2006 Expectations

[Ayrton 0]

renault: They are one of three teams that look likely to challenge for the championship, I expect them to be strong and fighting for 1st place, they look like they have a super car and a strong driver lineup.

Mclaren: The second team that looks like they will be challenging for the championship, but their car always seem really frail when it counts, plus montoya is unpredictable. Still, they have arguably the strongest driver lineup with two youngish guns and are sure to be strong.

Ferrari: another championship challenger, with more teams switching back to bridgestone and ferrari's extensive testing, schumi may just regain the title. verdict is out on massa and whether he can deliver in a top team though and a major sponsership is being pulled.

toyota: toyota are dark horses, we do not know how well they can do, it might be podiums, may be wins, or even challenging for the title; they have good drivers, a big budget and a big name designer, it is all there and waiting to happen.

honda: pretty much the same expectation as toyota, they have all the recipes for success, surely button or rubens will get a first win at least this year? With the ability to use a third driver on friday, they should have extra boost against their competitors.

Williams: Difficult to say, over the years their driver lineup has slipped, for 2006 I think they have two very mediocre drivers, they have been going backwards. williams have the ability to win and are potentially the dark horses of 2006 but i don't expect them to match up to the big three.

Redbull: a suprisingly good first year and with newey on board and an increase in budget, they might do better as the season goes along, I expect them to challenge bmw for the top of the midfielders, may be a podium or two towards the end, but some serious heating issues for the new car.

Bmw: With an increase in budget and personel, they should be doing better, and sauber has always been a good midfield team, so they could be challenging for a podium? If JV does good early on things will be rosy, if not then expect some tension, plus, like dc he is pretty close to his sell by date.

MF1: They have not shown much but monteiro looks to be a very dependable driver, and albers has not done anything wrong yet. I don't know how much resources the russian has put into f1, but from what we have seen they look likely to be a back runner.

Squadri torro rosso doro: A Bigger budget and increase in resource, this squad may jump midland, could become top of the back runners. two unseasoned f1 racers put them at a disadvantage compared to midland though.

Super Aguri: Are surely dead cert to be at the absolute back, if they can make it to the grid. they might be 2-4 seconds off midland, even when their new car arrives. A driver line up that is well down the pecking order,a rag tag car, seems to have a lower budget then other teams and understaffed. If cool runnings or Rocky Balboa was an f1 team it would be Super Aguri, for them just being able to go the distance would be enough.

[nojvnof1 0]

I'm closing this thread as it is the same as the 2006 predictions thread.