KovaLAINen Confirmed At McLaren

Not sure it was Alonso that caused the team to sack Heikki. It took him a long time to find his feet and they really wanted to bring Piquet in. Had Alonso not come, yes, Heikki would have stayed, but Piquet would have been there anyway. It is more that with Alonso on board, they didn't need Heikki anymore.

I agree with your forecast: I think Ferrari will run away from the field and Renault will duke it out with McLaren and possibly BMW.

Honda won't do squad this year. Brawn is great, but miracles take some time to materialize. Toyota will continue to do what they do best: Suck.

 

Let's hope they can get along!

 

So am I the only one that thinks that in the year of the conspiracy, there might have been a deal here? McL releases Alonso under the condition that if Renault signs him, Heikki becomes available. Just a thought, not saying I think it's so. I do believe the timing on all decisions fits though.

 

McLaren has been pretty good with the Finnish drivers, so hopefully Heikki K. can show Lewis up and beat him soundly.

 

RE: Alonso/Heiki, I think Flav wanted to bring Piquet up but I think Heiki would be a better #2 driver for most team bosses, except if your #1 is Alonso, because he won't accept it I am really happy for Heiki - he moved into the best seat on the grid. Swapping with Alonso was probably a dream come true - good on him!

As for Ferrari - I am not so sure they will be dominant in 08. BMW could be strong, Renault will likely improve, McLaren too. I hope Ferrari can overcome their shortcomings of 2007 but I am not so sure. I think they sort of got worse in terms of competence and precision as the year progressed, not better. We shall see and I wish them luck, but I wonder if LdM has shot himself in the foot by trying to fiddle with a formula for success.

As for Honda, I think they will be quite OK in 2008. It was not so long ago that they were fighting for wins - not long ago at all, and fortunes can change quickly in F1. Its not like they dont know what they did wrong in 07, so I think even without Brawn they would have improved - I think a lot. With Brawn I think they will improve a bit more than they otherwise would have at the start, and probably quite a lot more during the season than they would have. BMW is an unknown quantity also... but for everyone that moves up the grid, someone has to move down. I think Renault is going down and I think Ferrari may also. I think BMW may move up into a solid 2nd, and I think McLaren will possibly be first.

I'd LOVE to see a knock-em-down drag-em-out fight between BMW, McLaren, Ferrari, Renault for the WDC and WCC titles. THAT would be great (and I'd choose either Lewis or Kimi for the win - preferably Kimi so he sticks around another year, c**kblocking Alonso from the Ferrari seat!).

 

- Yes Heikki got lucky. Good for him.

- Ferrari will be dominant. No doubt about it. They made the best car in 07 and would have walked if Stepney hadn't given away the moving floor. They would have totally dominated if the McLaren hadn't had their brake system.
- Honda is so backwards, it will be a very long way to come back. Brawn will make them a winning team, but not in 08.
- McLaren will be hindered by their own freeze on development.
- Renault will move up, but not go for wins yet.
- BMW will get its first victory. That's their plan and they are Germans.

Final WCC standings 08:
1) Ferrari
2) McLaren (well theoretically based on points, but Max will take them away in October 08 just because he can)
3) BMW
4) Renault
5) Williams

Final WDC standings 08:
1) Kimi
2) Massa
3) Hami
4) Freddy
5) Heidi

 

+1

I agree that McLaren will probably struggle to keep up with the Ferraris - due to their development freeze on several parts, but even more because of their 2 rookie drivers without developing experience and their financial problems.

 

McLaren's new signing Heikki Kovalainen is convinced he will be given a fair chance to fight for the world title alongside team-mate Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

And the Finn, who has effectively swapped places with Fernando Alonso who has joined Renault, doesn't expect a repeat of the tempestuous relationship the double world champion struck with the Woking squad.

"One thing I wanted to establish before signing was that I'd be treated equally," he told the BBC.

 

Alonso leaving a wounded Mclaren ( which he helped inflict ) will go down as his biggest career screw up.

HK fell into the deal of a lifetime. I believe Rosberg would have been a better driver but he may be holding out for Ferrari which he should grab like a drowning man if offered. Problem is you cant look as if to be drowning "just out for a swim".

I wonder who will make a bigger as$ of himself at Renault this year when the car sucks and the need arises for a scape goat ; Flavio or FA.

The key for Mclaren this year will to have a solid tuning/development department and test driver to support the 2 "rookies".

 

?!?

Didn't they go from having no wins in 2006 to 8 wins and outpointing Ferrari in the WCC?

 

Maybe he was referring to Max's teeth marks...

 

100 mil out of the coffers is going to be a terrific blow to their development program not only in 08 but possibly down the road.
And they are under scrutiny for the next year.
Perhaps all the new media attention can drive more sponsors their way to make up the deficit

 

Did they outpoint Ferrari in the WCC, I don't recall?

But I don't think Alonso leaving McLaren wounded them at all. With Hamilton and Kovalainenenenen-en they now have a formidable team. Team being the key word. McLaren's internal stife in 2007 wounded them. But not in 2008. Hekki came out the winner int his driver exchange.

 

They scored more points overall but lost them due to the Spy scandal and the ridiculous Hungary stewards decision.

As a Ferrari fan, I am concerned that they backdoored into the WCC, they did not win it outright on the track as they did the WDC.

 

true Ted, but in total, they scored 7 wins in 19 races. i think thats pretty ok to win a WCC. it's their reliablity that let them down.

 

Which is what the WCC is all about. To finish first, first you must finish.

 

First you must be Finnish...

 

No, it was the time it took for Kimi to adjust to the Bridgestones and it is the points deficit that Ferrari had because their #2 driver simply isn't as good as McLaren's drivers. In the absence of the spy scandal penalty and the ridiculous ruling by the Hungarian stewards, Ferrari would not have won the WCC. And the reason they wouldn't have is that they simply did not have a strong enough driver combination, Kimi was up to the task but Massa wasn't. That is two WCCs that could have been lost due to the inability of the #2 driver to carry his load.