F1 2012 is being set up to be an awe inspiring season. We have 6 world champions and 24 world class drivers in the fastest cars on earth. But, can we predict who will come out on top by November. After 20 Grand Prix's it could be completely different, but i am giving it a shot.
I have researched data, testing times, car performance and look at last year's results and have come up with my predictions for the Drivers and Constructors tables. Comment your views below too, or rate your reaction to it.
Drivers:
1) Sebastian Vettel: Controversial i know, but i think Vettel could make it 3 in a row in 2012. No doubt it will be a closer fought battle but i think by Brazil he could take another title. If testing is to go by Red Bull will be strong.
2) Lewis Hamilton: He has looked extremely fast in testing and has become alot happier in his private and on track life over the winter. The MP4-27 is not only a beauty but it is also fast, making Mclaren a top challenger in 2012.
3) Jenson Button: After beating his team mate last year i think it will be extremely close between him and his British team mate Hamilton. After some stunning drivers in 2011 he is at the top of his game, and 2012 looks set to be a good one.
4) Mark Webber: He has always been off the pace of Vettel in testing and over the last few years, so whether Mark can beat his young team mate is still unclear. I think this year, with the closer racing, we could see him win but the Mclarens will put up a good fight.
5) Kimi Raikkonen: This is a risk, placing Raikkonen infront of the Ferrari's, but it think despite the difficult start in testing they will be quick from the start. Raikkonen is an extremely talented racer and will definitely be up there and challenging for podiums.
6) Fernando Alonso: The F2012 is a beast of a car, both looks and handling wise. Bad reliability and the car not being where the team want have put strain on the employee's at Ferrari and will obviously effect them at the start of the year. I think that as the year goes on Ferrari will pick up the pace.
7) Nico Rosberg: This is a familiar place for Rosberg to be in. Mercedes want to win but i predict they will score a podium or 2, but Lotus will be closer and ahead for the majority of the races. He will beat Schumacher but will be ahead of Massa. They look reliable in testing but not uber quick.
8) Michael Schumacher: It will be close between the Mercedes drivers this year. Testing has shown the W03 is reliable but has not been setting the time sheets alight. Whether they can beat Ferrari and Louts i am still pondering over but i think he will be in the top 10 by the end of the year.
9) Felipe Massa: Ferrari look neither quick or reliable. A poor start to the year is on the cards and with Massa's ability of being decently on the pace, but way behind Fernando, i think he will be nearer the end of the top 10. Some say he can still be at the front but 2012 will not be that year.
10) Paul Di Resta: With the midfield being so tight this year the fight for the late single digits and teens will be hotly contested. Di Resta was impressive in 2011 and i see him improving immensely over the year. He will be ahead of Hulkenberg but not by much.
11) Daniel Ricciardo: He is a true talent and testing has shown the STR7 is on the pace and at the top of the midfield. However it has been unreliable which will hamper them at the start of the season. Compared to Vergne he has more experience which i think will definitely show.
12) Romain Grosjean: He had a year or 2 out of F1 to focus on sports cars and GP2, but has come back fighting. With Raikkonen giving him good feedback and tips i think he could score some good points but still be off Kimi's pace. The E20 looks good though, but slightly on the back foot after problems at the 2nd test.
13) Nico Hulkenberg: The young German had to sit on the sidelines last year which will affect him at the start of the year. He is quick and will score some points finishes but i predict Di Resta to be stronger overall.
14) Heikki Kovalainen: This is a big risk picking Heikki but Caterham will be good in conditions where people drop out. I also think that step they wanted to make into the midfield may happen so we could really be looking at Caterham's first points in 2012.
15) Jean-Eric Vergne: He is a rookie with alot of potential. Obviously the tight midfield makes it hard to pick but i think he will be consistent and wont show those rookie errors that we have seen from others. His valuable testing experience will help him at the beginning but Ricciardo will be the better overall package.
16) Kamui Kobayashi: He is fast and sharp, agile and a risk taker. This could be his downfall and his advantage. Kamui has a bright future but the Sauber has only been quick on days where they are running with barely any fuel. It will be tough for the C31 to be competitive compared to the others.
17) Vitaly Petrov: After making the late switch to Caterham i fear it could take a while for him to get comfortable in the car, with the car and in the team. Heikki has been developing the car for a few years and it will be more suited to his style. He could score the odd point though as he is fast.
18) Bruno Senna: He made the controversial move of replacing Rubens Barrichello at Williams. Whether the FW34 will be competitive is not too certain but in testing they looked ok, nothing better. I do fear for them however, we could see them scoring less points than they did the year before. With Caterham advancing those 18th and 19th spots could be easily filled by a midfielder.
19) Sergio Perez: It is difficult with him because the C31 has shown ok pace but he is still a rookie and his performances compared to Kobayashi last year were not as good or strong. The pack has closed up and someone will be further behind than they are used to and i fear that could be Sauber.
20th) Pastor Maldonado: This may seem a tad harsh but it will be, someone will have to be at the back. In 2011 Pastor scored just 1 point and was consistently behind his team mate. The only place he had the possibility of scoring and being strong was Monaco and that drive still hasnt convinced me.
21) Narain Karthikeyan: Whether the drivers in the bottom teams stay for the whole season, that is still not certain. Narain raced last year and is more comfortable in the car. Despite just 10 laps testing he had those laps which will help him initially. I still think that there will be a big gap now between HRT and Marussia, and the midfield.
22) Timo Glock: Timo has more experience, he is fast and he is knowledgeable. Why he is at Marussia i do not know but i do think Marussia and HRT will be the ones soley challenging at the back, there always has to be someone.
23) Charles Pic: He is a new boy and having no testing will play to no advantages. He is quick, shown from the feeder series, but whether that inexperience will cost him could be possible.
24) Pedro De La Rosa: It is never good being last but HRT have kicked themselves really, being last to unveil their car. He is better at testing so his knowledge will be valuable but i just don't think he will have the speed.
Constructors:
1) Mclaren: Despite Red Bull being strong i really hope Mclaren get the constructors. They have 2 of the best drivers in the world and their partnership, plus a strong car, could lead them to the title.
2) Red Bull: They have been comparable with Mclaren over testing. Vettel could easily win but Webber has been dragging the team down slightly over the last few years, we could see that repeated this year.
3) Ferrari: I predicted Felipe Massa to not do very well which means the fight for 3rd could be close between Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus.
4) Mercedes: Despite them taking a step forward and the ever closing field i think they will just lose out to Ferrari.
5) Lotus: Even with Kimi Raikkonen on board they will struggle to match the Mercedes and Ferrari drivers with their 2nd driver Romain Grosjean. Despite his speed i think he could let them down slightly.
6) Force India: They want 5th in the constructors but i think the teams ahead will push forward and leave them slightly behind. No doubt their driver pairing is strong though.
7) Toro Rosso: They have 2 quick young drivers who could make some mistakes, but the STR7 is a strong car and i hope it propels them up the grid.
8) Caterham: They could score points this season with their drivers Kovalainen and Petrov, especially with the new KERS unit.
9) Sauber: Another strong pairing but i fear the C31 could not be as fast as it seems. Australia saw the team have their amazing 7th and 8th place result taken away from them, they wont want a repeat of that.
10) Williams: They so desperately want to move up the grid but i do fear for the team. They have lost experienced Rubens and some silly errors could happen with Maldonado and Senna at the wheel.
11) HRT: This will be close at the back. Both teams are unprepared but the HRT seems to look better and faster with it also having KERS.
12) Marussia: They will struggle without KERS and will be at the back again for sure. However their drivers are good and so we could see them beating HRT consistently.
What do you think? I know its just my view and it is quite early to speculate but there is no wrong in trying. Comment your views below or rate your reaction to the post.
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
Drivers:
1) Sebastian Vettel: Controversial i know, but i think Vettel could make it 3 in a row in 2012. No doubt it will be a closer fought battle but i think by Brazil he could take another title. If testing is to go by Red Bull will be strong.
2) Lewis Hamilton: He has looked extremely fast in testing and has become alot happier in his private and on track life over the winter. The MP4-27 is not only a beauty but it is also fast, making Mclaren a top challenger in 2012.
3) Jenson Button: After beating his team mate last year i think it will be extremely close between him and his British team mate Hamilton. After some stunning drivers in 2011 he is at the top of his game, and 2012 looks set to be a good one.
4) Mark Webber: He has always been off the pace of Vettel in testing and over the last few years, so whether Mark can beat his young team mate is still unclear. I think this year, with the closer racing, we could see him win but the Mclarens will put up a good fight.
5) Kimi Raikkonen: This is a risk, placing Raikkonen infront of the Ferrari's, but it think despite the difficult start in testing they will be quick from the start. Raikkonen is an extremely talented racer and will definitely be up there and challenging for podiums.
6) Fernando Alonso: The F2012 is a beast of a car, both looks and handling wise. Bad reliability and the car not being where the team want have put strain on the employee's at Ferrari and will obviously effect them at the start of the year. I think that as the year goes on Ferrari will pick up the pace.
7) Nico Rosberg: This is a familiar place for Rosberg to be in. Mercedes want to win but i predict they will score a podium or 2, but Lotus will be closer and ahead for the majority of the races. He will beat Schumacher but will be ahead of Massa. They look reliable in testing but not uber quick.
8) Michael Schumacher: It will be close between the Mercedes drivers this year. Testing has shown the W03 is reliable but has not been setting the time sheets alight. Whether they can beat Ferrari and Louts i am still pondering over but i think he will be in the top 10 by the end of the year.
9) Felipe Massa: Ferrari look neither quick or reliable. A poor start to the year is on the cards and with Massa's ability of being decently on the pace, but way behind Fernando, i think he will be nearer the end of the top 10. Some say he can still be at the front but 2012 will not be that year.
10) Paul Di Resta: With the midfield being so tight this year the fight for the late single digits and teens will be hotly contested. Di Resta was impressive in 2011 and i see him improving immensely over the year. He will be ahead of Hulkenberg but not by much.
11) Daniel Ricciardo: He is a true talent and testing has shown the STR7 is on the pace and at the top of the midfield. However it has been unreliable which will hamper them at the start of the season. Compared to Vergne he has more experience which i think will definitely show.
12) Romain Grosjean: He had a year or 2 out of F1 to focus on sports cars and GP2, but has come back fighting. With Raikkonen giving him good feedback and tips i think he could score some good points but still be off Kimi's pace. The E20 looks good though, but slightly on the back foot after problems at the 2nd test.
13) Nico Hulkenberg: The young German had to sit on the sidelines last year which will affect him at the start of the year. He is quick and will score some points finishes but i predict Di Resta to be stronger overall.
14) Heikki Kovalainen: This is a big risk picking Heikki but Caterham will be good in conditions where people drop out. I also think that step they wanted to make into the midfield may happen so we could really be looking at Caterham's first points in 2012.
15) Jean-Eric Vergne: He is a rookie with alot of potential. Obviously the tight midfield makes it hard to pick but i think he will be consistent and wont show those rookie errors that we have seen from others. His valuable testing experience will help him at the beginning but Ricciardo will be the better overall package.
16) Kamui Kobayashi: He is fast and sharp, agile and a risk taker. This could be his downfall and his advantage. Kamui has a bright future but the Sauber has only been quick on days where they are running with barely any fuel. It will be tough for the C31 to be competitive compared to the others.
17) Vitaly Petrov: After making the late switch to Caterham i fear it could take a while for him to get comfortable in the car, with the car and in the team. Heikki has been developing the car for a few years and it will be more suited to his style. He could score the odd point though as he is fast.
18) Bruno Senna: He made the controversial move of replacing Rubens Barrichello at Williams. Whether the FW34 will be competitive is not too certain but in testing they looked ok, nothing better. I do fear for them however, we could see them scoring less points than they did the year before. With Caterham advancing those 18th and 19th spots could be easily filled by a midfielder.
19) Sergio Perez: It is difficult with him because the C31 has shown ok pace but he is still a rookie and his performances compared to Kobayashi last year were not as good or strong. The pack has closed up and someone will be further behind than they are used to and i fear that could be Sauber.
20th) Pastor Maldonado: This may seem a tad harsh but it will be, someone will have to be at the back. In 2011 Pastor scored just 1 point and was consistently behind his team mate. The only place he had the possibility of scoring and being strong was Monaco and that drive still hasnt convinced me.
21) Narain Karthikeyan: Whether the drivers in the bottom teams stay for the whole season, that is still not certain. Narain raced last year and is more comfortable in the car. Despite just 10 laps testing he had those laps which will help him initially. I still think that there will be a big gap now between HRT and Marussia, and the midfield.
22) Timo Glock: Timo has more experience, he is fast and he is knowledgeable. Why he is at Marussia i do not know but i do think Marussia and HRT will be the ones soley challenging at the back, there always has to be someone.
23) Charles Pic: He is a new boy and having no testing will play to no advantages. He is quick, shown from the feeder series, but whether that inexperience will cost him could be possible.
24) Pedro De La Rosa: It is never good being last but HRT have kicked themselves really, being last to unveil their car. He is better at testing so his knowledge will be valuable but i just don't think he will have the speed.
Constructors:
1) Mclaren: Despite Red Bull being strong i really hope Mclaren get the constructors. They have 2 of the best drivers in the world and their partnership, plus a strong car, could lead them to the title.
2) Red Bull: They have been comparable with Mclaren over testing. Vettel could easily win but Webber has been dragging the team down slightly over the last few years, we could see that repeated this year.
3) Ferrari: I predicted Felipe Massa to not do very well which means the fight for 3rd could be close between Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus.
4) Mercedes: Despite them taking a step forward and the ever closing field i think they will just lose out to Ferrari.
5) Lotus: Even with Kimi Raikkonen on board they will struggle to match the Mercedes and Ferrari drivers with their 2nd driver Romain Grosjean. Despite his speed i think he could let them down slightly.
6) Force India: They want 5th in the constructors but i think the teams ahead will push forward and leave them slightly behind. No doubt their driver pairing is strong though.
7) Toro Rosso: They have 2 quick young drivers who could make some mistakes, but the STR7 is a strong car and i hope it propels them up the grid.
8) Caterham: They could score points this season with their drivers Kovalainen and Petrov, especially with the new KERS unit.
9) Sauber: Another strong pairing but i fear the C31 could not be as fast as it seems. Australia saw the team have their amazing 7th and 8th place result taken away from them, they wont want a repeat of that.
10) Williams: They so desperately want to move up the grid but i do fear for the team. They have lost experienced Rubens and some silly errors could happen with Maldonado and Senna at the wheel.
11) HRT: This will be close at the back. Both teams are unprepared but the HRT seems to look better and faster with it also having KERS.
12) Marussia: They will struggle without KERS and will be at the back again for sure. However their drivers are good and so we could see them beating HRT consistently.
What do you think? I know its just my view and it is quite early to speculate but there is no wrong in trying. Comment your views below or rate your reaction to the post.
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