F1 | Minardi “Force India could be the possible surprise” Here’s why…

If, on the one hand Liberty Media is grappling with some dissent – the latest in order of time the decision to say goodbye to the grid girls which is generating a lot of protests from the enthusiasts – there is also an air of some nervousness within the teams due to the awareness that at Brackley the World Champions are not yet satisfied and that they are sharpening their weapons in view of the new season

Once more the strong point should be the new German Power-Unit which is getting ready to break the 1,000cv barrier, as stated by its Head motor engineer Andy Cowell. With the new regulations (three units available per driver in a long season of 21 grands prix) the PUs will be a vital component for achieving the final results.

“Certainly the teams are working quickly on the new cars, but the news that is coming from Brackley in England makes us think that the new season will be labelled Mercedes. In this new era for F1 the power-unit is a very important component and even more so this season with the new regulations,” was the analysis from Gian Carlo Minardi.

“If the rumours are confirmed on the track Mercedes’ client teams will also have a big benefit, with Force India with an advantage over its direct rivals. They come from two noteworthy seasons, finishing in fourth place, and it can count on a very good pair of young drivers (Perez and Ocon, editor’s note) and on a solid organization. I expect that Williams will be behind after having decided to bet on a pair of very young drivers (Stroll and Sirotkin, editor’s note). Force India could prove to be the surprise package in 2018. Against this, the rumours say that Renault is a little behind schedule” concluded the manager from Faenza.

Maranello is warned. Beware of the “pink panther” of the battle hardened Sergio Peréz and Esteban Ocon.