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2019 Formula One Series - OVERVIEW

The 2019 F1 season features 21 races all across the world. Unfortunately, Motorsport Manager doesn’t feature tracks at all of the real-life F1 destinations so there are a few repeat visits among the 21 stops on the schedule, albeit using different track configurations for any of those repeat visits. The prize fund in 2019 is a whopping £500,000,000 and the series has an estimated world-wide TV Audience of 425 million...seems high but that’s impressive!

There are ten teams fighting for the constructors championship in F1 in 2019. Here's a brief look at our nine opponents:

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda, Italy, 3 stars out of five (Expected Finish: 10th)
- Switching to Honda engines for 2018 was a massive risk but has been negotiated adequately. Daniil Kvyat returns after being ditched by the team at the end of 2017. Alongside him is Formula 2 race winner Alexander Albon. Keeping off the foot of the table will be the aim for this team this year.
- Chairman: Dietrich Mateschitz
- Team Principal: Franz Tost
- Budget: £100,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Honda), Fuel (Esso), Chassis Materials (Red Bull Racing), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (TAG)
- Drivers: Alexander Albon, 22, Thailand (0 career races) and Daniil Kvyat, 24, Russia (72 races, 2 podiums, 0 wins); Reserve Driver: Niko Kari, 19, Finland (0 career races)

Alfa Romeo Racing, Switzerland, 3.25 stars (Expected finish: 8th)
- Sauber, now renamed to Alfa Romeo Racing, were the most improved team during the 2018 season. Charles Leclerc proved he is the real deal but has moved up to Ferrari. In his place, veteran Kimi Raikkonen has returned to the team where he made his debut in 2001. Alongside him races the fast but error-prone Antonio Gionvinazzi. A solid midfield placing will be the hope for this fan favourite team.
- Chairman: Pascal Picci
- Team Principal: Frederic Vasseur
- Budget: £100,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Ferrari), Fuel (Shell), Chassis Materials (Ferrari), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (Magneti Marelli)
- Main Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen, 39, Finland (291 races, 103 podiums, 21 wins) and Antonio Giovinazzi, 25, Italy (2 races, 0 podiums, 0 wins); Reserve Driver: Tatiana Calderon, 23, Columbia (0 career races)

ROKiT Williams Racing, United Kingdom, 3.5 stars (Expected finish: 7th)
- After being rejuvenated by Mercedes engines from 2014 onwards, Williams are sliding down the F1 order, finishing last in 2018. The team’s reliance on pay drivers has failed to keep the team financially competitive. F2 champion George Russell has been recruited alongside returning fan favourite Robert Kubica.
- Chairman: Sir Frank Williams
- Team Principal: Claire Williams
- Budget: 125,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Mercedes), Fuel (Petronas), Chassis Materials (Mercedes), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (Mercedes)
- Main Drivers: George Russell, 21, England (0 career races) and Robert Kubica, 34, Poland (76 races, 12 podiums, 1 win); Reserve Driver: Sergei Sirotkin, 23, Russia (21 races, 0 podiums, 0 wins)

Rich Energy Haas F1 Team, United States, 3.5 stars (Expected finish: 6th)
- The American Haas team has proved far more successful than anticipated during their first three seasons in Formula 1, although other teams remain suspicious of their close ties to Ferrari. Drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean are consistent and fast. New sponsorship from Rich Energy has raised eyebrows but financial security will be key for this new team to continue their remarkable run.
- Chairman: Gene Haas
- Team Principal: Guenther Steiner
- Budget: 110,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Ferrari), Fuel (Shell), Chassis Materials (Ferrari), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (Magneti Marelli)
- Main Drivers: Kevin Magnussen, 26, Denmark (81 races, 1 podium, 0 wins) and Romain Grosjean, 32, Switzerland (143 races, 10 podiums, 0 wins); Reserve Driver: Pietro Fittipaldi, 22, Brazil (0 career races)

McLaren F1 Team, United Kingdom, 3.5 stars (Expected finish: 5th)
- McLaren are currently enduring the worst few seasons in their glorious history. The ill-fated partnership with Honda has been abandoned but car performance has not improved as expected. Fernando Alonso has walked away to race in IndyCars and a new driver pairing has been enlisted. Further changes will be required to restore this team to past glories.
- Chairman: Zak Brown
- Team Principal: Gil De Ferran
- Budget: 170,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Renault), Fuel (Castrol), Chassis Materials (McLaren), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (McLaren)
- Main Drivers: Carlos Sainz Jr., 24, Spain (81 races, 0 podiums, 0 wins) and Lando Norris, 19, England (0 career races); Reserve Driver: Sergio Sette Camara, 20, Brazil (0 career races)

Renault F1 Team, France, 3.75 stars (Expected finish: 4th)
- Having re-entered Formula 1 in 2016, Renault are now ready to lead the charge to the top teams. A 4th place constructors finish was achieved in 2018 and the team is ready to build from there. Daniel Ricciardo has been lured from Red Bull to race alongside the highly rated Nico Hulkenberg, as both aim for podiums and race wins in the near future.
- Chairman: Thierry Koskas
- Team Principal: Cyril Abiteboul
- Budget: 250,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Renault), Fuel (Castrol), Chassis Materials (Renault), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (Renault)
- Main Drivers: Daniel Ricciardo, 29, Australia (150 races, 29 podiums, 7 wins) and Nico Hulkenberg, 31, Germany (156 races, 0 podiums, 0 wins); Reserve Driver: Artem Markelov, 24, Russia (0 career races)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, United Kingdom, 3.75 stars (Expected finish: 3rd)
- Red Bull took four drivers and constructors championships between 2010 and 2013 before Mercedes matched their achievements in the years since. In recent years, wins have proven hard to come by and the relationship between Renault and Red Bull has fallen apart. A new partnership with Honda presents an uncertain future. Max Verstappen has impressed since joining in 2016 but new teammate Pierre Gasly will be looking to match him.
- Chairman: Dietrich Mateschitz
- Team Principal: Christian Horner
- Budget: 220,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Honda), Fuel (Mobile 1), Chassis Materials (Red Bull), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (TAG)
- Main Drivers: Max Verstappen, 21, Holland (81 races, 22 podiums, 5 wins) and Pierre Gasly, 23, France (26 races, 0 podiums, 0 wins); Reserve Driver: Brendon Hartley, 29, New Zealand (25 races, 0 podiums, 0 wins)

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Germany, 4.0 stars (Expected finish: 2nd)
- Mercedes have dominated Formula 1 since the introduction of hybrid engines in 2014. Four drivers and constructors championships in a row have cemented their place at the top of the F1 pecking order. Five time champion Lewis Hamilton races alongside Fin Valtteri Bottas, who needs to improve to keep his seat after a winless 2018. Maintaining a competitive car will be a must for a new team principal.
- Chairman: Dieter Zetsche
- Team Principal: Toto Wolff
- Budget: 250,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Mercedes), Fuel (Petronas), Chassis Materials (Mercedes), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (Mercedes)
- Main Drivers: Lewis Hamilton, 34, England (229 races, 134 podiums, 73 wins) and Valtteri Bottas, 29, Finland (118 races, 30 podiums, 3 wins); Reserve Driver: Esteban Ocan, 22, France (50 races, 0 podiums, 0 wins)

Scuderia Ferrari, Italy, 4.0 stars (Expected finish: 1st)
- Ferrari have proven to be the closest challengers to Mercedes in recent years. Vettel came close to the driver’s championship in 2017 and 2018 but missed out to Hamilton. Veteran Kimi Raikkonen has made way for the superbly talented Charles Leclerc. Surely Ferrari’s best chance for the driver’s and constructors double lies on the horizon.
- Chairman: Louis Camilleri
- Team Principal: Maurizio Arrivabene
- Budget: 260,000,000
- Suppliers: Engine (Ferrari), Fuel (Shell), Chassis Materials (Ferrari), Brakes (Pirelli), Battery (Magneti Marelli)
- Main Drivers: Sebastian Vettel, 31, Germany (219 races, 111 podiums, 52 wins) and Charles Leclerc, 21, Monaco (21 races, 0 podiums, 0 wins); Reserve Driver: Antonio Fuoco, 22, Italy (0 career races)