First race is less than a month away, you guys are slacking! Thoughts?
The Top Gear interview with Hami was interesting. I can definitely see wanting to "build" a team back into champions. I think he'll surprise people and win a few, Rosberg might get one, too.
The pay-for-seats in the back half of the grid is stupid and frustrating. Caterham should be last, Marussia might get a point out of Chilton. Williams looks desperate and Maldonado should total a few people. Force India had flashes of brilliance all last season, I hope they do well. Sauber is on my hate list for dropping Kobi, so I hope that's who Pastor is crashing into.
Now, the guns that matter. Obviously Vettel's car should fail every race (I hate that guy!) but I do hope to see Webber back in the victory circle. Grosjean might win one, but I predict Kimi will win a bunch and nab the Driver's title. Perez and Button should each win one as well. I don't know about Massa, I personally think Ferrari was nuts to sign him again. Alonso will do driver's title worthy drives all year again and probably fall short. If good Massa shows up, Ferrari for the constructor's; bad Massa = Lotus wins. I really don't see Red Bull doing a 4-peat in either category.
What say you?
Being that this car is nothing more than an evolution of last years car, I don't see the results being much different.
Red Bull will sweep the constructors championship.
Fred took points in every race last season, except the two that he was annihilated in the first corner. I would pick him for the driver's champ.
Honestly, I expect more from Williams. They went back to the drawing board for this years car, and have a completely revolutionized car. Let's hope the data was right, and this car is quicker. They've had a rough time since 2005/2006ish, and I'd like to see them turn it around.
I like Kimi, and I think he will do well, also.
I wish Lewis well, and I think he will do better when out from under the coddling shadow of McLaren International and Ronny D. I still think he's a self-entitled prick, but he's a heck of a driver when he knuckles down.
I do not like Seb Vet, and I hope Webbo sabotages his car a bit.
I hope Vet & Alonso crash each other out in every race.
More interested in Nascar. 
Javelin wrote:
Grosjean might win one...
Hmmm.
I think a safer bet would be that he might make it past the first lap some race.
jstein77 wrote:
Javelin wrote:
Grosjean might win one...
Hmmm.
I think a safer bet would be that he might make it past the first lap some race.
You're confusing him for Maldonado, that guy did far worse last season!
Maroon92 wrote:
Being that this car is nothing more than an evolution of last years car, I don't see the results being much different.
Red Bull will sweep the constructors championship.
Fred took points in every race last season, except the two that he was annihilated in the first corner. I would pick him for the driver's champ.
Honestly, I expect more from Williams. They went back to the drawing board for this years car, and have a completely revolutionized car. Let's hope the data was right, and this car is quicker. They've had a rough time since 2005/2006ish, and I'd like to see them turn it around.
I like Kimi, and I think he will do well, also.
I wish Lewis well, and I think he will do better when out from under the coddling shadow of McLaren International and Ronny D. I still think he's a self-entitled prick, but he's a heck of a driver when he knuckles down.
I do not like Seb Vet, and I hope Webbo sabotages his car a bit.
I'll pick the guy that completed every lap last season.
Kimi!
The only way I would like to see Red Bull win again is if Webber somehow pulls off the WDC. But that would NEVER happen, unfortunately.
Javelin wrote:
jstein77 wrote:
Javelin wrote:
Grosjean might win one...
Hmmm.
I think a safer bet would be that he might make it past the first lap some race.
You're confusing him for Maldonado, that guy did *far* worse last season!
Maldonado didn't get banned for a race for causing a first lap wreck. Quote from Wiki:
"At Spa Grosjean caused a multicar pile-up at the start of the race, with Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sergio Pérez all eliminated from the race as well as Grosjean; the incident was started when Grosjean drove into Hamilton on the approach to the La Source corner.[31] Grosjean was given a one race ban post-race (the first driver to be banned since Michael Schumacher in 1994),"
z31maniac wrote:
Maroon92 wrote:
Being that this car is nothing more than an evolution of last years car, I don't see the results being much different.
Red Bull will sweep the constructors championship.
Fred took points in every race last season, except the two that he was annihilated in the first corner. I would pick him for the driver's champ.
Honestly, I expect more from Williams. They went back to the drawing board for this years car, and have a completely revolutionized car. Let's hope the data was right, and this car is quicker. They've had a rough time since 2005/2006ish, and I'd like to see them turn it around.
I like Kimi, and I think he will do well, also.
I wish Lewis well, and I think he will do better when out from under the coddling shadow of McLaren International and Ronny D. I still think he's a self-entitled prick, but he's a heck of a driver when he knuckles down.
I do not like Seb Vet, and I hope Webbo sabotages his car a bit.
I'll pick the guy that completed every lap last season.
Kimi!
The only way I would like to see Red Bull win again is if Webber somehow pulls off the WDC. But that would NEVER happen, unfortunately.
But that would NEVER BE ALLOWED to happen... FIFY
In reply to jstein77:
Only because Pastor has a better "in" with the FIA. Go back and watch all the races from last season and count how many cars each one takes out...
z31maniac wrote:
I'll pick the guy that completed every lap last season.
Kimi!
That is exactly why I think the Iceman will reign again.
I'm going with Alonso, mainly because the Ferrari looks much improved. The biggest difference is that it appears they can adjust reliably, something last year's car wasn't able to do.
In many ways, this could be a better year than last year. I think Lotus will be strong, at least at the start, and Mclaren also looks very strong. The big problem is the home stretch, where teams with the bigger budgets can keep up a development pace the others can't match. It will keep Red Bull, Ferrari and Mclaren as the cars to beat. Mercedes is the dark horse, but so far, they haven't show much. But who knows.
I'm not the biggest Alonso fan, but it looks to be his year I think.
oldsaw
PowerDork
2/21/13 5:51 p.m.
racerdave600 wrote:
I'm not the biggest Alonso fan, but it looks to be his year I think.
I second that thought, even though I am most definitely NOT a Ferrari fan. Personal fave for the championship is Button with Vettel/Kimi tied for a close second.
Button may not be the best all the time, but he is consistently very fast, moreso in bad conditions or when the car is spot-on. I really like Seb; he's a lot like a youthful Schumacher but without the ruthlessness shown so often by the Chin. If Renault can build a fast, relaible car and don't screw up tire strategy, Kimi's gonna be a contender.
I think two years ago, I said the anti-Vettel guys would be whining about his second championship at the end of the season, and last year there would be whining about his third championship. I see no good reason to back off a completely successful prediction, so in about 8 months, Javelin and his cohorts will be sobbing in their beer yet again.
HOWEVER...As always, the team with the best qualifying package will win the championship, unless they completely sacrifice racepace to do it.
My Vettel hate cost me dearly in my F1 fantasy leagues last season. I won't make the same mistake again.
I want to want to watch. I'm curious about the 2014 cars, and wonder where that put people with regard to how many resources to pour into the 2013 development.
The title last year was really decided by Grosjean. If he hadn't taken out Alonso on the first corner in Belgium, Alonso probably would have taken the championship.
How can F1 be the pinnacle of the sport, and really, really amazing when you look at the level of the cars and of the drivers and of everything involved, and still be so... blah... when it comes to the actual racing?
I know, there are no simple answers, and half the things you might want to try (e.g. less aero) arguably reduce it as the pinnacle it needs to be.
Aren't the German touring cars back in one form or another?
Enyar
Reader
2/21/13 9:04 p.m.
Is there a good blog to follow this?
