WCC 2nd place: Gut feel and hopes

Voted Ferrari for both. F138 is best suited to fast flowing tracks like Austin and Brazil plus there's the possibility that Mercedes will struggle with tires. Massa has also historically done well at Brazil and had a very good qualifying in Austin last year. Alonso...well Alonso is just always fast.

Who really cares? 2nd is just best loser.

But I hope it goes to Lotus because for them it would be a stunning success. While for Merc it would be an okay result and for Ferrari it is a failure.

Who really cares? 2nd is just best loser.

 

But I hope it goes to Lotus because for them it would be a stunning success. While for Merc it would be an okay result and for Ferrari it is a failure.

Ok result?? For a team that has finished 4th, 4th and 5th the past 3 seasons?? Id say that would be a great result for them.

Who really cares? 2nd is just best loser.

Yeah what a discussion-killer, obviously some people do, otherwise this topic wouldn't be here.

I hope Ferrari will get it, and with the extra money mount a good challenge for Red Bull next year with Alonso/Kimi.

Who really cares? 2nd is just best loser.
 
But I hope it goes to Lotus because for them it would be a stunning success. While for Merc it would be an okay result and for Ferrari it is a failure.

Edited by KiloWatt, 06 November 2013 - 06:59.

I think that Ferrari will go great around both Austin and Interlagos, and both Massa and Alonso will perform.

Mercedes will probably be OK. around Interlagos, but I have a gut feeling that they will struggle miserably around Austin.

Lotus will be fast around both circuits, but they only have one driver with any actual motivation, plus they are too far behind on points.

If it rains in Interlagos, which is certainly possible, then I expect Mercedes to excel, and Lotus to be horrendously slow. Ferrari are meh in the wet.

Overall, I predict that Ferrari will just tip Mercedes if the remaining two races stay dry.

Mercedes will probably be OK. around Interlagos, but I have a gut feeling that they will struggle miserably around Austin.

But.. Hamilton won there last year - I'm curious (and hopeful) of him doing a great performance again this year.

I think that Ferrari will go great around both Austin and Interlagos, and both Massa and Alonso will perform.

 

Mercedes will probably be OK. around Interlagos, but I have a gut feeling that they will struggle miserably around Austin.

 

Lotus will be fast around both circuits, but they only have one driver with any actual motivation, plus they are too far behind on points.

 

If it rains in Interlagos, which is certainly possible, then I expect Mercedes to excel, and Lotus to be horrendously slow. Ferrari are meh in the wet.

 

Overall, I predict that Ferrari will just tip Mercedes if the remaining two races stay dry.

Yeah, you know you can count on Alonso performing well, but the more i think about it, the more i doubt Massa can come through. He's been spot on in q lately but it's still same old Massa in the race. Alot will depend on him.

But.. Hamilton won there last year - I'm curious (and hopeful) of him doing a great performance again this year.

I don't know why, but I just have a gut feeling that Mercedes will be slow around Austin (no evidence to back it up). It's likely to be hot in Texas, which does them no favors either.

However, Interlagos is usually cold and rainy in November, and in these conditions, I expect Mercedes to excel big time.

I believe Ferrari will forfeit 2nd in WCC to keep screwing Massa in Texas and an Alonso Sepuku in Brazil to please the Brazilian crowd and a farewell gift to Massa.

I believe Ferrari will forfeit 2nd in WCC to keep screwing Massa in Texas and an Alonso Sepuku in Brazil to please the Brazilian crowd and a farewell gift to Massa.

If only they were as clever as you... 

Edited by Kingshark, 06 November 2013 - 07:29.

I want to think that Ferrari will get 2nd, but the are so random in performance... I don't know what will happen in Austin and Brazil, Brazil should be good on paper.

Ok result?? For a team that has finished 4th, 4th and 5th the past 3 seasons?? Id say that would be a great result for them.

Considering how the team grew for the 2013 season, I think second and third place are okay results for them.One should not forget the distance to RBR. Second would be good if they would be close to RBR, but if one is honest Merc is second because Ferrari and Macca failed even harder than they did. Or in other words. Merc surely made a step forward, but Ferrari and Macca made 3 steps back.

Not Lotus. As the pressure to deliver rises, their operational and procedural deficiencies rise to the surface. 

Not Lotus. As the pressure to deliver rises, their operational and procedural deficiencies rise to the surface. 

then you really didn't see some Mercedes or Ferrari blunders. Like keeping Hamilton for like 3-4 laps on tyres that were 4-5sec slower, because "they will come back" in India (or it was Korea?) Every team happens to have **** idea sometimes (with the exception of Vettel's car, cause Webber usually has mechanical problems or strategy that is totally odd).

yet I agree that it will not be Lotus. I would like to see them on 2nd, but it will be most likely Mercedes. 3rd will be Lotus, then 4th Ferrari

Who really cares? 2nd is just best loser.

So what does that make 3rd then?

It's hard to pick between Ferrari and Mercedes. If Ferrari can get on the podium a couple more times (as they have for most of the year) they might just nick it. Without Alonso's disaster in India they would still be infront.

But.. Hamilton won there last year - I'm curious (and hopeful) of him doing a great performance again this year.

The MP4-27 was a very good car at the last three races of the season, unlike the W04. It is not like Hamilton's superhuman capabilities helped him much in Abu Dhabi, where people also expected him to out-drive the car and challenge for the win.

Who really cares? 2nd is just best loser.

 

You're right.  Thread closed.

Obviously not.  The thread is about the most interesting battle of the season IMO, and the only thing left which is relevant to follow.

In my view, Mercedes has enough momentum and the drivers (as in, both score well if the car is capable) to make it work for them.  However, I have a soft spot for The Enstone Team and would really like them to seal it.  Sadly, I don't think Kimi's heart is in it, and their failure to pay him is almost a disincentive to helping them secure cash if he thinks he'll not get it from them.  If he drives again this season, and makes an effort, they might do it, but otherwise not.

I think Mercedes will get it, but secretly hope Lotus will, mostly cause the money will be put to better use there (I don't mean Merc will burn the money in a bonfire, I just mean this money might make the difference between keeping Lotus a competitive top 4 team next year and not)

as a sidepoint what I am really curious about is if Vettel will manage to outscore the second team in the WCC all the way to the end of the season. Not that it matters, it just a weird fun quirk.

If only they were as clever as you... 

Dontcha think Ferrari waisted some good points giving Massa hards on his last stint 

Voted Ferrari for both. F138 is best suited to fast flowing tracks like Austin and Brazil plus there's the possibility that Mercedes will struggle with tires. Massa has also historically done well at Brazil and had a very good qualifying in Austin last year. Alonso...well Alonso is just always fast.

You mean like Suzuka and Korea? Ferrari have fallen back massively and are fully focussed on 2014.

Hope for Mercedes, Lotus, Ferrari.

You mean like Suzuka and Korea? Ferrari have fallen back massively and are fully focussed on 2014.

Well while i agree that Ferrari have regressed since the beginning of the year, i think Ferrari will do well in Brazil and Austin. Fernando finished ahead of both Mercedes drivers in japan and split both in Korea. Mercedes will struggle to keep their lead.

You mean like Suzuka and Korea? Ferrari have fallen back massively and are fully focussed on 2014.

Ferrari were better in India. Had they qualified on soft tyres, Alonso would have had the pace to be on the front row alongside Vettel. Likewise, Massa had pretty good pace in the race too.

Interlagos and Buddh circuit have very similar characteristics in that respect. Austin is a bit different though, the final sector is very Abu Dhabi-like.

I don't know why, but I just have a gut feeling that Mercedes will be slow around Austin (no evidence to back it up). It's likely to be hot in Texas, which does them no favors either.
 
However, Interlagos is usually cold and rainy in November, and in these conditions, I expect Mercedes to excel big time.

Think: Mercedes

Hope: Lotus

Think: Mercedes

Hope: Mercedes

Think: Mercedes

Hope: Lotus