BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 8, 2006 Ok here goes my top ten,.... Raikkonen Button Massa Alonso Hekki (come on, impress me mate) Fisi Heidfeld Kubica Coulthard Webber as ever, a nice annual thread which will make some fools out of us.... *subject to tweaks of course Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shane2 0 Report post Posted November 8, 2006 what on earth prompted you to say this? I wouldn't go as far as saying they will be crap, but i feel their initial competitiveness will drop off and here is why: 1: They had a team built around Schumacher for 10 years and they got to readjust for Kimi which may take some time 2: The reshuffling of their technical personnel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 I wouldn't go as far as saying they will be crap, but i feel their initial competitiveness will drop off and here is why:1: They had a team built around Schumacher for 10 years and they got to readjust for Kimi which may take some time 2: The reshuffling of their technical personnel If they drop performance, it be around mid season, I don't see that happening. Ferrari ended the strongest this year, it will continue and I'm sure they've got the right resources and backup to maintain the level throughout the year.... 1: It's a matter of Kimi fitting in, he's not a rookie.... 2: 2004 was the last car Byrne was responsible for, although 2005 was a failure, the 2006 car was competitive, they've got enough continuity within the team..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 Webber has said that Alonso & Macca will dominate 2007. Webber is a full blooded Alonso fan, he thinks the sun shine out of the dude's a##.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wez 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 Webber is a full blooded Alonso fan, he thinks the sun shine out of the dude's a##.... He clearly has a greater knowledge of formula 1 than most Total F1 posters then! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monza gorilla 1 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 2004 was the last car Byrne was responsible for, although 2005 was a failure, the 2006 car was competitive, they've got enough continuity within the team..... Didn't Byrne take back some of the responsibility for the 2006 car? He clearly has a greater knowledge of formula 1 than most Total F1 posters then! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wez 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 Didn't Byrne take back some of the responsibility for the 2006 car? Yes, he did. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 Yes, he did. and he had a hand in the 2007 model.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monza gorilla 1 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 Looking good for Ferrari then. If they fall down it'll be on the strategy/management side and the getting used to Kimi period. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 Looking good for Ferrari then. If they fall down it'll be on the strategy/management side and the getting used to Kimi period. remember, Byrne might return mid season, the pitpass passion article was quite inspiring.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monza gorilla 1 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 It was rather good wasn't it. Edit: do you mean Brawn? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 It was rather good wasn't it.Edit: do you mean Brawn? Sh#t...sorry Byrne is still staying on... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 Finally, a fellow driver speaketh some true words.... Ladies and Gents, I present to you....Trulli..... "Ever since the departure of Adrain Newey, Mclaren have yet to build a race winning challenger. Alonso is accustomed to having a car that is designed completely around him, and his driving style. Now Mclaren have to guess what his driving style is like and have to estimate the correct type of suspension that can cope with his extremely aggressive turn in. Kimi on the othher hand is said to have a very similar, if not the same driving styles as Michael. This will benefit him greatly, as there will be minimal change of car design." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shane2 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 They don't have to guess it, thats where alonso's mouth comes in, you see its magic, he tells them what he likes and they adjust the car accordingly McLaren also bounced back from an awful 2004 car to build one that won more races than any other car in 2005 so it is not beyond them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Autumnpuma 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 Finally, a fellow driver speaketh some true words....Ladies and Gents, I present to you....Trulli..... "Ever since the departure of Adrain Newey, Mclaren have yet to build a race winning challenger. Alonso is accustomed to having a car that is designed completely around him, and his driving style. Now Mclaren have to guess what his driving style is like and have to estimate the correct type of suspension that can cope with his extremely aggressive turn in. Kimi on the othher hand is said to have a very similar, if not the same driving styles as Michael. This will benefit him greatly, as there will be minimal change of car design." My friend, I and most people, have seen Michael's telemetry in F1 Racing and on youtube. I have a notion of Kimi's style and it isn't like Michael's at all. Michael is always on the throttle, whereas Kimi is full-on, coasts through the apex, then full-on again. Kimi's speed lies in that on-off trait (similar to Mansell) and his ability to straighten the course. Just because Trulli says it, doesn't make it so. Brundle, a driver I greatly respect, has always gotten Alonso's driving style wrong. It happens. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DMB 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 I kind of think next season in the respect of winners and champions is too unpredictable. I can't remember anybody going to a team and immediately dominating, so i can't see Kimi being supremely quicker than Massa to begin with. Likewise with Alonso, i don't see him oblierating. I think Honda have the upper edge, they've got over Barrichello's issues and with Button flying - their car will be quick and will definately suit their driver line up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shane2 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2006 BMW where also improving towards the end of last year, it will be very competitive which is good for the fans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 10, 2006 My friend, I and most people, have seen Michael's telemetry in F1 Racing and on youtube. I have a notion of Kimi's style and it isn't like Michael's at all. Michael is always on the throttle, whereas Kimi is full-on, coasts through the apex, then full-on again. Kimi's speed lies in that on-off trait (similar to Mansell) and his ability to straighten the course.Just because Trulli says it, doesn't make it so. Brundle, a driver I greatly respect, has always gotten Alonso's driving style wrong. It happens. I'm likely to believe another driver's opinion above yours on this subject matter. Alonso is aggressive but likes a bit of understeer, Kimi and Micheal oversteery, Button smooth as we know it. Michael and Kimi's styles looked the same on tv... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wez 0 Report post Posted November 10, 2006 My friend, I and most people, have seen Michael's telemetry in F1 Racing and on youtube. I have a notion of Kimi's style and it isn't like Michael's at all. Michael is always on the throttle, whereas Kimi is full-on, coasts through the apex, then full-on again. Kimi's speed lies in that on-off trait (similar to Mansell) and his ability to straighten the course.Just because Trulli says it, doesn't make it so. Brundle, a driver I greatly respect, has always gotten Alonso's driving style wrong. It happens. Yeah, I agree with Mike here. Ive said this many times before, Alonso's driving style has a lot to do with the fact that the Renault is not an easy car to drive. The fact that it has the lightest front end in formula 1 means its prone to understeer! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 10, 2006 Yeah, I agree with Mike here. Ive said this many times before, Alonso's driving style has a lot to do with the fact that the Renault is not an easy car to drive. The fact that it has the lightest front end in formula 1 means its prone to understeer! It's not an easy car to drive because of Alonso's awkward style, the car was built around him. Mclaren is also doing it, why the change from a "normal" to one that suits Alonso? It's based on his driving style... Although Kimi has already driven a Tombazis car in 2005, the engine was the downfall,.... I expect both areas to be sorted out when Kimi takes to the wheel in Australia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shane2 0 Report post Posted November 10, 2006 I'm likely to believe another driver's opinion above yours on this subject matter. Alonso is aggressive but likes a bit of understeer, Kimi and Micheal oversteery, Button smooth as we know it.Michael and Kimi's styles looked the same on tv... I feel that is probably down to the way Alonso drives, launching his car into corners the way he does with a normally balanced car would probably send him into a spin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
erichbarto 0 Report post Posted November 10, 2006 My opinion is that Mclaren has loads of work to do , their cars did not win at all last year. Now with the arrival of Alonso, they have to fix whatever issues they had with the car AND go above and beyond to give Alonso a winning car , or even better a car he can win the WDC in. Norbert Haug (mercedes) - "We were not good enough to drive for the title." "We plan to come first (in 2007)," he said. (planetf1.com) i don't think Ferrari nor Renault have AS much work to do, being that they have to adapt and tweak for new drivers but don't neccesarily have to go "back to the drawing board" as they say. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shane2 0 Report post Posted November 10, 2006 McLaren have plenty of engine power i think they where the only engine apart from the cosworth to hit 20,000 RPM in qualifying, they obviously did not adapt the Chassis to the V8 as well as the other teams, however i believe they do have the technical know-how to turn it around Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradSpeedMan 6 Report post Posted November 11, 2006 Kimi hints at F1 exit in 2009 Saturday 11 November at 14:59 : Kimi Raikkonen says he might not be in the F1 paddock long enough to have a crack at Ferrari predecessor Michael Schumacher's bag of records. The Finn, who will test a red racer for the first time next January following a five season tenure at McLaren, hinted on Saturday that his three-year Ferrari contract might be his last. Asked by German newspaper Bild if he might one day sniff retired Schumacher's title and victory records, 27-year-old Raikkonen said: "Probably not." "I will not be driving for long enough to win seven titles. Perhaps this Ferrari contract is already my last," he added. Kimi, meanwhile, acknowledged reports that certain factions at Maranello are apparently worried that his skills as a driver do not extend to car development. Asked if he might consider changing his approach to motor racing, Raikkonen answered: "If Ferrari want, I will work every evening until ten o'clock. I am not afraid of some hard work!" He also said he would be 'silly' to turn down an opportunity to benefit from Schumacher's new role as an 'assistant' to team principal Jean Todt. "I would be happy if Michael would help me to acclimatise to Ferrari," Kimi insisted, but he did not want to comment on suggestions that the 37-year-old German elected to quit rather than face Raikkonen at the wheel. Pressed for a sneak-preview of the championship challenge next year, though, Raikkonen admitted: "My toughest opponent will not be Alonso, it will be my teammate Felipe Massa." www.dailyf1news.com article hmmmm..................interesting....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Player(1) 0 Report post Posted November 11, 2006 Exactly Kimi your going to be to busy fighting off and tripping over Massa to catch up with Alonso. --- Alonso's hard on the brakes....McLaren employ the services of the best brake manufacturers in the world like Ferrari but unlike Renault (+) McLaren's suspension system is much more advanced then Renault's which makes them alot kinder to the tyres (+) McLaren are building the car for Alonso which Renault never did (+) The McLaren won't have the Renault's rear weighted characteristic's that gave it excellent traction (-) but it mean's the front will be heavier so much better suited to Alonso's style (+) Renault had the best aero of any car which made up for it's lack of engine power (-) but Reanult's chief Aero guy is following Alonso to McLaren so the same expertise will be there aswell as the more powerful engine (++) Ron likes to put top drivers in and let them at it (-) making the car for Alonso could hint at him changing tack and defining a no. 2 driver to help Alonso (+) McLaren will have the biggest sponser deal's of any team and the list hasent stopped getting added to (+) After beating MS while both in competative car's and then retiring theres little chance of him ever coming up against a bigger challenge so will have a psychological advantage (+) --- Kimi will be moving to Ferrari lacking Brawn, lacking the ultra reliability they took for granted and lost Vodafone to McLaren (-) Massa is looking to stamp his authority on who's No.1 in the team and he did manage to keep up with MS in qualifying and the race so isent a push over (-) Kimi should be comfortable with the car instantly (+) High possibility of friction growing with the team because of his attitude, inside and outside F1 (-) Ferrari could possibly enjoy a knowledge advantage for Bridgestone tyres (+) Pressure will be on to perform, not break anything and finally stop being the brides maid and become the bride(-) --- I may be bias but that's my reckoning of who made the better choice of teams for 2007. How many drivers have achieved 3 WDC's in a row? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites