Calls for 2007 pre-season predictions

[Julian Mayo]

I think Trulli needs to get his head straight all the time. Sometimes he gets brilliant results but most of the time he is the one holding people up.

I think people are rating Kubica too high and I really don't know why! He got a podium in Monza, great but it is just one race and it is actually unique among the other tracks or isn't it. He is a rookie just like Hamilton and Kovalainen and I am very very sure that both those two will beat Kubica, maybe not because they are better drivers but they will have better cars.

I can't wait till next week to see how all the cars compare in Valencia. I know I will be more confused but isn't that the purpose

I rate him very highly for:
car control, wet track, n dry track
reflex speed,
ability to force a pass
ability to drive as slowly as needed
good car/tyre conservation
ability to adjust tactics on the move.
I rate
Bruce McLaren
Chris Amon
Larry Perkins
Harald
and many others as fast fine drivers
Stirling Moss was a fine fast driver
Was he over-rated? After all he never won the WDC
So, I rate Kubica as a fine fast driver,
I rate him as faster n smarter than
Fisi
Ralf
Barra
Nick
Sato
DC
Button
Trulli
Of Course this is my personal opinion.
Just as my personal opinion of Webber exsists because I have seen him blow everyone away in a 2 yo car over the opening 4 laps, then nurse the thing home with a clapped out, smoking engine, because he couldnt afford a pre-race rebuild.
And when it rained, n the car was not subject to as much stress,

I realise that this is your personal opinion but what amazes me is that someone with your knowledge and critique of F1 and motorsport in general can conclude from 6 races that Kubica is a fine fast driver rating him above those drivers you listed.

Yet:
- We hardly have seen him actually race (TV footage) so unless you have inside info from BMW then how did you know about his abilities.
- One thing that I have seen is that he spun at least twice in the wet in Hungary. Don't know if that is good car control

To me it is way way too early to start praising someone after 6 races (that only 2 of them he improved from his starting position!!)

Anyway, good luck to your Kubica and I hope he doesn't disappoint you this season ....

One could say the same about Alonso , 2005.

[Ed]

Posted in the Red Bull RB3 thread

Ahah, stimulated by the discussion, enough to join in, huh?

You could say putting a realistic spin on things
And preparing for the season preview

Yeah you should tell us about your predictions... Nothing objective, just what you think.

It is hard given that the teams have just started testing their new cars together on the same track but here are my predictions:

The championship will be fought by 3 teams, Renault, Ferrari and McLaren. Each team has a weakness this season and so the team that can overcome that weakness before the others will win the title.

McLaren have been unreliable in the past and they have 2 new drivers to the team.
Ferrari have lost Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn
Renault have lost Fernando Alonso

While Renault are the most stable technically there is a question mark on Fisichella and whether he is able to deliver at every race. One can't expect Kovalainen to start winning from the first race.

The Brawn/Schumacher partnership in deciding and executing race strategies will be hard to replace. I don't expect to see Massa nor Raikkonen producing stunning drives early in the season but both are quick and should win races.

The reliablity of the Mclaren has been poor for the last 5 or so years particularly at the start of the season. It would be surprising to see them reliable straight away. Having a world champion driving for them will however give them a boost and if the car is reliable he will win races.

For the drivers I see the battle between Raikkonen and Alonso. I suspect it will be very close and at this stage I would tip Alonso (but I think it is because of the good times he has set so far in testing yet Raikkonen has just driven his new car for 1 day).
Massa could win it but I don't think he is consistent enough.

For the constructors, in addition to Ferrari and McLaren, Renault will be up there as well. I suspect Renault to be the most reliable and if they keep collecting points then they may win the constructors despite having an inconsisent driver and a rookie. Ferrari would be second and McLaren third. It will be close though.

Behind them, it is even harder but I suspect Honda to finish 4th (how close to the top 3 will depend on how well Barrichello does. Button should produce some good drives). In 5th Toyota ahead of BMW Sauber. Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli should be able to score more points than Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica. Red Bull in 7th with Super Aguri in 8th ahead of Williams, Toro Rosso and Spyker (yes in that order.

That is the shortest I could make it

Hopefully I can fine tune this in a couple of weeks

[Julian Mayo]

Do you think that given the number of new boys, and young guns, plus drivers settling in to new teams, we could see some topsy turvey results (eg. Webber in Melbourne)?, and if so, do you think those 2-3 races could decide the outcome of the season?
Just by way of idle chat, of course

[gkaytaz]

Thanks Ed.

[Julian Mayo]

Thanks Ed.

Its his job
just joshin, Ed

[Julian Mayo]

I rate him very highly for:
car control, wet track, n dry track
reflex speed,
ability to force a pass
ability to drive as slowly as needed
good car/tyre conservation
ability to adjust tactics on the move.
I rate
Bruce McLaren
Chris Amon
Larry Perkins
Harald
and many others as fast fine drivers
Stirling Moss was a fine fast driver
Was he over-rated? After all he never won the WDC
So, I rate Kubica as a fine fast driver,
I rate him as faster n smarter than
Fisi
Ralf
Barra
Nick
Sato
DC
Button
Trulli
Of Course this is my personal opinion.
Just as my personal opinion of Webber exsists because I have seen him blow everyone away in a 2 yo car over the opening 4 laps, then nurse the thing home with a clapped out, smoking engine, because he couldnt afford a pre-race rebuild.
And when it rained, n the car was not subject to as much stress,

I realise that this is your personal opinion but what amazes me is that someone with your knowledge and critique of F1 and motorsport in general can conclude from 6 races that Kubica is a fine fast driver rating him above those drivers you listed.

Yet:
- We hardly have seen him actually race (TV footage) so unless you have inside info from BMW then how did you know about his abilities.
- One thing that I have seen is that he spun at least twice in the wet in Hungary. Don't know if that is good car control

To me it is way way too early to start praising someone after 6 races (that only 2 of them he improved from his starting position!!)

Anyway, good luck to your Kubica and I hope he doesn't disappoint you this season ....

One could say the same about Alonso , 2005.

Good God!! I just stumbled upon a half dead memory cell!!! (His compatriots are far worse off ) Its feeble, flickering circuit attempted to splutter that I did indeed say something to that effect, prior to race day, Melbourne , 2005 That couldn't be correct, surely????
(Must find some more WT n put the poor little bugga out of his misery

[jacfan]

Memory cells don't actually exist... they are really just scraps of left over pizza you ate when you were five.

[Julian Mayo]

Memory cells don't actually exist... they are really just scraps of left over pizza you ate when you were five.

5.......pizza?????
I Like vegemite s'whiches n aeroplane jelly

[jacfan]

If you find a few brain cells ... as opposed to memory cells... you can eat them but they may need a bit of pre-seasoning....

[Julian Mayo]

If you find a few brain cells ... as opposed to memory cells... you can eat them but they may need a bit of pre-seasoning....

Mine are
must now, Blanky, Deb here I am coming, Ya?

[Ed]

Do you think that given the number of new boys, and young guns, plus drivers settling in to new teams, we could see some topsy turvey results (eg. Webber in Melbourne)?, and if so, do you think those 2-3 races could decide the outcome of the season?
Just by way of idle chat, of course

Webber in Melbourne ? Ralf Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello weren't rookies

However, that is possible particulary given that we will have 3 rookies in top or upper midfield teams (Hamilton, Kovalainen and Kubica) however unless one driver is very unlucky/lucky all the top drivers and teams will have their fair share.

In the past few years we haven't seen many pileups and the drivers have been fairly disciplined with their starts so I would say the possibility of that happening will be fairly low.

Having said that, if it is very close at the end of the season then one can look back and say it was due to this rookie or that!

[gkaytaz]

In the past few years we haven't seen many pileups and the drivers have been fairly disciplined with their starts so I would say the possibility of that happening will be fairly low.

Don't underestimate MW and the first corner

[jacfan]

The only thing I can predict with certainty is that I will be enjoying the races.

[gkaytaz]

The only thing I can predict with certainty is that I will be enjoying the races.

If you're certain of something would that still be a prediction?

[Julian Mayo]

Do you think that given the number of new boys, and young guns, plus drivers settling in to new teams, we could see some topsy turvey results (eg. Webber in Melbourne)?, and if so, do you think those 2-3 races could decide the outcome of the season?
Just by way of idle chat, of course

Webber in Melbourne ? Ralf Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello weren't rookies

However, that is possible particulary given that we will have 3 rookies in top or upper midfield teams (Hamilton, Kovalainen and Kubica) however unless one driver is very unlucky/lucky all the top drivers and teams will have their fair share.

In the past few years we haven't seen many pileups and the drivers have been fairly disciplined with their starts so I would say the possibility of that happening will be fairly low.

Having said that, if it is very close at the end of the season then one can look back and say it was due to this rookie or that!

I meant that, with young guns near the pointy end, could we see someone get an unexpected bunch of points, as Webber did, which, combined with close competition......aaaaaaah I am sure you get the picture......surfs up......see y'all