Team-mate battles of 2015

[jens]

OK, my personal thoughts

Hamilton v Rosberg. However, I am very interested to find out, how will the qualifying battle end up this year, because I have no idea, which way would it go this time around! Hamilton is perhaps a bit more spectacular in race trim. At least was last year.

Ricciardo v Kvyat. Daniel has convinced me he is top-notch material. Of course you can always have a bad patch, but you get the point. Kvyat is promising, but is yet to convince he is that complete/consistent especially in race trim. Will do fine in qualis.

Bottas v Massa. I don't think Bottas wins by a landslide, but more by the virtue of consistency. Massa will have his days as well.

Vettel v Räikkönen. This is one of the trickiest ones. I am open to the possibility initially early in the season Räikkönen could have an edge or at least be a match. But we are predicting, what will the state of the affairs be by the end of the season - the long game.

Alonso v Button. Alonso, but... Button should run him closer than the last couple of Alonso's high-caliber team-mates. Esp if Alo has already trouble starting the season. But if Alonso still performs at his best and as superbly consistently as in the last few years, he should overcome Button.

Hülkenberg v Pérez. A bit like the Williams pairing. Pérez will have his days, but Hulk is more consistent.

Verstappen v Sainz jr. To be honest, this could be a tie! And point-score will depend on, who will get more "fortunate" with circumstances. However, I do think the 17-y-o Max could be the one with better overall talent. We will see, how much will youth hold him back.

Grosjean v Maldonado. Maldo will shine on some days, but Grosjean will be the more consistent one. Well, you have already read such sentence above!

Nasr v Ericsson. I like Ericsson, and I really like someone from Sweden is in F1. Not too far-away country from me. But to be entirely honest, unfortunately he is not very talented, not too dissimilar to Chilton. I don't think Nasr is going to be a megastar of F1, but could be a bit better of the two.

Stevens (???) v Mr X. I don't know, who Mr X is going to be, but I think Mr X wins, unless he is a completely no-hoper unknown paydriver. Because I don't think Stevens is really very good. About on Chilton level based on feeder series evidence.

[raybak]

I'm all ready to be Mr X, have my helmet a red racesuit and can make a Superlicence on my new printer. As a plus will be in Melbourne as well.

Ray

[rjbetty]

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

Yeah you're probably right. I kinda felt wrong after I posted that bit tbh. It comes from a slight mistrust of Wolff from as far back as 2012. I don't know if Bruno Senna had something to say about his involvement with Williams then?

[jens]

Yeah you're probably right. I kinda felt wrong after I posted that bit tbh. It comes from a slight mistrust of Wolff from as far back as 2012. I don't know if Bruno Senna had something to say about his involvement with Williams then?

I can't remember any "incident" involving both Bruno Senna and Toto Wolff, so someone else has to enlighten here. Except Wolff was/is the manager of Valtteri Bottas and needless to say, the Finn was given the seat of Senna for the 2013 season. Well, even looking in retrospect, one can hardly blame them for that decision!

[Zico]

OK, my personal thoughts

Hamilton v Rosberg. However, I am very interested to find out, how will the qualifying battle end up this year, because I have no idea, which way would it go this time around! Hamilton is perhaps a bit more spectacular in race trim. At least was last year.

Ricciardo v Kvyat. Daniel has convinced me he is top-notch material. Of course you can always have a bad patch, but you get the point. Kvyat is promising, but is yet to convince he is that complete/consistent especially in race trim. Will do fine in qualis.

Bottas v Massa. I don't think Bottas wins by a landslide, but more by the virtue of consistency. Massa will have his days as well.

Vettel v Räikkönen. This is one of the trickiest ones. I am open to the possibility initially early in the season Räikkönen could have an edge or at least be a match. But we are predicting, what will the state of the affairs be by the end of the season - the long game.

Alonso v Button. Alonso, but... Button should run him closer than the last couple of Alonso's high-caliber team-mates. Esp if Alo has already trouble starting the season. But if Alonso still performs at his best and as superbly consistently as in the last few years, he should overcome Button.

Hülkenberg v Pérez. A bit like the Williams pairing. Pérez will have his days, but Hulk is more consistent.

Verstappen v Sainz jr. To be honest, this could be a tie! And point-score will depend on, who will get more "fortunate" with circumstances. However, I do think the 17-y-o Max could be the one with better overall talent. We will see, how much will youth hold him back.

Grosjean v Maldonado. Maldo will shine on some days, but Grosjean will be the more consistent one. Well, you have already read such sentence above!

Nasr v Ericsson. I like Ericsson, and I really like someone from Sweden is in F1. Not too far-away country from me. But to be entirely honest, unfortunately he is not very talented, not too dissimilar to Chilton. I don't think Nasr is going to be a megastar of F1, but could be a bit better of the two.

Stevens (???) v Mr X. I don't know, who Mr X is going to be, but I think Mr X wins, unless he is a completely no-hoper unknown paydriver. Because I don't think Stevens is really very good. About on Chilton level based on feeder series evidence.

Similar thoughts also Jens... I have a sneaky feeling that Kimi will get on much better with this years car and could well win this team mate battle. He certainly sounds a lot more positive about the car, If Ferrari have made the improvements we think they have it could provide the ambition and drive (that seemed to be missing last year) to make the difference.
Rosberg vs Hamilton is a very difficult one, Im gonna tip Lewis to edge out Nico again after an initial bad start to the season thanks to slightly reduced milage compared to Nico and we have all seen how personal life issues have affected him in the past... he'll be hurting again no doubt but if he can pick himself up again sooner rather than later, he can do it.

[kfzmeister]

Stevens (???) v Mr X. I don't know, who Mr X is going to be, but I think Mr X wins, unless he is a completely no-hoper unknown paydriver. Because I don't think Stevens is really very good. About on Chilton level based on feeder series evidence.

McLaren tester Stoffel Vandoorne

[rjbetty]

McLaren tester Stoffel Vandoorne

Joe Saward thinks Giedo van der Garde has a good chance of the Manor drive.

[Tazio]

I predict Seb punks Kimi, not as badly as Fred did, but I don't think it will be all that close!

Unless they both suck.

[CNR]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117924
Sauber F1 team to fight Giedo van der Garde's claim over 2015 deal
The Dutchman says the Swiss team reneged on the deal in early November and instead handed seats to Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson.

Court documents, seen by AUTOSPORT, say van der Garde took his case to a Swiss arbitral tribunal, which ruled in his favour.
""

"The Dutchman has this week brought an application before an Australian court in Melbourne, which hosts the season-opening grand prix on March 15.

Sauber says it will defend the application at a hearing on Monday."

[CNR]

Sauber may have to lone one of its drivers to manor