Jos previews the 2014 Formula 1 season

Published on 15 March 2014 by Raymond Snip

Jos Verstappen remains the most successful Dutchman in Formula 1. As his passion for motor racing never subdued, Jos still keenly follows the category seen as the pinnacle of motor sport. During the 2014 season, the fast Dutchman will give his opinion in a feature column in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. Below, Jos previews the teams and drivers ahead of the F1 opener in Melbourne.

Red Bull Racing:
"The team has had a tough start to their pre-season testing but I believe their car is pretty good in terms of downforce and aerodynamics. It seems the issues lie with the Renault engine and the entire power unit. I also have the feeling the problem goes further than just Red Bull.
In terms of the drivers, it's going to be interesting to see how Sebastian Vettel will respond when things are not going his way. On top of that, his new team mate Daniel Ricciardo could take the fight to Vettel and make things a bit more challenging. For the Australian it's crucial that he wins the favour of the garage. The only real way to do that, is to drive fast and bank results."

Mercedes:
"I'm expecting a lot from Mercedes. They seem to have had the best pre-season, especially in terms of their engine. Furthermore, they started the development of the 2014 car earlier than Red Bull and it pays dividend now. In general, they've build a good car.
On the driver front I think Lewis Hamilton will be their top man. Nico Rosberg occasionally sets a good qualifying lap but he lacks the killer instinct that Hamilton possesses."

Ferrari:
"Ferrari are heading into an interesting campaign. For the first time in a long while, the team has a very strong driver line up in Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen. There is of course a risk that both will get in each other's way, on and of the track. Ferrari's management will have a nice challenge ahead keeping both happy.
Looking at the Scuderia's performance, I've got the feeling they have a fast car with a good working power unit, but nobody really showed their hand in pre-season testing. But I would say Ferrari is among the teams that could take the fight to Mercedes."

Lotus:
"With all the technical issues the team are experiencing we haven’t been able to judge the true pace of the car. I just hope they have the finances in order to keep developing the car throughout the season. In addition, it's a shame to see Eric Boullier leave as team principal. He seemed like a good guy for Lotus.
With Kimi's switch to Ferrari, and his successor being Pastor Maldonado, it's obvious they lost quality on the driver front. I think Romain Grosjean did a solid job last year but I'm not really sure about Maldonado. The reason he signed for Lotus has mainly to do with the big sponsor he brings along."

McLaren:
"The team lost its title sponsor Vodafone, but they shouldn’t struggle too much to find a new one if they perform well on track. I also think they show courage to give Kevin Magnussen a chance. The young talent showed his speed in the lower formulas. As the experienced veteran, Jenson Button really has put in a good effort this season. Otherwise he might face a challenge to land a 2015 drive."

Force India:
"The main advantage for Force India is the Mercedes engine. I've got a good feeling about Force India. The car looks good and with Nico Hülkenberg they've got a great driver. This could be the team that surprises many in the paddock. It wasn’t a great season for them in 2013 but this year might be the one in which they make the leap forward."

Sauber:
"Sauber is a strange case. Last year they were nearly bankrupt, but they are still on the grid. So no idea what to expect from them. If you think in terms of Swiss accuracy and thoroughness, you would expect a thing or two from them. At least on some occasions they've shown some good pace.
Next to their main driver pairing of Adrian Sutil and Estéban Gutiérrez, Giedo van der Garde is one of their three reserve drivers. Obviously I don’t know the ins and outs of his contract but his switch to Sauber is definitely a positive leap forward compared to Caterham. Hopefully he'll get some track time to convince the team he is a valid option for 2015."

Toro Rosso:
"Toro Rosso chose to switch to from Ferrari to the Renault engine. This means they're encountering the same issues as the other Renault powered teams. In hindsight they would have been better off with the Ferrari engine.
They've put a rookie in the car alongside Jean-Eric Vergne, the nineteen-year-old Russian Daniil Kyvat. As Red Bull's satellite team, they have to invest in young, talented drivers, which they are consequently doing. But I do believe that nineteen years of age is the minimum to make a début in F1."

Williams:
"Williams could be, and I hope, the surprise of the 2014 season. They build a good car and they've got the right engine (Mercedes). The car looks good too, a bit old school with the Martini livery. I like it. In general, Williams is a team that's got my sympathy. It's a real race team with real racers and I hugely respect Frank Williams. In my time on the grid, they were a real top team. Unfortunately it's gone downhill for them, but it appears they're on the right track."

Marussia:
"Marussia is always a difficult team to judge. I never hear much news regarding them. I've got no clue where the team's long term conditions lie. I did hear that Jules Bianchi was robbed of his 70,000 euro watch, earlier this month in Paris. I guess he had a good insurance as the team was able to get to Melbourne... All jokes aside, Bianchi is good driver who has more ability than that his Marussia will enable him to display."

Caterham: 
"Things are not looking great for Caterham. That's the impression I get if you listen to Kamui Kobayashi. According to him the car is lower than a GP2 car. If I were his team boss I wouldn’t be happy with comments like that but it does clarify how he thinks about the car's performance. Finishing the race will be the key for them. Perhaps along the way they can gather a few points.
Robin Frijns is their reserve driver. He is a guy who has enough quality and the ability to drive F1 but he made a few clumsy remarks last year. They perhaps didn’t go down well with people in the paddock. The fact remains you're not just a Formula 1 driver in the cockpit, but also outside the car."

Jos Verstappen