Okay, I'm making some adjustments to my 2003 F1 driver predictions...

Ferrari: Schumi and Rubens (Mikey isn't going to retire this early, not when he is one championship away from the record)

McLaren: Coultard and Kimi (I don't think Mika is coming back)

Williams: Ralf and Juan Pablo

Renault: Alonso and Trulli

Jordan: Fisi and Sato (if Schumi doesn't retire, Fisi will stay)

BAR: Panis and Heidfeld

Sauber: Massa and Button (Button was at their factory this week)

Toyota: Salo and DiMatta

Jaguar: Webber and Villeneuve (they have the money, and Villeneuve will like the fact that it is a factory team, and he is still the #1 driver)

Arrows: HHF and Bernoldi

Minardi: Yoong and ?

Left out.... De La Rosa, McNish, Irvine


Anybody else have any good theories?

Matt

 

I like your predictions a lot. I can't think of anything that would be different other than I believe De La Rosa will have a seat somewhere (where I couldn't tell you). I am really hoping that Mika comes back, really hoping! Then I guess I would move Coulthard into maybe the Toyota seat but, I know they really want Dimatta to bring some fresh blood to the team. Let's call madam Cleo and see what she thinks.

 

The problem with my theory is that it doesn't account for Wurz, who reportedly has been talking to 3 teams about a race seat. I don't see McLaren replacing Coultard with him though. If Coultard did leave, I think it would have to be Toyota or Jaguar. Actually, if Toyota doesn't get DiMatta, Villeneuve could end up there...


Matt

 

Hmmm, maybe Villeneuve isn't moving after all......

From this morning's press conference:

Q: For Jacques, you said you have a contract for next year. At this moment can you say that it is 100 percent sure you will be back with BAR next year?
JV: I don't see any reason for me not being back with BAR next year. It would take something really, really extreme, so I feel at the moment I am definitely with the team next year.

 

I hope he does move I think he needs a fresh start. At the same time I wouldn't mind keeping a WC in a Honda seat.

 

I want him to stay. My dream would be for BAR to take Fisi from Jordan and pair him with Villeneuve. Keep Panis as the test driver though!


Matt

 

Nice dream

I think BAR needs to first sell everything to Honda. If Honda were to build and maintain there own chasis I think we would start seeing them move up the grid. BTW do you think that the new series is really going to start in 04?

 

No doubt!

Honestly, no I don't. I think they are just using the threat as leverage....

Matt

 

You're talking about the athena project, right? I agree by the way, I think Honda will swoop in when BAT has to stop supporting the team.


Matt

 

I agree with this 100%.

This is a good bet as well. If Mika comes back anytime, it might not be with McLaren anyway, despite his strong ties to Ron Dennis.



I don't see Button moving, particularly not to Sauber. Williams -> Renault -> Sauber would represent quite a decline for someone initially tabbed as a future world champion.

I know you don't agree with me...but Fisichella is not going to Ferrari. As much as I would like to see him there, he's just not good enough. Sato could be gone next year, since he has so far failed to impress. Wurz could slide in here.

Don't see JV leaving. If he goes anywhere it will be Renault.

Massa, sure. Button, no. Button could possibly go to Jag, but nowhere else. I also don't see Heidfeld moving until he can take DC's spot at McLaren.

This is extremely interesting. DaMatta is destroying CART and everyone in that series knows he has the talent...but F1 teams do not show great affinity for CART drivers (why is Franchitti still on TKG?) after the Michael Andretti experiment. Remember, Brabham told Rick Mears that he could drive for them, but only if he brought some money to the table. If Toyota gets the right driver in that second seat they could do some serious damage.

I don't know what to make of this one. Jaguar would surely prefer an anglo line-up, so Button, Irvine, McNish would make sense for them. I don't think JV would go for it but Webber is definitely a possibility. I for one would like to see Franchitti in here.

Sure.

Yoong sucks and I would be surprised if he lasts another year. Narain Karthikeyan is another Asian possibilty here, and I am sure they have spoken to Wurz. Honestly, though, I can't see anyone but a pay driver wanting to race for Minardi unless Paul Stewart can work a miracle.

It's possible that all 3 could be out of a job next year, although not likely. Irvine has shown himself to be one of the finest drivers of F1's older generation (to me anyway) when he took Mika to the wire in 1999. I would be surprised if no one wants him, although he hasn't done himself any favors by shooting his mouth off.

McNish could be toast as well, or could be resigned to a testing role. I would also not be surprised if Jos Verstappen found his way back to the grid.

 

The athena project started 2 years ago. The athena project isn't the defunct Honda f1 team from 2000 either. I don't like the way Honda is sticking a toe in the water to see if it is cold, they need to grab both there attachments and jump in head first!

 

They need to drop one team and completely take over another.

Retain the BAR line-up they have and make JV the clear #1. They could easily win a championship when Michael retires or breaks another leg.

 

Dimatta has already tested for Toyota so it almost a sure thing unless he want to stay stateside. Fisi isn't a good driver huh? Then why do all the driver seem to think he is the best behind Shumi? Drivers know drivers so I am going to side with them on that one. Ohh yeah what about Villeneuve, Montoya, and Zernardi all coming from Cart?

 

But you are speaking is if leaving would be Button's choice. I'm saying he is going to get squeezed out in favor of Alonso. I think Renault is going to boot Button as the least talented of the 3.

Actually, I am agreeing with you - I think Fisi is staying at Jordan. I do think he is one of the top 3 drivers in the sport though. Sato hasn't impressed anybody, though he did outqualify Fisi a couple of times so far. He did too well in F3 to just toss aside that quickly though. I think he'll get two years to prove himself.

After that whole "salary cut" fiasco between him and Richards, I thought he was gone. After the result in Silverstone, I think he really wants to stay now. Renault won't take him, they already have more than enough talented drivers for much less money than JV would demand. After hearing this morning's press conference, I'm thinking the 2002 BAR driver line up will not change.

If you could choose between Sauber and Jaguar, which would you pick? Jaguar is floundering big time. Assuming he is squeezed out of Renault, Sauber is the next highest scoring team that would be interested in him. I was assuming Heidfeld would get pushed out in favor of Button. If Button doesn't move, Heidfeld would probably stay.

and he is doing it in a Toyota powered car!

3 words: Juan Pablo Montoya

I thought about Dario going to Jag also, but didn't think it was all that likely. I think Webber is a good bet, though he is claiming he *wants* to stay at Minardi! There is a new one! Irvine is too old, McNish is a never will be, and though they will pursue Button, I think at the end Button will go to Sauber where he has a better chance of making the podium (while he waits for Williams to take him back).

Yep, but he brings money to the table.

I think Irvine is like Rubens - put him in a really good car and he'll impress all day long. But he make something out of nothing like Schumi. Irvine is old and done.

Oh yeah! I forgot about him coming back!!! The king of the first lap will be looking for a seat too...

God I love talking about F1. Thanks for the reply Ross!

Matt

 

Show me one driver who honestly thinks Fisichella is better than Juan Montoya, or even Ralf Schumacher, and I will lick your boots. I never said he wasn't good, I would love to see him make a great career for himself (I am Italian and root for the Italians whenever I can). But I just don't think it's going to happen.

Villenueve came from CART and won a championship his first year, but that was right before F1 switched from slicks to grooved tires. This made the cars much more different from CART cars than they had been in 1997, and also made them much more delicate to drive, due to their huge reliance on aerodynamic grip. JV and Williams were both caught unprepared and suffered for it. How many points has he scored since F1 went to grooved tires?

Zanardi came from CART and failed to score one point. He was sacked in favor of Jenson Button who was 18 at the time. I love Zanardi...but he was not serious enough for F1.

Montoya is a special case (that guy can drive anything fast), as was Villenueve. Talent like that only comes along once every few years...but they are the exception, rather than the rule. My point is still the same. Traditionally, F1 teams discriminate against CART drivers and prefer to pick their drivers from F3 and F3000. That's fine with most American drivers - they just go to NASCAR where they get paid buttloads of money.

That's 4 top CART drivers that went to F1. Only 2 have had what you might call outstanding success, that is, enough to keep them in the game rather than send them back to the States. Compared with the number of drivers who come from the other European formulae...CART drivers are not representing themselves well, JPM and JV aside.

Ross - who had a letter published in Sports Illustrated in support of Montoya

 

I think in outright speed, Schumacher is only arguably at the top. It's consistency combined with ability to drive really goddamn fast combined with consistently stellar car setup (him + ross brawn) combined with consistently good tires that makes him unbeatable. I think that's also why Mika was so good in 1998-2000, because the car was consistently very good, and he drove it consistently well. I also think that's where Williams / JPM is failing this year. I'd like to think JPM has the best drive-it-like-you-stole-it skills of anyone on the grid (Schumi's got all but two races, but Montoya's been rackin' up poles like crazy), but he's hampered by his own consistency (lack of experience), as well as the team's inconsistency, and the tires' inconsistency (lack of experience in Michelin). Give him, Williams, and Michelin another year or two, and he'll be unstoppable, I think. I think next year, he, Williams, and Michelin will have their package together well enough to take the championship battle much, much deeper into the season, and when Schumi retires, there will suddenly be no real competition left. Although McLaren will almost surely return, when they fix the engine and Michelin fixes the tires, and Renault will, I'm sure, get consistently better. I don't think Barichello has what it takes to lead the team like Schumi does. He lacks the consistency and charisma.

-Mike

 

Ok I don't think I will be able to actually prove that statement sence I saw an interview with Michael Schumacher saying that, so there is one guy. Montoya has all the skill in the world but, he isn't consistant. Also the top teams are looking for driver skill not someone who brings money with them so your statement about them shunning the guys in Cart is still a statement I don't agree with. Another thing you have to concider is when someone gets asked if they want to move from Cart, IRL, Nascar or any other american series they don't always jump at the chance. I know Paul Tracy, Tony Stewart, and Micheal Andretti all got asked to drive for F1 and they turned them down because of the time they would have to spend oversea's. I know Micheal went over there but this was after he came back. These are also statements that I can't prove because I saw them interviewed on TV when they stated this. So believe it if you want.

Keith-who doesn't want anyone licking his boots

 

More than a few experts have stated (Steve Matchett and Hobs included) that out of any american driver that could be choosen, they all beleived Tony STewart would rock them all....

 

I have heard the same thing. For his part, Nigel Roebuck wants to see Jeff Gordon in F1. I think either one of them would lay some **** down, they are both amazing drivers. I see them as being better drivers than most of the guys in CART or IRL...that is why they are in NASCAR getting paid the big bucks.

 

Alonso replaces Button

The Renault F1 team announced this afternoon that Fernando Alonso will partner Jarno Trulli in the team next year. This means that Jenson Button is out of a drive next year despite the fact that he has scored more than twice as many points as the Italian driver, who is managed by Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore. Alonso is also managed by Briatore. Button, who is not managed by Briatore, will now have to look elsewhere for a drive.

 

sweet...well there goes my predictions.

 

My turn.....
Ferrari: Schumi and Rubens. set in stone

McLaren: Coultard and Kimi. this too

Williams: Ralf and Juan Pablo

Renault: Alonso and Trulli

Jordan: Fisi and Irving

BAR: Panis and Webber...Webber is going places, fast.

Sauber: Massa and heidfeld...heidfield might get the ferrari seat in 04

Toyota: Salo and Wurz...just guessing

Jaguar: button and de la rosa

Arrows: HHF and Bernoldi....If they make the grid

Minardi: R.I.P
Dimatta will drive a toyota, but not this year. They need an expirenced driver to give them accurate feedback for a few more years. they don't have the expirence to carry a true rookie driver. Mcnish had plenty of testing expirence, and has been the weak like to a degree this year.
03 is not going to be the interesting year, 04 is going to be interesting, with the ferrari seat opening up, Heidfield's, DC's, Villenuve's and de la rosa's contracts being up. At least one of those guys will not have a seat in 04. That's 2 of the top 8 rides being avaliable, in addition to whatever unforseen stuff goes down. I'm really excited to see who gets the #2 Ferrari and to see if RB gets his world championship as ferrari's #1.

Anybody else have any good theories?

Matt
[/QUOTE]

 

Button to replace Panis at BAR

The Magny-Cours paddock is abuzz with rumors that British American Racing have signed Jenson Button for 2003. Button, the 22-year-old Brit, sees out a two-year Renault contract this year and is strongly tipped to leave the Enstone team to make way for Spaniard Fernando Alonso.

While he remains under contract to Sir Frank Williams, the youngster has been spotted at the Jaguar and Sauber factories while also linked to the Cologne-based Toyota team. In the latest round of Formula One whispers, however, reports are beginning to emerge that BAR will announce the signing of Jenson Button tomorrow (Sunday).

In view of BAR chief David Richards' assertion yesterday that Jacques Villeneuve was very much a part of the Brackley team's 'long term' plans, all eyes have turned to talented Frenchman Olivier Panis for a shock ousting. Panis' two-year contract expires in October, making way for the arrival of Jenson Button.

At Magny-Cours yesterday, Richards refused to be drawn on speculation linking the Englishman to BAR. 'Jenson has been a pal of my son's since they were 12 years old and kart racing together, so I see Jenson quite regularly,' he revealed. 'But my immediate priority is to maintain the relationship with Jacques and get his situation resolved fully for the long term.'

Renault and BAR may make the 2003 announcements of Fernando Alonso (Renault) and Jenson Button (BAR) tomorrow at Magny-Cours.

 

Fisichella to Sauber

The Magny-Cours paddock is abuzz with even more rumors. This one says that Giancarlo Fisichella's management was talking to Luca Montezemolo yesterday. Fisichella is rated as one of the top 5 drivers in F1, though he's never been given the chance in a top team.

With both seats taken at Ferrari until 2004 and with Peter Sauber not necessarily 100% happy with his driver line-up for next year, there could be a chance of Fisi moving to the Ferrari-engined Sauber team.

 

I just don't see this. I think the jump from NASCAR to Formula 1 is just too great in terms of driving style, car setup, technology, lifestyle, and politics. I'm not saying that the NASCAR guys aren't good drivers, but I don't think they would make it Formula 1...