Time to kick start this thread again. So here go my predictions.
1, because of the de-tuned earo reqs, Red Bull will struggle to defend their championship and may see the first break in their quadruple run of doubles.
2, This is Mercedes stated raison de vivre and they've been focusing on it since the middle of 2012. One shot best shot I think.
3, Less aero means less problems with the wind tunnel yes? Pirelli will not be a factor next year as they were this year, so it's a rising Mars for the scuderia.
4, No money and a lack of a Marquee driver, what will it mean for Lotus? No big name will follow knowing they can't cover a paycheck, so the option is a whippersnapper pairing that will fight tooth and nail for every point, maybe even become the darlings of the underdog culture.
5, WWMD what will McLaren do? They've got a new title sponsor and a transitional year before their sweetheart joins them the following year. I think the situation at McLaren will get worse before it gets better, but maybe they can surprise us and actually fight for podiums next year, but I"m thinking that a top three in the WCC is their pie in the sky goal.
6, Sauber has gone the pay team route, they may benefit with the association with Ferrari engines but that's a big if. I think they had the most potential of the mid field teams but Gutierrez has been a dud, and I'm thinking they'll be battling with Toro Rosso for the eighth spot instead of with Force India for the sixth spot.
7, William will bound back, I mean really... how much worse can it get? But the deal with Mercedes to supply their engines will be a boost to them and bring them back up to the top of the mid-field heap I think. Maldonado has to go, he's not a leader, he has no finesse, and Williams would do well to hire someone like Massa to help bring them upstream.
8, Toro Rosso going for the Russian money is a bit of a puzzle to me, they can't possibly be in need of money given the owners, but what it the team's purpose at this point? Is is an expensive driver academy, is it a marketing tool, a canary in a coal mine? I don't know but my guess is we'll see them being 2014's Williams.
9, Force India will be an unknown and this year they've felt aimless. The tire advantage they had at the beginning of the year evaporated, and they've made no progress whatsoever in the development and reliability of the car. The fact that they're in 6th place in the constructors show how important getting right was earlier in the season and what could have been as I think they suffered the most from the tire switch.
10 and 11... I really don't care about Marussia and Caterham at this point since I've typed too much... and both of the teams will remain the back markers of the sport for EVER,
it's tough breaking into the show business that is F1.
