Part 1 of Formula 1 2018 Season Review (the teams)

Two parter Formula One season review of the 2018 season. In this post I will review each team of 2018. Which, I will say one sentence that will be positive with each team. And one sentence that will be negative for each team. So starting with Mercedes below.

Mercedes:
+ As you were from 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; Best car and driver on the grid with the W09 EQ Power+, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, with 13 poles, 11 race wins, a Constructors' Title and a Drivers' Title with Lewis Hamilton.
- Double DNF's at Red Bull Ring with mechanical issues for both drivers; also Bottas losing out on wins at Shanghai (safety car), Baku (puncture) and Sochi (team-orders).



Ferrari
+ Impressive performance from Sebastian Vettel; which includes five wins, and Kimi Räikkönen wining a race in Austin.
- SF71H was fast throughout the first half of the season, second half different story, apart from Räikkönen's win in Austin, no Ferrari/Vettel wins after Spa, Vettel crashing out while leading his home race at Hockenheim; also the un-timing death of Former CEO of Ferrari Sergio Marchionne.



Red Bull:
+ Impressive performance from Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen includes race wins for Ricciardo in Shanghai and Monaco, and a race wins for Verstappen at Red Bull Ring and Mexico.
-The Renault Power-Units are still around 50-60bhp less than the Ferrari Power-Units; RB14 is not strong as thought and also reliability has cost Ricciardo podiums this season, enough for Daniel Ricciardo move to Renault despite works Honda deal for Red Bull next season; also Verstappen losing out a win in Brazil.



Renault:
+ Sixth in the Constructors' last season, fourth in the Constructors' this season a much better improvement from Renault; which includes two fifth place finishes for Nico Hülkenberg at Hockenheim and for Carlos Sainz, Jr. at Baku,
-Despite Renault finished fourth in the Constructors' standings, there are still long way behind the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull; signing Daniel Ricciardo for next season will help to catch the top three next season.



Haas:
+ Some impressive performances from Romain Grosjean this season which include a fourth place finish at the Red Bull Ring, and Kevin Magnussen fifth place finishes at Bahrain and the Red Bull Ring; currently fifth the Constructor's standings, fourth possible.
- Double DNF at Melbourne, poor second half of the season cost Haas fourth in the Constructors' Standings; however its still an over-achievement for Haas team to finish in fifth place in Constructor's Standings in their third season of Formula 1.



McLaren:
+ Some great race performances from Fernando Alonso, which include a fifth place finish for Alonso at Melbourne.
- The McL33 has been too slow in qualifying which effected them in the races, also reliable problems (gearbox and exhaust) doesn't help the team; also sacking former Team Boss Éric Boullier in mid-season don't help either; sixth in the Constructors' Standings was an improvement from last season, however the team performances was awful in the second half of the season, another Grand Prix more McLaren would have finished eighth in the standings; and finally the retirement of Fernando Alonso he will be much missed going into 2019.



Force India:
+Some impressive performances from Sergio Pérez this season which include third place finish at Baku.
- The team is put into administration before the Hungarian Grand Prix, despite its backed by a consortium of investors led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll got the team out of administration; concluding losing all points starting from zero from Spa' despite that the team finished seventh in the Constructors’ standings, could have finished sixth if another Grand Prix happened; Meanwhile changing the teams name to Racing Point sounds awful going into 2019.



Sauber:
+ Some impressive performances from Charles Leclerc this season which include a sixth place finish at Baku, eighth in the Constructor's Standings is massive improvement from the team.
- Double DNF at Silverstone, a few DNF's in the last few races cost Sauber sixth in the Constructors' Standings; Leclerc leaving the team to Ferrari next season will hurt the team going into next season, although the team have re-signed Kimi Räikkönen for two more seasons.



Scuderia Toro Rosso:
+ Some impressive performances from Pierre Gasly this season which include a forth place finish at Bahrain and a sixth place finish at the Hungaroring.
- Honda Power-Units are still round 75-80bhp behind of the likes of Ferrari Power-Units; ninth in the Constructor's Standings is unacceptable from the team; Gasly leaving the team to Red Bull next season will hurt the team going into next season.



Williams:
+ Lance Stroll finishing eighth place at Baku is the teams only highlight this season.
- The FW41 been too slow and underdeveloped this season, concluded with tenth in the Constructors' Standings with only seven points, losing main sponsor Martini going into 2019; overall a disastrous season from Williams, nothing positive to say from the team this season.



In part 2 of Formula 1 2018 Season Review my top 10 Formula 1 drivers of 2018. And my final thoughts of Formula 1 2018.