It's time once again for F1 predictions, news and gossip.

Last year's Spygate, Hamilton/Alonso rift and Kimi's last minute heroics proved too much for Ron Dennis. Rumor has it that he will officially step down as team boss sometime this week. Many think, as I do, that this was inevitable. I’m sure his sponsors had something to do with this. Ron’s credibility took a big hit with the way he handled Spygate (too much to regurgitate here).

As far as my prediction for this year’s winners (driver and constructor), I will have to go with Kimi as driver and a toss-up between Ferrari and McLaren for constructor. And I only say McLaren because I am a Hamilton fan, and not a McLaren fan. I’m sure Lewis will get his fair share of points, along with Heikki Kovalainen, which will help the team, but I don’t think Lewis can beat Kimi one-on-one.

I also want to toss out to you all my thoughts on test drivers. Their importance and contributions to any team is enormous. I feel that the Japanese teams, specifically Honda and Toyota, continually underestimate the importance of test drivers. Racers like Ralf Schumacher (good riddance), Jenson Button and to some extent, Rubens Barrichello, are just drivers, maybe even passengers. They do not know how to develop a car. Look at Ferrari…even Michael Schumacher continues to put in test laps for the historic Scuderia. It is drivers like MS, Fernando Alonso, Luca Badoer and Pedro de la Rosa, who are real race drivers. Until the Japanese teams get some real testers signed to their teams, they will never vie for the F1 Constructors’ Title.

Well, that’s it for now from me. Gentlemen…start your engines!!!

I think you will find most Americans out of touch with F1. They think everyone races in circles.

I wouldn't completely write off Renault. They won in '06 at the expense of '07 R&D, then pretty much went straight to the '08 car. So Alonso is the dark horse.

I'll hedge with Hamilton as driver and Ferrari as constructor.

Half Schumacher says it all...

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:
I think you will find most Americans out of touch with F1. They think everyone races in circles.

I must disagree.

Maybe there will be less interest this year because there is no USGP, but there are race fans everywhere.

quote:

Originally posted by Mezzo Litro:

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:
I think you will find most Americans out of touch with F1. They think everyone races in circles.

I must disagree.

Maybe there will be less interest this year because there is no USGP, but there are race fans everywhere.

It won't effect the hard-core fans, just the incidental ones. Mostly those in relative proximity to the track. I don't think the USGP increased F1's niche much at all.

quote:

Originally posted by Mezzo Litro:

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:
I think you will find most Americans out of touch with F1. They think everyone races in circles.

I must disagree.

Maybe there will be less interest this year because there is no USGP, but there are race fans everywhere.

I was referring to most Americans in general, not most Americans on this board. The Americans on this board are a bit different than the norm.

With recent news re McLaren, with Ron Dennis getting sacked, I would expcet them to regress.

BMW will improve and be on podium in Oz

Renault will start slow, and be on podiums mis-season.

Red Bull & Toro Rosso will struggle and then get their s^&* together

Force Inda = Farce India

Super Aguri - If they run will beat team cars

Honda & Toyota - Park it

Ferrari - will excell

I firmly feel that US fans only understand NASCAR etc. with roundy round racing. They also do not understand real car set-up and how to technically handle hills, curves, and braking. They have little or no idea what a circuit is VS a track [re oval] Indy cars until they got off an oval were boring.

We forumites may be different than the rest of the American breed, but would doubt that there are that many fans either. Look at Indy F1, few folks show up. Speed week at Daytona for Forluma & production cars [24 hours] few fans. Daytona 500 place is packed.

NASCAR & Indy cars [USAC days] controlled the race with indescriminate yellow flags to keep pack together to provide more 'spectator appeal'

My pedigree re issue: Ex-Formula One official, SCCA official, CART official, race driver of open wheel formulas, and closed wheel [ie Porsche]. Have been in field for 40 years.

PS: IMHO NASCAR is Spelled BORING

NAPCAR/NASCRAP or whatever you want to call it. Sometimes they pull off an okay race at Sears Point, but that's about it.

I actually know a lot of F1 fans (away from the track). My friends who go to Montreal every year saw no reason to change when the Indy deal came along (though I do have friends who've gone to Indy).

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:
I think you will find most Americans out of touch with F1.

I think you will find most Americans are morons.

So Mezzo, are you going to be up at 2Am to watch live from down under? What do you get F1 on in the Great White North anyway? Down here Speed Channel is going to show it on tape delay at noon I believe.

TIVO

I always try to watch every race live on TSN (affiliated with ESPN) or Speed. Unless I know for sure it will be on tape delay early the next morning. I will just have to down a couple extra espressos on Saturday night.

I hope Australia gets to keep its GP for next year. I've become a real pro on this track when I play F1 on my PS3. I don't like the "night time" race Bernie is trying to force on them, but who knows...maybe it will be very exciting. It's not a new thing in racing, but definitely very new for F1. And we know how much F1 hates radical changes.

What are your predictions for this GP? I will make my prediction after qualifying

1st Kimi
2nd A BMW - Rosbrg
3rd Mclaren
4th Renault
5th BMW
6th Massa

Will be the last land of Oz race

We'll have to see how qualifying goes, but I think this may be Massa's year. After how he helped out Kimi, and was not outwardly bitter (see F. Alonso), the powers to be at the prancing horse should give him a chance to be the champ. He also is of Italian blood, which must make him more popular with the hometown fans. Last year my preseason pick was Kimi, and I can certainly see him winning it all again, still something tells me Massa will be number one for Ferrari this season.

Next year's Aussie GP is starting at 5PM (instead of 1PM). They are obviously trying to come to some sort of compromise with Bernie, who is set on a night race. It will cost the organizers about $40 million to install the required lights.

And VT2IT, I didn't know Massa had Italian blood. I thought he was all Brazilian. Even so, I hope he does well too this year. But Kimi is still my odds on favourite.

quote:

Originally posted by Mezzo Litro:
And VT2IT, I didn't know Massa had Italian blood. I thought he was all Brazilian.

His grandfather was from the town of Cerignola in Apulia. Former New York mayor Fiorello LaGuardia's father was also born there.

Tough break for Kimi. Great show by BMW.

Prediction for tonight: 1. Hamilton 2. Massa 3. Heidfeld or Kubica

I don't see Kovalainen hanging on to his top 3 position.

Raikkonen should make it into the top 8, maybe top 6.

My dark horse to score some points (besides Raikkonen) is of course....Alonso...even though the Renault has some issues.

I didn't see Qualifying live (2 AM start for me), but I'm happy to report that Ferrari have locked up row 1. Massa P1 and Kimi P2.

And although the McLaren's finished 3 and 4, they were both penalized for impendinng in Qualifying Q3. Basically, on their slow down laps, they drove slowly on the racing line, 'causing Heidfeld and Alonso to take a different race line as they were still on hot laps. Could have been intentional...could have been mistake. Who knows. McLaren will be under the microscope all year long (or until Ron resigns).

Sunday's race will be good. Hopefully the rain holds out. And Hopefully Ferrari can redeem themselves from last weekend's disaster finish (actually, non-finishes).

Prediction:

1. Massa
2. Raikkonen
3. Heidfeld

Looks like old Max is going to make everyone forget about Ron Dennis' problems for awhile. Click

I read about this earlier today too. I didn't know what to think. Oh boy !....

Seems that Max got his sexual energy along with his politics from dear old dad. "Mosley was a noted philanderer and had numerous affairs, including, before his first marriage, a short romance with his first wife's older sister Mary Irene Curzon.

In May 1920, he married Cynthia Curzon (known as 'Cimmie'), second daughter of George Nathaniel Curzon, Lord Curzon of Kedleston, (a former Viceroy of India), and Lord Curzon's first wife, the American mercantile heiress, the former Mary Victoria Leiter. Lord Curzon had to be persuaded that Mosley was a suitable husband, as he suspected Mosley was largely motivated by social advancement and her inheritance. Nevertheless, the wedding was the social event of the year, attended by many branches of European royalty, including King George V and Queen Mary.

He had three children by Cynthia: Vivien (b. 1921), Nicholas Mosley (b. 1923), who wrote a biography of his father, and Michael (1932).

During this marriage he had an extended affair with his wife's younger sister Lady Alexandra Metcalfe, as well as their stepmother, Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston, the American-born second wife and widow of Lord Curzon of Kedleston.

Cynthia died of peritonitis in 1933, which left Mosley (though stricken with grief and remorse) free to marry his then current mistress Diana Guinness, née Mitford, (one of the celebrated Mitford sisters). They married in secret in 1936, in the Berlin home of Nazi chief Joseph Goebbels. Adolf Hitler was one of the guests. By Diana Mitford, he had two sons: Alexander (b. 1938) and Max Mosley (b. 1940), who is president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)." While he will never be as evil as his father, I hate seeing people like this in positions of power.

Meeting in Paris next month to review issue. Dutch Sporting group has already announced that they will vote to toss him.

I doubt that the other 221 delegates will be too optomistic to keep him on.

The PM of Baharain told Max to stay home as he was not welcome in the country.

Not too sure who will follow Max, but doubt it will be Todt.

Massa looked really sharp today, let's see if he can finish a race. Hamilton wrecked bad. Unhurt, but the car is toast.

Okay gentlemen. What is your prediction for tomorrow's race? I don't remember if turn 1 is a crazy and dangerous corner, so barring any first corner antics, I'm going with Kimi, Kubica, Hamilton and Massa as my top 4 finishers. Although Kimi has been a bit low key this weekend