Bahrain coming up!!

[Principessa]

http://www.f1technical.net/news/1911

Only 2 weeks for the first GP of the season...can't wait!!
Bahrain is really promoting F1 in their country, trying to lure f1 fans from all over the world to their little Kingdom and go watch the GP. I think it's a good thing for F1 that Bahrain is really making a big effort to make the GP of Bahrain a real success. (Only wish the government in my country (Belgium) could do these kinds of efforts too...!).

It's a good thing that events are organised to draw attention to f1!

I'm really looking forward to the first GP of the 2006 Formula One season...but I think I'm not the only one to do so

[Tom]

And the big question, will their be a 22 car grid?

whats more, how many of them will have V8s?

[Principessa]

I really wish that Super Aguri didn't enter with such a miserable car! I really see accidents happen with that 'slow' and not up-to-date car and Sato and some rookie at the wheel!
According to me they'll cause accidents and hold up the fast drivers...They could really change the progress of the race!

About the V8's....Well Scuderia Toro Rosso don't have V8 because of that clause in the rule about V8's...but normally they'll switch to V8 engine during the season...that's what I've read!

Lets hope we'll see an exciting race. And to be honoust...I'm curious about new qualifying format too...Lets see what the outcome of that change is! I think that I'll really need to get used to the new format!

[DaveKillens]

Yes, it won't be long before the first race weekend is upon us, with all the action and drama we love. There are lots of new rules, and more questions than answers right now. Are we seeing the passing of the guard with Shu's last season? Have McLaren got a killer car or a hand grenade? Will Flavio piss on Fernando? Will Sato have an influence on the race winner? Will the qualifying format hold up, or be changed once again? Can Button win? Just how good are the Toyotas?
I can't wait, it's not long now......

[f1.redbaron]

Yes, it won't be long before the first race weekend is upon us, with all the action and drama we love. There are lots of new rules, and more questions than answers right now. Are we seeing the passing of the guard with Shu's last season? Have McLaren got a killer car or a hand grenade? Will Flavio piss on Fernando? Will Sato have an influence on the race winner? Will the qualifying format hold up, or be changed once again? Can Button win? Just how good are the Toyotas?
I can't wait, it's not long now......

My thoughts:

Schumacher - if he does leave at the end of the year, it would be only befitting that he leaves the sport with an 8th title.

McLaren - Looks they will have a replay of the last season


Last couple of questions are really interesting.

I can see Flavio favouring Fisichella over Alonso. It won't be the first time he's done something like that.

Sato will almost definitely have an influence on the winner (or the top 8 finishers). He's much too slow, and way too wild.

I can't wait for the first qualifying session. I understand it and yet it seems just so confusing.

Button - ummm...obviously it will depend on what Honda gives him. But, more importantly, it will depend on McLarens, Renaults and Ferraris (from the looks of it).

Toyota - I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like "my" team will not be any better than last year...in fact, unless they decided to hold something back during the winter testing, they will take a step back this year. If you read some of the comments coming from Jarno and Ralf, it looks as though this new package has done absolutely nothing for them. Few months ago they were saying how they will win this year, now they're saying how it is difficult to compare them to any other car on the grid.

I hope I'm wrong...

[Tom]

I think you may well be.

Just a hunch but I think Toyota are doing everything right and, depending on circumstance, and who Sato targets this year, they are in with a chance for at least a podium.

Of course they may have lost a huge advantage with Trulli's 1 lap qualifying magic now seemingly obliterated.

[Principessa]

Of course they may have lost a huge advantage with Trulli's 1 lap qualifying magic now seemingly obliterated.

I think so too... Jarno was always doing well in his qualifying lap...but now with the new format, it will be just waiting and see what happens

[ginsu]

Toyota - I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like "my" team will not be any better than last year...in fact, unless they decided to hold something back during the winter testing, they will take a step back this year. If you read some of the comments coming from Jarno and Ralf, it looks as though this new package has done absolutely nothing for them.

I saw an interview with Ralf on TV and he just looks like he doesn't care at all. He's got a contract after all. And he seems so distant and ineffectual. I just wish he acted like he was going to give it his all. He can't even do that. Toyota need to buy a driver that is actually worth the money. IMO, Ralf is the weakest link.

[f1.redbaron]

Of course they may have lost a huge advantage with Trulli's 1 lap qualifying magic now seemingly obliterated.

I think so too... Jarno was always doing well in his qualifying lap...but now with the new format, it will be just waiting and see what happens

That goes without saying. And he knows it, too. Just read between the lines what he said during an interview:

Q: During your nine years in Formula One racing you have seen several qualifying formats come and go. Are you satisfied with the 2006 system and do you think it will benefit your driving style?
JT: Personally I feel that it is not an advantage for anyone and I find it to be rather complicated for the spectators.

(Source: f1.com)

-----------------

Tom,

Podium finish, every now and then is not the issue. That is what they did last year. I think that this year they were hoping for A LOT more than that. I think that they were hoping to spend a lot of time on podiums, and to be on the top step at least couple of times this year.

Honestly, I would like it if I was wrong. After all, I would like to see them win the championship, but I'm just trying to be objective.

[Tom]

I agree, but then again I have

a hunch

Also the same with Red Bull, I think they will do better than expexcted, perhaps.

[Principessa]

I think Red Bull will do better than last season, and that they'll keep improving in the future!

About Toyota: Of course they want podiums and most of all they want wins, they've been saying that since last year. And indeed, Toyota deserves a better driver than Ralf, more talented and motivated! And to be honoust, talented and motivated youngsters enough around, who would die for getting a shot in f1 race seat! I don't really understand Ralf, he's trying to get out of the shadow of Michael, but it seems like he already gave up....not really a persistant character if you ask me!
I hope Toyota does well this season don't get me wrong! I really like the team!

Well....speculations all around about all the drivers and teams, but....we'll just have to wait and see what happens once season gets started!

[GTO]

I hope Barichello does well at Honda now that he's no longer in the shadow of MS. I hope Honda won't favor Button to prevent embarrassment if RB begins to outperform JB (the driver they think very highly of & paid big buck$ to buyout from Williams). This is not to say that JB is not fast, but, he just needs to shed the Eddie Irvine playboy image it seems to me he's developing and get serious (along with Honda) and start challenging the young guns.

As for qualifying, the new 3-part format is going to be more exciting to watch. Parts 1&2 will definitely be more fun to watch. The cars will be with low fuel (like the good old days) thus making it better to compare their true speed. Part 3 with the top 10 cars, won't be very exciting like last year, on varying fuel loads.

The following is my picks for qualifying order for Bahrain GP.
The first six slowest drivers & cars:
22. Y. Ide - Super Slow Aguri
21. Sato - SSA
20. Speed - STR
19. Liuzzi - STR
18. Monteiro - MF1
17. Albers - MF1

Next six slowest:
16. Rosberg - Williams
15. Heidfleld - BMW
14. Villeneuve - BMW
13. Webber - Williams
12. Klien - Red Bull
11. Chulthard - Red Bull

10. Schumacher - Toyota
9. Trulli - Toyota
8. Massa - Ferrari
7. Montoya - McLaren
6. Fisichella - Renault
5. Button - Honda
4. Schumacher - Ferrari
3. Barichello - Honda
2. Alonso - Renault
1. Raikkonen - McLaren (considering no engine change)

Again, this is not race finish order, but, just qualifying position picks based on pre-season testing pace & my gut feeling.
Bring on Bahrain!

[manchild]

I think that Williams should be considered as one of the top 4 teams (perhaps even top 3). If they are not able to beat Renault than I'm sure they'll be fighting with Mclaren, Honda, Ferrari and especially Toyota that has changed 5% since they entered F1 (squary and pile of aero attachments by default). Mike is surely taking his time and filling his pockets... no hurry at all

If Mclaren faces same destiny as in 2005 than I think that engine change won't give them same chance for reaching podiums as it was in 2005 because not just that their engine is far away from being strongest but also at this point seams to be most unreliable one (much more than last year).

I hope that Schumacher will try to push the limits and pollute the atmosphere with burned oil.

It would be nice to see Ferrari and Honda at same performance level because I'd like to see if Barrichello would dare to overtake his beloved driver No 1.

Also, I hope that RB will be faster than Ferrari which would mean that if their haven't already bought and stored engines for whole season they can expect to find accidentally forgotten nuts and screws in cylinders, screwdrivers in engine block etc. [-o<

Same goes for MF1. As much as I don't believe that any big business from Russia is close to legal regardless on that I'd like to see MF1 beating Toyota which would spice up the GMPA story as much as possible RB's beating of Ferrari. [-o<

As much as I'd like to see JV making few podium surprises BMW's approcah to 2006 season seams awfull. Perhaps some wet or incident filled race will give Jacques a chance.

Sato and some rookie in SA will definitely be unpredictable moving chicanes... good luck to all lappers (except Schuey).

I almost forgot! Massa beating Schuey all the time would be a dream come true!

[GTO]

Yes, perhaps I'm underestimating Rosberg & Williams a little bit. To my surprise, they did post better test times than Toyota on 2 occations in Barcelona. After some bumbling around, Williams does seem to have a much better package this year. Also, both teams are new to Bridgestones this year.

Considering Gasgoyne was at Renault for one year and knows of their work efficiencies to bring them a constructors & drivers title within three years of buying Benetton in 2002, you would think he would make some radical chassis changes at Toyota to try to vault them up the grid. Maybe he wasn't there long enough or maybe Toyota is to too big of a rolling stone to change direction quickly and adapt to rule changes. So with that in mind, perhaps Williams will adapt faster to the 2006 rule changes and have a better car & overall package that Toyota.

[Principessa]

Williams is doing well, but I think that they are still bit to irregular. One day they top the timesheets during testing, the day after that they are last!

But that's only how I see it of course