2013 season car ranking

[FrukostScones]

http://formulaoneanalysis.blogspot.co.u ... 22013.html

nice armchair analysis (because his ranking is nearly the same than mine ), thanks to enz0 for providing the link.

[Ferraripilot]

Red Bull will not qualify like they used to, not with them not able to use DRS everywhere now (if you remember, they could use it in plenty of places others simply could not). Their race pace will be tough to beat though.

I agree with a poster who stated Mclaren will struggle with their drivers and probably a bit more with car understanding. However if the car is working just right I believe it will be a very fast contender.

The Ferrari is eating its tires, I suspect they will qualify well but it may have W03 syndrome in that it will eat rubber and fall back quickly. F138 is also not running as much rake as it was a Jerez.

Sauber looks ok, but not overly fast, watch how it exits turn 1 and turn 2 to the long right-hander at Barcelona, taking it very gingerly every time I've seen it which tells me their EBD is not as efficient as they'd like (lack of low speed EBD benefitting traction).

Lotus, fast. Mclaren will only best them if Mcl's setup is working how they'd like it.

Mercedes, consistent with tires, high fuel, and lower fuel, very quick in low speed/traction areas. Not the fastest car, but with their partial U-sidepod design with triple vortex generators in front of the side mirrors, I believe this car has good potential and more going on than we probably know. W04 also ran noticably more rake in Barcelona.



based on race pace and tire degredation somewhat known to date and if everyone's machine is performing its best:

1) Red Bull
2) Lotus
3) Mercedes
4) Mclaren (note* only if they car is working as it should, otherwise swap this place with Ferrari)
5) Ferrari
6) Sauber
7) Williams
Force India


based on qualifying pace

1) Mclaren
2) Ferrari
3) Mercedes
4) Red Bull
5) Lotus
6) Sauber

[Vasconia]

http://formulaoneanalysis.blogspot.co.u ... 22013.html

nice armchair analysis (because his ranking is nearly the same than mine ), thanks to enz0 for providing the link.

Very interesting analysis, I agree that Rb and Lotus seem to be the best cars in both short and long runs, if Lotus can qualify high Kimi will be a serious title contender this year.

Mercedes has improved but I want to see more long runs from them, Ferrari seems to be fast but they have temperature problems in the rear and because of that tyre degration, once again they have gone too far trying to solve the problems of the last season. Mclaren is the great doubt, the car seems to be tremendously fast but difficult to understand, they have a lot of work to do with him.

[raymondu999]

[quote="Ferraripilot"]Red Bull will not qualify like they used to, not with them not able to use DRS everywhere now (if you remember, they could use it in plenty of places others simply could not)./quote]
While they were activating it more than others, we have to remember that given that they always geared the car for best DRS-closed laptime and were hitting the limiter more than others, they were also gaining less per DRS activation. They needed to install a DDRS system to be anywhere near competitive in qualifying.

[Ferraripilot]

Red Bull will not qualify like they used to, not with them not able to use DRS everywhere now (if you remember, they could use it in plenty of places others simply could not).

While they were activating it more than others, we have to remember that given that they always geared the car for best DRS-closed laptime and were hitting the limiter more than others, they were also gaining less per DRS activation. They needed to install a DDRS system to be anywhere near competitive in qualifying.

Agreed. Minus any additional drag reduction device I'm seeing Red Bull as a top 10 qualifier but not top 3.

[Donuts]

Start grid Australian GP:

1. Romain Grosjean
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Kimi Raikkonen
4. Sebasitan Vettel
5. Jenson Button
6. Mark Webber
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Nico Rosberg
9. Felipe Masa
10. Nico Hulkenberg

Wildcard: Pastor Maldonado(anywhere between 5-10)

[Juzh]

Red Bull will not qualify like they used to, not with them not able to use DRS everywhere now (if you remember, they could use it in plenty of places others simply could not).

While they were activating it more than others, we have to remember that given that they always geared the car for best DRS-closed laptime and were hitting the limiter more than others, they were also gaining less per DRS activation. They needed to install a DDRS system to be anywhere near competitive in qualifying.

Advantage of using drs where others couldn't far exceeds their low top end. And where exactly are they going to be rev limited except for the main straights? Even with a top speed of only 327kmh and literaly zero aoa wing in monza 2011 vettel only hit rev limiter on start/finish straight and nowhere else (straight prior to parabolica as well for something like 1 second - insignificant). Fact is, they will still be limited just as much as in 2011/2012, only this year they lost their ability to boost their speed earlier than others elsewhere on the track. And dont forget about a missing ddrs as well. Quali will indeed be tough for RB, race pace I expect better.

[beelsebob]

Start grid Australian GP:

1. Romain Grosjean
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Kimi Raikkonen
4. Sebasitan Vettel
5. Jenson Button
6. Mark Webber
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Nico Rosberg
9. Felipe Masa
10. Nico Hulkenberg

Wildcard: Pastor Maldonado(anywhere between 5-10)

Very early to start guessing this, but I think I'll go with:
1. Kimi Raikkonen
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Sebastian Vettel
4. Fernando Alonso
5. Mark Webber
6. Niko Rosberg
7. Nico Hulkenberg
8. Sergio Perez
9. Felipe Massa
10. Jenson Button

[Donuts]

Start grid Australian GP:

1. Romain Grosjean
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Kimi Raikkonen
4. Sebasitan Vettel
5. Jenson Button
6. Mark Webber
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Nico Rosberg
9. Felipe Masa
10. Nico Hulkenberg

Wildcard: Pastor Maldonado(anywhere between 5-10)

Very early to start guessing this, but I think I'll go with:
1. Kimi Raikkonen
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Sebastian Vettel
4. Fernando Alonso
5. Mark Webber
6. Niko Rosberg
7. Nico Hulkenberg
8. Sergio Perez
9. Felipe Massa
10. Jenson Button

Well, the driver is probably going to make the difference so why not(difference in car performance will probably be tiny). I'm guessing Lotus will be a bit ahead of the rest, enough for Romain(probably better qualifier than Raikkonen)to take pole position. Ferrari, Red Bull and Mclaren will follow close enough to challenge, with Alonso performing at his best and even starting ahead of Raikkonen(which has the usuall little niggle in qualifying). Vettel will follow closely with Button(probably in the second best car but not enough for his lack of one lap pace). The Red Bull runner up(having issues with his KERS) comes after that, with Hamilton and Rosberg close behind, in a car that's not enough to challenge the top four. Masa will barely make it into top ten, challenged by Hulkenberg, Maldonado and Perez, of which the former will secure the last spot on the grid.

[mika vs michael]

I have not watched testing very close but my feeling so far is more or less the following
1. Redbull
2. Lotus and McLaren
4. Ferrari and Mercedes...
No clue where Williams Sauber and Force India actually are...

[CHT]

Should mercedes be push further up in the order now?

[godlameroso]

It's going to be down to Ferrari and Mercedes, Alonso will win the drivers championship Lotus the constructors with most wins but neither driver being consistent enough. Massa will win one. The Red Bull will be fast but too many DNF's will cost them dearly. McLaren will have about 4 races where they're untouchable, but mediocre performances elsewhere. The Sauber will surprise in a couple tracks and will fall behind towards the end of the season. Force India will score a podium or two and their main competition will be Williams. Barring any surprises I doubt Marrussia or Caterham will score any points this year.

[CultofF1]

Don't listen to the TV pundits. Listen to the drivers!

Button thinks the Mercedes have been the most standout team so far. Bottas thought Lotus were best last week. Hard to tell really

[Juzh]

It's going to be down to Ferrari and Mercedes, Alonso will win the drivers championship Lotus the constructors with most wins but neither driver being consistent enough. Massa will win one. The Red Bull will be fast but too many DNF's will cost them dearly. McLaren will have about 4 races where they're untouchable, but mediocre performances elsewhere. The Sauber will surprise in a couple tracks and will fall behind towards the end of the season. Force India will score a podium or two and their main competition will be Williams. Barring any surprises I doubt Marrussia or Caterham will score any points this year.

lol

[dren]

I think you have to favor Vettel. Then Alonso and Kimi. Hamilton and Webber will be in the mix at times. Button I thought would be in the mix, but the car is suspect at the moment. The Mclaren could surprise, but I don't think so.