mike1324a

for mclaren it will all depend on how much the penalties will hurt. One side of me thinks it will hurt but the over whelming majority of me thinks that like everything restriction ever put on f1 before, it will be over come quite easily. I like williams. I hope they keep getting better. I like nico and the fw29 was the best looking design imo. The new Bmw looks a little more radical then usual so we will see how it works out. I think toyota will still suck even without ralf. Their cars a garbage. I also think honda will be back in the game, or atleast more so than last year. Ross and a working wind tunnel will help make that possible.

BlueRenesis82

Meh, the penalties won't do that much to McLaren, it does help that they tied up Lewis for the long term. Toyota's problem is that they just don't really have a good team leader. Williams with their Toyota lumps has totally outperformed them, they need to figure out some good short term goals, or they will be gone from F1 within a couple years.

mike1324a

exactly. Ralf said it was the inner workings of the team that are holding it back. However im curious what will become of the better of the 2 schumachers. montezemelo said he was the "3rd driver"... i want to know what that means. I have a hard time thinking that shcumacher will be in a test seat from time to time and not actually want to race. not saying he will come back but it could stoke the fire again. not to mention other great drivers in the past have retired and returned.

RWatters

iTrader: (5)

Who was the fastest in testing at Jerez again?

I think that Alonso will be a huge uplift to the team. Will they be the champions? I don't know if I'd go that far, but I think they'll be a lot better this year and hopefully a good contender to the titles at the end.

I don't even know who to predict to win the title this year honestly.

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

Open testing laps at Jerez can't be used. Everybody's watching and you don't want to show everything you got. Or, you may use a illegal car to make others think you are "racier" than what you are.
Yes, Alonso will be a big boost to Renault. But, they don't have a competitive car (at least last years wasn't). If their equipment doesn't improve, Alonso will get frustrated and start throwing things.
I say Ferrari is tops at the moment. I reserve the right to change my mind after Friday practice of the first race.

nu2rx8

^Timo Glock also headed the test times for a day. Unlike last year when Mclaren then Ferrari dominated testing, the test times so far aren't very telling.

Jerez Best Times thru 1/16
1/10/08 Ham' 1m.19.13
1/10/08 Kovi' 1m.19.46
1/15/08 'Nando 1m.19.50
1/15/08 Pedro DLR 1m.19.65
1/15/08 Kimi 1m.19.71

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=33707

mike1324a

indeed. Just like the schumacher tests in the f2007 its not possible to gain much from test times although i like to see him go toe to toe with hamilton. Everyone is running and testing different set ups. Its like compairing apples to oranges.

alfy28

lol i can imagine alonso doing that lol.

mike1324a

also, the r28 isnt out yet anyway. so we cant get an idea until the new car comes out anyway

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

The Renault R28 is out and has been on the track with Alonso at the wheel.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64776
http://www.f1technical.net/news/8060
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64778
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.a...41644&PO=41644

mike1324a

oh it came out today. It hasnt been tested with the other cars or officially unveiled to the press yet, thats the 31st of january.

BlueRenesis82

Fw30 Ftw!

mike1324a

i dont like the chimney/side pod integration on the fw30. I liked the old fw29 set up with the chimney/wing integration.

BlueRenesis82

The FW29 was a pretty good looking car too, but this temporary paint scheme really looks cool.

alfy28

Mercedes vs Ferrari 2008

SHOWOFF

I think that Massa is going to make a hard charge for the title in 2008. Massa has the desire and the heart to be a true champion. Kimi will no doubt be right there with him and I think it'll be a battle of the Prancing Horses this year with Hamilton trying to fend off his teammate for 3rd place.

Without any real drivers to tell them how to take the car to the next level Renault will still be behind the pack regardless of the fact that they gave up on the 2007 car late in the season and started working on the 2008 car.

Everyone keeps rooting for Hamilton, but the kid just lacks what it takes to finish at the top. Seriously, he beached his car at the last point of the race. He's a very talented young man, but he still needs a little more experience, and I'd look for him to be at the top in 2009.

Alonso will go down as one of the greatest GP drivers, but his time is over. He's showing that he is an immature cocky bastard. Sitting in your teammate's way so he can't pit becaue you think you deserve it more than he does is silly.

Schumi will not return to a car. I can promise you that. He is trying to focus on his family and having a normal life. GP racing doesn't allow that. I think Ferrari is keeping him around to squeeze him for every drop of his knowledge and use all they can get because he knows what makes a great car.

Since Ferrari pioneered the quick shift carbon gearbox, they will have a leg up on the competition in making it stronger, but I'm sure that we'll see several failures of gearboxes this season. With no TC the cars are going to be less stable and experince more jarring and spinoffs so that gearbox better be able to handle it.

It'll be a great 2008 and I can't wait for the first race. Get ready to hear this song 18 times this year...

Fratelli d'Italia
L'Italia s'è desta
Dell'elmo di Scipio
S'è cinta la testa
Dov'è la vittoria
Le porga la chioma
Chè schiava di Roma
Iddio la creò

Stringia moci a coorte
Siam pronti alla morte
(repeat)
L'Italia chiamò
Stringia moci a coorte
Siam pronti alla morte
(repeat)
L'Italia chiamò, sì
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=0

Get Run Over By The Ferrari Train!!!!!

RX26b

Every team has a #1 and #2 - I doubt that the current WC will be relegated to second, so I see Felipe playing the same role that Rubens did to Mike, which probably means he has even less of a chance than last year.
At 26, and a double WC I doubt that he's done.
Agree. At 39 and not signed he certainly won't be climbing into a car in his 5th decade of life.
I've got 10 Ben Franklins that says no way . Even Prost/Senna only took 15 of 16 in '88.
My prediction: Ferrari=9 wins McLaren= 6 Renault=2 BMW=1

T.T.

I really want to see how Piquet Jr. is going to do. I want to say that Alonso is going to have another problem on his hands, but I think he's made it pretty clear that he will be the number one driver in the team.

Massa has the heart, but Kimi is just faster.

Hamiliton will have his hands full with Kovalainen. He'll probably still beat him though...barely.

Heidfeld is better than Kubica. Hopefully Kubica will step his game up.

Vettel and Bourdais will be interesting. So far Vettel seems to be faster in testing, but I wouldn't put too much importance on pre-season testing. I think that this pair will even more than occasionally finish higher than their big brothers, Webber and Coulthard. Webber is faster than Coulthard.

Rosberg is the sh*t. Pure and simple. We really haven't seen much from Nakajima but he drove aggresively in GP2, a trait that Williams likes. I hope he gets better. I want Williams to be amongst the top teams again.

Honda will battle in the midfield again. The effects of Ross Brawn will show up next season.

Toyota will be in the midfield again, ahead of Honda. Glock seems promising.

Super Aguri will be near the back. They don't have the budget. I think Davidson will barely finish above Sato.

Force India will be in the back, at least at first. Fisichella will help to improve the pace of the car, but everyone knows that they themselves can drive that car faster than him. Sutil will beat him.

My predictions (of course this probably will change by the time Australia comes):
1. Ferrari
2. Mclaren
3. Renault
4. BMW
5. Red Bull/ Torro Rosso
7. Williams (could be above the Red Bulls but I don't know about Nakajima)
8. Toyota
9. Honda
10. Super Aguri
11. Force India

BlueRenesis82

Actually Williams pioneered the seamless shift 'box.

Rosko350z

I'm not an Alonso fan, but I hope he makes Nelshino eat his dust. Ever since he talked all that s**t about Scott Speed, I root for the little whiner to fail.

T.T.

I just finished reading what you were referring to...wow. I didn't know he was like that. Maybe Alonso will have more problems off track too this year....

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

In the news this morning, speaking about Alonso "He showed me just how not to behave as an F1 driver," Hamilton told the Associated Press

SHOWOFF

I actually ran into Scott Speed in the Airport just after the USGP. Hell of a nice guy. Took the time to shoot the breeze while he was waiting for international check in. I was sad to see the kid get booted.

Alonso is proof that all the talent in the world doesn't mean **** if you're treating everyone like trash. That Hamilton quote is awesome. Alonso just acts as if everyone owes him something. I especially thought the way he taunted Schumi a few times in his last season was totally unprofessional. He should kiss the boots of the all time winningest driver in history. Just imagine how much you could learn from a guy that has won it all so many times if you just treated him with some respect.

At one point I looked for Alonso to move to Ferrari, but they won't tolerate his unprofessionalism. He had also said at one point that Ferrari could get away with anything they wanted just because they were Ferrari.

SHOWOFF

They pioneered the seamless gearbox, but Ferrari was the first to make it from carbon. So I guess you could say that they perfected it.

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

There is a lot of people that feel that way. He's not the only one.