My predictions seem to be on target post this first race of the season.
Mr Raikkonen made it look easy, Mr Alonso determined and focussed in a difficult situation (more on Mr Hamilton in a moment), Mr Coulthard, still doing what he does from time to time, leaving his head in his trailer (he nearly took off Mr Wurz's), Mr Rosberg, great day's work, Mr Button, beaten by Sato in the "b" team car. Despite what Mr Briatore described as a "rubbish" debut, I still believe Mr Kubica will beat Mr Fisichella over the course of the year, (his pr value would be increased if he would tell people how to pronounce his name).
I had not made a prediction about Mr Hamilton, it would have been hard to predict what happened although I would have had a bet on him finishing in the top three if Mr Ladbrokes' computer hadn't broken down. Difficult to find attractive odds on him doing anything now, sixth was aparantly a rather conservative view on how he might fair in the championship.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
Ah there it is..........
Time indeed to do provide my galaxy of readers with another invaluable prognosis of the season ahead. Firstly, and I think it would be churlish not to, let's review how accurate or otherwise last year's forecast was.
I had backed Alonso as one of two for champion (although Raikkonen came nowhere near close enough to be a valid alternative). 8/10
Button did win one race and failed to be a big threat (although I would admit that he must be happier at Honda than Williams). 7/10
Nico rosberg did not emerge as a major contender, his car did not help however. 0/10
Massa did better than I expected, making a few mistakes initially before using his Ferrari to better effect later in the year. 6/10
Mr Briatore leaving or buying the Renault team turned out to be rubbish. 0/10
I got one out of two on it being Coulthard and Villeneuve's last season; do I get a bonus because Villeneuve didn't make it to the end? 6/10
I also forecast that there would be a sacking at Toyota and there couldn't have been much of a bigger one than Mr Gascoigne's. 9/10
So on to this year. I am sticking my head above the parapit a little here as last years forecasts were produced after the first race of the season but bowing to readership pressure I will have a go (and maybe I will do another one after the first race for fun and because, on this blog, what I say goes).
Mr Alonso will impress in his new MacLaren but will not quite keep his title due to retirements.
Kimi Raikkonen will win with Massa not far off.
Mr Kovalainen will gradually make his team mate Fisichalla look less and less inspiring throughout the year; ultimately Mr F will leave Renault.
Mr Briatore will leave Renault this year (or possibly buy the team).
The Red Bull team will become regular tier two players but this season really will be Coulthard's last (as I reckon the ozzy will be better in the "experienced safe hands" role and there is no shortage of up and coming talent in the Mateschitz stable).
The Toyota team will perform better than last year. They will sign one possibly two significant new drivers for next year.
Kubica will impress.
Hamilton will finish sixth in the season.
I am going to risk my reputation and go for a long shot, Toyota or maybe Honda will sign Michael Schumacher for the follwing season, remember, you heard it here first.
There you go, put that lot in your pipe and smoke it, you can't say that we don't take a ballsy editorial stance down here at Formula 1 Foo Yung.
I had backed Alonso as one of two for champion (although Raikkonen came nowhere near close enough to be a valid alternative). 8/10
Button did win one race and failed to be a big threat (although I would admit that he must be happier at Honda than Williams). 7/10
Nico rosberg did not emerge as a major contender, his car did not help however. 0/10
Massa did better than I expected, making a few mistakes initially before using his Ferrari to better effect later in the year. 6/10
Mr Briatore leaving or buying the Renault team turned out to be rubbish. 0/10
I got one out of two on it being Coulthard and Villeneuve's last season; do I get a bonus because Villeneuve didn't make it to the end? 6/10
I also forecast that there would be a sacking at Toyota and there couldn't have been much of a bigger one than Mr Gascoigne's. 9/10
So on to this year. I am sticking my head above the parapit a little here as last years forecasts were produced after the first race of the season but bowing to readership pressure I will have a go (and maybe I will do another one after the first race for fun and because, on this blog, what I say goes).
Mr Alonso will impress in his new MacLaren but will not quite keep his title due to retirements.
Kimi Raikkonen will win with Massa not far off.
Mr Kovalainen will gradually make his team mate Fisichalla look less and less inspiring throughout the year; ultimately Mr F will leave Renault.
Mr Briatore will leave Renault this year (or possibly buy the team).
The Red Bull team will become regular tier two players but this season really will be Coulthard's last (as I reckon the ozzy will be better in the "experienced safe hands" role and there is no shortage of up and coming talent in the Mateschitz stable).
The Toyota team will perform better than last year. They will sign one possibly two significant new drivers for next year.
Kubica will impress.
Hamilton will finish sixth in the season.
I am going to risk my reputation and go for a long shot, Toyota or maybe Honda will sign Michael Schumacher for the follwing season, remember, you heard it here first.
There you go, put that lot in your pipe and smoke it, you can't say that we don't take a ballsy editorial stance down here at Formula 1 Foo Yung.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
2006 prognosis
After the first race of the season, I forecast the following (with a wee bit of wishful thinking thrown in here and there):
The champion will be one of those on the podium at Bahrain, probably Alonso or Raikkonen
Button will wish he had been driving a Williams by the end fo the season, he may win a race but the fact that the three main protagonists are all so strong and that there is another tranche of not quite as fast drivers (of which he is a member) and his own vulnerabilities will leave him down the order by the end of the year.
Nico Rosberg will become a serious competitor for Raikkonen and Alonso (perhaps not this year) beating Webber this season and in a top car within two seasons
Massa will make too many mistakes (although he is fast), like Montoya
Briatore will leave Renault (or buy the team)
It will be Coulthard and Villeneuve's last season in F1
It will be interesting to find out if:
Raikkonen will stay at Maclaren next year, he and Alonso in the same team would be great
Schumacher retires, (probably not)
Torro Rosso get to keep their V10 with it's current limits
Who gets sacked from Toyota
The champion will be one of those on the podium at Bahrain, probably Alonso or Raikkonen
Button will wish he had been driving a Williams by the end fo the season, he may win a race but the fact that the three main protagonists are all so strong and that there is another tranche of not quite as fast drivers (of which he is a member) and his own vulnerabilities will leave him down the order by the end of the year.
Nico Rosberg will become a serious competitor for Raikkonen and Alonso (perhaps not this year) beating Webber this season and in a top car within two seasons
Massa will make too many mistakes (although he is fast), like Montoya
Briatore will leave Renault (or buy the team)
It will be Coulthard and Villeneuve's last season in F1
It will be interesting to find out if:
Raikkonen will stay at Maclaren next year, he and Alonso in the same team would be great
Schumacher retires, (probably not)
Torro Rosso get to keep their V10 with it's current limits
Who gets sacked from Toyota
Saturday, March 11, 2006
The emperor's new clothes
I have just witnessed the first qualifying session of 2006. M Schumacher has claimed his record equalling 65th pole position despite not having driven the fastest lap! I can understand the need to have cars on track throughout the hour from a viewer and sponsor point fo view; so I don't mind the three seperate sessions but the fuel complexities of the last part turned the event into a sham. Step back people and get your heads out of your arses......please.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Race of the decade
Courtesy of some brilliant driving and a peculiar grid we were treated to some excellent entertainment at the Japanese Grand Prix. This race evidenced a new era in racing with three drivers of Schumacher's standard on the circuit. It showed that it is about drivers; not just equipment. Surely Honda would have had a podium in the hands of an Alonso.
Kimi Raikonnen
Very strong indeed. Through the field from seventeenth position, dramatic last lap overtaking of Fisichella gave him first place . Must be his best career performance.
Giancarlo Fisichella
Shown that he did not have the speed of his team mate or of Raikonnen. Perhaps could have won if he had not felt the need to drive a defensive line into the final chicane on the second from last lap. I bet Flavio wasn't happy despite Renault regaining the constructors' championship lead.
Alonso
I think it would have been a close call for the win if his pit strategy had been better. The best overtaking moves seen in ages, including two on Michael Schumacher, confident, tough and well planned manoeuvres. His second on Schumacher initiated at the spoon to take him into turn one; quite awesome. I don't think that we have ever seen Schumacher this ballsy; as talented perhaps but not as courageous.
Webber
Must have been doing something right. His team must have enjoyed beating Button out of the pits at his last stop.
Button
Once again the Honda team had high expectations for the race; sharing them with we viewers at home. Once again they didn't do the job. I really think that Frank Williams has pulled off a masterstroke by letting Button buy himself out of his contract. There is much talk of Button and the world championship, how long before the Honda top brass start to get fed up; quite a while I reckon, unfortunately.
Montoya
Off again. Of course; not his fault.
Kimi Raikonnen
Very strong indeed. Through the field from seventeenth position, dramatic last lap overtaking of Fisichella gave him first place . Must be his best career performance.
Giancarlo Fisichella
Shown that he did not have the speed of his team mate or of Raikonnen. Perhaps could have won if he had not felt the need to drive a defensive line into the final chicane on the second from last lap. I bet Flavio wasn't happy despite Renault regaining the constructors' championship lead.
Alonso
I think it would have been a close call for the win if his pit strategy had been better. The best overtaking moves seen in ages, including two on Michael Schumacher, confident, tough and well planned manoeuvres. His second on Schumacher initiated at the spoon to take him into turn one; quite awesome. I don't think that we have ever seen Schumacher this ballsy; as talented perhaps but not as courageous.
Webber
Must have been doing something right. His team must have enjoyed beating Button out of the pits at his last stop.
Button
Once again the Honda team had high expectations for the race; sharing them with we viewers at home. Once again they didn't do the job. I really think that Frank Williams has pulled off a masterstroke by letting Button buy himself out of his contract. There is much talk of Button and the world championship, how long before the Honda top brass start to get fed up; quite a while I reckon, unfortunately.
Montoya
Off again. Of course; not his fault.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Dedication's what you need.......
Am I correct in thinking that M Schumacher is only one pole away from the magic total of 64 career poles record set by the fabulous Mr Ayrton Senna? I seem to remember that at the beginning of the year I considered (with a heavy heart, it has to be said), that the German would nab that glory from the most entertaining driver of the last few decades. I am now thinking that, if he does retire at the end of next year, Mr Dress-sense, might possibly do so, missing one record. That would be nice.
MacLaren loses championship
Not to take anything away from some impressive drives from Alonso, particularly fending off Schumacher senior at Imola this year, but those Wokingham folk have thrown the drivers' championship away. Unfortunately the regulations , points available, and sponsors favour the steady; and Messrs Briatore and Co have had their eye on the ball all the way. At least it was more entertaining than another Ferrari snoozefest.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Turkey lurky
Turkish Grand Prix
Beautiful track makes you want to have a go. Everyone says it; turn 8 is a corker. Qualifying was great fun to watch. When Schumacher M. spun at turn 8 and the crowd cheered, James Allen (the ITV commentator) chastised the Turkish spectators for their inexperience. Bollocks, don’t take things so seriously Mr ITV.
In the olden days, the drivers were free to make more mistakes. I think we were deprived of a more interesting race because of one lap qualifying which adds to the overall corporateness of the sport and the pressure on the drivers not to make any errors.
The points system worked for forty odd years before, in an effort to assuage the dominant Schumacher, they started awarding 8 points for second place a couple of years ago. This is another thing that deprives us of a more interesting championship as it places less importance on the win as we head towards the end of the season. (Also Mr Raikkonen would be marginally closer to Snr Alonso in the standings at the moment otherwise).
Kimi Raikkonen
The Man. Nice move on opening lap to take the lead, capitalising on Fisichella’s mistake and fending off Alonso.
Alonso
Made the best of what was available, second was a great result for him; his car was not the second fastest there (or maybe even the third or fourth). Funny rules apparently allow an instruction from his pit telling him to overtake his team-mate because “you are faster than him” at which point his team-mate moves over.
Montoya
Consistently inconsistent. Blamed Monteiro for running into the back of him after passing him and cutting him up. Happened to him before in Brazil and if you are cynical you could say similar to the Monaco problem this year. Shame he didn’t keep Alonso behind him. Managed the fastest lap.
Fisichella
Flavio continues to engineer a safe distance between his number two driver and Alonso. This week it was a fuel rig problem. Some may argue that he deserved to be told to pull over having thrown the lead away on the opening lap.
Button
He looked like he had good fun and a good result to make fifth from 13th on the grid. Didn’t look that ballsy behind Trulli though. Would have been interesting to see what he would have made of a drive from the first or second row of the grid where he certainly could have been. We haven’t seen him playing hard ball with any of the main protagonists yet.
Schumacher M.
Seemed to take out his team’s dip in form on Mr Webber by characteristically driving into the side of him, before stopping for a cup of tea and rejoining the race to improve his qualifying slot at Monza. The ignominy.
Schumacher R.
Another quiet million in the bank.
Webber
I know they all love him, and I know his car hasn’t been great this year, but I remain to be convinced. In his favour, I like the way he drove nose first into his garage having experienced his third rear left tyre blow out of the weekend, would have been daft and dangerous to continue. I suspect that he was not acting on orders.
Beautiful track makes you want to have a go. Everyone says it; turn 8 is a corker. Qualifying was great fun to watch. When Schumacher M. spun at turn 8 and the crowd cheered, James Allen (the ITV commentator) chastised the Turkish spectators for their inexperience. Bollocks, don’t take things so seriously Mr ITV.
In the olden days, the drivers were free to make more mistakes. I think we were deprived of a more interesting race because of one lap qualifying which adds to the overall corporateness of the sport and the pressure on the drivers not to make any errors.
The points system worked for forty odd years before, in an effort to assuage the dominant Schumacher, they started awarding 8 points for second place a couple of years ago. This is another thing that deprives us of a more interesting championship as it places less importance on the win as we head towards the end of the season. (Also Mr Raikkonen would be marginally closer to Snr Alonso in the standings at the moment otherwise).
Kimi Raikkonen
The Man. Nice move on opening lap to take the lead, capitalising on Fisichella’s mistake and fending off Alonso.
Alonso
Made the best of what was available, second was a great result for him; his car was not the second fastest there (or maybe even the third or fourth). Funny rules apparently allow an instruction from his pit telling him to overtake his team-mate because “you are faster than him” at which point his team-mate moves over.
Montoya
Consistently inconsistent. Blamed Monteiro for running into the back of him after passing him and cutting him up. Happened to him before in Brazil and if you are cynical you could say similar to the Monaco problem this year. Shame he didn’t keep Alonso behind him. Managed the fastest lap.
Fisichella
Flavio continues to engineer a safe distance between his number two driver and Alonso. This week it was a fuel rig problem. Some may argue that he deserved to be told to pull over having thrown the lead away on the opening lap.
Button
He looked like he had good fun and a good result to make fifth from 13th on the grid. Didn’t look that ballsy behind Trulli though. Would have been interesting to see what he would have made of a drive from the first or second row of the grid where he certainly could have been. We haven’t seen him playing hard ball with any of the main protagonists yet.
Schumacher M.
Seemed to take out his team’s dip in form on Mr Webber by characteristically driving into the side of him, before stopping for a cup of tea and rejoining the race to improve his qualifying slot at Monza. The ignominy.
Schumacher R.
Another quiet million in the bank.
Webber
I know they all love him, and I know his car hasn’t been great this year, but I remain to be convinced. In his favour, I like the way he drove nose first into his garage having experienced his third rear left tyre blow out of the weekend, would have been daft and dangerous to continue. I suspect that he was not acting on orders.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)