If Haas is struggling this much just to hold their own against Red Bull Racing, I can't even imagine how they're going to manage when Ferrari and Mercedes start turning up the heat elsewhere
Everyone kept saying Mercedes would be untouchable until those massive rule changes hit in 2021, but now, seeing how Lewis just absolutely shreds the competition by a single lap, it feels surreal. It’s really just that perfect storm where you have an incredible car paired with one of the absolute best drivers this sport has ever seen. Sure, they might close the gap a bit during the actual race, but the real question is whether the drivers over at Scuderia and Red Bull Racing can actually stay focused enough to even pose a threat to Hamilton. At the end of the day, it’s Red Bull Racing and Ferrari who have something to prove, not Mercedes. I can only imagine the absolute chaos and sleepless nights happening inside those other garages right before the lights go out.
With Vettel and Max Verstappen lined up right next to each other on the grid, things could get seriously messy at turn one; you can practically feel the tension building before the lights even go out.
It felt like things really started to fall apart over at Red Bull last season once the pressure to perform actually kicked in, so I'm curious to see if they can hold it together during the US Grand Prix 2018. Personally, I still think Ferrari holds a slight edge if we're looking for anyone capable of actually challenging Mercedes.
It’s pretty obvious that Mercedes still has a car capable of squeezing out those extra tenths of a second during a qualifying lap compared to Ferrari or Red Bull. In today's era, where nailing pole position on most tracks basically puts one hand firmly on the trophy, that's a massive red flag for both the Scuderia and Red Bull.
Honestly, looking back, that sheer dominance in qualifying last season is exactly what left Vettel trailing so far behind Hamilton—though if you ask me, I think it was just as much about reliability issues. But hey, we'll see how it plays out; I'm still pulling for the Scuderia.
The papaya colors are looking a bit wilted in this chilly American winter weather
As a stubborn Ferrari fan, I’m really holding out hope that reliability improves, especially on those tracks where we can actually go toe-to-toe with Mercedes. I don't want to get ahead of myself, though—last year everyone was buzzing about us tearing things up during testing or lifting off the throttle in the final corner, and all that. But honestly? I’m sensing a much more interesting season ahead for us on the standings.
Anyone catching a glimpse of that orange beast in their rearview mirror is going to have a total meltdown
Then again, who really knows what kind of magic they’re cooking up over at Force India? For all we know, we haven't even seen their most striking car yet
Toro Rosso finishing dead last... honestly, sounds like a recurring theme we might be hearing a lot this season
Gotta give some editor's praise to the folks over at Haas, though; they used those darker tones and high contrast to somewhat mask how ugly that halo looks
It’s almost like fate wants to be a little ironic this year, because FX is actually dropping a series called Trust that dives right into that exact same rabbit hole—you know, the whole saga involving J. Paul Getty and that infamous kidnapping. It’s got heavy hitters like Donald Sutherland and Brendan Fraser leading the charge, which honestly makes the timing feel pretty spot on.