2015 Formula 1 Racing Thread.

[Bob Holmes]

With the 2014 season open, its officially time to start the 2015 thread.

They are in the middle of the silly season. Lots of politicking, hiring and firing and rumor mongering going on.

And we'll probably still see Mercedes kick everyone's ass in 2015.

I know Tony will be happy that his favorite taxi driver will still be lumbering around the circuits of the world, albeit many positions behind the herd.

So which team will fall the hardest, Ferrari or McLaren? They are both rebuilding. I will enjoy the continued resurgence of Williams, and with Riccardo at the helm, I can enjoy RBR's chase of the silver arrow.

[MikeFleming]

I suspect McLaren will continue to be middle of the pack this season whist adapting to the new Honda engine. Then be a front runner in 2016. If htey get he power and chassis working, their driver selection will produce the results.

Ferrari, I suspect, will continue to be middle of the pack. I just don't see Vttel doing much better at Ferrari than he did at RedBull this past year. Ferrari doesn't have the car to win just now (nor the talent to build a winning car, it appears).

Merc will continue to be the front runner for the coming season, perhaps also into '16. Hopefully with a bit of competition from Williams and, as we get later in the season, McLaren. Hamilton and Rosberg will continue to swap the drivers points lead as they are both very excellent drivers (of course, Lewis is a wee bit better). Fortunately the "Double Points" fiasco (aka crap) will be no more.

I also predict at least one more team will fail financially and drop out completely.

On that same topic: Whatever happened to that new, almost upcoming USA F1 team?

That there's my predictions. ( As always, subject to change by the end of the year. )

[Bob Holmes]

I expect that we'll hear more and more about Haas F1. They're set up as the Ferrari "Jr" team. Sort of like RBR and STR. I'd lay odds that they never make the grid.

The hue and cry about collapsing teams is a bit interesting, Will Buxton did a great blog piece that stated well in excess of 100 teams have come and gone since the beginning of the championship. Its nothing new.

Ecclestone's antics continue to amuse. His ability to control this sport by confusing, dividing and conquering is fascinating.

[MikeFleming]

Ecclestone's antics continue to amuse. His ability to control this sport by confusing, dividing and conquering is fascinating.

Who will take over when Bernie dies??

Img_8535.jpg

[MikeFleming]

More firings at Ferrari.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin.../12/16732.html

Their goal for 2015: At least two wins (as expected, what happens when they don't meet that goal is not mentioned):

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin.../12/16746.html

[MikeFleming]

2015 FIA Formula One World Championship Race Calendar
01 Australia (Melbourne) 13 - 15 Mar
02 Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) 27 - 29 Mar
03 China (Shanghai) 10 - 12 Apr
04 Bahrain (Sakhir) 17 - 19 Apr
05 Korea (TBA) * 01 - 03 May
06 Spain (Catalunya) 08 - 10 May
07 Monaco (Monte Carlo) 22 - 24 May
08 Canada (Montréal) 05 - 07 Jun
09 Austria (Spielberg) 19 - 21 Jun
10 Great Britain (Silverstone) 03 - 05 Jul
11 Germany (TBA) 17 - 19 Jul
12 Hungary (Budapest) 24 - 26 Jul
13 Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) 21 - 23 Aug
14 Italy (Monza) 04 - 06 Sep
15 Singapore (Singapore) 18 - 20 Sep
16 Japan (Suzuka) 25 - 27 Sep
17 Russia (Sochi) 09 - 11 Oct
18 United States (Austin) 23 - 25 Oct
19 Mexico (Mexico City) 30 Oct - 01 Nov
20 Brazil (São Paulo) 13 - 15 Nov
21 Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina) 27 - 29 Nov

[Raven855]

I am not sure of what to make of the coming year yet. The noses of practically all the teams will have to be redone to comply with the regs for 2015. Ferrari is still having wind tunnel issues. The dynamics of the Ferrari duo remains to be seen. How will Alonso and Jenson do? Will Maledono clash in the first practice or the first race? And who will he take out? Will Lotus improve? Will Williams improve enough to be a real threat? Will Mercedes relent and allow engine developement? How soon will RB be caught cheating? How will the Honda engines do? Will we see Brawn at Ferrari? How will the tires affect the new cars?

I look forward to the season because it will answer some questions for me. Bob and I have always had a differing view of Jenson Button. Now we will see how he does with a really good driver beside him.

[MikeFleming]

75 days.

[Bob Holmes]

Ferrari is already managing expectations. Blaming the former crew for a crappy 2015 car. Pathetic.

[Cellos88SVO]

Ferrari is already managing expectations. Blaming the former crew for a crappy 2015 car. Pathetic.

Eh, cars begin development in the spring of the previous season and therefore a lot of work has been done well before any of the firings. The public blaming is in poor taste but there isn't much else they can do to fend off the Italian press and the tifosi.

[Jack Hidley]

Mercedes will win. Ferrari will do worse than they did last year as Vettel can't adapt to a car that was designed without his influence. McLaren will do better with the Honda engine as they've had much more time to integrate it into the car. This is the same advantage that Mercedes had over many other teams, and I suspect why Hamilton smartly joined them. MM will finish ahead of Haas F1.

[Raven855]

The 2015 testing is just days away. Force India has already had a misstep. They had announced they would be the first to intro their car for the new season and now they have announced it will be reveiled at the second testing. Hope this is not what we are going to be seeing from them in the future but I think it might be. I agree with Jack in that Mercedes will win. It will be closer as Red Bull will be make improvements to their engine, software, battery system and chassis. They also cheat. But as always it will be later in the season before anyone figures out how. The challenge for McLaren is engine developement. Under current rules they are locked in with no improvements. The rest of the field can make improvements. I see this rule changing soon and they have good drivers. I expect them to be better than Ferrari, but we shall see. Lotus will improve with a new engine and a new chassis. They still have Maladono, go directly to jail, do not get $200. Ferrari will leak that they have wind tunnel problems when Williams and Torro Rosso both do better than them. Ferrari will be put up for sale, bought by Ford and turned into small Russian economy cars.

[MikeFleming]

Ferrari will be put up for sale, bought by Ford and turned into small Russian economy cars.

With v-12 engines that have a very nice sound to them and seven-speed dual-clutch paddle-shifter thingies.

[Bob Holmes]

With v-12 engines that have a very nice sound to them and seven-speed dual-clutch paddle-shifter thingies.

LOL

[MikeFleming]

2015 Year F1 Contest ten-question prediction list:

1. Which driver will win the altitude record this year?
Img_0608.jpg

2. Who will be the first to experience an "incident" with Maldonado?

3. Which driver will Massa blame first for [whatever]?

4. Who will win the first race of the year - Hamilton or Rosberg?

5. What non-Mercedes team will be the first to win a race in 2015?

6. How many races into the season will we get before Ferrari fires another top person? Races to firing the second top person?

7. How many races into the season before Red Bull is sanctioned or punished for having something illegal on their car(s)?

8. Which team will be the first to lose a wheel/tyre due to a faulty pit stop during a race?

9. Which team will make the first 'under 2 second' pit stop (four tyres) during a race?

10. Which team will be the first to have a car run out of fuel during a race?

[Raven855]

2015 Year F1 Contest ten-question prediction list:

1. Which driver will win the altitude record this year?
I am going to wait on this one. I want to see some of the new drivers first

2. Who will be the first to experience an "incident" with Maldonado?
Maldonado. He will crash during testing

3. Which driver will Massa blame first for [whatever]?
I think Massa has matured. But if it comes to that, I say Vettel

4. Who will win the first race of the year - Hamilton or Rosberg?
Hard question. The bigger question for me would be "who else will be on the podium?"

5. What non-Mercedes team will be the first to win a race in 2015?
Red Bull

6. How many races into the season will we get before Ferrari fires another top person? Races to firing the second top person?
Are there any left? I will go 2. The second round will be around race 11 when they hire Brawn.

7. How many races into the season before Red Bull is sanctioned or punished for having something illegal on their car(s)?
There will be no sanctions or anything. Lots of accusations though, but they will be Mercedes closest competitor and Bernie will not want to ruin the show.

8. Which team will be the first to lose a wheel/tyre due to a faulty pit stop during a race?
Based on last year I would say Williams but I think Suzie will have addressed that problem for this year. Don't have a good feeling on this yet.

9. Which team will make the first 'under 2 second' pit stop (four tyres) during a race?
Red Bull

10. Which team will be the first to have a car run out of fuel during a race?
Someone running a Ferrari engine.

[Raven855]

The end of the second day at the second testing has now happened. Red Bull, running race simulation and puttting a ton of laps in, on softs puts in the fastest time. They got some good reliability out of the car today. Ferrari is second fastest and have been right at the top of the time sheets during all of the testing sessions. Their fastest time today was on softs. They are still running their intro aero package and not the Melborn aero package so better times should be possible. Mercedes have had driver problems with Hamilton falling ill yesterday and Nico has a neck nerve issue. But Nico ran this morning and Hamiliton ran this afternoon and have run the 3rd and 4th fastest time on the medium tires. They are only .3 seconds back and were running testing on aero and very high fuel loads. There is lots of anticipation on how fast this car really is. It has ended up being a very interesting day with all the different story lines unfolding.

[MikeFleming]

20 days ...

[Raven855]

2. Who will be the first to experience an "incident" with Maldonado?
Maldonado. He will crash during testing

Maldonado has crashed during testing today! I have one prediction right! Although some of the other predictions just are not going to happen.

[MikeFleming]

Three. Days.
Three. Days.
Three. Days.