Biggest surprise/dark horse of 2010?

[jens]

So what do you think could be the biggest surprise of 2010 after we got plenty of them in 2009? A certain driver's or team's performance? Something else? :)

[Sonic]

The cosworth engine which will completely dominate the season.

Now if you'll excuse me I need my meds......Nurse!

[52Paddy]

I don't expect the Cosworths to be the cutting edge this year. I think Mercedes and Renault will be the ones to beat in the engine area. But, as for dark horses: on the teams front, I think Force India might be the surprise. They no longer seem like they will be the cars at the tail of the field and I suspect that they may have a few podiums throughout the year. I also think Lotus will have a positive return to the sport and rack up a strong string of points finishes.
Driver-wise, the surprises will be Timo Glock and Nico Hulkenberg in my books.

Though, in all honesty, I expect this year to be extremely unpredictable.

[jens]

Well, my main guess is that the Top4 among teams may not be as clearly separated from the rest as many seem to think. Force India could be a good bet of creating some mess there indeed. Cosworth is a bit of a mystery - unlike other engine manufacturers they have had the freedom to develop the engine. The question is: just how far have they managed to get in this?

[Saint Devote]

I'd like the biggest surprise because expectations are totally otherwise by non-fans: Jenson to consistently beat Lewis.

The biggest surprise of new drivers I'd like is for Bruno Senna to be a real "chip off the old block".

Surprise generally is for Massa to be quicker than Alonso.

The overall surprise I'd like to see is Barrichello win a grand prix in the Williams with Schumacher right behnd him :-] Definitely would shake the foundations of ridiculously youth-oriented f1.

But if I really want to shake the foundations and get the chattering classes going would be Schumacher to return and make it look as if he never left!

The f1 earthquake of the century!

[jens]

Well, if we are talking about wishes here, then here is mine: Jarno Trulli takes a sensational pole position at Monza in a rapidly improved new Lotus, powered by superior Cosworth on an engine circuit. :D The F1 community would be just about as shocked as they were after Fisi's PP last year - where did that come from?

The biggest dark horse of this year....

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1101939/Big-Duke-The-6ft-7in-shire-horse-keeps-getting-bigger.html

[Sonic]

The biggest dark horse of this year....

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1101939/Big-Duke-The-6ft-7in-shire-horse-keeps-getting-bigger.html

LOL

[CNR]

Scuderia Toro Rosso or (bmw) sauber i think that ferrari will supply the same engine as they use to try and compete with cosworth and mercedes



ferrari will allways be the dark horse

http://i46.tinypic.com/2edmmfb.png

[DazzlaF1]

I think Lotus will surprise everyone and finish in the top 7 of the constructors (ahead of both Toro Rosso and Renault) Plus Force India to come of age and become regular points scorers

[N. Jones]

Surprise will be Williams in the points more consistently.

Darkhorse is Ferrari. Can Alonso and Massa co-exist and can Ferrari stay on the podium?

[Saint Devote]

Darkhorse is Ferrari. Can Alonso and Massa co-exist and can Ferrari stay on the podium?

Implying a valid question over the ability of Ferrari management to retain what it became with Schumacher and Brawn.

[maximilian]

Kobayashi will win a chaotic rain race! :s mokin:

[Easy Drifter]

Biggest surprise would be USF1 scoring points, unless they hire a real driver.
The only one supposedly signed has no current experience and a very spotty record.
With Quick Nick or even JV they might have a hope.
They need someone who can work with the boffins to figure out where improvements can be made.
There doesn't even seem to be a rumour who the second driver will be and they are supposed to be on track in a few weeks!

[Valve Bounce]

The cosworth engine which will completely dominate the season.

Now if you'll excuse me I need my meds......Nurse!

I agree!!

Quick, somebody dial 000 and call an ambulance - I have vertigo :eek:

Quite seriously, there's only one dark horse on the grid and that's Lewis Hamilton.

[Ari]

I agree!!

Quick, somebody dial 000 and call an ambulance - I have vertigo :eek:

Quite seriously, there's only one dark horse on the grid and that's Lewis Hamilton.

Horse like? you'd know? ;)

[woody2goody]

It's certainly shaping up to be a surprising year.

I've got a few 'dark horse' situations and predictions for you: (I don't actually believe they will happen though, but they could, like Fisi's Spa pole last year.)

Drivers: Rubens Barrichello, Robert Kubica (given good cars)
Rookies: Lucas di Grassi, Kamui Kobayashi
Teams: Sauber, Force India, Toro Rosso

Driver Battles: Rosberg over M Schumacher, Button over Hamilton (which I may consider putting a tenner on if I can), Massa over Alonso (Forza Felipe!)

Results: Any Pole Position, Podium or top 5 finish for a new team

Championship: Massa, Button, Webber, Barrichello, Kobayashi, de la Rosa (I reckon Sauber will have worked really hard on their car and may have 'done a Brawn')

[christophulus]

Hmm, Nico Hulkenberg to win the first six races in the dominant Williams Cosworth? Anyone? :p Seriously, it'd be nice to see Williams back on form and the Cosworth engine could be better than expected.

However, if what's been said about the Renault engine being the most efficient is true, Red Bull could be in with a good chance of the title again, even though McLaren and Ferrari will be back on form. Also I think Virgin could get up into the points a few times.

[F1boat]

My gut feeling is that the biggest surprise will be how good MS still is :) But I can see "Williams" being competitive as well.

[Mia 01]

Lotus (and Cossie)!!

They will score with HK, even a win isn´t impossible.

Jenson will beat Lewis over the year.

Massa will beat Álonso and the team will implode.

Two of the new teams will run out of money as the season moves on (USF1 and Campos, if the former team will compete at all). I predict ten races for USF1 this year, and that will be it.

MS will vin atleast two races this year.

[jonny hurlock]

force india, williams and virgin racing