F1 2013

A friend of mine works for the Lotus F1 team. I hope Grosjean does better than last year lol.

Well now things are getting interesting. Paddy Lowe is leaving McLaren to take over at Mercedes in 2014. I think Merc is stacking the deck for a table run at the rules change. Ross Brawn, Paddy, Lewis...

Tim Goss is taking over this season at McLaren, but they're keeping Paddy "busy" (I'd imagine well away from the 2014 car or engine...)

ransom wrote: 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.

Exactly what I'm thinking.

Having read a few articles about the 2014 engines, and how they will have a MAJOR impact on the car design, that should be a very, very interesting year.

'13 will be as entertaining as ever.

'14 will be a designers clean sheet racing.

Javelin wrote: Well now things are getting interesting. Paddy Lowe is leaving McLaren to take over at Mercedes in 2014. I think Merc is stacking the deck for a table run at the rules change. Ross Brawn, Paddy, Lewis... Tim Goss is taking over this season at McLaren, but they're keeping Paddy "busy" (I'd imagine well away from the 2014 car or engine...)

I don't understand why he is staying and not just going.

Or taking a 6 month holiday and joining at the summer break.

It's not like he will be able ot have a lot of impact on the 2014 car if he doesn't get there until November, well at least not that muhc.

A week to go until opening day! Woot!

Missed this thread while I was on vacation. I think this year is going to come down to Button and AnyonebutAlonso.

Over the three years together Button and Lewis. Lewis scores 657 points and 10 wins, Button got 672 points and 8 wins, pretty damn close. This year Button is undisputed #1 at the team so no taking points from each other. Also as McMerc were out of the WDC race earlier than F car and RB, they've had more time to work on the 13 where by the end of the season I think everyone was working on the 14 cars. So I give JB and McMerc a nod. Finally the new tires are supposed to have a wider optimum operating temp which will play into JB's ultra-smooth driving style and not leave him with front tire temp issues like he suffered last year.

Ferrari improved all year and have significantly updated bodywork and aero for 13 which is where they suffered all year, also, much as I hate anyonebutAlonso, he was the driver of the year in 2012. No one delivered so much, from so little so regularly. I think it's down to those two. Neither of their team mates will offer them serious competition and take points from them, but should both be solid top 10 finishers to help take points from others.

Red Bull are the obvious next team, I just don't see they have the development left in the car. The Vet is good, but I've never considered him on the same plane as Hammy or Alonso who I think are the best on the grid. I doubt they'll pull it off again. If T. Convict has some decent luck he could beat the Vet at last, but it will be for 3rd in the WDC.

Kimi and Lotus will be strong and win races, but I don't see anything to say they've raised their game from last year. They will be fighting for 3rd/4th in the WDC with a couple of wins.

Merc I think will do better, in large part because they now have LCH, but also because like McMerc, they have been working on the 13 car while RB and F were still developing the 12 car. Rosberg will tuck tail between his legs and be soundly thrashed into submission by his new team mate. I see Merc's biggest issue as being they still have too many Chefs, they really need to streamline the management structure.

I like Force India and PDR (No Brit bias here ) but Vija Mallya and some of the other big sponsors are in a world of financial hurt, I don't see them having the money or the focus to continue up the grid, I predict them dropping down this year and being sold within 24 months.

I think Sauber will surprise and do quite well. I think Hulkenberg is a good solid driver, but I think Gutierez could be the shakeup driver of the year.

My prediction for the WDC.

1st. Button or AnyonebutAlonso
2nd Button or AnyonebutAlonso
3rd Kimi
4th Vettel
5th Hammy
6th Grosjean
7th Perez

Hammy/Merc have looked good in preseason testing. Brawn has surprised us all before.

WDC: 1. Alonso 2. Vettel 3. Hamilton 4. Button 5. Kimi

Manufacturers: 1. Red Bull 2. Ferrari 3. McLaren 4. Mercedes 5. Lotus

Also, NBC Sports Network is running an F1 preview show right now with Leigh Diffey, Hobbs, Matchett, and Buxton. Looks like they should have decent coverage, we'll see.

You don't even believe that Ferrari can produce a top 7 car? I understand you don't like Alonso, but seriously?

Maroon92 wrote: You don't even believe that Ferrari can produce a top 7 car? I understand you don't like Alonso, but seriously?

"AnyonebutAlonso" is Ade-speak for "Alonso".

I am hoping for Button to win and Ferrari to crash out of every race.

Let's start a pool: how many total laps will Grosjean manage over the first five races? Will it be in the double digits?

Yes.

I have a feeling Grosjean (and especially Kimi) will be in good form this year.

Kimi, no question. I'm a big Kimi fan. But Grosjean has to stop with the demolition derby driving. He decided the championship last year.

Keith Tanner wrote: Kimi, no question. I'm a big Kimi fan. But Grosjean has to stop with the demolition derby driving. He decided the championship last year.

I'm a big Kimi fan, but blaming Grosjean for deciding the championship (taking Alonso at Spa) is like saying the guy who missed the 3 point shot with 2 seconds lost the game.

Or the kicker who missed the field goal lost the game.

I disagree with that train of thought.

93EXCivic wrote: I am hoping for Kimi to win and Red Bull to crash out of every race.

Fixed that for you.

Keith Tanner wrote: Let's start a pool: how many total laps will Maldonado manage over the first five races? Will it be in the double digits?

And fixed that for you, too.

Look at this way:

Alonso finished every race of the 2012 season except two. Both of those DNFs came after being taken out on the first lap by a Lotus He averaged more than 15 points per race when not taken out by a Lotus. So, assuming he hadn't been almost killed by Grosjean in Spa and had put in an average performance, he would have finished the season with 293 points. Vettel had 281.

If the kicker had missed the field goal and also managed to dislocate the QB's shoulder at the same time, he lost the game.

I could point the finger at either Grosjean or Kimi, but looking at the overall record it's hard to overlook Grosjean's ability to cause collisions.

Keith Tanner wrote: Look at this way: Alonso finished every race of the 2012 season except two. Both of those DNFs came after being taken out on the first lap by a Lotus He averaged more than 15 points per race when not taken out by a Lotus. So, assuming he hadn't been almost killed by Grosjean in Spa and had put in an average performance, he would have finished the season with 293 points. Vettel had 281. If the kicker had missed the field goal and also managed to dislocate the QB's shoulder at the same time, he lost the game. I could point the finger at either Grosjean or Kimi, but looking at the overall record it's hard to overlook Grosjean's ability to cause collisions.

All very true. However, if given the choice, I would much rather have Green Jeans behind me, than Maldanado, if I was personally on grid.

I am hoping for a good showing from Button and Kimi, as those two are the ones I like. Alonso proved a lot to me with his drive last year. Obviously did the most, with the least. And no matter what anyone says, you cannot discount Vettel. If forced to guess who wins it all this year, I would have to, unfortunately, give the nod to Alonso. If Ferrari can get the car right, and he drives like he did last year, he will be hard to beat.

Well, well, well. Hammy and Merc are looking gangbusters, McLaren and Perez are looking like chumps. Pastor's down where his relative skill level should have him, Lotus looked good then faltered, and flippin Vettel on pole.

Nicely done, eventful and tactical race, interesting finish line stats, bring on round 2

Why is it so berkleying hard to find solid information from last year's race? All I want to know is how long it took to run the 2012 race and what the McLaren lap times were and compare them to this year. Can anyone help?

Kimi!!!!

stroker wrote: Why is it so berkleying hard to find solid information from last year's race? All I want to know is how long it took to run the 2012 race and what the McLaren lap times were and compare them to this year. Can anyone help?

Google?

Psyched my boy Kimi had a solid race. I was happy to see Adrian Sutil putting in a solid fight with the big boys.

z31maniac wrote:

stroker wrote: Why is it so berkleying hard to find solid information from last year's race? All I want to know is how long it took to run the 2012 race and what the McLaren lap times were and compare them to this year. Can anyone help?

Google?

Tried that.