It's that lovely time of the year when the PF1 crew get to the opportunity to laugh at themselves (and hang their heads in shame)... yes, it's results time...
Andrew Davies, Michelle Foster, Pete Gill and Shahida Jacobs gave their verdicts on what they thought would happen this season - and some were more wrong than others...
01.Drivers' title (It was Vettel)
AD: Fernando Alonso. It'll be sweet FA for his third title. Ferrari are going to be starting the year stronger than they did last year and they really should have won last year. He also had an uncanny run of bad luck in 2010 - starting in Canada - which robbed him of a bizarre amount of points. This year he'll have a lot more competition from Felipe Massa - who will take more points off him than 2010, but the man from Asturias will prevail. - 0
MF: Fernando Alonso. Not only is the 150° Italia looking to be really strong on qualy and race pace but I have to believe that Ferrari cannot fug it up twice in two years. And Alonso, whether you like him or not, is an extremely talented driver. - 0
PG: Seb Vettel. These things come in two... - 1
SJ: It's difficult not to go for Sebastian Vettel. Not because he will be the best driver on the track but because you just can't look pass the Adrian Newey factor. Fernando Alonso should be his main challenger as everything will be geared towards him. No doubt Massa has been told to toe the line. - 1
02. Constructors' title (It was Red Bull)
AD: Red Bull from Ferrari. - 1 (just not from Ferrari)
MF: Red Bull. While I would normally go with Ferrari, I worry that Felipe Massa won't come to the party. - 1
PG: Red Bull. Massa the weak link to cost Ferrari. - 1
SJ: Unless there's a mid-season meltdown or accusations of favouritism turn Mark Webber's head somewhere else, then Red Bull will walk it. The only things that kept them from wrapping up the title earlier last season were driver errors and reliability woes. - 1
03. Will Schumacher win a grand prix? (He didn't)
AD: Yes. I'm only saying this because the thought of Michelle Foster weeping into her Michael Schumacher merchandise for 19 races is too much to bear. Yes, he will win. The fact that we have unpredictable Pirellis to spice up the action may well reward an alternative strategy and Michael will be keen to try something different in search of the win. - 0
MF: Yes, yes, yes! He has to, he must, he cannot not win. Schumi broke my heart (and my bank balance) last year. He must do it. And if he doesn't, he must walk away. - 0
PG: Yes. I might even have a bet on him for Australia... - 0
SJ: Yes. Mercedes GP have made steady progress during the off-season. He'll win a couple but the first one will be a little 'dodgy' and the PF1 your say section will go bonkers. Hopefully it will involve an altercation with Rubens Barrichello/Lewis Hamilton/Fernando Alonso. Imagine all three. It will send F1 into meltdown. - 0
04. Top rookie (Perez, Maldonado, Karthikeyan, d'Ambrosio, di Resta) (It was di Resta)
AD: Perez will probably perform the best in relation to his team-mate, as Maldonado is up against the most experienced team-mate of them all, Rubens Barrichello and di Resta is up against the highly rated Adrian Sutil. Kobayashi hasn't got that much experience and so Perez can use that to his advantage. However... having said all that, the other two will reap the benefit of someone setting up the car who knows what they're doing. - 0
MF: Maldonado. - 0
PG: Perez. - 0
SJ: Sergio Perez has looked decent in testing but more importantly his Sauber C30 has been reliable and quick. He'll walk away with the honours. - 0
05. Top Indie: (Renault, Sauber, Williams, Force India, Toro Rosso) (It was Renault)
AD: On balance you'd have to say that Renault should be at the front of this queue given their form last season. How much Bob Bell's departure will affect the running of the team remains to be seen, they did all right without (uncle) Pat Symonds. Sauber will be far more of a force in their second season with James Key at the helm. - 1
MF: It has to be Renault. Even without Robert Kubica leading the way, Quick Nick is good and so is the R31. - 1
PG: Renault would have got my vote if Robert Kubica was behind the wheel, without him I fancy either Williams or Toro Rosso. I'll go for the latter. - 0
SJ: Renault were talking about winning races when they still had Robert Kubica available. They'll probably be forced to lower their expectations slightly but Nick Heidfeld should give them the odd podium. - 1
06. How soon before Ferrari impose team orders? (They didn't - didn't have to)
AD: Only when Alonso begins to show a clear edge over Massa (can't see it happening the other way round). It's also dependent on where they are in relation to Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren. It's going to be after the 10th race of the year. - 0
MF: Around mid-way through the Championship when Alonso etches out a lead over Massa. Or in Australia. One of the two. - 0
PG: No need. We all learnt last season exactly how their pecking order was defined. - 1
SJ: Despite Massa's protestations, it's probably been in his contract since the start of last season. Germany was just the first time they could make use of it. Plus they're legal now so no one will care. - 1
07. Will McLaren's "mess" ie their MP4-26 reach the podium before mid-season? (It did and they won in China on merit)
AD: Yes, The MP4-26 'James May' could be on the podium in Melbourne even. Don't forget in 2009 when they had an old truck of a race car Lewis should have been on the podium in Oz, but got creative with the truth in the stewards' room after Trulli slid off the track. - 1
MF: It will reach the podium but I doubt it will claim a victory unless by some miracle Bernie wets the tracks, brings forth the plague and creates a volcano that swallows up all McLaren's rivals (including Hispania). - 1 /2
PG: Yes. Two quality drivers will once again out-perform their machine. - 1
SJ: Yes, but not because the car will suddenly turn good overnight. It will rain and half the front-runners will crash out. Jenson Button will get lucky with Safety Cars and make it onto the podium. - 1 /2
08. Will all the teams see out the season? (They did)
AD: Yes. Bernie's got big pockets. - 1
MF: I have my doubts about Hispania but they insist they will so I'm going to put a bit of faith in Colin Kolles' predictions and Narain Karthikeyan's money. - 1
PG: Hopefully. - 1
SJ: Hispania are the only ones that are in danger of not seeing out the season but they do seem determine to make it in F1. So yes. - 1
09. How long before Webber cries "I'm number two"? (He didn't - he just was)
AD: The minute that Red Bull show blatant favouritism towards Vettel. It's hard to think that Christian Horner will ever again take a development part off Mark's car and give it to Seb, as happened at Silverstone, but it will be something of that order. Maybe Seb will get an advantageous early tyre stop when it should have been Mark to come in. - 0
MF: I'm surprised he hasn't already given Vettel's new contract and his "we'll wait and see how he performs later in the season." - 0
PG: When a tree falls in a forest... - 0
SJ: After a year, he should be accepting his fate as number two to Vettel. The German is the reigning World Champion after all. - 1
10. Will Pirelli tyres spice up the show?
AD: Absolutely. It'll give an edge to GPs that you think are fast dwindling in action, because some drivers will try and make a set of tyres last just that bit longer than they want to adhere to the tarmac. - 1
MF: Hell YES! Pirelli are going to be the deciding factor in the Championship. With a reported seven-second drop off tyre strategy is going to be it in 2011. - 1
PG: From the sounds of it, yes. There's a suspicion that they will reduce running on Fridays and Saturday, but if an increased number of pit-stops and proper degradation equals 'spicing up the show' then yes. - 1
SJ: With three or four pit stops per driver it should be interesting on the track and in the pit lane. It will also give the front-runners something to think about as a wrong call (yes, I'm looking at you Ferrari) could prove costly. - 1
11. Will KERS and moveable wings assist overtaking?
AD: Yes, undoubtedly. But not as much as fast-degrading tyres. - 1
MF: Wings yes, KERS not so sure. I guess it all depends on whether or not the chap you are overtaking uses his KERS and wing at the same time. - 1
PG: It must do. An increase of 10kph along the straights should make the car in front - provided it can be caught - the equivalent of a sitting duck. The doubt to the theory is that, to overtake, cars will be required to go offline. And the amount of rubber being shedded by the Pirellis will make that rather precarious. - 1
SJ: Erm, no. Drivers are too scared/not good enough to overtake these days. They're not helped by the tracks but if drivers are not willing to risk it then these innovations won't help. - 0
12. The season's complete liability will be...? (There were several and it is subjective)
AD: Group Lotus trying to beat up on Team Lotus. - 1
MF: Narain Karthikeyan. Sorry but aside from the money I don't think he has any other reason to be in F1. - 1
PG: Well as HRT haven't put their car on track yet... - 1/2
SJ: You can't look past Hispania with the re-introduction of the 107% and their failure to give their new car a spin during pre-season testing. - 1/2
13. Shock of the year? (Again subjective but ours were well off the mark)
AD: We'll lose another GP for an unforeseen reason - could be India, might be Korea. Now that the world has seen that having your F1 race cancelled gets protestors attention, the stakes are that little bit higher. - 0
MF: Hamilton will manage to go through the entire season - okay, half the season - without being at the heart of some controversial moment. - 0
PG: I'd like to see Felipe Massa give Fernando Alonso a run for his big money. It's hard to see where his career goes to next season unless he stays close to the Spaniard. There's a massive year ahead for Felipe. - 0
SJ: Bernie to step down and hand power to his daughters or Brazilian girlfriend. - 0
14. Biggest row of the year? (Off-throttle blown diffusers)
AD: Not sure if it's going to be biggest, but with so many pit-stops this year there could be an almighty coming together in the pitlane that requires a Safety Car or a red-flag to sort out. - 0
MF: Everyone seems to have legal designs so it will be an off-track thing. Let's go with Barrichello trying to put Schumacher into the wall. - 0
PG: Something to do with the moveable wings? - 0
SJ: Webber and Vettel again. Webber just cannot stop moaning. - 0
15. Webber or Vettel? (Vettel)
AD: Heart says Webber. Points will probably say Vettel. - 1
MF: Vettel. No contest. - 1
PG: Vettel. No contest. Webber's time was last season and he didn't take it. - 1
SJ: Vettel. - 1
16. Button or Hamilton? (Button)
AD: Hamilton. - 0
MF: Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I think the tyres will suit Button but Hamilton is the more talented of the two. - 1/2
PG: Hamilton. Button's skill at nursing his tyres will be negated by the Pirellis swiftly degrading on mileage rather than handling. In changeable conditions, Hamilton is the superior driver. - 0
SJ: Hamilton. - 0
17. Rosberg or Schumacher? (Rosberg)
AD: Rosberg will score more consistently than Schumacher, but Michael will have the best single race result. - 1
MF: Schumacher. Schumacher. Schumacher. I hope. - 0
PG: Hmm. The most interesting team-mate battle of the season? Just for the old boys' brigade, I'll back Schumacher to rediscover some of his previous magic. - 0
SJ: Schumacher. - 0
18. The most boring race of the Championship? (There were a few and Valencia ranks amongst them)
AD: Valencia. The Spanish gave us the word 'siesta' because they knew at some point in the future we would have the Valencia GP. Thanks to the Pirellis, though, what were previously thought of as boring races might get a degree more interesting, even if they are run in docks. - 1
MF: The European GP. You can't get more boring. Even the scenary is boring. At least Monaco has some class. - 1
PG: Valencia. Great city, awful race. I attended the Valencia GP a few years ago and my abiding memory is my mate's wife going to sleep halfway through - admittedly, we'd had a heavy night beforehand - and asking to be woken at the next round of pit-stops in case anything happened. - 1
SJ: Valencia... again. - 1
19. Will Bahrain take place? (It didn't)
AD: No. - 1
MF: Nope. - 1
PG: No. Time for F1 to move on. - 1
SJ: Definitely not. - 1
20. What will be the biggest surprise?
AD: That's different to the biggest shock...? So, let me think, a surprise that is not shocking. How about Team Lotus and Group Lotus becoming friends and going on holiday together (then maybe falling out over the bar bill). - 1/2 (they did make nice but Tony was stuck with the bill)
MF: Kimi Raikkonen will insist at least 100 times that he's not returning to Formula One. -1/2 (he did, right up to the point that he didn't)
PG: My success rate with these predications. I'm generally useless. And the prescient of this prediction will see my over the line in first place in ten month's time. - 0 (sorry Pete, they still aren't great)
SJ: Toro Rosso to get a podium. - 0 (nice try, no dice)
And The Results Are:
Andrew: 11 1/2
Michelle: 10
Pete: 10 1/2
Shahida: 11
