2004 F1 Championship

[the B]

New season in not too long, so who will win it this year?

You can discuss other stuff on this thread too

I meant to make this a multi-vote poll, argh, sorry. Maybe a mod can change it...

 

[red rose]

hm bit biased are we?

Schumi will win again this year, ferrari will struggle with reliability at the start of the season but the new car with be blinding when the european tour starts.

 

[the B]

Biased? Don't be silly.

F2004 has been testing well at Mugelo.

 

[Struwwelpeter]

F1 - yawn. Don't care

 

[the B]

Then don't post on the thread

 

[Wowbagger]

Come on, Kimi. Give the fucker a real fucking fight this year.

 

[the B]

It was only won by 2 points last year...

 

[tom_craggs]

I'll go out on a limb and say Kimi, but will not doubt be proved wrong as Schumi does it again - if he does do you think it will be his last?

 

[the B]

He's got a few seasons left on the contract - 2006 I believe would be the last.

 

[Wowbagger]

It was only won by 2 points last year...

I know, but it seemed to be mainly a question of Montoya vs Schumacher, and there was never any huge back-and-forth at the top of the drivers championship, was there? Just Michael staying on top and the other two keeping pace with him.

Kimi has to get himself right in the mixer from the off. At least 14 points from the first two races, preferably including a win or two seconds. Come on, boy, you can do it.

 

[the B]

Because he didn't get that last season...? His lead was 14 points fater two races iirc.

More after 3 - of course, the fight back then began and Schumie showed why he's the greatest around at the moment.

 

[Wowbagger]

Bah, this is what happens when you fuck up watching the championship. I only got to see one race last year, and Scumie pissed it by an absolute country mile. Didn't want to risk jinxing Montoya or Raikonnen after that.

 

[the B]

Which GP did you see?

 

[g force]

I think it will be Schumacher again, although i'd love it if Alonso won it <end of day dreaming mode>

Montoya is quick, but the FW26 is a pretty radical car. Ditto the new McLaren - it's had a lot of problems in testing. Will both come good in the end I reckon.

New engine rule and the new tracks mean it should be a bit closer between the 'other' teams - BAR, Toyota, Jag, Jordan, Sauber - not that you'll see it on the TV

So i'll stick my neck out and say:

Drivers:
1) M Schumacher
2) JP Montoya
3) F Alonso
4) K Raikkonen
5) R Schumacher
6) J Button
7) R Barrichello
8) J Trulli
9) M Webber
10 ) T Sato

Constructors:
1) Ferrari
2) Renault
3) Williams
4) McLaren
5) BAR
6) Toyota
7) Sauber
8) Jordan
9) Jaguar
10) Minardi (bless 'em!)

TBH i'm looking forward to 2006 to see who moves where - current rumours are Jenson Button for Williams with Ralf and possbly DC at Toyota, Webber to Renault.

 

[the B]

Think you have mr Button a bit high up there - and Renault doing 2nd in Constructors?!

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

If Minardi get off the bottom spot then I'll be as happy for them as I will be for Ferrari winning the constructors. As for the drivers championship, obviously I'd love either M Schumacher or Barrichello to win, although I don't know if Schumi will be up for it.

As for the constructors, i think we;re a shoe-in for it, Williams won't be giving their all for JP and as for McLaren DC is just a joke. With a united front perhaps g force's prediction of Renault taking second won't be far out. Which would be nice.

 

[g force]

Think you have mr Button a bit high up there - and Renault doing 2nd in Constructors?!

TBH I think Jenson will have his best season yet *if* Honda get a reliable engine. The new BAR is quick and with a Williams seat up for grabs in '05 he's got everything to drive for. Don't forget were it not for the engine breaking Button would have scored 3 podiums last season, and a possible win, in a pretty poor car! 6th isn't that high up - best of rest if you will.

Renault is a bit of a dream but with McLaren and Williams with new cars, Renault could be a real surprise. Trulli and Alonso are both very quick and potential race winners and car seems reliable.

That's the beauty of new cars - for all we know the Williams is the greatets desing ever to hit F1 and will sweep all before it like McLaren in 88. But maybe not.

 

[the B]

F2004 - how much better is it?

Have Bridgestone done enough on the tyres?

 

[thelittlechef]

And how much will the new regs mess up Renault's chances? their stong suit was the electronics and (the really crappy) electronic starts...

 

[thelittlechef]

Ooo - just noticed, pre season show on ITV in a couple of minutes.... Why am I this excited about the new season?!

Yippee, beers and TV fortnightly on Sundays for the next few months!

 

[red rose]

ooh ta for pointing that out, I'll watch it.

 

[the B]

Martin Brundle said bitch on tv at 2pm F1, cutting edge and offensive I tell you

 

[thelittlechef]

well thats the hard face of F1 for you...

And the chinese track looks as if it's going to put silverstone to shame...

 

[the B]

Looks like they'll be paying people to fill up the seats available though...or it'll all be corporate seating...

 

[g force]

Guardina's F1 guide out today - looks pretty good too and almost informative. At least one paper gives a shit about F1!!

 

[the B]

But the admittedly good advert used to promote it is a year old - though they can use it every year Michael wins

 

[Wowbagger]

The jargon guide they've got online is absolutely hilarious.

control, launch
Electronic system that feeds out the clutch automatically when the race starts allowing the driver free to concentrate on more important things, such as steering and crashing.

control, traction
Computerised system that senses the onset of wheelspin and controls it automatically by reducing the voltage in the spark plugs to align the speed of the front and rear wheels, leaving the driver even more free to concentrate on important things such as steering and crashing.

pit stop
One of the most thrilling moments in any grand prix is watching the mechanics wielding their torque wrenches. Incredibly in just 4.9sec a highly trained team can refuel the car, change its tyres and register air miles on the driver's loyalty card, though things can take longer if he wants cash-back.

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/formulaone/calendar/0,10465,1155787,00.html

 

[the B]

nice link

 

[Yoj]

cant wait for Coulthard to say "I must be more aggresive this year"

 

[g force]

Where have you been

Autosport from a few weeks back (no point linking as its subs only):

"I plan to be more proactive rather than just going through the testing programme and turning up at the grand prix, hoping it will be okay," he said. "As a grand prix driver you're on your own in the car. So I will be using those areas within McLaren that can help develop my technique. It is just a case of doing my homework and learning from the mistakes of previous races."

And this utter beauty:

Coulthard speech

I love his optimism but come on as Damon Hill says the stats speak for themselves:

"So all our hopes are with my old Williams team-mate DC. Can he win the title just as he's about to lose his seat? If the evidence of the last 10 seasons is anything to go by, that's unlikely, despite Coulthard having been a driver for two of the most successful teams in formula one history.

To give you some idea of how "unlucky" he has been, take a look at the career statistics. DC has scored 451 championship points to Mika Hakkinen's 420 - his team-mate for six seasons who won two world championships during that same period.

He lies sixth in the all-time points table behind five of the greatest names of formula one, who have managed 17 championships between them."

source