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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 14:33:07 GMT
So we aren't that long away now from the new season, what are we expecting?
Personally, I think that it will still be Mercedes and Ferrari fighting it out at the front, although hopefully we will see more from McLaren and Red Bull, but that all depends on how good the Renault engine is this year. But if it is good, it could bring the Renault team into contention too.
The Red Bull vs. McLaren will be interesting. McLaren obviously had a good chassis last year, but they are up against one of the best, if not the best designer in the paddock with Adrian Newey at Red Bull, so could be interesting.
Will Bottas be strong enough this year to challenge Lewis?, I suggest not, but you never know.
Could be an interesting year!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 15:44:41 GMT
Bottas was a total snooze last year. I hope he will be more aggressive this year but I just don't see it in him. I have always detested journeyman No2 drivers in F1 and he has all the hallmarks so far.
If the Renault engine is any good, I reckon Red Bull will stomp on McLaren. Their car was so woeful last year, I can't see it being turned into a winner with the addition of a Renault engine. Unless Ferrari have made massive strides, it will be a Hamilton procession and a title wrapped up 2/3 of the way through the season.
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Post by MartinT on Jan 31, 2018 11:49:12 GMT
Hamilton has announced that the three drivers he fears/respects the most are Alonso, Vettel and Verstappen.
As all four will be in (hopefully) good cars, we should have a real spectacle in the making. We can only hope.
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Post by speedysteve on Feb 18, 2018 7:52:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 11:55:09 GMT
I think the Haas team have done a very good job of integrating the Halo so that it isn't too obvious, whereas the Williams one jumps out at you and I think makes the car look over bulky. Quite a big change of livery from Red Bull at their launch today |
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Post by MartinT on Feb 19, 2018 12:52:55 GMT
I think the Williams and Haas look better and the Red Bull considerably worse than last year.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 12:54:09 GMT
Oh yes, the Red Bull is huugglly!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2018 14:38:08 GMT
Current odds:
Ham 11/8
Vet 4/1
Ver 9/2
Ric 8/1
Alo 16/1
Bot 16/1
Thoughts?
My initial surprise was the differnce between Ricciardo and Verstappen. Second was Bottas at only 16/1. No way he will get a sniff at a title unless Hamilton is injured. Even then I'd back him to finish behind a few of the others unless the Mercedes is utterly dominant. Short odds on Hamilton, but he's probably likely to have a dominant car and a non-competitive team mate, so it's to be expected.
Given where McLaren were last season, Alonso's odds are a bit short too. Yes, I know they have a new engine, but it's so long since they had a winning car, I'm surprised the odds aren't longer.
If I had to place a bet, I'd split my funds 50/50 between Hamilton and Ricciardo.
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Post by MartinT on Feb 25, 2018 16:04:18 GMT
I'd put Verstappen above Vettel, but it needs the Renault engine to be reliable this year.
For Alonso, it's the same thing. Give him a sniff of a good car (and I think it will be) and he could be right up there making a 4-way battle for the title.
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Post by speedysteve on Feb 26, 2018 19:07:48 GMT
I'd put Verstappen above Vettel, but it needs the Renault engine to be reliable this year. For Alonso, it's the same thing. Give him a sniff of a good car (and I think it will be) and he could be right up there making a 4-way battle for the title. Can only hope it is so. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2018 21:05:55 GMT
Me too. No matter how much I like a team or driver (Senna was my all time fave), I hate one horse races, let alone season after season.
I rate Ricciardo higher than Max, so if Red Bull is a contender, it will be fascinating. I love Alonso, so if McLaren are capable of winning races it will be great, does anyone think Bottas has it in him to be a challenger?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2018 22:13:06 GMT
I don’t think he has the beating of Hamilton, no. In fact I don’t believe anyone does.
If Red Bull have a championship contending car then Max will win it, they are and have always been a one horse team, and Max is their future so he will get preferential treatment, as did Vettel before.
If the McLaren is any good, we could see Alonso up there, even though it pains me to say it as I can’t stand the guy.
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Post by MartinT on Feb 26, 2018 22:13:34 GMT
does anyone think Bottas has it in him to be a challenger? No. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 15:35:28 GMT
Although the first week isn't much to talk about from a performance basis usually.
Currently, the Ferrari and Mercedes look quick, and so does the Red Bull and McLaren.
Let's see how next week works out, that will be the important week to see how quick the cars are.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 17:16:47 GMT
Interesting comparisons to be made if Ferrari and Red Bull are equally quick:
Ferrari have all their attention on propelling Vettel to the front, whilst Redd Bull have both Ricciardo and Verstappen to cater for.
Will having two competing drivers push Red Bull higher, or will the calmer, more relaxed "one prancing horse race" approach at Ferrari prove better? I gues much of that will depend on whether Verstappen and Ricciardo can avoid taking each other off if there's a real sniff of a title to be had.
I'll settle for having a competitive season again, whichever team wins. Long overdue IMO.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 12:57:57 GMT
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Post by MikeMusic on Feb 28, 2018 14:14:43 GMT
The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain  So they didn't expect snow. It's them Russians again |
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Post by MartinT on Mar 1, 2018 10:00:05 GMT
Alonso was the first out on track and he joked that the "car is performing well in the snow so far".  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2018 16:33:37 GMT
That Mercedes is looking ominously fast. The McLaren’s are doing quick times, but they’re on the hyper soft tyres which are reputed to be 2 sec a lap faster, and Hamilton was 0.1 slower.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 2, 2018 11:57:21 GMT
Second test will confirm it, but interesting (and not a little amusing) that McLaren are doing better this year and so are Toro Rosso - with McLaren's old Honda engine! Was it all about packaging in McLaren's size zero car, then?
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