err...Alonso - Honda? seriously, i'm outta ideas. Ferrari mentioned they're pretty backwards in terms of the KERS development. i have no idea how thats gonna affect next season.
alonso wont leave renault now that he's on pace again. i predict bmw & kubica both in the top 2 of WDC and WCC, either winning or placing second. could be a rough year for ferrari...
Sadly, I have a feeling we are about to slip into a McLaren domination period! Ferrari seem to be becoming more and more disorganized and full of errors and bad judgements, dare I say it, there becoming all Italian again ! I so hope I'm wrong though!!!
Too early to tell. The new aero package, slicks and the KERS system might really change things around. We'll have to see what the winter testing shows.
I think you hit it right on. It is too early too tell. I hve a feeling Kimi should do well without the aeros of today, but I feel Alonso would be the best at dirt tracking¨. I think we will see Gilles and Alesi style driving in 2009.
Ron, the thing that worries me is the development from Ferrari's end on KERS, I know that might be the one saving grace in addition to Ross Brawn for Honda. I also think Toyota maybe pretty strong next season as well.
I'd put my money on bmw and kubica. They have put very little in their 2008 car development this year (I think they stopped all together after canada GP?) and put every single penny in car 2009. most teams, especially ferrari and mclaren, have developed the car until the penultimate race, which means they will have less funds available for 2009 season, so it puts them at a disadvantage... my prediction: Kubica ferrari (IF the car proves to be reliable and quick) hamilton (he hasnt been as consistend as last year, i can only assume that if he does the same performance he has done this year it wont be enough to keep up with the bmw)
My prediction? It will be another very interesting season, sorry that's all I have at the moment as my crystal ball is in the shop for a valve job.
I predict it will be a dominant year for Casey Putsch in a '73 Lotus. Though underfunded and saddled with somewhat outdated technology, Casey will utilize all of his mad vintage race skillZ to upset the Ferrari/Mclaren stranglehold on F1. I see Kimi a strong but distant 2nd.
i really hope next season will be as interesting as they're all saying. i remember pre 2008 season, everyone said it's gonna be exciting and stuff, due to the banning of TC. but for me, it's still the same, the only ones that were exciting this year was the wet races. look at last weekend's race, Valencia, etc. pure boring.
Tony, interesting point. I think 2009 is a crap shoot, potentially the cars are more equal. Trulli and Toyota might surprise. And Brawn with Button might be up there. It is so easy for the people here to FChat to criticize someone like Button, but not being in the car, he might actually be performing better with a crap chassis than Hamilton is with a wonderful chassis. We just do not know not beiing there in the car. So I do not see a clearly decisive cakewalk for Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa, etc in 2009. But when you consider Alonso´s nearly dirt track style, with the slicks, limited aero, I think Alonso, Briatore, and the Renault would get my money if I were a betting person.
Not to worry!!!! Max "Porno" Mosley and the FIA swing in to Ferraris assistance and offer a standard KERS system going forward. Whew! How "fortuante" for Ferrari!
Supposedly Williams is doing well on KERS development. I don't know where BMW stands, but McLaren are supposed to be doing pretty well on it as well. On the other hand, slicks will probably be easier for Kimi to adapt to, IMO, as not having to worry about grooves and all that will allow the tire guys to make a tire that will last and work the way drivers want them to, which may play into Kimi's hands... and I bet the F2009 will be semi-customized for his driving style. I expect Kimi to be back on top for Ferrari. I think Ferrari may fall down the grid a bit, Renault may bounce back. I think Red Bull and STR are going to falter, and Honda is going to come back in a big way. Williams will be up, IMO, and I think Toyota will continue to do "ok". BMW is a big unknown for next year... I don't think they will be able to challenge McLaren but they may have a crap car too - depends how they do with KERS. And since Mosley is planning to have team-specific KERS be a one-year-only thing, the costs of F1 for the next couple of years just went through the roof - again! Brilliant!
My prediction? More meddling in race results by stewards, No more interesting tracks than we saw this year Fewer North American fans
Next year is wide open. I think we might have a good idea of the strong ones after about 3 races. Who knows maybe more than that.
I have a feeling you will see more different winners and podium finishers in 2009 than in previous seasons. Good for the fans despite Ferraris potential showing. And Canada will return, along with the USGP at Indianapolis.
I hope you are right. I also hope Indy comes back. Its a great facility, tickets are reasonable compared to other venues and they treat fans superbly there. You can watch from so many places and seating is open until raceday, then you will hit your assigned seat. People are nice in that city as well. Canada is a great track but the facility, walkways and such are not that great. Sit only in assigned seats for practice etc. City and track are super of course.
