It is truly remarkable just how many people love to watch motor racing. Almost everyone I meet knows something about the forthcoming Grand Prix season. Many have plans to go to at least one race. Many have their favourite drivers.
They all have opinions, both negative and positive, about the sport. I was queuing in a shop the other day when a man started telling me how wonderful Lewis Hamilton is. Then I was standing at a bar, having a quiet glass of wine, when a woman asked me who would win the championship this year?
I have no idea. Have you?
Lots of people ask me how Mr Ecclestone has managed to hold on to so much power. They all like to offer a wager on what will happen in 2009.
So, if we haven’t met, here are a few thoughts on the year ahead:
1. The BMW F1.09 will be very fast in Melbourne.
2. Robert Kubica will be in the hunt for the championship.
3. Giancarlo Fisichella will retire.
4. So will Jarno Trulli.
5. And Kimi Räikkonen.
6. Toyota will not continue into 2010.
7. KERS will be very troublesome, and controversial.
8. McLaren will win the constructors’ title.
9. Williams will be revitalised and score points.
10. Fernando Alonso will move to Ferrari in 2010.
11. Sir Fred Goodwin will join the FIA.
12. Rear tyre wear will be a headache.
I’m not taking any bets but some of these will come to pass.
More interestingly, David Coulthard will be the star of the new BBC TV coverage. This will reinvigorate Martin Brundle and the coverage will be warmly received.
Plans for a Grand Prix in London will be announced. Boris Johnson will support the plan and Donington will be put on hold
Aston Martin will not win Le Mans but the team will bring the race back into the headlines. The cars will look wonderful, sound terrific.
Meanwhile I have been talking to Bob Dance, chief mechanic at Team Lotus during the golden years of Colin Chapman’s innovative team. The old mechanics are simply the most colourful, entertaining and honest people you’ll ever meet in this sport. Bob has so many great stories from the Grands Prix of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s that he could fill the fattest possible book. He was a big fan of Mario Andretti, another huge character from the days when etc, etc. Mechanics tell good stories so keep an eye open for Mr Dance’s recollections of a wild night out with the 1978 World Champion in the magazine soon.
You’re not betting on any F1 teams quitting then? I think Renault and Toyota might pack it in.
Think the London Grand Prix stuff is a bit optimistic given how much the Olympics are costing!
Well, predictions are of course very dodgy and pretty much a waste of time, especially when they are about the future of Formula One…………
But yes, I do expect Toyota to witthdraw. Not so sure about Renault. IF the car is slow, and IF Alonso signs for Ferrari, then yes they may decide enough is enough.
The London Grand Prix. Don’t know, just think it will happen one day soon. Strangely, there is always money when the ‘right’ people want something to go ahead.
Had a great chat with Damon Hill yesterday. What a refreshingly intelligent, thoughtful, honest and straightforward bloke he is. He will be talking about his time with Jacques Villeneuve at Williams in 1996 in a magazine coming to you soon.
I’d like to have seen D.Hill on the BBC TV coverage of Grands Prix this year. But he’s probably got lots of better things to do.
The sun, and the cats, have ventured out today. The British weather is just so damn interesting. And entirely unpredictable………..
RW
This is the hardest season to predict in some time, but hopefuly it won’t all be doom and gloom. Fisichella will retire and maybe Trulli, but Raikkonen may very well win the title and come back to defend it. I’d like to believe that we will not lose any more teams, but we may lose more races, Germany, Britain, and China come to mind, maybe Malaysia. Track owners are getting the short end of the stick and that may be THE big problem facing Formula 1 in the next few years.
I agree with Ales’ comment re track owners; why would anyone sign a contract that guarantees they lose lots of money? Government support may change the economics but without that, it’s economic suicide.
I also agree that the tracks are in despite straits and as for economic suicide what sane government would buy into bernie’s deal?
Admire your willingness to take a stab at the coming season Rob! Hope you’re right about Williams!
Yeah, BMW will be strong from race one, and Jarno and Giancarlo should retire… Kimi? Hope not… he’s got title to reclaim. Cheeky Lewis already got too much presents in last two years from the red camp…
I haven’t been this excited in anticipation for a new season since Prost returned in 93. I just hope the season will live up to the expectations.
I agree that BMW will be strong, but will their man be Kubica? Reports about the new car’s characteristics suiting Heidfeld’s style may just break that theory.
And I do believe there is a very strong chance of Kimi just moping the floor with everybody. One handed. (The other’s busy with the Mai-Tai)
Couldn’t agree with you more about Damon – I think the BBC missed a trick not getting him involved somehow. When on the odd occassion he commentated for ITV in place of Martin, when he was away racing somewhere, Damon was always excellent and talked so much sense often with a little dash of his Dad’s humour!
Sorry! but I’m not particularly looking forward to Coulthard’s contribution.
It will be very interesting to see just how much the Beeb’s coverage differs form ITV and if they can bring anything new. I sincerely hope they don’t dumb it down in the interest of ratings!!
Nobody buys the Honda team.
Toyota to retire after another poor season.
Paralysed by strikes in France, Renault to announce it quits as a cost-cutting exercise after Alonso signs for Ferrari.
Force India goes bankrupt. Toro Roso still for sale.
Raikonen, Trulli, Fisichella to retire. Button without a drive refuses a move to IRL.
Kubica champion, but Heifeld sacked by BMW, replaced by Rosberg. Williams will try to tempt Button out of retirement after losing Rosberg.
Red Bull to finish 3rd in constructor championship and sign for Ferrari engine.
…and there’s also the chance of Renault being half-good and Alonso giving a masterclass in “Adaptation to New Rules”.
…but if I had to put my money on it right now, on odds alone, what are the odds of McLaren not making a brilliant car? And of Lewis not doggedly defending is championship?
You can’t take Kubica out of the equation, and then, there is Massa.
And Nico. And Toyota.
Bookies must be having a tough time.
I just can’t wait! :-)
Great to see all your messages. And good to know that the 21st century version of Grand Prix racing still has some enthusiastic fans…….!
Hard to predict, yes, and that’s what makes it more exciting. For sure, McLaren will build a good car and Hamilton will be on maximum attack. Could be a strong combination again.
Renault had some problems in Portugal and the car was not quick straight out of the box. But Pat Symonds is a hugely capable bloke and I’m quite certain that Alonso will be pushing them along…..
Money is the worry, as with all of us, even Ferrari, so it will be an interesting couple of years ahead.
Not sure about Raikkonen. Of course he’s a fine driver but I just wonder if he is still completely motivated.
It’s an open book. Which is just how it should be.
RW
Though I agree that this is a rather pointless excercise, nobody said it wasn’t a fun one!
As a Kimi fan, I hope you are very wrong Mr. Widdows! But you can’t ignore all the rumors and the talk about Santander and Ferrari, maybe he’ll just go into rallying or endurance racing, like monssieur Sarrazin. Then again there were a slew of rumors around the time of the US Grand Prix in 2007, and we all know how that season turned out!
I also see BMW in the championship hunt, but for God’s sake I’d like it to be a hard fight between Nick and Robert, though Robert might prevail.
I’d also like to see Williams doing well this year, they really need it, and deserve it, and they might as well do it, since they’re the only ones who went through a different route with their KERS device.
I can’t wait for Melbourne!
Oh! and I think Mr. Mosley will be re-elected, to the dismay of many (including myself).
IF Raikkonen quits at the end of 2009, and IF Alonso is driving a ferrari next year, What will happen to Massa?
We all know that Fred won’t want a fast teammate – and FM is very fast !
Hi Everyone
Great to see all your comments and good to see the enthusiasm for a new season.
I may well be wrong about Raikkonen. I’ve been wrong before!
Talking of people moving around, I’d like to see Loeb get into a good racing car next year. I’m sure he will only do one more season in the WRC.
Yes, I too think Mosley will stand again and yes, he will probably be re-elected. But there are many who will try to stand in his way.
We’re all looking forward to the first race in Melbourne. Modern GP racing may not be perfect but some of us are simply hooked.
Expect surprises.
RW
Off on my travels for a couple of days now but here’s an idea.
Let’s save all these predictions and see who got the most right! Silly yes, but might be fun at the end of the year.
William, yours look good to me, if a little pessimistic. But you could well be right. The way the world is now, it’s hard to see how Mr E. can hang on to anything like a full grid.
How many of us, I wonder, watched the American Grand Prix at Indianapolis when just six cars ran round all afternoon?
Some say two cars make a race but………not that day.
Thanks for all the contributions. Back soon, weather permitting. Looks like we have a real English winter coming on.
RW
It will be an intersting season, but I still lament the fact that there is no race I can attend this year. It will be USAC open wheel and the IRL for me, with a little ALMS for variety. I’ll be watching F1 from afar on SpeedTV with Hobbs, Varsha and Matchett.
I agree, Fisi’s time is over, but I would hope that Toyota could give Trulli a car to shine with. That may change their mind about staying in F1.
Forget attending races, there is nothing like having Bob Varsha commentate. He still amazes me sometimes, even after 20 years.
Here is one that may be a stretch:
Max Mosley admits he got it wrong with KERS and the 2009 rule changes.
Yes, Varsha is good. I met him on my travels many moons ago when I was working in the USA and he seems to have quite a following?
Hobbs is a good bloke, as we say, and a great story-teller. You could fill a magazine with Hobbo tales.
Sadly, I think Toyota will withdraw from GP racing. They are selling very few cars in the UK compared to the numbers to which they’d become accustomed. It just gets harder to justify, I think.
Forget attending races? Never. You can’t beat being there.
RW
While we are communicating with fans in the USA, what about the rumours we are hearing of an American F1 team? The rumours suggest a base in Charlotte with a European operations centre in Spain.
We have very few details but is it even possible in the midst of yet another “fiscal stimulus” by the new President?
Would surely be great to have an American presence again.
RW
USF1 seems to have the potential to be a very impressive operation.
High-tech facilities, low-income (compared to EU) high-skilled personnel, experienced helmsmen and a market to die for (any doubts they’ll have one of the sweetest budgets in the grid?).
Although some things thus far may sound a bit Honda, the fact that they’re not a manufacturer but a F1 dedicated team, make it a completely different proposition.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they were contending for the championship in under 4 years. I’ll make a note on my agenda…
I’m thinking this season is going to be the most exciting for 20 years…some great drivers driving great cars. I’m dont think a hat-trick for Alonso or maybe a debut for Kubica is an unreasonable prediction… My heart is still and will always lie with Williams though. Come on Nico…!
An FIA decision to scrap KERS may not be such a ‘stretch’, especially if Ferrari finds itself without the most perfect solution…………
It is just possible that the team with the best, and most developed, system will run away with the first few races.
KERS is certainly a huge expense that none of the teams need right now.
We shall see…………
RW
although I am excited about the forthcoming USF1, I also am a bit skeptical as the best laid plans in this sport almost always come to nought. Remember Penske? Beatrice? Of course, if it is the catalyst that brings the GP back to Indy, then I’ll show up in USF1 gear!
I think it is entirely possible that KERS will be scrapped on safety grounds. There is a serious issue with possible overheating of the Lithium ion batteries. Remember the videos of burning laptops? The thought of a Toyota battery, located under the fuel tank catching fire is too scary to contemplate.
Great discustion by the way. Can it be revisited at season’s end?
About USF1, I’m also skeptical. After reading Autosport’s article about it, it seems like a no brainer, but Prodrive was also a no brainer and nothing came of it, so I’ll believe it until I see a car in testing.
I read that Adrian Newey said something along the lines of “only 1 or 2 teams will be fighting for wins in 2009″, I honestly hope he’s dead wrong.
“I read that Adrian Newey said something along the lines of “only 1 or 2 teams will be fighting for wins in 2009″, I honestly hope he’s dead wrong.”
I hope he’s wrong too, but he’s in a better position than most of us to make predictions.
I presume he’s talking about the Mac & Fiat cars :)
Prodrive was never prepared to be a constructor, which all F-1 teams should be. From what Peter Windsor has repeatedly said in his column, he agrees with that. On the first glance this plan seems impossible, but PW would not be crazy enough to get into something like this without having some proper connections in place. I will stay tuned…cautiosly optimistic.
Hello Everyone, and welcome new correspondents!
I’ve been away in London, having been called as a witness in a court case. Nothing heavy or scary but nonetheless a demanding experience. These barristers are clever coves and they are trained to get the answers they want. So I’ve been on my toes for a few days…..
Anyway, nice to be back amongst the fields and the hills, and to catch up with our debate about the 2009 season.
Only about six weeks to wait!
I’ll be back with a new subject soon. Meanwhile, yes, let’s “re-visit” our predictions come the end of the season. Could be fun.
Check out Ed Foster’s new ‘blog’ and you can peruse the odds on our predictions actually coming to pass. I’d keep your wallets closed if I were you. But, hey, a few pounds/dollars/euros on Loeb winning every rally might be an amusing punt………….
Now, what shall we talk about next? I’m thinking.
RW
…just a couple a’ thoughts… Leave it to us yanks to enjoin the battle at the weirdest of times, let me see….no actual races scheduled at present….no media coverage in the general, or popular, press worth talking about….locating the team in the middle of the NASCAR tent show…..and doing this all while US advertising dollars are presently familiarizing themselves more with an entrenching tool than a KERS. Boy, nothing like a steep gradient right out of the box, but best of luck USF1.
Right. But when the ‘yanks’ do it, they do it big, don’t they?!
Depression, there may be, and certainly jitters on Wall Street. But costs in F1 are coming down almost every day. As Warren Buffett is fond of saying: When others are greedy, be fearful. When others are fearful, be greedy.
Yup.
RW
Reading these comments at the beginning of June is a hoot. J.Button gets just one mention — a prediction that he’ll turn down a IRL drive. Yes, I rather imagine he would…