Originally posted on 12/3/10
Formula One Season 2010
'09 was a big year for F1. What with the economic downturn and the subsequent buggaring off of all the money from the sport, various methods were suggested to sort out the money problems. The lovely budget cap was brought up, and proved to be so catastrophic that the championship almost broke away altogether. Couple this with the near death of Felipe Massa (probably the scariest thing i've ever seen in sport), the cheating of Lewis "I am the cult of personality" Hamilton, the horrible affair from Renault about Piquet Jr. crashing and the increasingly daft rule changes proposed by Bernie, and there was doubt that the sport would be recognisable after the turn of the decade. Luckily, the seasons downpoints were more than outweighed by its success stories. The sheer crapiness of McLaren and Ferrari led a new series of teams to come to the fore and perform well. Red Bull, as led by the Australian David Coulthard and Sebastian Vettel, Brawn, who were lucky to even be there and Force India, who were lucky to do anything. All of this culminated of course in dear Jenson winning the world championship, having two British WC's in a row (christ only knows when this has ever happened anywhere).
Moving into 2010, and it's all change again. Drivers have gone, drivers have moved, drivers have came in and of course, drivers have came back. There follows a run-down of each team and what I think they can realistically expect from this season:
McLaren: Coming off an extremely disappointing season, McLaren will be looking to get right back to the front of the field. There were strong results toward the end of 09, and they will be hoping that the combination of two world champions will help keep them competitive. They're been right at the top of the practice timesheets in Bahrain this weekend, and will be expecting to stay there. Their car had better do well, as it's too ugly to be admired for anything other than performance.
Expected finish
Constructor - Top 3
Hamilton - Top 5
Button Top 5
Mercedes: Or Brawn GP, Mk II. Lets be fair, all eyes will be here tomorrow morning at qualifying. Michael Schumacher is 41, and apparently was bored with not boring everyone, so has come back. It'll be interesting to see how he does paired with Nico Rosberg, who has always been someone who i've never thought has lived up to his potential. Unless he starts off quickly this season, expect him to end up like Nick Heidfeld without the neckbeard.
Expected finish
Constructor - Top 3
Schumacher - Top 3
Rosberg - Anywhere
Red Bull: Last year was their best chance to win a championship IMO. Their improvement towards the end of the year was fantastic, and Vettel was arguably the most consistent driver throughout last year. Mark Webber cannot be counted out, although he'll have to start strong so the team doesn't focus on Baby Schumi too much.
Expected finish
Constructor - Top 5
Vettel - Top 3
Webber - Top 5
Ferrari: If you thought that McLaren would be the ego battle with two world champions, think again. Massa is one of the most naturally gifted drivers when on form, and Alonso's raw desire to win coupled with his ability will get Ferrari back on course. Whether they will be able to handle the two of them remains to be seen however.
Expected finish
Constructor - Top 5
Alonso - Top 5
Massa - Top 5
Williams: An interesting driver choice this season, perennial number two Rubens in with a complete noob, which is always an interesting combo. Rubens could provide guidance for The Hulk being blooded in F1, as both have proven that they're good drivers in their own rights. Whether they can maintain their pace for a whole season remains to be seen.
Expected finish
Constructor - Top 10
Barichello - Top 10
Hulkenberg - Finish with points
Renault: Arguably the team most affected by problems last year with Symonds and Briatore getting the heave, Renault have struggled to make a car that has proved competitive in testing. A shame for Kubica, who's one of the top drivers in the field, and was heavily linked with Ferrari at one point. Going in with Nose is F1's first Russian driver, and if i'm honest I know heehaw about him, so I can't comment.
Expected finish
Constructor - Respectable
Kubica - Top 10
Petrov - Respectable
Force India: One of the strongest teams at the end of last year, with two very young and promising drivers. Liuzzi and Sutil both have track records of making Takuma Sato-esque mistakes however, so they will have to be consistent along with the car to get anywhere this season. Look for them to challenge for a win and a few poles.
Expected finish
Constructor - 20+ points
Liuzzi - Respectable
Sutil - Respectable
Toro Rosso: I hate this team. They serve no purpose, and their drivers are ugly. I hope they fail
Lotus F1: An interesting driver lineup for a new team with Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen, Lotus have a chance this year if they can get a good car on the track. Kovalainen however has always been a disappointment in my eyes, not doing much on great teams like Renault and McLaren. Trulli also is one of those drivers who's been around for years yet never actually done anything, but his experience should help the new team stay in the competition.
Expected finish
All 3 - double figures in points
Hispania Racing Team: One of this years "piss-take" teams, as driven by an Indian fellow and Bruno Senna. The name ain't going to save this mob however, I don't think they'll be doing too well this year.
Expected finish
They'll be happy to get points
BMW Sauber: A team i've always had a soft spot for, although with Pedro de la Rosa driving they're not likely to do squat. Kamui Kobayashi however showed last year for Toyota that he can drive out of his skin and do very well, so he could well keep the car afloat this year.
Expected finish
Double figures in points for constructor and drivers
Virgin Racing: Led by Richard Branson. May they fail and rot in hell. Their car's ugly too.
With the new teams, drivers and rules, 2010 will be one the best F1 seasons yet. If you're not a fan, I highly suggest tuning in to see some of the finest racing ever witnessed.
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