The opening grand prix of the 2013 season is behind us. Kimi Raikkonen piloted the Lotus E21 to victory at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. The Finnish driver came from seventh place to win a grand prix that saw no safety car. Fernando Alonso brought the Ferrari F138 home in second, and Sebastian Vettel garnered a third place finish in the Red Bull RB8. Rounding out the top five were Felipe Massa in fourth and Lewis Hamilton in fifth.
Hamilton’s was a strong finish for the W04 Mercedes. Admittedly, testing hadn’t been great for the Mercedes factory team. This was a season of mystery, as Michael Schumacher hung up his gloves for the second time. The silver cars were left looking for a second driver to pair with Nico Rosberg. They found that driver in Lewis Hamilton, who left McLaren-Mercedes after driving with the team since 2007 and winning a World Driver’s Championship in 2008. Many people thought it would be a disastrous move for Hamilton, as Mercedes had won only one grand prix since the switch from BrawnGP in 2010. Nico Rosberg held that win, coming in China last season.
Personally, I was curious how I would feel this season. After all, I’ve been a Lewis Hamilton fan since discovering Formula 1 in the summer of 2008. This is the first time, though, that a favored driver had switched teams. I was thrilled in 2010 when Jenson Button left Mercedes to join McLaren and you suddenly had the last two World Champions on the same team, but the switch coincided with the rise of Red Bull Renault, and McLaren never held position as I thought they would.
Then, after last season, it was announced that Lewis Hamilton was leaving McLaren for Mercedes, and I was suddenly in a conundrum. I loved McLaren. Hamilton was my favorite driver. What to do? So I waited. I decided to wait until actual race action and decide my allegiances then. And honestly, it was a simple choice. When it comes to baseball, I’m an Atlanta Braves fan through and through. College football? Georgia Bulldogs all the way. The NFL? Give me the Falcons, but I’ll still cheer for the Steelers as well. But for racing, I found out I’m more a fan of the driver than the team. I still think McLaren produces the best looking car, but all throughout the Australian Grand Prix, I did nothing but hope for Lewis to move to the front. When he took the lead I was thrilled. I didn’t figure him to hold it, as the W04 is still coming into its own, but a top five finish is certainly a good start.
So I guess I’m a Mercedes fan now.
As for the remainder of the season, I always do some predictions, and I guess I should get around to them now.
Detailed Predictions:
Driver’s Championship: Fernando Alonso
As much as I don’t want Alonso or Vettel to walk away with the title, I think it will be between them, as the Ferrari looks strong, and Alonso particularly so.
As much as I don’t want Alonso or Vettel to walk away with the title, I think it will be between them, as the Ferrari looks strong, and Alonso particularly so.
Manufacturer’s Championship: Scuderia Ferrari
The red cars were impressive in Melbourne. It appears as though Felipe Massa is finally back on form after suffering some setbacks, particularly after that scary incident at the Hungaroring a few years back. He drove well in Australia and frankly I’d like to see him out-duel Alonso this season.
The red cars were impressive in Melbourne. It appears as though Felipe Massa is finally back on form after suffering some setbacks, particularly after that scary incident at the Hungaroring a few years back. He drove well in Australia and frankly I’d like to see him out-duel Alonso this season.
Rookie of the Year: Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber)
Gutierrez has the best chance at this mark, simply because he has the best car of the rookies. In terms of pure skill, there might be better drivers, but Gutierrez gets the best kit.
Gutierrez has the best chance at this mark, simply because he has the best car of the rookies. In terms of pure skill, there might be better drivers, but Gutierrez gets the best kit.
Will the Mercedes W04 find the top of the podium?
Yes, I think it will. Lewis Hamilton is too good to go an entire season without a win. He’s brilliant at several tracks, including Spa, and he took the inaugural win at Austin, TX last season. I look for the W04 to find victory lane, thought not until after the summer break.
Yes, I think it will. Lewis Hamilton is too good to go an entire season without a win. He’s brilliant at several tracks, including Spa, and he took the inaugural win at Austin, TX last season. I look for the W04 to find victory lane, thought not until after the summer break.
Will any teams drop out during the season?
No. It looks like everyone is settled in for 2013…but the fun starts in 2014.
No. It looks like everyone is settled in for 2013…but the fun starts in 2014.
Fifth Beatle has mentioned that he wants more races in more places. Where do you (I) think F1 will race in the future?
There are plans for a street circuit in Sochi, Russia, to follow the Winter Olympics. There is also talk of a race in Cape Town, South Africa, though I’m not sure how much push is behind that. The Port Imperial Street Circuit in New Jersey remains a possibility. But note that all of those are street circuits. I would prefer F1 stay on road courses. I wouldn’t mind a return to Watkins Glen. There are several circuits in Europe that have fallen off the calendar, including my favorite Tilkedrome, Istanbul Park.
There are plans for a street circuit in Sochi, Russia, to follow the Winter Olympics. There is also talk of a race in Cape Town, South Africa, though I’m not sure how much push is behind that. The Port Imperial Street Circuit in New Jersey remains a possibility. But note that all of those are street circuits. I would prefer F1 stay on road courses. I wouldn’t mind a return to Watkins Glen. There are several circuits in Europe that have fallen off the calendar, including my favorite Tilkedrome, Istanbul Park.
How many races before the end of the season will the Driver’s Title be decided?
Given the similarities in strength between the Red Bull and the Ferrari, I think this season goes down to the wire. I can actually see the possibility of upwards of five or six drivers in the mix for the title entering Sao Paolo. Vettel, Alonso, Massa, Raikkonen, and Hamilton could all be in the mix. I would love to see Webber in the mix as well, but he suffers too many bad starts.
Given the similarities in strength between the Red Bull and the Ferrari, I think this season goes down to the wire. I can actually see the possibility of upwards of five or six drivers in the mix for the title entering Sao Paolo. Vettel, Alonso, Massa, Raikkonen, and Hamilton could all be in the mix. I would love to see Webber in the mix as well, but he suffers too many bad starts.
Short Answer Predictions:
Will Mark Webber win a grand prix this year? No.
Will anyone other than Red Bull start on the front row? Yes.
Will Lotus win more than one grand prix this year? Yes.
How many different winners will we see this year? Seven (Raikkonen, Alonso, Vettel, Button, Hamilton, Massa, Sutil)
You really think Adrian Sutil will win a grand prix? Yes, either India or Monza.
Race Preview: Sepang, Malaysia
The fast cars roll into Malaysia this weekend for the grand prix held at the Sepang Circuit. This is one of my favorite tracks, as it offers a little bit of everything. It does have the staple of the Tilkedrome, the long straight followed by the hairpin turn followed by another long straight. But the flowing corners and the elevation change, couple with the annual monsoon that pours down during the race make this a fun grand prix.
Look for Vettel and Hamilton to battle for pole here, with Vettel capturing first. As for the podium finish:
1. Fernando Alonso
2. Sebastian Vettel
3. Lewis Hamilton
BONUS: As an added bonus for this season, I’m keeping up with the Formula 1 points battle, but I’m scoring it with a points system similar to the one NASCAR uses. In my system, first place gets 25 points, second gets 21 points, third gets 20 points and so on down the line until last place, 22nd, gets 1 point. I’ll be updating the points standings after each grand prix, allowing time for the stewards to do their typical screwing around after each race.
No comments:
Post a Comment