44 replies to this topic

[NewERA]

Last year Williams was the surprise team. Which team do you think will be the surprise team (Good or bad ) for 2015.

 

[ninetyzero]

Last year Williams was the surprise team. Which team do you think will be the surprise team (Good or bad ) for 2015.

 

Force India, because they'll turn up.

[Button4life]

McLaren because they will win the WCC and WDC. Hopefully I can say that for real soon

[NewERA]

Ferrari to surprise in peak performance

Mercedes to surprise in the lack of performance (poor tyre wear)

[Gilles4Ever]

Lotus and STR

[ninetyzero]

Ferrari to surprise in peak performance

Mercedes to surprise in the lack of performance (poor tyre wear)

 

Sounds like wishful thinking to me

[TomNokoe]

Lotus and Ferrari

[Laura23]

Looks like Ferrari might spring a surprise to two if they are as strong as today suggested on their longer runs. They need to be sure of what direction they want to go in aero wise though.

[Newbrray]

Ferrari to surprise in peak performance

Mercedes to surprise in the lack of performance (poor tyre wear)

 

"Amen" usually accompanies a prayer 

[dtc]

Ferrari will surprise. WDC goes to Mercedes, but Ferrari will challenge them in WCC. Bottas will finally win but it will not surprise anyone..

[Jimisgod]

Dunno. Ferrari and Sauber look like potential surprises. I expect the season to be like 2009 with no real certainties except the Brawn/Mercedes being fastest. Hell maybe all the teams could get a podium?

[Newbrray]

I think Lotus might surprise a few. I think they might give williams a run for their money

[bigbobbyfrog]

Sauber based on days one and two of testing. However, I would never accuse them of running the car light to attract sponsorhip. Even thought I just did.

[GoldenColt]

Sauber will become consistant points scorers.

 

Ferrari will get a few podiums.

 

McLaren are going to be even worse than 2013 and 2014.

[turssi]

Merc and RBR and Ferrari by all sharing wins.

Williams by still messing up on Sunday's and only getting seconds.

McLaren by not getting results with Honda.

Toro Rosso by scoring in every race.

Lotus by getting results out of Maldonado.

FI by not being able to finish the season.

Sauber by not scoring a point again.

[sopa]

Yeah it is an interesting question. Because each season has some surprises (both good and bad).

 

For the record, I don't consider Ferrari a "surprise" like some claim. I think they always had the potential to challenge/finish top3 in WCC. Consisering the resources and other stuff I think Ferrari should never be completely written off in terms of Top 3 potential in WCC.

 

However, I don't see anybody giving a serious run for Mercedes money at this stage, so no surprises there.

 

The only ones I can possibly think of being positive surprises are somebody among Lotus, Force India, Toro Rosso and Sauber. 

Because Merc is expected to be top, Red Bull pretty good, Williams was already good last year and Ferrari/McLaren are big teams with big expectations, so there you go. The only surprise there would be if anyone could match or at least run Mercedes very close this year.

 

Negative surprise? Many possibilities. Williams, McLaren or Ferrari are the most likely possibilities though.

 

The bottom teams though? Still too early to call. If, say, Sauber, can get at least half-regular points, they would have exceeded expectations. Likewise if Lotus can get anywhere near their 2013 form, or Toro Rosso can replicate their 2008 season, or Force India can improve even further on last year and finish in top 5 in the constructors. But it is still too early to tell any of these can possibly happen.

 

Of course, there is also the possiblity of a doomsay scenario, that someone among Sauber, Force India or Lotus will go bankrupt and doesn't finish the season... But considering the financial state of the game, I am unsure if this would even qualify as a surprise...

 

Personally... Some seasons see greater surprises (2009 being a prime example), some season fewer surprises. I have a feeling 2015 will be relatively uneventful in the surprise stakes, at least in terms of general competitive form - if we discount potential "surprise race results", which can always happen.

Edited by sopa, 02 February 2015 - 15:59.

[Jimisgod]

Unfortunately McLaren look absolutely out at sea so my hopeful predictions of a win for Alonso are gone. He might get a podium or two. What a shame. I'll change the order probably but at this stage it looks like the first few races will be;

Mercedes

Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams

STR
Lotus
McLaren
Sauber
Force India

[MikeV1987]

Lotus for me, if their car doesn't get crashed anyway.

[charly0418]

Toro Rosso

 

Car will be a surprise

Drivers will be a surprise

[NewERA]

"Amen" usually accompanies a prayer 

 

 

OkayI have to hand it to you that was a good reply 

[Jon83]

I wouldn't really see Lotus doing well as a surprise considering some of the cars they've produced in recent times plus a Mercedes engine.

 

 

[bub]

Lotus would be my pick.

[Nonesuch]

Lotus doing well wouldn't be that much of a surprise; it was more their dismal 2014 that stood out for all the wrong reasons.

[sopa]

Lotus doing well wouldn't be that much of a surprise; it was more their dismal 2014 that stood out for all the wrong reasons.

 

I don't know. Lotus lost so many key people, just like Sauber.

In the Sauber thread there was discussion that they had lost form due to big teams snatching their talented engineers.

 

Also depends, what we do mean by "well". If Lotus finishes in top 3 in WCC, like Williams last year, I think it would be quite a huge achievement. But if they can be around the level of last year's McLaren and Force India and get around/close to 200 points for the constructors championship, it would not really be unexpected. In 2013 they got in excess of 300 points. I am sceptical they can be that good. They also have Maldonado in the car, which has a bad effect on the points accumulation potential.

Edited by sopa, 02 February 2015 - 16:28.

[bub]

Lotus doing well wouldn't be that much of a surprise; it was more their dismal 2014 that stood out for all the wrong reasons.

 

Depends on just how well they do.

[Afterburner]

Ferrari is looking unusually on it, which leads me to one of two conclusions:

 

1) The headless chicken talk over the winter was needless hyperbole generated by FA's departure and FA was in fact a nutter to leave.

 

or

 

2) They're really in trouble and are doing their best to mask it from the rest of the grid (or if it makes you feel better, they're acting like jilted lovers and doing glory runs to stick it to FA while they can).

 

And there's always the third (and by far least popular) option, which is that the Ferrari actually suits SV better than it suited FA and he's able to get more out of it thus far, assuming parts of both of the above are true and making a rather large (or 'chasmic'?) leap from just two sessions. Would spend most of the year laughing my a-55 off if this longshot actually turns out to be the case.

 

F1 needs more logic-defying Indycar-style WTF moments anyway; the kinda stuff that takes the words away from even the yappiest commentators. I miss that.

[sopa]

Ferrari is looking unusually on it, which leads me to one of two conclusions:

 

1) The headless chicken talk over the winter was needless hyperbole generated by FA's departure and FA was in fact a nutter to leave.

 

or

 

2) They're really in trouble and are doing their best to mask it from the rest of the grid (or if it makes you feel better, they're acting like jilted lovers and doing glory runs to stick it to FA while they can).

 

And there's always the third (and by far least popular) option, which is that the Ferrari actually suits SV better than it suited FA and he's able to get more out of it thus far, assuming parts of both of the above are true and making a rather large (or 'chasmic'?) leap from just two sessions. Would spend most of the year laughing my a-55 off if this longshot actually turns out to be the case.

 

F1 needs more logic-defying Indycar-style WTF moments anyway; the kinda stuff that takes the words away from even the yappiest commentators. I miss that.

 

Another conclusion is that the design team led by James Allison has actually been able to concentrate on their jobs. And the change of management positions hasn't affected them as much as many people thought it would. Though the effect could come in later as well...  like an aftershock or -wave.

[Jon83]

Ferrari is looking unusually on it, which leads me to one of two conclusions:

 

1) The headless chicken talk over the winter was needless hyperbole generated by FA's departure and FA was in fact a nutter to leave.

 

or

 

2) They're really in trouble and are doing their best to mask it from the rest of the grid (or if it makes you feel better, they're acting like jilted lovers and doing glory runs to stick it to FA while they can).

 

And there's always the third (and by far least popular) option, which is that the Ferrari actually suits SV better than it suited FA and he's able to get more out of it thus far, assuming parts of both of the above are true and making a rather large (or 'chasmic'?) leap from just two sessions. Would spend most of the year laughing my a-55 off if this longshot actually turns out to be the case.

 

F1 needs more logic-defying Indycar-style WTF moments anyway; the kinda stuff that takes the words away from even the yappiest commentators. I miss that.

 

I doubt any of it has anything to do with Alonso to be honest.

[Seanspeed]

Ferrari is looking unusually on it, which leads me to one of two conclusions:
 
1) The headless chicken talk over the winter was needless hyperbole generated by FA's departure and FA was in fact a nutter to leave.
 
or
 
2) They're really in trouble and are doing their best to mask it from the rest of the grid (or if it makes you feel better, they're acting like jilted lovers and doing glory runs to stick it to FA while they can).
 
And there's always the third (and by far least popular) option, which is that the Ferrari actually suits SV better than it suited FA and he's able to get more out of it thus far, assuming parts of both of the above are true and making a rather large (or 'chasmic'?) leap from just two sessions. Would spend most of the year laughing my a-55 off if this longshot actually turns out to be the case.
 
F1 needs more logic-defying Indycar-style WTF moments anyway; the kinda stuff that takes the words away from even the yappiest commentators. I miss that.

Or they're just getting on with their program and are neither in great nor awful shape.

I think if somebody surprises, its gonna be either Lotus or McLaren due to their new power units. I don't expect any massive swing in performance for the rest.

Edited by Seanspeed, 02 February 2015 - 18:21.

[DutchQuicksilver]

Lotus and Sauber in a positive way, mostly in the hands of Grosjean and Nasr though.

 

Force India in a negative way. This lack of testing is not going to help them, because they were always a team that scored the majority of their points in the early part of the season.

[MikeV1987]

Ferrari is looking unusually on it, which leads me to one of two conclusions:

 

1) The headless chicken talk over the winter was needless hyperbole generated by FA's departure and FA was in fact a nutter to leave.

 

or

 

2) They're really in trouble and are doing their best to mask it from the rest of the grid (or if it makes you feel better, they're acting like jilted lovers and doing glory runs to stick it to FA while they can).

 

And there's always the third (and by far least popular) option, which is that the Ferrari actually suits SV better than it suited FA and he's able to get more out of it thus far, assuming parts of both of the above are true and making a rather large (or 'chasmic'?) leap from just two sessions. Would spend most of the year laughing my a-55 off if this longshot actually turns out to be the case.

 

F1 needs more logic-defying Indycar-style WTF moments anyway; the kinda stuff that takes the words away from even the yappiest commentators. I miss that.

[RockBrocaine]

I'm thinking Lotus will have the biggest improvement  from last year and I'll say Sauber based on Ferrari and them running consistent laps so far. Leads me to believe Ferrari's unit is going to have good reliablity and a better jump in performance than Renault.

[Donkey]

I think the biggest surprise will be that Mercedes won't be a second a lap quicker at every race.

[turssi]

I think the biggest surprise will be that Mercedes won't be a second a lap quicker at every race.

That would be like Christmass coming early and lasting 19 races.

[STRFerrari4Ever]

Lotus and STR

 

This.

[KingTiger]

Mercedes > Ferrari = Red Bull > Williams = Lotus > Sauber = McLaren = Toro Rosso

[ForzaGTR]

I think the biggest surprise will be that Mercedes won't be a second a lap quicker at every race.

I don't think that would be much of a surprise, it's largely expected that the gap will close a bit, the others had more room for development, especially on engines

[BillBald]

McLaren by finishing some races and scoring some points.

[HomeBoy]

looking at the hype Sauber is getting so far, i can see them being a big let down among some posters here

i mean, when was the last time Sauber wasnt great in pre-season testing?

[noikeee]

Ferrari don't really count as a surprise, but before this week I couldn't imagine them coming good and now I do. By "good" I mean being either best of the rest behind Merc, or at least caught up with Red Bull and/or Williams. That actually seems possible now. Which is only logical given their massive resources that someday they might eventually nail it again, but I wasn't seeing this coming after the total management cluster**** they went under the past year.

[charly0418]

looking at the hype Sauber is getting so far, i can see them being a big let down among some posters here

i mean, when was the last time Sauber wasnt great in pre-season testing?

 

last year was a disaster lol

[rghojai]

I have zero sense of how the Honda will do so McLaren will be a surprise regardless of what actually happens.

[travbrad]

Lotus will probably be the most improved team this year.  They have some good people, and they can't really do worse than last year, plus the new PU should help them after they get the bugs sorted out.

 

 

I think people are reading too much into the laptimes from the first 2 days of testing though.  Times during winter testing have never really meant much, especially the first few days where they are really just shaking down their cars looking for issues.

 

Based on last year's 2nd day of testing Mclaren and Ferrari were going to be fighting each other for the title, and Red Bull was one of the slowest and least reliable teams in F1.  http://live.autospor...tary.php/id/692

 

The year before that Lotus was going to be challenged for the championship by Force India and Toro Rosso (who were faster than Red Bull).  Lotus did turn out to have a really good car in the end.  Force India and STR, not so much.  http://www.formula1....13/2/14254.html

[Brazzers]

Red Bull will surprise whether it's negative or positive, it'll be a surprise nonetheless. 

 

Notable mentions to Ferrari and McLaren will be a surprise in disappointment. 

[paulogman]

I'll be surprised if force india aren't on the grid all season.
they got FOM money and a pay driver.
Bernie is right about the small teams. they spend too much.

if Williams suck I won't be surprised, but goddammit I will be royally pissed off
redbull should do better. they could run merc close if they can optimize their aero potential. power isn't everything despite the incessant moaners and whiners in here going on endlessly.
if ferrari are fast I'll be surprised. with all the changes in management and firing of technical staff there is no stability.
no real surprise from McLaren yet. last season was tough for most teams trying to get everything working in real time.
Redbull had awful reliability issues all season, so Honda could be like that all season too. gotta start somewhere.

Torro rosso were pretty good by the end of the season, so not surprised to see them progressing.

if sauber built a quick car after the complete meltdown last season I'll be shocked. hopefully they do and get some sponsorship

has Maldonado done something monumentally stupid yet? one day down, but tomorrow is another chance. can he make it through the season with out compiling enough points to lose his license for a race?