FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[scotty]

Starts 3 weeks tomorrow. That's the good thing about these longer seasons, the break isn't quite so unbearable... can't wait to see the new cars on track and start making wayward predictions based on the times

[What's Burning?]

Schumacher tops the time sheets day one!

[LewEngBridewell]

Vettel to put in the wall on day 1

(Basing this on his traditional erratic form during FP1 sessions throughout 2011).

[andrew]

McLaren will be way off the pace in testing and will then be miraculously on the pace come the first race or at the very least miles ahead of where they appeared to be during the final test in a change of form that is worthy of the most hackneyed of low budget straight to daytime TV films.

[McLaren]

Schumacher tops the time sheets day one!

ok you need to go into rehab before the season starts.

[McLaren]

McLaren will be way off the pace in testing and will then be miraculously on the pace come the first race or at the very least miles ahead of where they appeared to be during the final test in a change of form that is worthy of the most hackneyed of low budget straight to daytime TV films.

I've got a feeling McLaren are going to be on the pace straight off this season.
Red bull never bother to post fast times in testing.So if they are quick we really will have a boring season.

[The_Stig_Money]

Hamilton gets his first penalty of the year and the RB8 spends most of its time in scrutineering (sp) lol

[Cai]

I'm hoping for a ridiculously equal grid this year. Obviously we won't really know anything 'till Melbourne, but think about it:

Red Bull - with blown diffusers banned surely they'll have much less of an advantage.

McLaren - haven't heard anything about McLaren yet, maybe they're hiding something special?

Ferrari - with all the new technical staff and with their own version of reactive suspension they'll be hoping on climbing up the grid.

Mercedes - with the front wing f-duct and apparently reactive suspension too they'll be stronger this year.

Lotus - as pioneers of reactive suspension their system will surely have a performance advantage over any copies.

Force India - I read an interview somewhere saying that the expect to be 5th minimum and realistically they think they'll finish 3rd!

Hopefully the cars will be quite close this year

[scotty]

I'm hoping for a ridiculously equal grid this year. Obviously we won't really know anything 'till Melbourne

Agreed... my personal thoughts on each team:

Red Bull - with blown diffusers banned surely they'll have much less of an advantage.

In theory, but they're world champs for a reason so i would still class them as favourites.

McLaren - haven't heard anything about McLaren yet, maybe they're hiding something special?

You could say that about any team really though, but nonetheless McLaren are usually there or thereabouts. McLaren have pulled something innovative out the bag for the last 2 seasons now though, we'll see if they can get a hat trick (without outsmarting themselves this year).

Ferrari - with all the new technical staff and with their own version of reactive suspension they'll be hoping on climbing up the grid.

They're talking a big talk. Pressure is on for them this season... but they are capable of delivering. I would expect a slightly better season than last for them given their issues in 2011 and completion of a transitional period.

Mercedes - with the front wing f-duct and apparently reactive suspension too they'll be stronger this year.

The front wing f-duct is still mostly rumour at this stage... i honestly can't see them catching the front 3 though. If they can stop the car eating it's tyres this year it'll be a start.

Lotus - as pioneers of reactive suspension their system will surely have a performance advantage over any copies.

Perhaps, although i think the real advantage will lie in combining this technology with flexi front wings. Lotus should benefit massively from the HBD ban though.

Force India - I read an interview somewhere saying that the expect to be 5th minimum and realistically they think they'll finish 3rd!

I would be VERY surprised if they finished 5th again to be honest. They gained a lot from blown diffusers near the end of last season where other teams lost out a lot (same goes for Toro Rosso). Now that extra chunk of pace has been removed...

[Cai]

And we've got the winners of the last 12 Driver's Tittles (2000 - 2011) lining up on the grid across 5 teams! It's so hard to call this year

[LewEngBridewell]

And we've got the winners of the last 12 Driver's Tittles (2000 - 2011) lining up on the grid across 5 teams! It's so hard to call this year

25% of the grid. I think I'm correct in saying this makes it the most garlanded grid ever!

[JamesD89]

Schumacher tops the time sheets day one!

In the old car? Even my optimism has a limit!

[What's Burning?]

Schumacher tops the time sheets day one!

In the old car? Even my optimism has a limit!

It was tongue in cheek of me, if not bordering on head up @ss but rambunctious exuberance knows no bounds in our little corner of the internet.

[bud]

Schumacher tops the time sheets day one!

In the old car? Even my optimism has a limit!

Well that's not so far fetched, while everyone is shaking down their new cars teams with last years cars know it inside and out and can put the hammer down straight away, Even with 2012 parts added.

[geetface9]

imagine if webber won the 2010 wdc...we'd have 7 champions lining up this year!!