaren where this was robustly challenged by rookie Hamilton, he fell short as well.

One recurring suggestion in the article was that any of these two drivers may have been as successful as Hamilton in the Mercedes. I would say very probable but also arguably not. One would have to cast our minds to two interesting scenarios, namely; Rosberg versus Vettel and Rosberg versus Alonso. Would Rosberg have been a multiple world champion alongside either of these two champions?
In a Mercedes team where both drivers are given equal machinery and support, with no favouritism, would Vettel and/or Alonso fair any different than they did at Ferrari? That protective support not being present would suggest that Rosberg may have faired better than he did with Hamilton, against these two other champions.


Courtesy Sky Sports

Hamilton, on the other hand, has won all of his title under an unprotected environment, fighting his teammates on equal footing. His spell at Mclaren was very restrictive and critical of his approach to racing we have read. At Mercedes, he goes up against a driver that has established himself comfortably in the team before his arrival, yet forged his way forward to be on top. Hence, when l look at these three champions objectively, l fail to see Vettel matching Hamilton's record in a Mercedes. But l struggle to say the same thing about Alonso.


Courtesy PlanetF1

What l do see is that the relationship between Rosberg and Alonso [and maybe Vettel] may have been just as fraught with bitter rivalry as it did with Hamilton. How bad relatively is the unknown quantity. Would it have been bad enough for Ferrari to steal one or two constructor or driver's championship titles from Mercedes? Is the real question here. Especially since a similar sort of rivalry between Hamilton and Alonso deprived Mclaren of the 2007 constructors and driver titles which they were expected to win with ease.
We all have different views on this matter, depending on our love and prejudices for each of the drivers involved, one thing is clear, the jury is out on this matter. Particularly as we would never really know how it may have turned out.


Courtesy PlanetF1