If you’ve read my predictions for the World Constructors’ Championship (WCC), then you know that my World Drivers’ Championship predictions are entirely based on my own opinions and very little data other than what we’ve seen so far in preseason testing and Bahrain. I am more than likely going to be wrong because sports are incredibly surprising, so read my guesses, make your own, and share them! I’d love to hear how you think the standings will end!
Read: ‘My Predictions for the World Constructors’ Championship‘ for more of my predictions
20. Nico Hulkenberg
Pros: He’s Nico Hulkenberg! That’s about all I’ve got.
Cons: The Haas car did not seem to make any improvements from last season’s World Drivers’ Championship, and while the qualifying round in Bahrain went well for Nico, he feel five places very quickly and ended below two of three rookies.
19. Kevin Magnussen
Pros: I do think that Kevin has been underrated for his past few seasons. He finished thirteenth in Bahrain which I think is a decent placed considering the competition of the other cars.
Cons: I truly do not see the Haas as being a contender this season. As much as I think Kevin may be able to break the top ten once or twice, I do not see any breakout runs happening.
18. Oscar Piastri
Pros: Oscar is considered to be one of the best rookies of this season if not ever because of his past formula racing championships. I think that he could be a title contender in the future.
Cons: He had a DNF in Bahrain very very early. His experienced teammate Lando Norris also had a significant amount of technical difficulties, so I think that the fault for this placement will be on McLaren and their car rather than Oscar himself. I wish him all the luck in the future, but this is not his year.
17. Nyck De Vries
Pros: He had a stand out race last season as a reserve driver for Williams in which he finished in the top ten. I also think that the Alpha Tauri has improved more than Haas and McLaren.
Cons: He is a rookie which comes with a few potential issues, but I do think he has a few years of experience on his fellow rookies. I am concerned about the consistency of the car and his compatibility with the car as well.
16. Guanyu Zhou
Pros: He isn’t a rookie anymore! The Alfa Romeo seems to be doing pretty well this year although it is still in the midfield, but I think Guanyu’s confidence has grown from the past World Drivers’ Championship.
Cons: He has not shown a significant amount of growth so far, but I am hoping that it was just first race jitters. I feel like he needs another year or two in order to be a top ten finisher.
15. Yuki Tsunoda
Pros: Yuki! I think that he has matured out of his slight recklessness from the past few seasons, and that he will be a solid contender in a few races.
Cons: The Alpha Tauri is not performing as well as a majority of the other cars on the track, although he does seem to be more confident in the car’s abilities this year.
14. Logan Sargeant
Pros: This may just be an American’s pipe dream, but I think that he has what it takes to be the highest ranking rookie. After outperforming every other rookie in Bahrain, I see a great amount of potential. Also, the Williams car has made significant progress, and I can’t see a repeat of their last place finish from last year.
Cons: He is still a rookie, and that comes with some uncertainty in the car, his performance, and most importantly his confidence. This is a sport where the confident thrive, and I am not sure if he has that level of belief in himself yet.
13. Lando Norris
Pros: This is probably another dream, but putting Lando lower than this would have hurt. He is one of the best drivers on the grid and he demonstrated that by finishing seventh in last year’s World Drivers’ Championship. The car is not competitive this season, but I know that Lando will be.
Cons: He got off to the worst possible start in Bahrain by only finishing ahead of those who DNF. The McLaren has shown no improvement and seems to have even moved backward.
12. Alex Albon
Pros: This is the happiest placement for me because Alex has deserved a strong season for years, but he has not gotten it. He finished Bahrain in tenth place, so he has already scored points and I think he can continue this trend. Also, the Williams has improved so much.
Cons: A great Williams is still a Williams. It has improved enough to stay out of the back of the grid in my opinion, but it is likely that they will have a few technical failures during races.
11. Esteban Ocon
Pros: Alpine came in 4th in last year’s WCC and Esteban was able to break the top ten for the World Drivers’ Championship. He is an increasingly capable driver, so I anticipate consistent driving from Esteban throughout the season.
Cons: Alpine did really well last year, but they unfortunately did not make the same advancements as Aston Martin. Nobody really saw the success of the team in green coming, but they have managed to surpass unbeatable teams like Mercedes. Esteban will not fall this low because him or the team will necessarily fail but because other teams have surpassed their improvements.
10. Pierre Gasly
Pros: The only reason that I put Pierre ahead of Esteban is because he has a tendy of rising through the grid rather quickly and succeeding in traditionally lower-level cars. An example of this was in Bahrain this year when he began the race in P20 and finished P9. Also, in his first F1 victory during the 2020 Italian Grand Prix Pierre moved up from tenth place to win in an Alpha Tauri.
Cons: As mentioned with Esteban, the Alpine has not made any significant leaps in car performance unlike a few other teams. I see him as a contender for top ten in most races, but the other drivers will be podium contenders.
9. Valtteri Bottas
Pros: Valterri is one of the most underrated drivers in my opinion. He has had an incredible career thus far, despite never winning a World Drivers’ Championship. He has the experience and passion to remain in the top ten for a majority of the races this season.
Cons: I do not want to call the Alfa Romeo a con, but it is in the lower midfield this season. The Aston Martin has nearly guaranteed that every other team will be below 4th place, so Valtteri will not be competing in a top level car this year.
8. Lance Stroll
Pros: The Aston Martin has proven to be a podium-winning car, so Lance is likely to challenge the other drivers for the entire season. He has a few years of experience under his belt now, and his finish in Bahrain was impressive considering his hand injuries.
Cons: As much as he has developed his skills during the past few years, he does not have the capability of outracing Lewis Hamilton and the others above him quite yet. While the Aston Martin may be the better car this season, Mercedes has a driver lineup that can push the limits of any car and make it a Grand Prix winner.
7. Lewis Hamilton
Pros: He’s Sir Lewis Hamilton. I don’t feel like that needs much explanation. He has won seven world championships, and the queen knighted him.
Cons: The Mercedes has not been competitive yet this season. While I do not doubt Toto and the drivers’ ability to make mid-season improvements, I am not sure if the car will be able to best the Aston Martin when side by side.
6. George Russell
Pros: George has been doing slightly better than his teammate in recent times. In the drivers’ standing last season, Russell was able to edge out his teammate by 35 points.
Cons: As previously mentioned, the Mercedes has been challenged by several other brands in recent years, and Aston Martin may knock them off the podium this year. Another issue that may arise comes from how tight the competition is between George and Lewis. They will be competing for every point this season, which may cause struggles on the track.
5. Carlos Sainz
Pros: He’s a smooth operator. He has the confidence and experience coming off last year’s win and final standing. Carlos has proven to be a phenomenal driver in all conditions, and I anticipate him being a strong podium contender.
Cons: Carlos does not have a substantial amount of experience in P1, and I do not think that the Ferrari is strong enough this year to help him fix that. I do really want to see win, especially in Spain, but I don’t see it happening more than once or twice.
4. Fernando Alonso
Pros: The car is sensational. Bahrain was sensational. He is sensational. Coming from last season, both Fernando and the Aston Martin have been so impressive. I genuinely cannot believe how well they have done and how much they have improved. It is also important to mention that Fernando has won two drivers’ championship, so he also has his fair share of winning experience.
Cons: As incredible as the Aston Martin has been this season, the Red Bull is ‘in a league of its own.’ I do not see there being a strong competition between the two teams, although it may occur in a few races. Fernando as a driver has very few flaws, but he is known for being short temptered which may pose difficulties for the team when they are in tight contention.
3. Charles Leclerc
Pros: Literally every girl in the world wants him to win. I am aware that isn’t exactly a pro, but I felt that it was pertinent. He is a fantastic driver and he will pose a problem for the Red Bulls in several races. It is my opinion that if he will only be able to defeat Max if he obtains pole position, and I think the Ferrari has enough potential. After finishing second with 3 wins last year, he will only want to improve, and it will show in his driving.
Cons: The Ferrari has had issues with consistency over the years, which was also shown in the Bahrain Grand Prix. My only reason for putting Charles in third place is because of this problem. When Ferrari is at their absolute best, Charles will have no problem competing for at least second.
2. Sergio Perez
Pros: Checo is an impressive driver through and through, and he is driving the undisputed best car in the paddock this season. He finished third in last year’s championship behind Charles Leclerc, but I think that the Red Bull has pushed enough to overtake the Monegasque.
Cons: The only obstacle that stands in Checo’s way to a drivers’ title is Max. His consistency is not as developed as Verstappen’s and this will result in his second place finish. Also, it is possible that Red Bull sees Max as their Driver 1, so they will strategize better for Max.
1. Max Verstappen
Pros: He has won two world championships in a row so far, and he won in Bahrain handedly. Truthfully, the only times that Max was shown on the cameras were when he started the race, lapped Lando Norris, and won. He is a brilliant driver and the car is excellent.
Cons: Everyone on the grid is gunning for him. They all know that he is the one to beat, and this often comes with a significant amount of pressure.
This World Drivers’ Championship will be highly contested, but I think that my predictions are solid. Due to the nature of the sport, we will see a high frequency of upsets and surprises, but that makes up the beauty of it. Make sure to create your own predictions, share them on my Instagram page, and come back to follow along for the season!
