The 2015 season proved to be yet another formality for Mercedes, with defending champion Lewis Hamilton and second placed Nico Rosberg sharing sixteen victories from a possible nineteen – only the circuits of Malaysia, Hungary and Singapore could stop the Silver Arrows from sweeping the board.
Despite recent rumours of a potential departure for one of the Mercedes drivers, this dominance set to continue into 2016, with Ferrari as the closest contenders for glory. With the status quo set to reign for many years, attention turns to the four young men who made their mark in 2015, all of whom are vying to fill those coveted heavyweight seats in years to come.
Carlos Sainz Jr & Max Verstappen – Toro Rosso
Fernando Alonso was a shadow of his former title-winning self after a dismal season with 2008 champions McLaren – ultimately, Carlos Sainz Jr is now the driver that is truly flying the flag for Spain. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is more than emulating his father’s ability to put Holland on the F1 scene.
Sainz’s consistency was impressive, but it was his teammate Verstappen who stole the show and grew in stature at a much sharper rate. From utmost defiance to unprecedented daring, the 18-year old Dutch prodigy seldom failed to entertain during his debut season.
In an era of moderation and technique, Verstappen’s raw and uncompromising style was rightly rewarded with a hat trick of FIA awards. One of Verstappen’s awards included “Action of the Year” for his daring overtake of Felipe Nasr at Blanchemont – a move which even the most decorated of drivers have never previously dared attempt.
Even more impressive than Verstappen’s debut finish of 12th in the overall standings was his performance at Suzuka, a notoriously difficult circuit for any driver. A surge from P17 on the grid to a point scoring finish of 9th served as the definitive transition to manhood for Verstappen.
With the news that Ferrari will supply Toro Rosso’s engines in 2016, a new era of hope has emerged after a difficult partnership for the senior outfit with Renault. Last Friday also brought the news that both drivers would be retained by Toro Rosso, indicating that F1 fans have not yet seen anything near the true potential of Verstappen and Sainz…
Performance of the season: Japan (Verstappen) / USA (Sainz Jr)
Felipe Nasr – Sauber
After a stint as a test driver, the young Brazilian enjoyed the best opening weekend of the four debutants, finishing an extremely impressive fifth in Melbourne. This season, Nasr did not breach the top ten with the regularity of Verstappen, but it is worth noting that he endured only one unclassified retirement, compared to the Dutchman’s four.
The statistics never lie – Nasr’s composure on the circuit is unrivalled amongst the pool of first and second-season drivers, and there is plenty to suggest that he will steal some of Verstappen’s limelight if ever armed with better machinery in the future.
Performance of the season: Monaco
Alexander Rossi – Manor Marussia
The team that failed to yield a single point throughout the season has but one real asset to its name. With Rossi arriving on the F1 scene with some attention-grabbing performances, and Haas preparing for its debut season at the very top, the United States is set to enjoy something of an ‘F1 renaissance’ in 2016.
Though Rossi never had a chance of finishing in the point scoring places, his third 2015 race of five (at the C.O.T.A in his home country) resulted in an early career high of twelfth after a spirited performance. With a superior cat, Rossi’s confidence would undoubtedly enable him to yield a far better result.
The man himself has expressed his joy at having seen his stock rise drastically in the second half of the 2015 F1 season. Becoming the first driver under the Manor handle to score points, in a field of superior cars, would be the ultimate indication of his potential as an F1 driver.
Performance of the season: USA
The new Formula One season begins on 20th March 2016. For live updates and statistics of every race, visit Motorsport24.com or visit the Twitter page (@Motorsport24).
By Tamhas Woods
