Both Mercedes and Ferrari got off to disappointing starts under the new regulations, with neither team anywhere near eventual champions Red Bull by the end of the season.
The Silver Arrows have admitted that they misunderstood the physics surrounding the major regulation changes, resulting in the W13 not being anywhere near as competitive as they would have hoped.
The team also had to sacrificed half of the season to solve a violent porpoising problem, resulting in them only being able to pick up a single race win over the course of the year, which came courtesy of George Russell in Brazil.
Ferrari started much more impressively however, boasting the fastest car on the grid in the early stages of the season.
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Unfortunately for the team, reliability issues and strategic blunders cost Charles Leclerc and his team a shot at either championship.
In a bid to solve these issues, Ferrari have replaced their former team principal Mattia Binotto with Alfa Romeo’s Fred Vasseur.
A lot is expected of the Frenchman and he has now suggested that there could be tensions between himself and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, admitting that he doesn’t even speak to the Austrian following his move to Ferrari.
“We will fight on the track, we will argue in front of the race management and the FIA, and also on the Concorde Agreement,” he said via SportsMole.
“But for the greater good, it’s an excellent advantage that there is collaboration between the teams. I have a good relationship with almost all my colleagues which I think is always a good thing.
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“But then be sure I will fight like hell with Toto out on the track.”
With the relationship between Toto Wolff and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner already providing blockbuster entertainment, a three-way rivalry including Fred Vasseur could lead to a phenomenally entertaining title race.
Should Ferrari and Mercedes be able to overcome and correct last season’s mistakes, both teams will be confident of taking home both championships this season, especially with Red Bull battling with their reduction in wind tunnel testing time after breaching the 2021 cost cap.