What to expect from F1's changes in 2019

Will Formula 1 have close races in 2019? Which teams are likely to handle the regulation changes best? Will Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton win again? F1 technical guru Gary Anderson tackles those subjects and more.

Gary Anderson Dec 31, 2018, 12:42 PM

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Will there be closer racing next year thanks to the new rules?

cvogel090309, via Instagram

It's a simple question and the simple answer is that I don't see why anything should change. If any of the big teams don't get their new car right first time then they will spend their way out of it. If a smaller team doesn't get it right then the field could be even more spread out. What we need to remember is that change costs money and at least for a short time it will open up the performance gaps between the teams. Then, as time passes, everyone will gravitate to more or less the same solution and the competitive level will close up.

We did have some good races in 2018, but if the powers that be review them and the reasons why they will probably find that it was more to do with circuit layout and, on some occasions, cars that were out of position on the grid. Forget all these technical regulation changes and focus on the sporting regulations and introduce some more randomness.