So which team has the advantage?

[ShiftingGears]

Ferrari or McLaren?

At the moment, I think Ferrari will have the advantage at Spa, Monza, and Brazil. I think the relatively low ambient temperature of Singapore at night will benefit McLaren, since their car can work their tyres more than Ferrari. China and Japan, I think, is anyones guess.

Discuss.

[Knock-on]

I think the Ferrari is still the best car out there but they are losing out on reliability and strategy.

Although McLaren seem to be getting it "right" from a team and strategy perspective, their Achilles heel seems to be tyres.

Both have a driver that is currently doing the business and another that isn't quite there on pace.

Coin flip really.

[Valve Bounce]

Honda, definitely Honda. They will overcome any challenge from Force India. Well, OK, maybe!!

[SGWilko]

It's an interesting one this, isn't it? I do think as Knockie has already alluded, that tyres really is the key to the performance.

Last year, there was no doubt that the McLaren ate tyres for breakfast. It is clearly a lot better this year, but still not perfect.

The two teams are certainly developing their cars at what would appear to be even rates.

Quite why Kimi has lost his edge in the latter half of this season is baffling. Is it that he cannot adapt to the car, or has he really given up, and is thinking of other things post 2009?

Heikki is not doing too bad, but I think he needs this learning season at McLaren to really get his feet under the table.

If Massa takes the title, it will be a very popular win IMO. He has come from nearly man, and all that stick he got from the start of the year, to being a force to be reckoned with. On current form, he is a match for Lewis, no doubt about it.

[wedge]

I think the Ferrari is still the best car out there but they are losing out on reliability and strategy.

Although McLaren seem to be getting it "right" from a team and strategy perspective, their Achilles heel seems to be tyres.

Both have a driver that is currently doing the business and another that isn't quite there on pace.

Coin flip really.

Agreed.

At any given moment it can be anyone. Its not like last year where you could predict the winners just from looking at the calender.

One thing that hasn't changed IMHO, over a lap the McLaren is the better car because it seems with the Ferrari works better over a stint.

[Hawkmoon]

Spa and Interlagos - advantage Ferrari
Monza - advantage McLaren
Shanghai, Fuji and Singapore - could go either way. I think the weather will be the deciding factor. Any rain or cold weather and it's advantage McLaren. Hot weather and the advantage swings back to Ferrari.

My money is still Hamilton (sadly) for the WDC and Ferrari for the WCC.

[F1boat]

McLaren. They can finish their races.

[jens]

Ferrari seems more "universal" than last year and they have proven to be quick on all kinds of circuits. Even at Monaco and Montreal their pace was better than in 2007. McLaren struggled in the first half of the season, especially on aero circuits, but Silverstone and Hockenheim performances showed that they are basically force to be reckoned with on all kinds of circuits now too.

Besides the types of circuits the other factor is temperature, which has been mentioned here. Ferrari is better in hot weather. But I suspect the temperatures won't be as high in the remaining races as they were in Hungary and Valencia, so from that perspective McLaren seems to have better outlooks.

So taking everything into account it's not so clear-cut, which car will be superior on which circuit, but I think at least Monza will suit McLaren. Overall, although Ferrari and Massa has been the combination to beat in the last two races, McLaren is surely not out of the game and may have even better chances, especially after throwing in the reliability and strategy factors combined with the possibility of at least one wet weather race to come.

[leopard]

Shanghai pitlane entrance is not an advantage for McLaren.