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| This Season's Surprise Package | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 12 2007, 03:03 PM (484 Views) | |
| Paul_Murtagh | Feb 12 2007, 03:03 PM Post #1 |
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Chief Engineer
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Who will be this season's surprise package, along the lines of BMW Sauber last year, Nick Heidfeld in 2005 and BAR Honda in 2004? I'm going to go with Heikki Kovalainen. With so many people predicting Renault to struggle with Alonso gone, I think Heikki could get a win or two and a few podiums on top of it and his form could spell the end of Fisichella's career |
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| Monty | Feb 12 2007, 03:06 PM Post #2 |
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Chief Engineer
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BMW, the car looks quick they have two very good drivers and i think they will trouble the top 3 teams. |
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| Rob | Feb 12 2007, 03:13 PM Post #3 |
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Williams will surprise with an upturn in results. |
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| safc_fan89 | Feb 12 2007, 03:17 PM Post #4 |
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safc_fan89
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I had done a detailed analysis of why I thought Williams would be the surprise package but it didn't post it and I lost it all...can't be bothered to type it all out again, so I also say Williams. They won't take last season's debacle lying down. |
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| The Saint | Feb 12 2007, 04:05 PM Post #5 |
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I would love to see Williams back at the top, they have provided me with many pleasurable years of racing and gave Mansell the championshiop he deserved (well he deserved more than one, but one will do). |
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| Penelope Pitstop | Feb 12 2007, 04:21 PM Post #6 |
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Refueller
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I am going to push the boat out here and say that Honda will be better than people are expecting. Not because Jenson is the greatest or anything daft, but because I have a belief in Honda. They might not be showing amazing pace in testing so far but I have an intuition that they are going to do well this year. The photos of their car this year suggest they have done something quite different with their sidepods from the others and it is unlikely they will have deviated so much without being sure there is a benefit. Also Renault. Everybody is writing them off but if Fizzy can get a good first race under his belt then maybe he can get some momentum going. Renault have been proven to be hard to catch if you give them a head start in the championship and they always seem to start well. Williams doing better would not be a surprise to anybody, after such a woeful season last year they could not possibly do any worse!!!! |
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| blackdog | Feb 12 2007, 04:25 PM Post #7 |
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Tyre Changer
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And what of F1's sleeping giant. Can Toyota really afford another mediocre season? Every year up to 2005 they improved, so was last year merely a blip? I'd be amazed if they fail again. At least a GP win this year I reckon, followed by a scramble for 2008 drives when they sack Trulli and Ralf. |
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| Red Andy | Feb 12 2007, 04:36 PM Post #8 |
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I'll say Toyota. People criticise them a lot for their unorthodox management philosophy and the millions of dollars they throw at the car with little in the way of results, but remember that they started their team from scratch (unlike virtually all of the other manufacturers) and have been building up for a long time to some success. Maybe 2007 will be their year. I think Honda may surprise everyone by how disappointing they will be. It's never a good idea to make predictions based on pre-season testing (especially with Honda; they looked strong in both 2005 and 2006), but this year they just don't look up to it. I expect them not to trouble the top three teams as much as they did last year, and maybe even get outclassed by BMW. |
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| dcoulthard19 | Feb 12 2007, 04:42 PM Post #9 |
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Chief Engineer
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There are alot of potential surprises so here are my main 3: 1. Renault will be competitive and have a race winning car and Heikki will a great season. 2. BMW will be in amongst the top 4 and challenging for better things on some tracks. 3. Williams will be alot faster and get alot more points, although I wouldn't class that as a surprise as such, thats what I would expect from the team. |
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| Red Andy | Feb 12 2007, 04:44 PM Post #10 |
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To be fair DC, I don't think that will be much of a surprise. Renault are the reigning world champions, and the loss of Alonso is hardly going to send them shooting down the grid. I think it would be more of a surprise if Renault didn't have a great season. |
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| safc_fan89 | Feb 12 2007, 05:01 PM Post #11 |
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That's something I haven't understood...everyone is writing Renault off. It could easily work to their advantage. |
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| Red Andy | Feb 12 2007, 05:07 PM Post #12 |
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I think it may be a driver issue rather than anything else - Fisichella is hardly considered a world-beater, and Kovalainen is a rookie, a promising one but a rookie nonetheless. But the technical staff are still there, and the management and engineering quality that has led Renault to their last two titles is still in place. We've seen before that even less-than-top class drivers can be successful in a team that is well organised and competitive (see Williams, 1997, for example.) |
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| dcoulthard19 | Feb 12 2007, 05:25 PM Post #13 |
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I was saying that it would be a surprise because nearly everyone and this mainly includes F1 journalists and ex drivers have completely written them off. I am glad not everyone hasn't. <thumbs> |
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| Red Andy | Feb 12 2007, 05:29 PM Post #14 |
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No matter how ugly their car, you can be sure it'll be pretty fast. |
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| dcoulthard19 | Feb 12 2007, 05:32 PM Post #15 |
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Chief Engineer
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Renault's car is starting to grow on me now, don't know why but it just is. |
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