Concerned Formula One fans weigh in on this upcoming season

Formula One’s preseason is picking up steam heading into the season opener this March in Bahrain. 

Fans have some concerns.

Max Verstappen aims to defend his controversial drivers championship this year. While Lewis Hamilton sets his sights on his eighth world championship. The Ferrari boys in Charles Lelcerc and Carlos Sianz can’t be counted out with a car that Ferrari claims to be “beefed up.” 

This season also features new faces in some new places. George Russell joins Mercades, Alex Albon fills his seat at the Williams, and Valteri Bottas finds himself in the Alfa Romeo. 

Alongside Bottas in the Alfa Romeo is F1 Rookie Guanyu Zhou. Zhou is going to be China’s first full-time Formula One driver, but his abilities have been called into question. 

Naysayers question how Zhou was only able to muster a third place finish in Formula Two after three years in F2. Oscar Piastri–in his rookie season– beat Zhou in the 2022 championship. Zhou hadn’t ever won a series until he raced in the significantly weaker Asian Winter F3 championship this year. 

Zhou bought his way into Formula One in the financially struggling Alfa Romeo. His addition to the grid makes him the fourth undeserving driver to have bought his way into the sport. 

In addition to Zhou, tracks like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Baku, and Abu Dhabi have also found ways to purchase their slot on this year’s calendar. The financial aspect of Formula One has been called into question by fans and participants alike. As Lewis Hamilton famously said “Cash is king.”