Driver with most at stake in 2008?

[keysersoze]

Which driver has the most to prove in '08, who might lose their ride or be out of the series altogether if they don't overwhelm the press or their bosses?

It seems that we have in inordinate number of drivers with a lot at stake this season.

[Robinho]

Ralf, if he even gets a drive - last chance saloon.

possibly the same for Rubens and DC, maybe Trulli too, both will need to shine to stay around.

Webber could do with a big drive to keep his name in peoples minds.

i think Hamilton will have a lot to live up to and the pressure will be firmly on to deliver.

Alonso needs to out perform the car and his teammate to ensure people still believe he is as good as he thinks he is and deserves the status of.

Massa could do with beating Kimi, and preferably everyone else. Kimi can't afford to be beaten by Massa!

Nelsinho will have a lot at stake if he dares to challenge Alonso - it will be interesting if he is as quick in comparison to Hamilton as they were in GP2

everyone else should be able to just get on with their jobs relatively safely! ;)

[markabilly]

Which driver has the most to prove in '08, who might lose their ride or be out of the series altogether if they don't overwhelm the press or their bosses?

It seems that we have in inordinate number of drivers with a lot at stake this season.
Hamilton---He choked last year and the question is will he continue to choke

Of course if you are talking rides and drives, I started to say ralf, but he already has lost the most, but others may follow such as Nick H, Ruben B. DC ( Dc should have already been gone)

[Hawkmoon]

I agree with Hamilton. Ended last season going backwards but is considered by his supports as the best driver in F1 despite only 1 season under his belt. Not only that he will have to lead McLren now that he doesn't have Alonso on which the lean on or benchmark.

Bourdais is another one with a great deal of expectation on his shoulders. Nobody is suggesting that he has to win but he has to do well against Vettel and throw off the ex-Champ-Car-Champion-who-sucks-at-F1 tag that will get attached to him very quickly if he struggles.

[Hotlavaaaa]

Hamilton has to prove that he can develop a car on his own although I don't think there is much at stake for him as he probably has a seat at McLaren until he retires.

Boudais has to prove that he deserves his shot at F1. I have no doubt he's very fast, but he's landed next to a young guy that is the real deal so hopefully he can hang with or beat Vettel.

I'd say that both Trulli and Glock need to impress this year.

[Cozzie]

This is Lewis Hamilton's year to prove himself. That many fans have huge doubts about him and this is the year for him to prove many wrong and show he is a class act.

[ShiftingGears]

Hamilton and Bourdais.
Also, Massa will also be wanting to prove he can still compete for #1 Ferrari driver role without TC. Otherwise his best hope for a championship just passed him.

[janneppi]

Kovalainen needs to show he's not just an average driver against Hamilton. If he fails to impress in a good car, it's pretty much over for him after his McLaren contract ends.

[ArrowsFA1]

It seems that we have in inordinate number of drivers with a lot at stake this season.
Isn't that always the way though? The reason the likes of DC and Rubens have been around for so long is that that have proved themselves to those that matter over the years. They are not complacent enough to believe they have a 'right' to be in F1, and the same applies to the rookies, or at least it should do!!

[pino]

I'd say that both Trulli and Glock need to impress this year.

Their car need to impress too ;)

[jas123f1]

I should say that Hamilton must (have to) show all his fans that it wasn't Alonso who made his first F1 season that impressive and if the car is good also Kova has to make a good result, win a couple of races or at least be on podium proximately as many times as Hamilton will do. ;)

[markabilly]

But I will add the caveat that as long as RD is there, he will have a drive for life, in that sense, he has nothing to lose

[keysersoze]

I think Toyota's penchant for ending drivers' F1 careers, and the recent speculation about his seat makes Trulli's early '08 performances vital.

Bourdais has to have a clear edge on Vettel, and I think he must score regular points. After all, he has four CCWS titles and Vettel is 20 y/o and has under 10 starts.

If Fisichella gets the Force India drive, he has to not only beat Sutil, which is not a given, but he has to lift the team to get to Q2 5-8 times. That and 2-3 points-scoring results might extend his career.

McLaren in general have a lot to prove. Drivers with a combined two seasons under their belt--when was the last time that happened? Lewis, of course, has a lot on his shoulders, and Kova--OK, he beat Fisi; can he prove himself a top-line driver? He only has this year to do it.

DC is likely in his final season, and Webber has been generally quicker so I don't see a whole lot of pressure on Mark.

Nelson has to prove he can drive as well as he can talk about his driving. To have Alonso as his first teammate will be a nightmare. I'd be surprised if he ever makes Q3, while Fernando will be a threat for the first three rows.

[yodasarmpit]

I'd say Alonso and Hamilton.
Hamilton has to maintain the momentum from this year over into 2008 which will be a big task, his new team mate is going to be fast and just as big a challenge as Alonso was.

Alonso has it tougher, other than Renault who wants him?
His image is already severely tarnished, and he is up against another potential rookie star, that Ferrari drive may never materialise.

Weber is another, he really needs to pull something out in 2008, he has failed to impress for some time, he promised a lot but for me hasn't delivered.

[ShiftingGears]

Weber is another, he really needs to pull something out in 2008, he has failed to impress for some time, he promised a lot but for me hasn't delivered.

No way! He's been comprehensively faster than Coulthard and Rosberg and was on course to win at Japan. Webbers only problem is that the cars he has driven have been immensely unreliable.

[Valve Bounce]

I think that the pressure is on Rubens to prove himself next year, or he will be out of a drive.
Webber appears to be on a good wicket as he has been in good position many times only to be let down by Williams previously and now Red Bull. If the car hangs together, you can expect a lot more points from mark next year.
I don't know where Jr will be appraied because if he doesn't do too well against Fernando, his employer could actually be pleased.
I guess Bunsen is the one who will be judged kindly or harshly by the British Press who are fast losing patience. They have Hamilton to worship now, so if the bunsen doesn't burn up the track, they will roast him next year.

[CNR]

I think Lewis Hamilton (http://www.formula1.com/results/driver/2007/828.html) may have a lot to lose if the McLaren-Mercedes (http://www.formula1.com/results/team/2007/2910.html) 2008 car is a dog with out the parts that may or may not of had ]Ferrari data


Hamilton's hopes of winning the 2008 world drivers' title were also hit, with McLaren admitting that Ferrari ideas were used towards next year's car. They must now go back to the drawing board in an incalculable setback three months before the start of the season.



PARIS — Lewis Hamilton, rookie star for the McLaren-Mercedes Formula 1 team this year, has had his driver license suspended in France after being stopped for speeding at 123 mph on the northern French A26 highway last weekend.

[F1boat]

I'd say Alonso and Hamilton.
Hamilton has to maintain the momentum from this year over into 2008 which will be a big task, his new team mate is going to be fast and just as big a challenge as Alonso was.

Alonso has it tougher, other than Renault who wants him?
His image is already severely tarnished, and he is up against another potential rookie star, that Ferrari drive may never materialise.

Weber is another, he really needs to pull something out in 2008, he has failed to impress for some time, he promised a lot but for me hasn't delivered.

You said it, man.

[samuratt]

Alonso has to prove that he is a good asset in terms of developing a car. If gets good results with the Renault he will forgot his nightmare seasson at McLaren.

Hamilton has to prove that he can be very fast without having Fernando as a teammate.

Kovalainen has got nothing to prove. He is there just to fill the second car, cause Hamilton's #1 status can't be at risk. All he has to do is finish behind him. I don't expect Ron claiming by midseasson something like "they were racing Heikki"

Honda, as a team, has a lot to prove too now that they have Ross on their side.

McLaren has a lot to prove. They lied about manny things last year, so I won't believe anything they say in 2008 (Ron Dennis in particular). In my opinion they should be out of racing next year.

[Garry Walker]

DC is likely in his final season, and Webber has been generally quicker so I don't see a whole lot of pressure on Mark.

Nelson has to prove he can drive as well as he can talk about his driving. To have Alonso as his first teammate will be a nightmare. I'd be surprised if he ever makes Q3, while Fernando will be a threat for the first three rows.

Webber has been quicker in qualifying only, in racepace they have been equal.

Nelson is known as a qualifying specialist, like Trulli and Webbo. He will give Alonso a lot of trouble in qualifying, so basically I think your prediction is ****.
In racepace I dont see him beating Alonso yet though. People inside F1 paddock, including some drivers think that Piquet will trouble Alonso a lot too, especially in qualifying. Piquet also has a talent for getting under the skin of others, he did it to Lewis in GP2 and seems immune to mind games and considering what LH did to Alonso last season, I can totally see him doing it to Alonso this year too. Watch out for this guy, he will surprise a lot of people.
I just hope Alonsos status as nr.1 in the team wont hurt NP too much.

Who have the most at stake?
*Alonso - He needs to regain his reputation, he needs to destroy Piquet jnr. People thought after Schumis retirement he was nr.1, but he sure didnt look like that last year :D . If Nelson matches him, his reputation will be shot.
*Hamilton - needs to beat HK bigtime, or his reputation as best talent since Schumi will suffer. Oh how I would love to see Retard Peter Windsors face, after his beloved Golden Boy who is better than Senna and Prost according to him, gets beaten by HK.

*DC, Fisi, Trulli and Barrichello all are already so old that they need to show a lot every year, they wont get a second chance again.

*Kubica. He started off really well in 2006, showed a lot of talent, but was a dissapointment last season. Needs to at least match Heidfeld, or I dont see BMW keeping him for 2009.

[keysersoze]

Webber has been quicker in qualifying only, in racepace they have been equal.

Nelson is known as a qualifying specialist, like Trulli and Webbo. He will give Alonso a lot of trouble in qualifying, so basically I think your prediction is ****.
In racepace I dont see him beating Alonso yet though. People inside F1 paddock, including some drivers think that Piquet will trouble Alonso a lot too, especially in qualifying. Piquet also has a talent for getting under the skin of others, he did it to Lewis in GP2 and seems immune to mind games and considering what LH did to Alonso last season, I can totally see him doing it to Alonso this year too. Watch out for this guy, he will surprise a lot of people.
I just hope Alonsos status as nr.1 in the team wont hurt NP too much.

Who have the most at stake?
*Alonso - He needs to regain his reputation, he needs to destroy Piquet jnr. People thought after Schumis retirement he was nr.1, but he sure didnt look like that last year :D . If Nelson matches him, his reputation will be shot.
*Hamilton - needs to beat HK bigtime, or his reputation as best talent since Schumi will suffer. Oh how I would love to see Retard Peter Windsors face, after his beloved Golden Boy who is better than Senna and Prost according to him, gets beaten by HK.

*DC, Fisi, Trulli and Barrichello all are already so old that they need to show a lot every year, they wont get a second chance again.

*Kubica. He started off really well in 2006, showed a lot of talent, but was a dissapointment last season. Needs to at least match Heidfeld, or I dont see BMW keeping him for 2009.

Perhaps Mark needs to remain quick to keep his current seat, but I don't think his F1 career is at all in jeopardy.

Piquet a qualifying specialist? I'm not up on his GP2 career, but how often has he been accustomed to a knock-out qualifying format with an F1 caliber grid? He was OK in testing for Renault in '07, did nothing spectacular; he may surprise us, like Hamilton, but there's no indication that he can be on par with a two-time WDC.

Alonso may have something to prove, to the critics or to himself, but since every team save Ferrari contacted him when he left McLaren, I'd say his reputation and future are safe.

I'm not up on Peter Windsor, but what little I've read of his in F1 magazine, he clearly exhibits a great deal of insight as to HOW a driver is fast, and has often broken down, in technical jargon that is somehow readable, exactly WHAT a driver is doing in each phase of a corner. Apparently, Lewis has something special; the next two years will tell if he has the technical abilities to put it all together, because it's obvious he has the Schumacher-like ability to play unfair yet somehow garner the respect of his team.

Naturally, as that BWW ride becomes more and more competitive, both drivers will have to prove they deserve it. Kubica got on terms with Heidfeld later in the year. I predict this will be the most boring intra-team battle, both making Q3 regularly and doing extremely well, taking their fair share of the results, giving us nothing to talk about.

[Roamy]

Hamilton and Bourdais.
Also, Massa will also be wanting to prove he can still compete for #1 Ferrari driver role without TC. Otherwise his best hope for a championship just passed him.

i'll go with the squirrel !!

[Valve Bounce]

I think the two guys at Honda : Bunsen and Rubens are in the hot seat; they don't run hot, they get burned. Let's face it, bunsen hasn't really done all that much in F1, and he is replaceable. The other guy won't get another contract anywhere.

[Osella]

I'd say Trulli. He is comfortable at Toyota and if he is beathen by Glock (which I predict he will), he will be out.
He doesn't really have that advantage Fisichella or Heidfeld has had of having driven for the smaller teams and pulling off miracle podiums and wins after driving for a top team.
If he beats Glock, TImo can blame being a rookie and new to the team, Trulli has no luxuries this season at all, and I can't see him being around in 2009...or possibly before... Shame, as I always liked the guy, but I just see him as another Jean Alesi, without the drive to really pull out all the stops all the time. And he's probably not cheap, so I think he will be replaced before season's end.. Bold prediction perhaps, but not surprising if it happens.