Team-mate battles of 2015

[jens]

After a quick look I didn't see the existence of such thread, so thought I'd create one.

How will the team-mate battles end this year? In whose favour (or in a tie), and by how big a margin?

Hamilton v Rosberg
Ricciardo v Kvyat
Bottas v Massa
Vettel v Räikkönen
Alonso v Button
Hülkenberg v Pérez
Verstappen v Sainz jr
Grosjean v Maldonado
Nasr v Ericsson
Stevens (???) v Mr X

[anfield5]

Mercesdes: Rosberg over Hamilton (just)
Red Bull: Ricciardo over Kvyat (easily)
Williams: Bottas over Massa (comfortably)
Ferrari: Vettel over Rosberg (quite close)
Alonso over Button (comfortably)
Hulk over Perez (by being consistent)
Verstappen and Sainz (haven't got a clue)
Grosjean over Maldonado (easily)
Nasr over Ericsson (comfortably_
Manor - Marussia - depends on who the mystery man turns out to be.

[Bagwan]

Mercesdes: Rosberg over Hamilton (just)
Red Bull: Ricciardo over Kvyat (easily)
Williams: Bottas over Massa (comfortably)
Ferrari: Vettel over Rosberg (quite close)
Alonso over Button (comfortably)
Hulk over Perez (by being consistent)
Verstappen and Sainz (haven't got a clue)
Grosjean over Maldonado (easily)
Nasr over Ericsson (comfortably_
Manor - Marussia - depends on who the mystery man turns out to be.

So , Rosberg will win at Mercedes , but lose at Ferrari ?

[Duncan]

My picks, also with the order I expect the teams to finish...

Mercedes: Hamilton over Rosberg. Possibly with several clouds of expensive carbon fiber shards generated along the way.
Williams: Bottas over Massa
Ferrari: Vettel over Räikkönen
Red Bull: Ricciardo over Kvyat
Sauber: Nasr over Ericsson
Lotus: Grosjean over Maldonado
Toro Rosso: No clue. I'll pick Verstappen mostly at random.
McLaren: Alonso over Button (assuming Alonso is healthy...)
Force India: Perez over Hulkenberg
Manor: Stevens over whoever pays for the other seat.

[anfield5]

So , Rosberg will win at Mercedes , but lose at Ferrari ?

oops - mybad!

although driving for two teams would be a neat trick.

How about Vettel vs Kimi

[A FONDO]

Hamilton v Rosberg HAM no doubt
Ricciardo v Kvyat RIC no doubt
Bottas v Massa BOT no doubt
Vettel v Räikkönen Vettel is more aggressive and if the car suits him he should lead, but who knows...
Alonso v Button the one with more face hair will collect more points as well.
Hülkenberg v Pérez they are competely different guys. depends on luck. but Hulk to have more points at the end of the season is a sure bet.
Verstappen v Sainz jr Verstappen but not clearly.
Grosjean v Maldonado GRO
Nasr v Ericsson ERIC. Nasr was a total tragedy in GP2
Stevens (???) v Mr X Mr X

[Tazio]

I predict that some guys get merely spanked, while others get totally punked.

[rjbetty]

Hey I was just thinking of starting a thread like this on the way back from work.

Ok then, *waves hands over crystal ball* woooooooooo I see... I see...

(and since I tend to find it hard to avoid lots of detail, I will bold the gist of it.

MERCEDES: Too close to call. Rosberg I guess. I still don't really trust the Merc management and still think they really want the publicity of 2 world champions in their team. Not saying they will fix things like some, but that emotional support and such is actually pretty important. But Hamilton would probably prove me wrong again like last year.

RED BULL: Kvyat could surprise in qualifying. I think he will be like Kimi at McLaren in 2002, better than I expected. In the points standings, no way, so Ricciardo comfortably on points, not that comfortably in qualifying.

WILLIAMS: Bottas fairly comfortably but not too much.

FERRARI: I like Kimi and F1 needs him doing well, but I feel in 2012-2013 (i.e. in good cars) Seb was a bit better, while in a bad car (2014) Seb was definitely better, so whichever way round it is, I have to say Vettel. By a small margin or bigger, no idea.

MCLAREN: Like most, I choose Alonso but closer than most probably think, just like Jenson against Lewis was closer than expected. Button could sneak ahead if Alonso gets headaches and suffers a poor(ish) season.

FORCE INDIA: Hulkenberg. My fears were realised last year and Hulkenberg's stock cooled. Don't forget the weight limit is raised 10kg this year though. No way do I think Perez is better than Hulkenberg though. Fairly close though.

TORO ROSSO: Inititially impossible to tell, but for what it's worth, the small amount of clue you might get from testing suggests Verstappen to take this. Could be a fair gap like Ricciardo/Vergne 2013.

LOTUS: Grosjean without too much problem, though Maldonado is pretty underrated and can be very quick.

SAUBER: Hard to tell, but consensus seems to be Nasr. Ericsson has a year of experience though and the weight limit increases - he is one of the heavier drivers I think.

MANOR F1: In Grand Prix 2, I have installed Esteban Gutierrez in the second seat. Seems a decent fit with his Ferrari links. Don't think he can take sponsors with him though. Therefore Stevens by default until a second driver confirmed.

[CNR]

Ferrari TEST DRIVER ?
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...28-13rje7.html
It could only be Ferrari and F1's most famous team has a small but significant presence at the Adelaide 500 V8 Supercars season-opener.

For the first time since the Adelaide Parklands street circuit last hosted the F1 Australian Grand Prix 20 years ago, a modern F1 car has been screaming around the track this weekend.

Stevens v Jean-Eric Vergne

[jens]

MERCEDES: Too close to call. Rosberg I guess. I still don't really trust the Merc management and still think they really want the publicity of 2 world champions in their team. Not saying they will fix things like some, but that emotional support and such is actually pretty important. But Hamilton would probably prove me wrong again like last year.

To be very honest, rjbetty. I have to tell you one thing. You are too much into conspiracy theories.

Already in 2013-14 there were claims that Rosberg was "preferred". There were even claims Hamilton was "preferred" as he is the famous big-money signing. In the end Hamilton won both seasons.

And surely Mercedes would have liked the more famous and marketable Schumacher to shine in 2010-2012, yet Rosberg won all those seasons?!

Sometimes it is better to follow F1 with a clear mind without getting too much into all kinds of theories, which lack substance.