THE CYCLE OF EXPECTATIONS

Sergio Perez and Alex Albon make me think of a recurring script in Formula 1: the talented driver who, despite high initial expectations, eventually gets reassessed or downsized. Before diving into this, let’s remember one thing: anyone who makes it to F1 is an extraordinary talent. With that said, let’s move on.

Do you remember what was said when Perez was signed by Red Bull? There were enthusiastic comments like, “Now Max will have a real rival,” or “Perez will push him to give his best.” This excitement came from the fact that Sergio had just completed an excellent season with Racing Point, highlighted by a spectacular win in Bahrain — a race that, incidentally, Russell surely hasn’t forgotten. But a few years later, can we say that, for Max, it really matters who’s in the garage next to him? Personally, I don’t think so. And the idea that Verstappen didn’t want Ricciardo because he feared him? Let’s be serious: should today’s Verstappen really be afraid of this Ricciardo?

Then there’s Albon. After his performances, deemed “disappointing” at Red Bull — especially next to Verstappen — Alex managed to rebuild his career at Williams. His performances impressed many, particularly when compared to his teammates, first Latifi and then Sargeant, to the point where it was said that he was the true added value of the “mediocre” Williams. However, since being paired with a rookie, not one of the most anticipated names either, like Colapinto, Albon’s image has quickly been put into perspective, showing that perhaps Williams isn’t as bad as it seemed. So why do these narratives form? Albon has always been a good driver, certainly not Red Bull material, but alongside Latifi and Sargeant, he was portrayed as a phenomenon. Similarly, Perez, who was supposed to challenge Max, is now almost treated with disdain. Who built up these high expectations, only to have them inevitably unmet?

The world of Formula 1, and motorsport in general, is much more complex than it seems from the outside. Simplifying things with statements like “Albon’s magic” or “Perez is beyond comment, time for the young guns” is unfair and, in the case of Perez, disrespectful. A few years ago, Albon himself explained in an interview why, in his view, Verstappen stood out so much compared to his teammates. To sum it up, Max has a level of sensitivity, precision, and control that leads both him and the team to pursue extremely advanced car setups that maximize the car’s potential but are tough for anyone else to handle. It’s not an easy equation: if you’re three-tenths quicker than your teammate, you’re a genius, if you’re three-tenths slower, you seem almost a novice.

Irvine and Barrichello also arrived at Ferrari with big expectations, but today, no one would call them F1 legends. Except, perhaps, for those few who still believe, after 20 years, that their Ferraris were different from Schumacher’s! As if Michael needed modified cars to outperform his teammates. Just as Albon and Perez’s stories keep circulating in F1, so too do these baseless conspiracy theories that continue to echo in the paddock.

© Simone Marchetti