F1: 3 sub-plots that could emerge in 2019

What makes a Formula 1 season take the leap from intriguing to riveting? It is the quality of sub-plots to the main storyline that feeds the title fight. Last year it was the absolute madness in the driver transfer market just post the mid-way mark of the 21 races. While a Sebastian Vettel-Charles Leclerc contest is eagerly awaited for its obvious ramifications, it is more of a main event battle.

Of the three sub-plots put forth in this article that might emerge in 2019, the Ocon story has a very strong chance of happening, while the Hulkenberg one has a reasonable chance and the Toro Rosso development might be genuinely a surprise.

But, nothing should be discounted. Let's look at the storylines that have a chance of spicing up the news cycles.

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#3 Esteban Ocon replaces Bottas

The pressure on Bottas is going to be immense

Everyone in F1 knows that Valtteri Bottas is under extreme pressure to justify his seat at Mercedes. While Ocon was caught out in the aftermath of the Force India-Lawrence Stroll consortium deal, he out-qualified Sergio Pérez as was mandated by Mercedes.

His reputation is intact and Toto Wolff has promised him a competitive seat in 2020. That statement is not of any assurance to Bottas, who by his own admission had the worst season of his career. His weak performances were further highlighted by the superlative drives of Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes car.

Whether locked in a tight constructor's battle or not, if Bottas does not step up, Ocon, the reserve driver for Mercedes this year, might be given the go-ahead to replace the Finn. It might be harsh, but it is fair. This possibility may become an eventuality as early as the summer break.

#2 Nico Hulkenberg beats Daniel Ricciardo

One battle that will be fascinating to watch unfold

One driver has a single pole and no podium in his career. The other is a multiple race-winner and the most daring overtaker currently operating an F1 steering wheel. One is 31 and German. The other is 29 and Australian.

One is in the last year of his contract at Renault, the other is on his first. One has out-qualified and outscored his team-mate in 2018 and the other has not. One is the incumbent and the other is the threat.

One is Nico Hulkenberg, the other is Daniel Ricciardo. It is difficult to pick a winner here; while Ricciardo comes with the higher pedigree, Hulkenberg is well-settled in the French team.

The Aussie, in fact, might have to adjust to the new car and the surroundings and might find it hard to beat a very motivated and capable driver, determined to not lose his number 1 status. It should be close and can go either way.

#1 Toro Rosso is faster than Red Bull

Toro Rosso faster than Red Bull might be unlikely, but stranger things have happened

This would be the younger sibling catching the older one napping. For years, Toro Rosso have been the sister squad looking at the success of the Red Bull just aspiring to take that step themselves. Many times, the two sides didn't even have the same engine in their chassis.

When Red Bull finally grew tired of Renault engines and wanted a way out, they used Toro Rosso as the mule and ran Honda engines with them last year to prepare for the senior team's switch in 2019.

Toro Rosso essentially wrote off their entire season and spent it as on-track, in-race development. While the collaboration is not on the levels of Ferrari and Haas, there was extensive data sharing with Red Bull with regards to the progress of the Honda engine.

With so much first-hand knowledge of the Japanese engine and its entire efforts focussed on 2019, it might just so happen that Toro Rosso come up with a better package than Red Bull, at least initially. That would be a tasty side-treat indeed.