gaddafi

MS at 9/2 is mighty tempting

Head says Alonso

chilled

I would dearly love Massa to outperform Alonso this year.

NineBolts

I've been following the testing for the last month and it looks good for the season ahead.

The media published the best times of each day but the weather was so bad that you can't get a clear picture. The media also largely ignored the long run times and distances and I think that's going to be key.

PaulF

I'm fairly sure we won't be treated to the spectacle of cars running out of fuel this year, sadly. I'm sure the electronics packages will have something similar to the MotoGP bikes, where by the wick is automatically turned down when fuel levels/consumption becomes an issue. Watch out for big gaps dramatically closing towards the end of races.

FWIW I think Button has a reasonable chance to defend his crown, he's acknowledged as one of the smoothest drivers in on the grid, and as such won't struggle as much as to convert to the new fueling regulations. How the others cope with adapting their styles away from the 'three short balls out sprints' type of race will determine where they finish.

Also, I think we could have a few suprises again this year. I'm sure I read somwhere, but can't find it now, that Bridgestone's tyre wear data from the winter tests shows Sauber to be the kindest to it's tyres during the race simulations.

Dembo

Yes the electronics and teams will be cleverer than that. The only way it's going to go wrong is if they make a mistake in fueling the car before the start, which isn't that likely, and then they'll pull the car in rather than let it run out.

I don't see that as a big deal. The best drivers will adapt, because that's part of what makes them the best. It's more an issue for the teams: it's quite likely that some cars will cope with a heavy fuel load better than others, and with the weight and therfore the height of the car changing through the race the aerodynamics and suspension setup are going to have to be a compromise.

It could mean somebody with a fast when light car starts near the front, then is a roadblock for the first half of the race, but then comes back strong at the end.

I can't quite decide if any of this will make the racing more exciting, or more boring, but at last we get to see proper qualifying on low fuel again. I'm looking forward to Saturday more than Sunday.

MB

I'm looking forward to seeing Bruno Senna

Dembo

At the back?

NineBolts

He was quoted as saying his goal is to do full race distance this weekend.



Chances of him doing full race distance are 0%

Even if he does the almost impossible and finishes the race he'll be so many laps behind he'll of only done 3/4 of the race distance.

Bring back the 107% rule

k3vin

Spread companies are suggesting Lewis will score around 55-60 points more than Jenson this season.

Dembo

And the first scandal is: Knee-gate.