WDC

[Shifter]

Interesting results through the first 3 races has led to a very tight WDC leaderboard.

It seems as though all the leaders have been part of good, average, and poor races.

Ferrari had a good performance in Bahrain, had average cars in Australia but managed a good result, and had a poor quali in Malaysia leading to a poor result, with Massa having done just enough and not falling victim to any mechanical problems to lead the championship

Red Bull saw a good day turn somewhat average in Bahrain, with Webber looking average and Vettel having to slow and secure 4th, then a poor day in Austrailia with Vettel's problem knocking him out and Webber driving like he had Fosters in his drink system. They rebounded with a good day in Malaysia.

Mclaren have had a jumbled first three races, with Button having had two average-to-poor performances (let down in Malaysia by bad quali strategy), but splitting those races was a good result in winning Australia. Hamilton had a good result in Bahrain, but in the two races since has had average days because of poor strategy, in the race in Australia and in quali in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Rosberg has been quietly improving and has yet to have a poor day, and is up there ahead of Hamilton and tied with Button. Also, the Renault, when in the hands of Kubica, has been reliable and quick enough to be 6 points ahead of Webber at this point in the season.

Pretty interesting results over these first three races!

[slorydn1]

Interesting results through the first 3 races has led to a very tight WDC leaderboard.

It seems as though all the leaders have been part of good, average, and poor races.

Ferrari had a good performance in Bahrain, had average cars in Australia but managed a good result, and had a poor quali in Malaysia leading to a poor result, with Massa having done just enough and not falling victim to any mechanical problems to lead the championship

Red Bull saw a good day turn somewhat average in Bahrain, with Webber looking average and Vettel having to slow and secure 4th, then a poor day in Austrailia with Vettel's problem knocking him out and Webber driving like he had Fosters in his drink system. They rebounded with a good day in Malaysia.

Mclaren have had a jumbled first three races, with Button having had two average-to-poor performances (let down in Malaysia by bad quali strategy), but splitting those races was a good result in winning Australia. Hamilton had a good result in Bahrain, but in the two races since has had average days because of poor strategy, in the race in Australia and in quali in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Rosberg has been quietly improving and has yet to have a poor day, and is up there ahead of Hamilton and tied with Button. Also, the Renault, when in the hands of Kubica, has been reliable and quick enough to be 6 points ahead of Webber at this point in the season.

Pretty interesting results over these first three races!

I agree. It seems, at this time, that RBR has the performance advantage, (particularly Vettel) as they have shown the best pace in the car over all. But the reliability bug could be a problem.

Ferrari, sad to say, doesn't seem to have the best pace, but seem to be gelling well as a team....and I must give Alonzo his due. Never been a big fan of the two time WDC, but he was really taking it to Mclaren,even with a balky gear box. He would have had a respectable result, but the blown engine did him in.

McLaren have rebounded well from last year, but still seem a little bit off the pace-that said, a masterful drive by Hamilton to come from the back at Malaysia.

Rosberg has shown great pace in the Mercedes, and Shuey is right about where I thought he would be just three races into his comeback....and what's the deal with the loose wheel???????

At this stage, it appears it is anyones ball game, but if RBR gets all their reliability issues sorted, Vettel could run away with it after F1 returns to Europe.

[Somebody]

I agree that IF the RBR can avoid the sort of failures we saw in Australia & Bahrain from here on in, Vettel is odds-on favourite. His teammate is more than a few steps lower on the talent ladder, and everyone else has slower cars - and we saw last year that RBR are no slouch in a development race.

Of course, "if" is a very big word...

[rohanweb]

yes ..if RBR runs faultless, provided Mclaren/Ferrari's do worse in qualifying then its mr.sebastian vettel has sights set for championship, Mark webber no chance for championship whatsoever.

[Koz]

I hope things stay this tight for a bit longer. I want a nail biting finish at Abu Dhabi :)

I have great hopes for Kubica. 10 points seperate the top 10 after the first 3 races. It's looking good!

[F1boat]

I believe that development pace will decide the championship and that's why McLaren are favorites for me. I am unsure whether Ferrari are truly back and Red Bull still makes some stupid mistakes. But if RBR holds its advantage in the next rounds and enjoys trouble free weekends, they might still build enormous advantage very quickly.
For now I am not sure that Mercedes GP or Renault can improve enough.

[Shifter]

Stupid mistakes is an interesting point...McLaren, and Ferrari in particular seem to rip off the most incredible pitstops but over the past couple seasons even, Ferrari has royally screwed up in quali, and McLaren have done it too. On the other hand, Ferrari have race strategy down pat and aren't running split strategies, the Ferrari teammates are like a 2 car freight train in the races, whereas the McLaren teammates haven't seen much of each other. RedBull seem to be getting the strategy calls pretty spot-on so far this season both in quali and race, but we did see a wheel nut jam in Malaysia, where Ferrari seem to be the most confident, practised and trouble-free in the pits.

[Rodster]

Ferrari, sad to say, doesn't seem to have the best pace, but seem to be gelling well as a team....and I must give Alonzo his due. Never been a big fan of the two time WDC, but he was really taking it to Mclaren,even with a balky gear box. He would have had a respectable result, but the blown engine did him in.


I'm a huge Ferrari fan but dislike Alonso BUT I have to give credit when it's properly due. The man knows how to drive a good or broken car to it's limits. Watching him move a broken car up the grid was truly impressive.

That's why I think he'll probably be #1 at the end of the Season.

[Shifter]

I'm a huge Ferrari fan but dislike Alonso BUT I have to give credit when it's properly due. The man knows how to drive a good or broken car to it's limits. Watching him move a broken car up the grid was truly impressive.

That's why I think he'll probably be #1 at the end of the Season.

I agree, Alonso is the odds-on favourite this season. I think somewhere beyond the halfway point of the season we will see Alonso and Vettel as the two leaders of the championship with Massa and Hamilton a small margin back looking to pounce, then it'll be Button, Rosberg, and then a more significant gap back to the others. My pick is Alonso to wrap up WDC with one or two races to go.

[Mia 01]

I agree, Alonso is the odds-on favourite this season. I think somewhere beyond the halfway point of the season we will see Alonso and Vettel as the two leaders of the championship with Massa and Hamilton a small margin back looking to pounce, then it'll be Button, Rosberg, and then a more significant gap back to the others. My pick is Alonso to wrap up WDC with one or two races to go.

Ferrari has big problems with the engines it seems, it could effect the championchip. and pacewise, at the moment they are slipping behind MacLaren.

That´s leaves Maclaren, but they are lacking mechanical grip and traction.

Lewis is also a tad to erratic in the car.

[Rodster]

Ferrari has big problems with the engines it seems, it could effect the championchip. and pacewise, at the moment they are slipping behind MacLaren.

That´s leaves Maclaren, but they are lacking mechanical grip and traction.

Lewis is also a tad to erratic in the car.

True, Ferrari admitted that they have heat issues with the aero engine cover and it becomes an issue in hot weather races. Stefano Domencali said they are aware of the problem and the solution is simple and the factory is working flatout to remedy the problem. So why haven't they fixed the problem? Are they waiting till Spain to address the problem?

[slorydn1]

True, Ferrari admitted that they have heat issues with the aero engine cover and it becomes an issue in hot weather races. Stefano Domencali said they are aware of the problem and the solution is simple and the factory is working flatout to remedy the problem. So why haven't they fixed the problem? Are they waiting till Spain to address the problem?

They are probably waiting until the series returns to Europe to make any changes. Ferrari has a history of this sort of thing. You may remember back to the early 2000's, before the era of changing technical regs every year, they would actually start the season in the previous years car, then debut the new car at the first European race of the year.......

[Rodster]

They are probably waiting until the series returns to Europe to make any changes. Ferrari has a history of this sort of thing. You may remember back to the early 2000's, before the era of changing technical regs every year, they would actually start the season in the previous years car, then debut the new car at the first European race of the year.......

Good points, well taken !

[Hawkmoon]

Vettel should have 75 points and a clear lead in the championship. The reliability issues he has sufferred have made the championship artificially close.

I have a nasty feeling that this championship is over already. All Red Bull have to do is maintain development pace with Ferrari and McLaren and avoid silly mistakes and the championships are theirs. Easier said than done of course and I hope that Ferrari out-develop them and make it close come seasons end.

[Rodster]

Vettel should have 75 points and a clear lead in the championship. The reliability issues he has sufferred have made the championship artificially close.

I have a nasty feeling that this championship is over already. All Red Bull have to do is maintain development pace with Ferrari and McLaren and avoid silly mistakes and the championships are theirs. Easier said than done of course and I hope that Ferrari out-develop them and make it close come seasons end.

I feel bad for Vettel and i'm a Ferrari fan. Adrian Newey's reputation seems to follow and haunt the guy. He's a brilliant designer but the cars he designs tend to get pushed to their limits and so failures result. Kimi should have had a couple of WDC if it weren't for his McLaren breaking down.

[Saint Devote]

Vettel should have 75 points and a clear lead in the championship. The reliability issues he has sufferred have made the championship artificially close.

I have a nasty feeling that this championship is over already. All Red Bull have to do is maintain development pace with Ferrari and McLaren and avoid silly mistakes and the championships are theirs. Easier said than done of course and I hope that Ferrari out-develop them and make it close come seasons end.

The rate of development is going to decide this.

Mclaren are the favorite team in this area. And they have the ability to dial both cars in to the driver. Jenson is far more sensitive to changes in the car and on track but both drivers in cars they like will be a force. So Woking will be the team to gain the most strength.

This championship is far from over, although at this stage I think Alonso, especially after his Sepang performance, is the favorite for the title.

RBR seems to be a bit brittle.

It is in adversity that titles are not lost.

[Malbec]

Ferrari has big problems with the engines it seems, it could effect the championchip. and pacewise, at the moment they are slipping behind MacLaren.

We're heading into the fourth race already and how many engines have Ferrari used? Didn't they swap engines in Melbourne or Bahrain before the race? Alonso obviously toasted another one in Sepang. They may end up like RBR last year, forced to ease off towards the end of the season simply due to a lack of engines. That may be quite important.

The great thing about this season though is that at the moment we simply don't know who is going to be champion. The RBRs are fast but fragile, the Ferraris are also fast but have engine problems, McLaren are definitely in the hunt and Mercedes may join the fray if and when the German cash starts making a difference at Brackley. In that sense this season is fulfilling its pre-season promises....

[Mark in Oshawa]

I don't get where Alonso will be the top threat to Vettel. Sorry, Not seeing it after this weekend. Ferrari is good, but not great. I think McLaren will be the threat in the form of both Hamilton and Button. They are running well most races no matter what happens in qualifying and they both are fast enough to be a threat at any time. Red Bull has the best car on the grid and two really good drivers, but they have to last. It is over if they do last to the end most races. That said, if they don't, I don't see Scuderia Ferrari as the automatic favourite.

[F1boat]

I don't get where Alonso will be the top threat to Vettel. Sorry, Not seeing it after this weekend. Ferrari is good, but not great. I think McLaren will be the threat in the form of both Hamilton and Button. They are running well most races no matter what happens in qualifying and they both are fast enough to be a threat at any time. Red Bull has the best car on the grid and two really good drivers, but they have to last. It is over if they do last to the end most races. That said, if they don't, I don't see Scuderia Ferrari as the automatic favourite.

I agree. I want Ferrari to win, to win convincingly, but in my opinion the championship will be very open, with at least three teams contending for the final glory. But we know how well McLaren develop their cars, so they will be very tough to beat.

[jens]

It will be interesting to watch McLaren and Mercedes in the future weekends, because they should introduce their ride height adjusting system as well, which so far has enabled RBR and Ferrari to stay above others in qualifying.

Another interesting thing is that Renault's engine, which has been allowed to get upgraded by the FIA, should appear soon. It remains to be seen, how much can this boost the performances of both Red Bull and Renault.

Alonso seemed a bit bigger favourite for the WDC than others after the first two opening races, but as in Malaysia Ferrari showed some clear weaknesses (strategy + they could be short on engines soon too), situation could become more critical for them.

So much about future outlooks and in-season development potential at the moment.

Vettel's situation has greatly improved compared to what it was after Oz, but we need a few more races and confirmation about the car's reliability before hailing him as the biggest favourite for the title.

Drivers-wise the situation is interesting too. Alonso and Hamilton have seemed a tad bit quicker than their team-mates, but I believe Massa's last word hasn't been said in terms of pace yet. And Button has been mildly impressing me so far - he may seem a tad bit slower than Hamilton, but he has the ability to use his other strengths to maximize the results of the race. Also in Malaysia he was close to getting ahead of Hamilton after pitstops. Clear improvement over what we saw Kovalainen doing during the last year. Although one might say that the Finn started his McLaren career relatively well too, matching Hamilton in points after three races...

[N. Jones]

Interesting results through the first 3 races has led to a very tight WDC leaderboard.

It seems as though all the leaders have been part of good, average, and poor races.

Ferrari had a good performance in Bahrain, had average cars in Australia but managed a good result, and had a poor quali in Malaysia leading to a poor result, with Massa having done just enough and not falling victim to any mechanical problems to lead the championship

Red Bull saw a good day turn somewhat average in Bahrain, with Webber looking average and Vettel having to slow and secure 4th, then a poor day in Austrailia with Vettel's problem knocking him out and Webber driving like he had Fosters in his drink system. They rebounded with a good day in Malaysia.

Mclaren have had a jumbled first three races, with Button having had two average-to-poor performances (let down in Malaysia by bad quali strategy), but splitting those races was a good result in winning Australia. Hamilton had a good result in Bahrain, but in the two races since has had average days because of poor strategy, in the race in Australia and in quali in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Rosberg has been quietly improving and has yet to have a poor day, and is up there ahead of Hamilton and tied with Button. Also, the Renault, when in the hands of Kubica, has been reliable and quick enough to be 6 points ahead of Webber at this point in the season.

Pretty interesting results over these first three races!

I think this is because teams have yet to get comfortable with the new rules. I think we will see this continue for the next few races but eventually someone will come out on top.

Agree? Or am I way off base?

[F1boat]

I think this is because teams have yet to get comfortable with the new rules. I think we will see this continue for the next few races but eventually someone will come out on top.

Agree? Or am I way off base?

Eventually the top teams will get more precise, but as there are three genuine contenders for the WCC, it seems that we are really at the beginning of a very interesting season.

[N. Jones]

Do you feel that we will see a battle for the WDC all year?

I was leaning toward Red Bull in a runaway IF they get the reliability sorted out.

But I would be happy with an unpredictable season! :D

[ioan]

But we know how well McLaren develop their cars, so they will be very tough to beat.

Without getting info from Stepney?