Formula One in 2017 is set for the biggest overhaul the premier open-wheel category has seen in the past two decades.
Aggressive and sleeker looking machines, with an unprecedented increase in mechanical grip through new and widened compounds of the Pirelli P-Zero tyre, is said to reinvigorate the sport – the popularity of which has waned through the past seasons.
From the arrival of a new teammate for Lewis Hamilton, to with a keen eye observing Liberty Media as they get set for their first year as the new owners of Formula One – here are five pertinent questions for the sport to answer in 2017.
Will the regulations live up to the hype?
On paper, the upheaval in the aerodynamic regulations looks promising. It is widely stated that the cars will be 3-5 seconds faster and that they’ll require the drivers to work physically harder.
However there have been rumblings that this change could further widen the performance gaps between the teams.
2014’s introduction of hybrid-powertrains gave Mercedes-Benz powered cars an instant advantage, while the factory Silver Arrows team enjoyed unprecedented success with their dominant engine-chassis combination.
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For the sake of a more diverse championship challenge, it is desired by many that the chasm in performance is bridged with the advent of the new regulations.
Can Mercedes AMG be dethroned?
If Formula One is truly as cyclical as it is believed to be, then this new season could see the end of an era for the reigning world champions at Brackley.
The past three seasons saw Mercedes AMG win all but eight grands prix and clinch six world titles, in what has been recorded to be one of the most dominant eras in the sport.
A shakeup in the regulations always seem to see another outfit come to the fore and with aerodynamics being the emphasis, there’s none other than Red Bull Racing who could ascend.
With the nous of Adrian Newey architecting the RB13 and a youthful race-winning duo in Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen behind the wheel – the mighty Silver Arrows will need more than their mighty motor to defend the potential challenge of others.
Can Valtteri Bottas be the new Silver Star?
Following the celebrations of his maiden world championship victory, Nico Rosberg dropped the biggest bombshell of 2016 when he announced that he would be retiring from the sport.
This created a frenzy, in which Mercedes AMG had to scramble to find a replacement for their outgoing driver – where even names like MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi were touted.
In the end, logic prevailed and Valtteri Bottas earned the call from Williams, where he had spent the last four seasons.
While the performance of the Williams squad stagnated from the Finn’s standout season in 2014, there is no doubt that Bottas has great speed and consistency – which’ll at last be on show in a race winning package.
There is onus on the team now, as to whether they’ll maintain the same equal driver policy that was on hand while Hamilton and Rosberg were teammates. Or will they go down the path that many top teams have done before and relegate Bottas to the dreaded ‘number two’ for the sake of peace.
How will the rookies fare?
Every time a new driver debuts on the grid, there is always a sense of excitement to see the next crop of potential world champions.
2017 sees the arrival of two individuals, with much hype around them in the forms of Stoffel Vandoorne and 18-year-old Lance Stroll.
The Belgian Vandoorne boasts a single Formula One start to his name, having deputised for the injured Fernando Alonso in 2016 at the Bahrain Grand Prix – where he scored points on debut for McLaren.
His maturity and consistency is something that could propel the 25-year-old to McLaren immortal, as the team continues to rise from the dizzying lows of 2015. If anything, Vandoorne’s impact could mirror that of Alain Prost’s in 1984.
Stroll’s appointment on other hand was a tad controversial. His young age and the millions of dollars being provided by his father Lawrence to fund his seat at Williams have been detractors to some, but the Canadian’s immense talent is something to look forward to – having attained nothing success in all junior formulae he’s contested.
What impact will Liberty Media have in their first year?
As of January 2017, the Formula One Group belongs to U.S media giants Liberty, with long-time supremo and ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone announcing that he had been ‘deposed’.
The new ownership has piqued interest in many, who hope to see the sport embrace the age of digital media and distribution. As well as rid the on-track product of the half-measured concepts, which the previous owners heavily implemented in attempts to improve the ‘show’.
While it is crucial that changes aren’t rushed, it will be intriguing to see what Chairman Chase Carey and his sidekicks in Sean Bratches and the familiar Ross Brawn will have on the table by the end of their first season at the helm.
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