halfway through: who will be WDC/CC this year?
Discussion
We're halfway through the season and now is a convenient point to look at the performances so far and decide who's doing a good job, who is doing a bad one, and who is going to win the F1 world championships.
I have been impressed with Webber and slightly unwhelmed by Vettel. Webber has been really strong, especially in coming back from adverse situations. Red bull have shot themselves in the foot almost every weekend and converted very few of their dominant qualifying sessions to good race results.
Across the season the McLaren team have outperformed the potential of their car, in my opinion. I think Hamilton especially is doing a great job and has been delivering more than the car deserves. After Button's lucky (but luck that was capitalised upon) start to the season, Hamilton is now regularly outperforming him, as most people predicted. This is particularly apparent in qualifying or when the car is not behaving optimally.
Ferrari are doing a poor job, Alonso is going a bit batty and Massa (very sadly) doesn't seem to have fully recovered from his head injury.
Mercedes - oops.
I'm going to say that McLaren will be concstructors' champ and Hamilton will be WDC. I think if he does win it will be a well deserved championship that he won in the car that wasn't the quickest - the mark of a real champion.
Reading through that again it seems like the last GP was the season in microcosm - Red Bull fast but hurting themselves, McLaren extracting more performance than they really ought to have.
I have been impressed with Webber and slightly unwhelmed by Vettel. Webber has been really strong, especially in coming back from adverse situations. Red bull have shot themselves in the foot almost every weekend and converted very few of their dominant qualifying sessions to good race results.
Across the season the McLaren team have outperformed the potential of their car, in my opinion. I think Hamilton especially is doing a great job and has been delivering more than the car deserves. After Button's lucky (but luck that was capitalised upon) start to the season, Hamilton is now regularly outperforming him, as most people predicted. This is particularly apparent in qualifying or when the car is not behaving optimally.
Ferrari are doing a poor job, Alonso is going a bit batty and Massa (very sadly) doesn't seem to have fully recovered from his head injury.
Mercedes - oops.
I'm going to say that McLaren will be concstructors' champ and Hamilton will be WDC. I think if he does win it will be a well deserved championship that he won in the car that wasn't the quickest - the mark of a real champion.
Reading through that again it seems like the last GP was the season in microcosm - Red Bull fast but hurting themselves, McLaren extracting more performance than they really ought to have.
I suspect Mclaren will recieve a large boost in pace from their blown diffuser, they will have gathered loads of data from Silverstone on it. Their mid-season development process is by far and away the best if we look at what happened last year.
Mclaren have hung on to the points through it's good team and race strategy whereas RB have done the opposite. Despite this RB have to remain the favourites until Mclaren or another team can match their quali pace.
Mclaren have hung on to the points through it's good team and race strategy whereas RB have done the opposite. Despite this RB have to remain the favourites until Mclaren or another team can match their quali pace.
McLaren for the constructors' title.
Hamilton or Webber for the WDC.
I'd like to see Button take the WDC, but think Hamilton's getting stronger and stronger. I suspect by learning a bit from his team mate. Button's quali performances simply aren't good enough to see him in a good place during the race. Would have liked to see him do more of a job on Rosberg at Silverstone too - Vettel proved that getting past cars is possible there.
Vettel is very quick, but too temperamental. And the team seem to be imploding. I think Webber will feed off this, Vettel the opposite. Wouldn't surprise me to see Webber take a win in Germany - he was thoroughly dominant at Silverstone - which will seal Vettel's season.
Don't think anyone else has a serious chance at either title.
Have to chuckle at Alonso. His bottom lip's his biggest problem.
Massa - I'm afraid I don't think his accident last year is his biggest problem. Whilst fast, I don't think he was mentally tough well before the accident. I struggle to be impressed by any driver who has to be told by his race engineer how quickly he can go round a corner, and Massa has been that way out for a very long time. 08 will prove to be his only chance at the title IMO.
Hamilton or Webber for the WDC.
I'd like to see Button take the WDC, but think Hamilton's getting stronger and stronger. I suspect by learning a bit from his team mate. Button's quali performances simply aren't good enough to see him in a good place during the race. Would have liked to see him do more of a job on Rosberg at Silverstone too - Vettel proved that getting past cars is possible there.
Vettel is very quick, but too temperamental. And the team seem to be imploding. I think Webber will feed off this, Vettel the opposite. Wouldn't surprise me to see Webber take a win in Germany - he was thoroughly dominant at Silverstone - which will seal Vettel's season.
Don't think anyone else has a serious chance at either title.
Have to chuckle at Alonso. His bottom lip's his biggest problem.
Massa - I'm afraid I don't think his accident last year is his biggest problem. Whilst fast, I don't think he was mentally tough well before the accident. I struggle to be impressed by any driver who has to be told by his race engineer how quickly he can go round a corner, and Massa has been that way out for a very long time. 08 will prove to be his only chance at the title IMO.
Agree with the OP pretty much.
McLaren are doing what any very strong team does (F1, Football, Rugby etc..), they get points and grind out results even when they're not the best performing team (car wise).
I'd put money on Hamilton winning the WDC but even as a Brit, I'd love to see Webber win it.
McLaren are doing what any very strong team does (F1, Football, Rugby etc..), they get points and grind out results even when they're not the best performing team (car wise).
I'd put money on Hamilton winning the WDC but even as a Brit, I'd love to see Webber win it.
I think that McLaren are pretty much certain to get the Constructors Championship. Both drivers are fighting tooth and nail for it, whereas the only real competition is Red Bull and they only seem to have one driver at any race.
The drivers championship is interesting though, I honestly can't call it between Hamilton, Webber and Button.
Hamilton is on top form and is improving all the time. Button's influence within the team has helped Lewis no end.
Webber is in the fastest car, but he could be hobbled by the team. I truely believe that Horner would call a botched pitstop to favour Vettel in a race.
Button could be up there with Webber and Hamilton if he could sort out the qualifying. I still think he could do it anyway. It only takes Seb or Fernando to trip someone up with their bottom lip for Jenson to be right up there.
So for me
WCC: McLaren
WDC: Webber by a point from Hamilton and Button equal 2nd.
The drivers championship is interesting though, I honestly can't call it between Hamilton, Webber and Button.
Hamilton is on top form and is improving all the time. Button's influence within the team has helped Lewis no end.
Webber is in the fastest car, but he could be hobbled by the team. I truely believe that Horner would call a botched pitstop to favour Vettel in a race.
Button could be up there with Webber and Hamilton if he could sort out the qualifying. I still think he could do it anyway. It only takes Seb or Fernando to trip someone up with their bottom lip for Jenson to be right up there.
So for me
WCC: McLaren
WDC: Webber by a point from Hamilton and Button equal 2nd.
Regardless of who wins the WDC, I think LH has shown himself to be the best driver on the grid so far this year.
Who else out performs their car on such a consistent basis? If McLaren improve as much in the latter half of this season as much as they did last, I see a LH JB 1-2 for the WDC and an easy CC.
Regarding the new upgrades, I have a friend on the inside who says...... (yeah course I have)
My god I'm sick of hearing the above bulls1t statement here on PH.
Who else out performs their car on such a consistent basis? If McLaren improve as much in the latter half of this season as much as they did last, I see a LH JB 1-2 for the WDC and an easy CC.
Regarding the new upgrades, I have a friend on the inside who says...... (yeah course I have)
My god I'm sick of hearing the above bulls1t statement here on PH.
Based on the first half, I'm going with Hamilton for the WDC and McLaren for the constructors.
I think Lewis is by far the best driver on the grid (based on past performance this year) and will continue to be strong.
Obviously I have no idea what the teams' plans are re: upgrades, but my prediction is based on this year's results so far.
Now, where can I place that bet!
Cheers
The Moose
I think Lewis is by far the best driver on the grid (based on past performance this year) and will continue to be strong.
Obviously I have no idea what the teams' plans are re: upgrades, but my prediction is based on this year's results so far.
Now, where can I place that bet!
Cheers
The Moose
While I agree that if the form continues McLaren and Hamilton will walk it, if RB can actually get their act together and stop the in-fighting and cure the unreliability of their car, they could spring a surprise. Big 'if' though.
McLaren will continue to develop their car very quickly, we've seen that last year, but RB have Newey on board and if they can give him the resources, I think he could match the McLaren development pace. Another big 'if'.
Overall, McLaren are looking stronger as RB have too many things they need to resolve (outside of the car) to get their season back on track. Failing to deliver could well mean a change in management at the end of the year, so I can see them becoming increasingly desperate and making silly decisions at crucial moments, handing even more momentum to the McLaren boys.
It's going to be a fun 2nd half of the year. Especially if your name's Lewis...
McLaren will continue to develop their car very quickly, we've seen that last year, but RB have Newey on board and if they can give him the resources, I think he could match the McLaren development pace. Another big 'if'.
Overall, McLaren are looking stronger as RB have too many things they need to resolve (outside of the car) to get their season back on track. Failing to deliver could well mean a change in management at the end of the year, so I can see them becoming increasingly desperate and making silly decisions at crucial moments, handing even more momentum to the McLaren boys.
It's going to be a fun 2nd half of the year. Especially if your name's Lewis...
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