Driver changes to add spice

Kimi Raikkonen being voted as the most popular driver in the recently concluded GPDA survey makes most fans believe that Ferrari should retain him in 2016. If only F1 was a popularity contest. What I wonder is ‘what is the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association is doing by conducting surveys that the sport’s marketing team should? Aren’t the drivers just supposed to arrive, drive and smile in front of the media, fans and sponsors? I guess it’s the driving part of their job that isn’t challenged much these days.

Not too many times before have we seen top teams shuffle their drivers this frequently. McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing did so last year. Will Ferrari bring about a change this year by replacing Raikkonen? It’s tough to call, and I don’t say this because it involves former World Champion and the prodigious Kimi Raikkonen. I say this because Ferrari is known to keep their drivers much beyond their shelf life. If it was based purely on performance, Raikkonen should go.

If so, who should come to Ferrari? Hulkenberg, Bottas, Ricciardo, Verstappen and even Sainz’s name has done the rounds of the paddock. Despite Red Bull Racing’s non-performance and threats to quit Formula 1, I do not believe any of the Red Bull Racing drivers (senior or junior) will jump ship yet. If it’s a direct toss between Hulkenberg and Bottas, I would go with the German over the Finn for consistency reasons.

Hulkenberg’s confidence has received a boost after his debut win at Le Mans. He’s punched well above his weight at Sahara Force India, and is the best placed driver in the Drivers’ Championship after the ‘top 4.’ Bottas has impressed, no doubt, but he’s failed to beat Massa consistently this season and that makes me wonder why Ferrari are reportedly chasing a driver who is only just beating a driver Ferrari let go off not too long ago. If that’s the case, go hire Massa again!

Given the lack of interest in technology (from the fans) and lack of a battle for the championships, driver changes seem to be the only ingredient that could induce fresh excitement in 2016. The other being the possibility of having 21 races on the calendar – the longest ever! The sport needs a strong hook to keep fans glued before the much faster sounding and exciting for regulations are introduced in 2017.

And just as the sport is trying to take its racing seriously, I think it’s time they take their business seriously too. The want of a stronger business model for the mid-field teams is immediate amongst cost controls. I am divided on the talk of customer cars as it favours dependency on the top teams to run the ecosystem, which is a strong no-no. It does seem strange when the otherwise capitalist sport of Formula 1 decides to turn socialist.

Read Kunal’s views at his F1 blog.