42 replies to this topic

[Nikolas Garth]

Well its time to go out on a limb again and risk looking like a fool(but when did I ever let that stop me).

I don’t say this in an attempt to stir up trouble or to downplay the ability of Mika Hakkinen, but Schuey dominating in 2000 is honestly what I believe will happen. If you don’t share this view, that’s okay, I’m not hell bent on persuading you, but this is why I think it will pan out to be a red wash next year.

1.I think that Ferrari will have the faster(better) car than McLaren in 2000, more times than it will not(i.e. I expect McLaren to be faster at Hockenheim and Monza, and maybe Barcelona). Its hard to say for sure what the deal was in 1999(with Schuey out for 7 races), I think that McLaren had a small edge overall, but on certain tracks the Ferrari was faster(eg Monaco & Malaysia)

2.I think it was obvious that Ferrari’s 1st engine evolution in 99, was a balls up, and I suspect that in 2000 they will get it right. It seems that Ferrari themselves are much happier with the progress of the 2000 engine, than was the case with the 1999 engine at the same time last year.

3.Now having spent the whole year on Bridgestones, I suspect that Ferrari will be a lot better off for having collected that technical data, and applying it to their 2000 car.

4.I think Schuey has had an incredible run of bad luck in the last two years(Silverstone 99 being the most obvious example), I find it hard to believe it can continue.

5. I think Rubens is a better driver than Eddie, and as a result, will take more points off Hakkinen, than Eddie was able to.

6.Its just a funny kind of feeling I have.

Do I have the makings of the next Nostradamus or what???

[John B]

I also feel he will be WDC next year. I'm repeating myself here, but one of the reasons is the fact that no one since Fangio has won 3 consequtive WDCs, and I'm not sure MH is the one to break that trend.

I'd be surprised if the spread between MS and MH winds up like MS/DH in 1995. The McLaren this year had more changes to it than any previous Mac (according to the team), and will have a year of development under its belt. And I expect MH to put in a stronger overall performance, especially assuming that MS will be around all year. Overall, Hakkinen right now is a much more experienced and accomplished driver than Hill was in 1995, so I would expect him to maintain a good challenge all year.

I just feel that MS will be very motivated to get that WDC, especially since MH has equaled him on titles and he hasn't won since 1995. If Barrichello proves to be a genuine contender, that may also spur MS' performances a bit.

[F1razor]

I don't know guys....

Schumacher still has the jinx factor to get over. Mclaren will be strong, so will Jaguar and Jordan. I also expect good things from Prost. The wild cards are Williams/BMW and BAR/Honda. Look for Manardi to be further up the grid, and a lot tougher to lap, possibly affecting outcomes of close battles at the front.

DC has a lot to prove too.

I think the pressure will be on Ferrari even greater this year.

Pressure can bust a pipe. I do like the driver pairing a lot better though.

I would be surprised to see complete domination from anyone next year. I expect a close battle for the WDC with multiple players.

[Tarnik]

Good reasons to back up your idea.

Rubens should definitely be in contention in 2001 if not next year. I like Jordan/Fretzen a lot, but Schumi winning the title would be absolutely great. It should be fun to watch, eh?


[This message has been edited by Tarnik (edited 12-02-1999).]

[John B]

Razor, I would love to see Alesi and Prost improve next year. We'll see what the Swerve can do with his new status - I'm somewhat skeptical.

To me, Jordan is perhaps the most intriguing team. I don't think they'll contend for the WDC, but I'm curious 1. is Trulli as good as many people say he is, and 2. how will he make Frentzen look, given that Hill was HHF's yardstick this year.

I wish BAR and Williams could have run their engines in a few developmental races this year; a practice which worked very well for TAG-Porsche in 1983-84.

[shemp]

Nikolas, I don't think that Shumy and his Ferrari will dominate this season without any difficult. I think that yes, his is the favorite but there are greats teams.

McLaren-Mercedes is a great team. They lose the 1999 WCC doing a lot of stupid mistakes that cost them the championship. They have the best car and driver during the all season. I now that Mika made two mistakes but in Belgium, Austria, Europe (with the early pit-stops) and Germany, McLaren made the faults, not Mika.

Also there are great teams like Jordan, like Jaguar (I am sorry that they have to super-slow drivers), and I see with very good eyes Prost-Peugeot.

Schumacher will have the best car on the grid, or at least a similar one than McLaren. Let's see, I think it gonna be a super-championship, sure better than this one we had this year....

Good luck for all...

[RaggedEdge]

Nope,

Ferrari may be better (faster) car than McLaren in most races, but now McLaren will be the more reliable one, gifting mika 5 victories. Also, Schumi will keep on making bad starts, and will have to ask Rubens to move over, which will kill the Ferrari morale, not to mention help Mika to win races even when he is not on pole. Mika will score only podium places in all races, will finish 16 out of 17 races, and will easily beat Schumacher for the 3wdc race. David concentrates on tangling with Schumacher, increasing tension further, as FIA outragously bans McLaren for one race (the only one Mika does not finish) in a desperate last-moment attempt to rig the championship to Ferrari. Schumacher will crack again in the last race.

[RedFever]

well, i sure hope you are right, but I am not so convinced as you are.

First, there is no indication that McLaren will become reliable and Ferrari faster. This are all speculations, the cars will be new, all I know is that I expect them to be good, still the top 2 teams at least for the next season. Both are going to produce evolutions of two excellents cars, rather than revolutions, so chances are that they will be strong.

I think that Ferrari's 2000 engine will be awesome, Brawn is ecstatic. But Mercedes is not watching, they will have a new version as well, and i expect them to still be a few HPs ahead.

We'll see, it will be an interesting season. I think that what works in Ferrari's favor is motivation. While McLaren has won three out four titles in the past 2 seasons, Ferrari just got a consolation price. And while DC needss to prove something or forget top drives in the future, certainly Rubens and Michael have a lot more drive than Mika, who won two titles in a row.

[Grano]

Dominate the season? Not likely, I´d even go so far as to say not probable. Schumacher is in with a very good shot at the WDC that´s for sure but so is Hakkinen. The MacLaren team will also be very motivated after loosing theis years WCC so I think we´re in for a great fight between at least Schumacherand Hakkinen.

[Ricardo F1]

Have to say I agree wholeheartedly with Grano, though I really do expect McLaren to have the best car in the field again - they have expertese that Ferrari just can't match (without little illegal bits. . . DOH!)

[Samurai]

Nik I think you got some really good points (1,2,3,5,6).
The Ferrari car looks very good indeed, so much I'm getting just a little nervous about Mika's WDC (or JV?). (I'm counting on Schu to choke again,,,, sorry).
Nik, I think you're Nostradamus (but hey!? btw didn't he say the world would end already?!!), well anyway I think your predictions about Ferrari machine dominance may come true, I just personally hope the overall results are different.

[This message has been edited by Samurai (edited 12-03-1999).]

[Cinquecento]

Nostradamus predicted a 27 year world war
starting sometime between 1994 and 1999, so
there's still a couple of weeks left.

As for Nik's prediction.. there certainly
seems to be a lot of optimism regarding F320
and the new engine in the Ferrari camp. I'm
on. Rule Ferrari! (It's gonna be tighter
than that, Nik, but still..)

[Peter]

Good to get in on this one before Frans trashes it!

Yes, I agree that MS is the favourite next year.

What will hinder him is if Ron Dennis goes for a definte, open 1-2. If DC played along as spoiler, he could mess up MS's chances with his dodgy driving. I think RB will play himself into Ferrari and wait for his big chance next year. MH will feel the pressure of an on-form MS and will not be so lucky next year.

I think Jaguar, Jordan and possibly BAR and Williams will take quite a few points away from both Ferrari and McLaren next year.

[speedy]

I don't expect Ferrari to dominate - it's hard to say without that crystal ball. But the last 4 years have been full of promise and waiting for better times to come. 1999 Ferrari finally got something that will remain in history, the WCC. Ferrari will develope for next year, but among this Ferrari hype don't close your eyes on other teams' development. Honda is coming in strong and they are famous for their success in all motorsports. Mercedes is on schedule to deliver the new engine for field tests in the beginning of January. The new engine has been tested in windtunnel since November. It's said to be lighter, stronger and significantly less thirsty than the currently used engine. Sounds like an interesting combination, just imagine all the possibilities that scenario enables. Ferrari is always in headlines, but I guess the more silent ones may surprise them once again.

[RaggedEdge]

speedy's point about less thirsty McLaren makes me think that Hakkinen will dominate in 1995 Schumacher-style (i.e. pitstop wins). I can already imagine Hakkinen passing Schumacher Nurgburing 1998/Brazil 1999 -style during the pitstops since his McLaren will be able to run 3 laps longer than Schumi.

Hence, even though Ferrari may be better car next year, Mika will score some glorious victories.

And I am still hoping that Ferrari will for once be less reliable than McLaren. I would really love to see Mika inherit some wins due to Ferrari's unreliability.

Reliable, economical car is what I want Mika to have next year. This has been Schumacher's trademark all his career except perhaps in 1996 and to some extent 1997.

[CATMAN]

Maybe Nick, maybe not. Rubens could be the man at Ferrari. MS has many Demons to come back and haunt him this season + a new man in the team.

[Witt]

I agree with Raggededge's first post.

Honestly though, I think for Schumacher or Hakkinen to dominate a season 95 style, it would take either of the two teams to make a huge blunder in car design. Both teams are too good to make a car significantly better than the other, that will keep a huge performance gap for the whole season. Just look at how fast Ferrari caught Mclaren this year, and to some extent in 98.

One will obviously be better than the other at the first race. I'd expect it to be Mclaren, but knowing Ferrari they'll have things even by Brazil. A Ferrari front row just wouldn't suit the streets of Albert Park the way a Mclaren front row does.

I am hoping for a close season next year, but i doubt the championship will go to the last round. I also don't like mika's odds, Fangio being the only man to ever win 3 in a row, etc. And, Schumacher's numbers are definantly up. I hope the law of averages doesn't play a part in next years championship.

[coyoteBR]

"Ferrari will dominate in 2000..."
I sure hope you're right.
But why do I have this deja-vu feeling of hearing/reading this words at every end of season since 1980?

[Steve]

Nik, I agree with speedy. I just feel you turn a blind eye to the fact that Ferrari aren't the only ones developing. Mclaren aren't going just to sit on their hands. As already said earlier in this thread, Ferrari have most of the media spotlight, therefore the media expectations would be greater than others, it COULD be just hype.
RB is better than EI, however, that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be right on the front pace early on, after all it's a new team for him, some settling in may be needed.
Mclaren should be further concentrating on reliability from the start(this is just speculation) so the car should be a finisher from race #1.
Hakkinen will be stronger than he's ever been, after the tough year of 99 his character would've built up, and with 2 WDC his confidence couldn't be higher.
Still, Ferrari and MS will be the favourites, no doubt, but for now nothing can be confirmed for any team.
Nobody will really know anybody elses true speed and potential until final qualifying ends at Melbourne next year.

[Nikolas Garth]

.

[130R]

I agree with Nikolas. I think MS will win 9 races and the championship with the better car.

[Makarias]

You certainly have a point there, Nik. Good or bad? No idea.

[CATMAN]

Ferrari have had 20 years of failing to get the WDC, so why should it be different this year? Schumacher failed last year, and he will fail again this year. He will not win a WDC in a Ferrari. Ferrari will be lucky to get a 3rd place in the WDC. McLaren will dominate. Mika is in place for three in a row, and he wants that badly. Three in a row and the greatest modern day driver label. Coulthard will ride shotgun, and Schuey will be left to fight with Irvine, Frentzen, Rubens and co. McLaren prize of a third WDC with the 2000 WCC will go some way to compensate for not getting both championships in 99.

[Rogue]

Catman, somehow even if he wins that third in a row, I don't think he'll get that title...
(don't get me wrong, I like the guy, I'm just not sure that the F1 world would see it that way.)

My vote is on Schumacher, I like the idea on dominating, but I don't expect it.



------------------
Rogue
f.1@altavista.net

[sunil]

Hope no body gets to dominates. The WDC gets decided in the last round and the let the best man (and car) win. That is the way I like it.

[Bruce]

MS may win the WDC, but I doubt that he will dominate on a 1995 or 1992 (Mansell) type scale. In fact I hope that this year that we have 4 , perhaps 5 cars in with a shout at any race - Ferrari, Maclaren, Jordan,Jaguar perhaps BAR...

If the season is close between the top teams and MS DOES win it he will certainly get more kudos for it then if the Ferrari dominates, making it obvious that the car is dominant.

I think that it will be a closer season than you do, Nikstradamus...

[Ricardo F1]

Dominate is the wrong word anyway - we're dealing with the FIA here! If someone starts dominating the season they'll ban something on the car that opens the field again! (a la the Mac brakes in Melbourne).

It'll go down to the last race or two, Bernie and Max will make sure of it!

[JayWay]

Im not sure about dominating 95 style, although it would be awfully nice. But I will say this about this season, I feel like for the past 3-4 years we have been teased about driver talents and driver potential. All weve gotten to is assumptions.

"Well Schumy IS great, but he cant prove it due to inferior car"

"Mika is great, but he cant show it cause people think its about the McLaren"

"Rubinho is real talent I SWEAR, he just cant show it in the Stewrt"

We have always had loopholes, and excuses, this year finnaly we will get some ansewrs. Mika and MS FINNALY seem to have equal cars, and Rubinho now can measure up his speed, as can MS, so this is a do or die year for all of JSN's theories. Plus potential greats who couldnt show there talent in bad cars are finnaly getting the breaks, Trulli, Rubinho (as mentioned before) Zonta, Ralph etc, we get to see who really can preform with the goods. Unlike past years, when we end of this season, I feel we will have alot more clear ansewrs then we do now. Thats whats so exciting. I for one am nervous, I hope JV and MS live up to there billing ;)

[Rainstorm]

By the way, I can't help it but Samurai - Nostradamus didn't say the world would end, his exact words were that it will be "the end of the world as we know it." That could be interpreted in many ways. For example, if Ferrari actually and finally wins the drivers' WC then it's certainly the end of the world as we know it... then again, if Hakkinen wins a third WC back-to-back that would also be the end of the world as we know it... but why be pessimistic...

Reg,

Rainstorm

[Mobile_Chicane]

If Mika makes more Monza and Imola like mistakes this year then the title is schumi's.

However,if McLaren have got over their reliability gremlins then it will be even tougher for Michael. Imagine the McLaren having similar reliability as the Ferrari in one season? That would make it very tough indeed for Schumi and Ferrari.

My bet is that Mika has the edge over Michael. Mika is under less pressure to perform now and has probably gained confidence even more. Michael on the otherhand is under enormous pressure to finally win. Under all the expectation will he choke again like b4 when it comes to the crunch?

[Bruce]

If (as Murray Walker keeps reminding us, erroneously) is F1 spelled backward.

[CATMAN]

And if Michael or Ferrari(or whoever was really to blame) make another Silverstone type mistake. MS will be out of it again!

[Thank-U]

It will definitely be a domination a la 1995 by the Ferrari trio.

Schumi seems to be at his best when taking each race at is comes (accumulating points, grabing any opportunity to take an unexpected win etc.)
However, if Schumi does not wrap it before the last race, then losing it again is very likely(he has never done well in a decisive race yet)

Also, Hakkinen seems to perform well when:
1. He has a very good car (the best or very close to the best)
2. The stakes are high (decisive race, or make or brake race)

He seemes to completely lose it when:
1. The pressure is low
2. He has a car that is not within approx 0.5 sec of the best car.

So if it appears that the Ferraris are 1 sec faster in Australia (as I expect them to be), I think the season will be over by the 12th race.

[Nikolas Garth]

How crucial is Imola???

If Schuey wins and Hakky dnf's, it would surely be all over.

[Ricardo F1]

Jeeeesss . . . there's only two races gone, there's a long, long way to go. Brazil and poor old Rubens showed that the Ferrari's aren't perfect, Mika showed all weekend, as he did in Melbourne that the Mac is easily a winning car.

Let's wait till Monaco until sounding the death toll.

[Nikolas Garth]

Ricardo,
I agree it is still to early to call it yet(afterall in 98 I believe Mika was 22 points ahead of Schuey at one stage of the year, and it still went down to the last race), but if after Imola it is 30 to nil, surely then only a miracle(or FIA intervention) could give Hakky a chance.

[The RedBaron]

Nikolas Garth, your on your way with your initial predictions
I predict Schuey to win the first 4 races and then it will become a real slog thereafter.

[Nikolas Garth]

Well as an old poster(Bruce) returns, I think an old thread I'm sure he will love, should return to welcome him back.;)

[SpaRCo]

Whats all this talk about "will" schuey dominate like 95
HE IS DOMINATING like 95
5 wins from 8 is DOMINATION,and now its looking like it will increase since mikas lost the plot.
I predict he will dominate even more than 95 and will win at least 10 races.I predicted domination at the start of the year anyway.
Michael is dominating in a way mika never has or will,and his car still isnt the fastest.Now that the performace gap has decreased we see the story
Michael 5 wins
Mika 1 win

No contest:)

[Bruce]

Woohoo! Good to be back Nick!

And as you say, Ferrari and MS SHOULD dominate on a similar scale to 1995, and if they don't it won't be from a want of the FIA trying to make it so....;););)

(Funny that, despite MS's HUGE lead in the points that RB was not allowed to challenge today.... equal #1s?)

[smarty]

Sparco, check the first date of the thread!

[magic]

unreliability proved to be mac's achilles' heel in '99.

so ron promises hak and dc he's fed up with that.
so they test and test and test.
to kill all bugs.

aidelaide, zero points for hak, schumacher wins.

it's a 6 race trend.

hak feels betrayed, even dc and dennis are bugging him, hak the only living person to make schumacher work.

don't they want him to get schumacher and the third title?

by the time he realises what happened schumacher got an unbridgable gap.

season over.

like '95.

other teams' ****ups make schumacher look too good.

[Daemon]

Schuey has a clear lead, but remember that that can diminish if Hakk or DC win twice and Schuey gets a 2 DNFs. Like Schuey said in the post race, don't assume victory until it is mathematically impossible to lose...