F1 Prediction before pre-season testing starts

[TMorel]

There is always battles to watch, be them on track or off track. Should Seb romp away then I'd still watch like I have done for 30+ years, assuming I actually CAN watch it somewhere, the costs of getting any satellite or cable where I live is astronomical and would be cheaper for me to have just bought Lotus.

But predictions?
It's going to be tough, but I think come the end of the 2014 season, the top three will look like this....

#3 Kimi
A sure fire bet for being the 3rd most discussed driver. Forum topics will include icecreams, radio comms and how he is being lazy and just letting Fernando do all the setups / his undisputed talent means he can turn up and drive whatever he is given / he's only there for the money / he's at risk of Jacques Villeneuve replacing him mid season.

#2 Lewis
He'll probably have an above average year behind the wheel, but just one 50/50 incident towards the end of the season is all it takes to bring out the crazed defenders and the maniacal nay sayers shooting Lewis into second spot. There will be bizarre polls questioning which is ruining his career more... earrings, Coco or Rihanna.

#1 Ricciardo
he's the next god/the seats wasted/why do they tamper with his KERS.
A guaranteed number one for controversial posts, especially if Mark should get his Porsche into the top 10 at some point.

[rjbetty]

Guuuuuuuys,

I think there is a misunderstanding. This is an old thread about predictions for 2013! As in the year just gone! Not 2014.

I just searched it out and bumped it back up as I thought it might be interesting to look back now the season's ended.

But these are good posts anyway.

[steveaki13]

I understood rjbetty. I posted about my old 2013 predictions and how great I done.

[Tazio]

Guuuuuuuys,

I think there is a misunderstanding. This is an old thread about predictions for 2013! As in the year just gone! Not 2014.

I just searched it out and bumped it back up as I thought it might be interesting to look back now the season's ended.

But these are good posts anyway.

rj this thread has grown a life of its own, just go with it. I also have a few more o.t. predictions to make.
1) I improve my FGP finish from p6 to the podium
2) I successfully defend my 2013 pickems championship.
3) The Boss will win the WDC.
Now you can dig this up next year and ridicule the shit out of me over it

[Zico]

1. Mercedes to take the constructors and Drivers championships with a Lewis and Nico 1-2.
2. McLaren to make a very strong showing finishing 2nd in the Constructors and with new boy Magnusson 3rd in the WDC in a perfect debut season with Jenson being pipped back in 7th.
3. Red Bull to fall back big time finishing 3rd in the constructors with Vettel back in 4th place, Ricciardo 7th
4. Ferrari to struggle initially but make a bit of a comeback towards the end of the season with 4th in the constructors and 5th and 6th in the WDC for Alonso and Kimi.
5. Lotus 5th in the constructors following lots of collision OG's between Grojo and Maldo.


Assuming I have all my seats right of course! I think I'll stop there just now... mainly hunches but with a dash of wishful thinking!

[AndyL]

OK I'll have a go. Here are my swivel-eyed prognostications for 2014.

The Mercedes engine's power advantage will be nothing like what's been speculated. In fact the first race will be won by a Renault-engined car. But major reliability problems will cause the Renault-engined teams to slide back over the season.

Lewis and Nico will be the top contenders in the first half of the year. It will cause friction within the team and they will fall out. Niki Lauda will say something that inflames the situation even more. In the end they will miss out on the titles due to mistakes rather than lack of speed. One of the drivers will leave the team at the end of the year.

At Ferrari, Kimi will win a couple of races in the first part of the season. Alonso won't like being beaten. With renewed motivation he'll come on strong in the second half of the year. He'll make some controversial moves in races but will get away with them, and overhaul Kimi, Lewis, Nico and Vettel to take the driver's title. Ferrari will also take the constructors.

McLaren will be much better than this year but without ever quite looking like title challengers. Magnussen will show enough sparks of brilliance to justify his selection, but will be too inconsistent over the season to outpoint Button. Between them they will manage to beat Red Bull for 3rd in the WCC.

Ricciardo will be over-awed by being in the big team, and brow-beaten by his dominant team-mate. Somehow he'll look worse in the Red Bull than he did in a Torro Rosso. That will cost Red Bull in the WCC. Ricciardo gets the boot at the end of the year.

Grosjean will be consistently strong and be widely tipped as a future champion. Maldonado will look foolish by comparison, but at the end of the year Maldonado's contract will be renewed and Grosjean will leave.

Force India will comfortably beat Torro Rosso, Sauber and Williams for 6th in the WCC, mainly through Hulkenberg's efforts. Sutil will start the season in the Sauber but be replaced under mysterious circumstances before the end of the season.

Jules Bianchi will score a point in a race where Maldonado and Sirotkin cause first-corner carnage, and then most of the Renault-engined cars retire with mechanical trouble.

Paul di Resta will win the Indy 500.

Finally I predict that in December 2014 I will pick one sentence from my predictions that came partly true and proclaim myself the Nostradamus of Formula 1.