New F1 season gearing up
Roar Rookie By Rodzilla, 3 Feb 2012 Rodzilla is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- Daniel Ricciardo, F1, Formula One, Mark Webber, Motorsports
This week will be an interesting time for Formula 1 fans as teams begin to unveil their new machine and driver combinations ahead of the opening four day testing session in Jerez, Spain on Febuary 7th-10th.
The testing sessions wont provide a true guideline of the new cars performance, for that show and tell experience you will need to wait until the qualifying session this year in Melbourne, but at least along with the respective drivers positive or negative quotes you will gain some insight as to how the season will play out
McLaren were the first major team to launch and they head into the season with the same driving pair in 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton and 2009 champion Jenson Button
While the drivers remain unchanged, what has changed are the questions being asked of them as Button became the first driver to beat Hamilton over an entire season, there is now a credible case for Button being the superior driver that didnt exist a year ago
From an Australian perspective, there is Mark Webber who now has a clean slate to have another shot at the title, and Daniel Ricciardo who has now been promoted to the secondary Red Bull team in Toro Rosso, the proving ground for him to make a claim on Webber’s seat.
Webber in 2011 sampled what Vettel could do when he wasnt making mistakes or when his car wasn’t breaking down. He was phenomenal and unstoppable.In 2012, the upside for Webber is that he had problems, most notably off the starting grid, which prevented him from putting in a serious challenge.
If Webber can get on top of these problems, he’ll have a far better season. The season starts with Melbourne, a track Webber has never had great success at since his remarkable on-debut fifth placing for Minardi in 2002.
Ricciardo now must lineup against frenchman Jean Eric Vergne, the driver who claimed that he could step in immediately and at least equal what Webber could do in the car if given the primary Red Bull. I will take personal pleasure if Ricciardo can outperform him. The West Australian performed well enough in the bomb that was HRT, and now has his chance.
Elsewhere we have Mercedes who have made some key staff improvements for this season, and as a result will delay their launch until late Febuary, Renault bringing back Kimi Raikkonen to F1 and Ferrari desperate to return to past glory/
It’s sure to be a great F1 season
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The Crowd Says (10) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
- Explore:
- Daniel Ricciardo, F1, Formula One, Mark Webber, Motorsports
February 3rd 2012 @ 3:24pm
Mark Young said | February 3rd 2012 @ 3:24pm | Report comment
Good on ya Mate!
Great to have F1 on the Roar.
You may not get many responses but those you do get will all be quality.
I am very intriqued to see if Red Bull is still the fastest Car.
Newey has never managed to get the fastest car four years in a row.
He had Williams fastest for three years in a row, and McLaren for two, but never for four.
I tend to think that the law of averages leans towards McLaren or Ferrari coming back up top this year.
February 3rd 2012 @ 4:49pm
Tristan Rayner said | February 3rd 2012 @ 4:49pm | Report comment
You’ll probably get me and Mark, Rodzilla!
Safe to say, F1 is a bit of a niche sport, but we love it with a passion here on The Roar.
February 3rd 2012 @ 8:32pm
AndyMack said | February 3rd 2012 @ 8:32pm | Report comment
Very excited about this year.
Love to see Webber and Ricciardo do well, but also be great for the sport if McLaren and Ferrari can compete for wins regularly. And wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of the other teams step up this year, maybe Torro Rosso, Force India or Renault?
Can’t wait.
February 3rd 2012 @ 10:07pm
Seano said | February 3rd 2012 @ 10:07pm | Report comment
I’ll be here too boys, I’m not the roars biggest poster but I’m on everyday!!!!!
February 3rd 2012 @ 10:58pm
Rodzilla said | February 3rd 2012 @ 10:58pm | Report comment
How about these new “stepped” style front noses that ferrari, force india and caterham have gone with
McLaren so far are the only ones not to have it so it will be interesting to see if red bull go for them, its like a confirmation from newey thats its the right choice
they look unusual to me
February 4th 2012 @ 5:22pm
Stam said | February 4th 2012 @ 5:22pm | Report comment
Any predictions on kimi? I look forward to his interviews!
February 4th 2012 @ 5:33pm
Stam said | February 4th 2012 @ 5:33pm | Report comment
Although he won’t be getting interviewed for a podium finish I might add
February 4th 2012 @ 6:44pm
Rodzilla said | February 4th 2012 @ 6:44pm | Report comment
i think kimi will do what is expected of him against Grosjean, but it will be for the scraps of the points (7th-10th)
and we will probably get to see plenty of Schumacher-Raikkonen action which isnt a bad thing
February 4th 2012 @ 6:47pm
Stam said | February 4th 2012 @ 6:47pm | Report comment
What will it take for bigger teams to take notice of him? Any possibility that if he pulls a few good races that RBR sign him on for a 1-2 yr contract till one of the torro Rosso drivers becomes ready enough? (assuming this is webbers final yr)
February 4th 2012 @ 10:27pm
Rodzilla said | February 4th 2012 @ 10:27pm | Report comment
Well this season there could be a massive shift in drivers becuase all the top 4 teams have a driver out of contract
everyone will be looking for the red bull seat, including hamilton and schumacher depending on their new car performance
my guess is actually Webber will go to Ferrari, Hamilton will stay at McLaren and Raikkonen is one of the guys that could go to red bull
but thats assuming the new McLaren is very competitive, if not then Hamilton will be very actively going for the Red Bull