F1 season 2006

[Zoid]

So, first race in Bahrain in two days. I can´t wait It´s looks as though it will be a very interesting season!

Lineup and predictions for the season:

RENAULT
Fernando Alonso, Giancarlo Fisichella. Test driver: Heikki Kovalainen.

Renault looks very strong. They have their car working well, no apparent problems with engines, aerodynamics or chassi. Alonso is a young hungry driver who who´ll do everything to become world champion again. And he has the capacity and the best car. Picking Alonso and Renault as the 2006 champions are a real no-brainer Especially if Fisichella really drives the way I know he can.

I´m also very excited about Kovalainen, he showed tremendous talent in GP2.

McLAREN
Kimi Räikkönen, Juan Pablo Montoya. Test drivers: Pedro de la Rosa och Gary Paffett.

McLaren has had some problems with their car, engine trouble and assorted other problems. Kimi is probably the best driver in the world when he has a cars that makes it through the full race distance, and Montoya is also fast when he´s in the mood. I think the battle for the WC is going to be between McLaren and Renault, just like last year. There is no other team that can match the combination of reliable car and excellent driver. If Mclaren get their **** together Kimi is a serious threat to Alonso and Renault.

FERARRI
Michael Schumacher, Felipe Massa. Test driver: Luca Badoer och Marc Gene.

Ferrari is struggling, they´ve had massive problems with the tyres and aerodynamics. Schumacher is one of the best drivers ever in F1 history, but not even Schumi can overcome the difficulties Ferrari has had since last season. And Massa isn´t a good driver, teaming up with Schumi will makes this even more evident than before.

You can never disregard Michel Schumacher, but I think Ferrari can count their blessings if they´ll end up third in the championship like last year. A lot of hungry reconstructed teams are biting their heels.

TOYOTA
Ralf Schumacher, Jarno Trulli. Test drivers: Olivier Panis and Ricardo Zonta.

This should really be Toyotas season, they´ve spent a staggering $2 billion!! in their F1 venture so far. And for what? Nothing! 5 podium places but no win... If they don´t start winning this season I´ll doubt they´ll be in F1 for much longer...

WILLIAMS
Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg. Third Driver: Alexander Wurz. Test driver: Narain Karthikeyan.

Williams had an abyssmal season last year, but the team looks like they managed to do something right in preparation for this season. Nico Rosberg has been really fast in the winter practice races, I think he´ll give Webber a few nasty suprises. Webber has never impressed me and he´s peaked as a race driver. Rosberg on the other hand is going places and he´s capable of stepping out of his fathers (Keke Rosberg World Champion 1982) shadow on his own merits.

HONDA (Formerly BAR)
Rubens Barrichello, Jenson Button. Tredjeförare: Anthony Davidson.

Honda is a very exciting team IMO, new owners, more money and a interesting line-up of Barichello and Button. Even if they won´t have much chance competing for the title, they´ll take a few points and might even win a race or two

RED BULL
David Coulthard (Skottland) och Christian Klien (Österrike). Testförare: Robert Doornbos (Holland).

Red Bull is changing to Ferrari engines this season, so that´s going to be a huge difference IMO. They´ll certainly be fighting for places and points. The problem is that neither driver is in the upper echelons of F1 driving. Coulthard is fast, but not super fast. He is consistent though, and he´ll score the bulk of RBR´s points this season just as he did last season. Klien just doesn´t have what it takes...

BMW-SAUBER
Nick Heidfeld, Jacques Villeneuve. Test driver: Robert Kubica.

Sauber has never been a great team, they´ve always been in the middle. Nothing says this season will be any different. Heidfeld is a over-rated driver IMO and Villeneuve is loong past his sell-by date. Sauber will be at the very bottom, ahead of Super Aguri and Midland but light years behind everybody else.

MIDLAND F1 (Formerly Jordan)
Tiago Monteiro, Christijan Albers. Test drivers: Giorgio Mondini, Roman Rusinov, Adrian Sutil, Markus Winkelhock.

Midland is lacking in every department. They don´t seem to have a racing strategy, they´re constantly underfunded, they have a managing director who is uninterested in F1 (Colin Kolles) and an owner (Alex Schnaider) who is likewise. And the drivers a re inexperienced. Unless half the cars crash out or retire they won´t score any points whatsoever...

TORO ROSSO (Formerly Minardi)
Vitantonio Liuzzi, Scott Speed. Test driver: Neel Jani.

Along with Honda the most interesting new team. Toro Rosso will succeed were Minardi failed, beacuse now the team finally has some money (they´re Red Bulls second team) and they also have at least one good driver. Toni Liuzzi is fast and I think he can do a lot of if he get´s a good car. Scott Speed I´m more unsure of, he didn´t really convince me in last seasons GP2, despite his third place in the championship. Nevertheless it will be very interesting to follow Toro Rosso on the track!

SUPER AGURI
Takuma Sato, Yuji Ide.

Spanking new team with an old car, one reckless driver (Sato) and one inexperienced (Ide). If Super Aguri score even a single point it will be nothing short of a miracle!

[binTravkin]

I can't wait it too!

[BlackCat]

Ehrm, are the winter so tough to you Zoidie ?

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149644

and my title is much cooler (properly stolen as it is from Alex) than yours.

[Datajack Franit]

F1

[Zylka]

Re: F1 season 2006

Nice thread!

Originally posted by Zoid

McLAREN
Kimi Räikkönen, Juan Pablo Montoya. Test drivers: Pedro de la Rosa och Gary Paffett.

McLaren has had some problems with their car, engine trouble and assorted other problems. Kimi is probably the best driver in the world when he has a cars that makes it through the full race distance, and Montoya is also fast when he´s in the mood. I think the battle for the WC is going to be between McLaren and Renault, just like last year. There is no other team that can match the combination of reliable car and excellent driver. If Mclaren get their **** together Kimi is a serious threat to Alonso and Renault.

Beyond a serious threat. This is Kimi's year, and Renault will see a slight down in past dominance.

See the new livery on the McLaren, btw? Beatiful chrome silver accented in matte orange. Looks like they separated old partnership with (near) decade long sponsor West tobacco. I wonder if Johnny Walker is paying enough for their advert to fill the budget void?

TOYOTA
Ralf Schumacher, Jarno Trulli. Test drivers: Olivier Panis and Ricardo Zonta.

This should really be Toyotas season, they´ve spent a staggering $2 billion!! in their F1 venture so far. And for what? Nothing! 5 podium places but no win... If they don´t start winning this season I´ll doubt they´ll be in F1 for much longer...

With what's likely the biggest budget in F1 this year, your probably right. Though they do seem hungry to win

WILLIAMS
Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg. Third Driver: Alexander Wurz. Test driver: Narain Karthikeyan.

Williams had an abyssmal season last year, but the team looks like they managed to do something right in preparation for this season. Nico Rosberg has been really fast in the winter practice races, I think he´ll give Webber a few nasty suprises. Webber has never impressed me and he´s peaked as a race driver. Rosberg on the other hand is going places and he´s capable of stepping out of his fathers (Keke Rosberg World Champion 1982) shadow on his own merits.

You're not impressed by Webber??? What about that 5th place finish in a MINARDI in his first race. And the bevy of beautiful qualifiers after that

Webber's just getting started. There are race wins in that man's future. As for Williams.. we could see some surprises. Their Cosworth engine, along with the Toyota - are rumored to have considerable head start(s) in development of the newly imposed V8 format

HONDA (Formerly BAR)
Rubens Barrichello, Jenson Button. Tredjeförare: Anthony Davidson.

Honda is a very exciting team IMO, new owners, more money and a interesting line-up of Barichello and Button. Even if they won´t have much chance competing for the title, they´ll take a few points and might even win a race or two

Deadly, deadly looking car. I'd definitely agree that this is their first year to win a race, in "counting" them as continuation of BAR

Rubens has really turned into a weiner after his several seasons playing second fiddle, so it will also be interesting to see if he's able to turn the heat up on a FINALLY maturing J.B.

RED BULL
David Coulthard (Skottland) och Christian Klien (Österrike). Testförare: Robert Doornbos (Holland).

Red Bull is changing to Ferrari engines this season, so that´s going to be a huge difference IMO. They´ll certainly be fighting for places and points. The problem is that neither driver is in the upper echelons of F1 driving. Coulthard is fast, but not super fast. He is consistent though, and he´ll score the bulk of RBR´s points this season just as he did last season. Klien just doesn´t have what it takes...

Klien is a pay driver. Nothing more, nothing less. A liability and danger in Formula1

BMW-SAUBER
Nick Heidfeld, Jacques Villeneuve. Test driver: Robert Kubica.

Sauber has never been a great team, they´ve always been in the middle. Nothing says this season will be any different. Heidfeld is a over-rated driver IMO and Villeneuve is loong past his sell-by date. Sauber will be at the very bottom, ahead of Super Aguri and Midland but light years behind everybody else.

I think you're REALLY selling Sauber's future short, here.

Sure, Villeneuve far out on his last leg - and Heidfeld does seem to be a standard "Raikkonen light"; but this is a team that has just been purchased by BMW. The future of the team is to be run as just BMW. And if McLaren Mercedes shows any signs of falter over the season, the corporation will be pushed ten fold to fund a winner.

A wind tunnel, two experienced (although average) drivers, and a new development program merging engine and chassis research? They have podiums at their reach, this season alone. Don't bet against it.

MIDLAND F1 (Formerly Jordan)
Tiago Monteiro, Christijan Albers. Test drivers: Giorgio Mondini, Roman Rusinov, Adrian Sutil, Markus Winkelhock.

Midland is lacking in every department. They don´t seem to have a racing strategy, they´re constantly underfunded, they have a managing director who is uninterested in F1 (Colin Kolles) and an owner (Alex Schnaider) who is likewise. And the drivers a re inexperienced. Unless half the cars crash out or retire they won´t score any points whatsoever...

The new Minardi. The guy who bought Jordan out is apparently in the F1 game as a squatter, looking to sell this team to whichever manafacturer / energy drink gives him the right price, first

TORO ROSSO (Formerly Minardi)
Vitantonio Liuzzi, Scott Speed. Test driver: Neel Jani.

Along with Honda the most interesting new team. Toro Rosso will succeed were Minardi failed, beacuse now the team finally has some money (they´re Red Bulls second team) and they also have at least one good driver. Toni Liuzzi is fast and I think he can do a lot of if he get´s a good car. Scott Speed I´m more unsure of, he didn´t really convince me in last seasons GP2, despite his third place in the championship. Nevertheless it will be very interesting to follow Toro Rosso on the track!

Haven't seen the livery on this car, yet. Are we going to see two Red Bulls and two Red Bull lights circling the track?

SUPER AGURI
Takuma Sato, Yuji Ide.

Spanking new team with an old car, one reckless driver (Sato) and one inexperienced (Ide). If Super Aguri score even a single point it will be nothing short of a miracle!

About a month ago the extent of this team's "car" was a 3-d rendering. If Super Aguri even finish a race this season, it will be nothing short of a miracle.

They're so obviously a Honda B team to collect extra data for the homeland. And yeah, with not one - but two Japanese drivers, it should definitely make for the village idiot outfit of the F1 circus.

Here we go!

[Winston]

Be that as it may, if I were interested, I'd be rooting for Ayrton Senna.

[polarnomad]

I think I'm going to have to haul my TV out of it's box in the basement!

[Chemical Ollie]

As fun as sitting on a chair by the motorway, watching the cars pass by at full speed: Wom, wom ,wom, wom...

[reds4ever]

Boring as fook!

[Thorgal]

Beyond a serious threat. This is Kimi's year, and Renault will see a slight down in past dominance.

If you say so... looking at reality (winter testings and today practice) it seems just the other way around. Renault seems a more dominant car than last year indeed. Much faster than McLaren in any case, the fourth or even fifth faster team right now, behind Renault, Honda, Ferrari, BMW and Toyota. However i will concede you that they have improved his livery.

[Zoid]

Originally posted by BlackCat
Ehrm, are the winter so tough to you Zoidie ?

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149644

and my title is much cooler (properly stolen as it is from Alex) than yours.

But I worked harder on my OP

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Zoid


But I worked harder on my OP

Nah, you only have displayed that your thread awareness is below average - there are actually a page two even in the OT

[Cort Haus]

I expect Bahrain and the early season to be a Renault - Honda scrap at the front, with McLaren and Ferrari improving as the season goes on. Williams might be strong early, but will fade. I don't fancy Toyota's chances, but Red Bull should be competitive.

Renault's season might be compromised by Alonso's departure next year, and Fisi could even become favoured driver. This could play into Honda's hands and I think both Rubens and Jens will do well. I think they'll both win a race this year.

Webber has been in too many shunts to be seen as a threat for podiums, more like a threat to other road users - a bit like Sato. Nico Rosberg is a better driver than Webber, but the Aussie's experience should count for something.

If the ex-Minardi STR detuned V10's are beating V8's other than Midland & Super Aguri (aka Team Sato) there'll be a fuss, and they might have to turn their engine down.

[Zoid]

Re: Re: F1 season 2006

Originally posted by Zylka
Nice thread!

Beyond a serious threat. This is Kimi's year, and Renault will see a slight down in past dominance.

Perhaps, but I wouldn´t bet any money on it. Kimi had engine troubles yet again in the friday practice...

See the new livery on the McLaren, btw?

It is a nice looking car. I´ll give them that

You're not impressed by Webber??? What about that 5th place finish in a MINARDI in his first race. And the bevy of beautiful qualifiers after that

He´s had some nice moments, but I just don´t see him going places. It´s very crowded at the top and I don´t think Webber has what it takes to go all the way.

I think you're REALLY selling Sauber's future short, here.

Sure, Villeneuve far out on his last leg - and Heidfeld does seem to be a standard "Raikkonen light"; but this is a team that has just been purchased by BMW. The future of the team is to be run as just BMW. And if McLaren Mercedes shows any signs of falter over the season, the corporation will be pushed ten fold to fund a winner.

A wind tunnel, two experienced (although average) drivers, and a new development program merging engine and chassis research? They have podiums at their reach, this season alone. Don't bet against it.

I´m willing to bet money on Sauber not being on the podium one single time this season. It ain´t gonna happen...

The new Minardi. The guy who bought Jordan out is apparently in the F1 game as a squatter, looking to sell this team to whichever manafacturer / energy drink gives him the right price, first

Alex Schnaider is somewhat of a mystery, no one really knows what he´s up to I think.

Haven't seen the livery on this car, yet. Are we going to see two Red Bulls and two Red Bull lights circling the track?

The two teams have very different livery, RBR has the usual blue-yellow-red and STR has some kind of red with white squiggly lines and a blue front. I haven´t found any good pics other than the tiny cropped one at www.redbullf1.com.

About a month ago the extent of this team's "car" was a 3-d rendering. If Super Aguri even finish a race this season, it will be nothing short of a miracle.

They're so obviously a Honda B team to collect extra data for the homeland. And yeah, with not one - but two Japanese drivers, it should definitely make for the village idiot outfit of the F1 circus.

Perhaps I give Super Aguri too much credit?

[Zoid]

Originally posted by BlackCat


Nah, you only have displayed that your thread awareness is below average - there are actually a page two even in the OT

I must´ve missed it then. I actually looked on page two...