Formula One Welcomes New Fans and New Drivers in 2021!

After an unusual 2020 season and an offseason that felt like ages, Formula One will return on March 28 for the Bahrain Grand Prix. There was a significant number of driver changes across the grid for 2021 so becoming a fan now means not having to keep track of all those changes. Additionally, the driver shake-up has put more teams in the hunt and should make for a much more competitive 2021 season.

For those new fans, here is a breakdown of the 10 teams and their 2021 driver lineup:

(Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton & Valtteri Bottas

Mercedes returns both drivers this season after winning the Constructor’s Championship in 2020. Seven time champ Lewis Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas finished atop the standings last year, and considering Mercedes’ traditional excellence and consistency, the team looks to repeat that championship in 2021.

Red Bull: Max Verstappen & Sergio Perez

Red Bull brings back the best young driver on the grid in Verstappen and signs Mexican driver Sergio Perez this season. Verstappen, 23, looks to be the best challenger to Hamilton and Mercedes. He’ll push even harder in 2021 after being edged out of the top 2 last season. Perez left Racing Point to join Red Bull this season to see if the team could top Mercedes with a new driver and new engine in 2021.

McLaren: Lando Norris & Daniel Ricciardo

McLaren holds on to young star Lando Norris for 2021, but more importantly signs proven winner Daniel Ricciardo to hold their podium spot this season. After two disappointing seasons with Renault, Riccardo wants to get back on the podium this season with McLaren. A new engine deal with Mercedes and a flashy orange paint job may be just enough to help Norris and Ricciardo compete with the top teams.

Aston Martin: Lance Stroll & Sebastian Vettel

Newly branded Aston Martin, formerly Racing Point, holds on to the promising Lance Stroll and adds past champion, Sebastian Vettel, for 2021. The future is mostly unknown for Aston Martin but after a successful rebrand, their new drivers hope to find early chemistry this season and compete for a podium spot this year.

Alpine: Esteban Ocon & Fernando Alonso

Alpine, another rebranded team (formerly Renault), keeps young driver Esteban Ocon in their car this year and brings Fernando Alonso out of retirement to add experience to the lineup. Renault has struggled recently, so they look to right the ship with a new team design and the leadership of Alonso moving forward.

Ferrari: Charles Leclerc & Carlos Sainz

After decades of fielding top tier teams, Ferrari struggled mightily in 2020. They swapped the declining Sebastian Vettel (now with Aston Martin) for the younger Carlos Sainz to join Charles Leclerc in one of the most coveted seats in F1. In order to compete with the best, Ferrari needs their young drivers to step up this season and get back on the podium.

AlphaTauri: Pierre Gasly &Yuki Tsunoda

AlphaTauri, Red Bull’s second team, signed Japanese rookie Yuki Tsunoda to join Pierre Gasly for 2021. Gasly earned his first victory last year and Tsunoda looked extremely promising in preseason testing. The future is bright for AlphaTauri.

Alfa Romeo: Antonio Giovinazzi & Kimi Räikkönen

Alfa Romeo retained the same driver lineup from 2020 even after a relatively disappointing season. There are still many young drivers available so look for a possible midseason switch at some point for Alfa Romeo.

Haas: Mick Schumacher & Nikita Mazepin

Haas is fielding an all-new rookie duo with Schumacher and Mazepin following a tragic 2020 season. The only American team on the grid hopes to see their rookies push hard to move up in the standings and compete in the midfield.

Williams: George Russell & Nicholas Latifi

Williams, the laughing stock of F1 for a few years, keeps both their young drivers from last season. Russell, a backup driver for Mercedes, has shown glimpses of greatness but is stuck in a dismal situation with a slow Williams car.

The 2021 F1 grid looks to be more competitive than years past, and with new teams, there’s plenty to look out for this season. The numerous rookies and young drivers will certainly push the titans at the top and make the season more interesting for new fans and experienced fans alike! Be sure to watch the first race of the season, March 28 at 11 AM eastern on ESPN!

Comment your predictions for the 2021 Constructor’s and driver champions below!