Only a few days until the start of this year’s Formula 1. New season, new cars, new hopes for victories and titles. Red Bull, on the one hand, are challenged to defend their 2022 dominance, while Ferrari and Mercedes, on the other hand, yearn to find themselves back in a leadership role. However, all three teams face major challenges in 2023. These are the five most important.

• 01 Ferrari: The bet of performance

In the first half of last year’s championship, Ferrari was the only one who managed to match Red Bull and clinch the title with multiple wins. However, the Italian team then slightly reduced engine power in the interests of reliability, while it appeared that their car was lagging behind in aerodynamic performance after the summer, which had a direct impact on tire wear management.

These are the three points on which the Scuderia engineers have focused this year. Let’s not forget that the development of this year’s SF-23 started very early in 22, while there is already much discussion about the high performance of the Ferrari engine. It remains to be seen if the improvements take effect and if the SF-23 is profitable in addition to its beauty.

• 02. Mercedes: The big gamble in the W14

In early 2022, the champion of the past 8 years suddenly found herself from zenith to nadir. She had no hope of winning as she tried to understand where her car was falling behind.

Brackley’s team eventually concluded that the W13’s problem was rooted in floor design. However, due to the budget limit, Mercedes F1 could not carry out the floor change last year. He did it this year with the new W14.

The German team made the bold decision – or the big risk, if you will – to stick with the design philosophy of the failed W13 and evolve it into the W14. Accordingly, both Lewis Hamilton and team boss Toto Wolff were very cautious in their statements before the new season. In short, the insistence on W13’s design philosophy leaves the team itself in limbo.

For this reason, Mercedes allegedly has a plan B ready: a – in relation to the W14 – extensively revised single-seater, as reported by the British broadcaster Sky Sports. If that is indeed the case, when is the ideal time for Toto Wolff to make the decision to make the move? When is it early enough and when is it too late?

• 03. Red Bull: The consequences of the punishment if the budget limit is exceeded

The championship team was fined for exceeding the budget cap in 2021. Red Bull is believed to have surpassed the $145 million annual limit in 2021.

So last year she had to reach a compromise with the FIA ​​that includes a $7 million penalty and a 10 percent limit on the time for aerodynamic testing of this year’s car.

Let’s not forget that as champions, the Austrian team already had the shortest time available for wind tunnel testing, which perhaps gives Ferrari and Mercedes an advantage. We’ll get an answer to that in a few days in the first game of the season.

• 04: Should Ferrari nominate a No.1 driver?

The leadership change is very likely to impact Ferrari operations. The big bet for Frederik Wasser is to convince that he is a worthy replacement for Mattia Binotto and that he has the skills to give Ferrari a leading role on track.

The drivers are a thorn in the side of the new boss: Who will the team rely on? Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz? He explained that he decided to give the team’s two drivers an equal chance early in the season to chase this year’s championship.

However, many disagree. In a recent S24AUTO Formula 1 podcast, we invited you to vote on whether or not you agree with Vasser’s decision. The result was clear: 51% of you voted for Leclerc to become the Scuderia’s number 1. Let’s see who ends up right and how will this affect Ferrari’s performance in the 2023 Championship?

• 05. Wolff’s dilemma: Hamilton or Russell?

Toto Wolff is faced with a similar dilemma if Mercedes can win victories: which driver should the team focus on. On the one hand, Wolff will want to thank Lewis Hamilton, who was unexpectedly dethroned last year by the star of previous years. But he persevered and fought with a car that wasn’t very competitive, and Wolff certainly feels a lot of responsibility for that.

On the other hand, George Russell came to Mercedes looking to win and with the ultimate goal of claiming his first Drivers’ Championship. Don’t let his smiling demeanor fool you. He is by no means willing to back down, and if he feels he has been treated unfairly, he will lash out. And rest assured that he will not take on the role of second driver at Mercedes.

So the new year in Formula 1 is full of challenges: we have many battles ahead of us, on and off the track.