12 replies to this topic

[Louis Mr. F1]

I remember before the season started, alot of people were excited about the following intra-team rivalry:

1. Kimi vs. Montoya - Montreal is their first real on-track battle this year
2. Heidfeld vs. Webber - great to see Heidfeld beating motormouth Webber
3. Alonso vs. Fisichella - FA is more consistent
4. Villeneuve vs. Massa - Massa turns out much better than expected, he did very well

now after 8 races, has it turned out as you expected? i still think this year's competition is very intensive and I look forward to each race.

even Rubens is matching Schuey this year.

[armchair expert]

Pre-season, I think that most expected that Kimi/JPM, Fernando/Fisi and Jarno/Ralf (did you forget that one?) would be great, exciting and close battles. From this perspective they have been fizzers so far.
I certainly expected Webber and Heidfeld to be close and that is how it has panned out, with Webber in front in qualifying, but Nick racing better. They have been close on the track more so than any other combination (I think) and have at least provided some intra-team racing. I hope we see them together for at least a few seasons

[Jason]

I always thought Kimi would hold the edge on JPM, given he's been on the team longer. JPM injuring himself didn't help his cause, none too much.

I also thought FA would hold a slight edge on GF. Sure, GF has had plenty of bad luck, but still his pace isn't as close to FA's as I thought it would going to be.

I thought JV would fare better than FM. But, FM has been faster.

I thought MW would fare better than NH. But, MW's racecraft seems quite dubious.

[armchair expert]

Originally posted by armchair expert
Pre-season, I think that most expected that Kimi/JPM, Fernando/Fisi and Jarno/Ralf (did you forget that one?) would be great, exciting and close battles. From this perspective they have been fizzers so far.
I certainly expected Webber and Heidfeld to be close and that is how it has panned out, with Webber in front in qualifying, but Nick racing better. They have been close on the track more so than any other combination (I think) and have at least provided some intra-team racing. I hope we see them together for at least a few seasons

I should correct myself I expected Webber and Heidfeld to be close, with Webber in front in quals, racing and on the scorebaord.
Of course, the way it has panned out is that Webber is stronger in Qualifying while Nick is stronger in the races.

[jokuvaan]

I expected Fisichella to be better than Alonso but suprise suprise, Alonso changed driving style.

[wildmind]

KR/JPM : KR was always going to be hotter at the start of the season as he's settled in. However - if JPM can control his latin blood a bit he has got the measure of KR and can beat him!

NH/MW : I've never underestimated NH and I reckon the hype is killing MW - wait for they hype to drop and MW should be able to bounce back. Evens in the last few races of the season I reckon.

JT/RS : JT was always going to better RS in my mind and it's been pretty well that way so far - long may it continue!

FA/GF : Another MS/RB situation - GF stood no chance!

JV/FM : Again, no surprise really - FM has been in F1 consistently over the past few years (yes I know 1 was as a tester) and he can be a very good driver. JV has lost it and, I'm sad to say it, seems too full of his past glories. Sad but true.

[LuckyStrike1]

Originally posted by Louis Mr. F1
4. Villeneuve vs. Massa - Massa turns out much better than expected, he did very well

Or Villeneuve turns out worse than expected. Because he has apart from Imola perfrome ... well **** really

[Arrow]

Is Heidfeld beating Webber or is Webber beating himself? Seems to clearly be the latter.

[El Magnificante]

Heidfeld seems far more at home than Webber. I've been disappointed by Webber this year. I was expecting great things. He just seems "all at sea" to me. I think that will change with time though.

[Dolph]

Originally posted by wildmind
KR/JPM : KR was always going to be hotter at the start of the season as he's settled in. However - if JPM can control his latin blood a bit he has got the measure of KR and can beat him!

NH/MW : I've never underestimated NH and I reckon the hype is killing MW - wait for they hype to drop and MW should be able to bounce back. Evens in the last few races of the season I reckon.

JT/RS : JT was always going to better RS in my mind and it's been pretty well that way so far - long may it continue!

FA/GF : Another MS/RB situation - GF stood no chance!

JV/FM : Again, no surprise really - FM has been in F1 consistently over the past few years (yes I know 1 was as a tester) and he can be a very good driver. JV has lost it and, I'm sad to say it, seems too full of his past glories. Sad but true.

Strange. If

JPM is better than Kimi,
but RS and JPM were equal (2001-2004),
and JT is better than RS, and
FA and JT were equal (2003, 2004), and
KR is better than DC(2002-2004), then
the order would be:
FA, JT
RS, JPM
KR
DC

KR really so much worse than JT?

[wildmind]

Originally posted by Dolph


Strange. If

JPM is better than Kimi,
but RS and JPM were equal (2001-2004),
and JT is better than RS, and
FA and JT were equal (2003, 2004), and
KR is better than DC(2002-2004), then
the order would be:
FA, JT
RS, JPM
KR
DC

KR really so much worse than JT?

Nope - I would argue that JPM was better than RS whilst at williams - certainly towards the end of their tenure at grove.

[xype]

Originally posted by wildmind
JV has lost it and, I'm sad to say it, seems too full of his past glories. Sad but true.

Well, dunno, for the fact that he's lost it he's starting to put up a fight with Massa recently.

Of all the big expected battles, I see JV/FM being close and KR/JPM as well, since JPM picked up his pace. So I'll be folowing the two "battles" more closely.

I am not so sure about RS/JT and FA/GF - the former pair seems to be evening out a bit, but GF is definately suffering from his machinery, so a comparison isn't really fair. But I don't really care a lot about any of those four so I'm not watching as closely.

[TT6]

All the pairings have gone like I've expected, but the differences between team mates have been a lot more extreme than I thought. Some of it is produced by unfair distribution of luck, but still...

Better one in the left:

Alonso - Fisichella
Trulli- R Schumacher
Räikkönen - Montoya
Heidfeld - Webber

I have some hope left for Montoya.