Part Two of the fabulous - and oh so true - PlanetF1 predictions. Take a look at what Michelle Foster, Frank Hopkinson, Pete Gill and Shahida Jacobs, as well as our man from SkyBet Dave Pilgrim, had to say.
13 Will non-refuelling and racing on the qualifying tyres spice up the action?
MF: I believe race-starts, except if there are any shunts, will be extremely boring with the very heavy cars but as it progresses and tyre wear comes into play and fuel loads are lightened, it could spice things up.
FH: Yes and no. The glorious banzai early lap charges we saw from the various inboard cameras last year is probably going to be a thing of the past. There'll be a bit of jostling, but everyone will have to be a lot more careful. During the races there is bound to be a lot of shadowing and reactive tyre changes. Thus the mechanics won't be able to rest easy knowing that the next pit-stop is going to be in 12 laps' time. If one driver stops, then the guy in front of him is likely to stop too. So though the idea's been mooted that tyre difference will promote overtaking, in practice they're all going to be watching each other and doing it together.
PG: It will certainly ratchet up the interest factor at the start of the season and add a few new sub-plots. My guess is that there will be more overtaking at the start of the season but then matters will calm down. Remember how when Twenty-20 cricket was first played, it was a batsman's game. Now it's increasingly a bowler's game. I imagine something like that will happen in F1...
SJ: Yes and no. Qualifying should be interesting as all drivers will no doubt be very light. As for the race itself, I fear when you hit the front it will be very hard to catch you. Hopefully we'll see more backmarkers being lapped and some of them holding up the front runners.
DP: I'm disappointed to see refuelling removed, as it has added a big element to the races, but racing on qualifying tyres will open up some interesting tactics, as will the management of tyres on race day, with as much as 4 seconds a lap difference between certain sets of rubber.
14 The season's complete liability will be...?
MF: Karun Chandhok.
FH: Lucas diGrassi, who will live up to his surname. Although it would be more appropriate if it was Lucas DiGravel.
PG: The new teams and/or a guest appearance from Luca Badoer. And it has to be said, the BBC's coverage would be outstanding but for the charmless Jonathan Legard...
SJ: Heikki Kovalainen.
DP: Kobayashi could be a hero-zero-hero-zero type of racer.
15 Shock of the year?
MF: Jackie Stewart actually keeps his trap shut.
FH: David Coulthard announces his return to the sport. Doh, only joking. Valentino Rossi will be announced as a Toro Rosso driver for 2011.
PG: An overtaking move for position at Monaco.
SJ: HTR actually scoring points.
DP: The Hulk getting the better of Rubens.
16 Will the stewarding be better in 2010?
MF: It definitely improved last season barring the whole lying saga in Australia. But in the end the truth came out. So I'd say it will take another step in the right direction.
FH: Ever since Max eliminated the role of permanent steward, the quality of race decisions has been bumping along the bottom of the graph with the dial set to "utter rubbish". So the only way is up.
PG: Cue obvious reply: it can't be any worse.
SJ: Of course it will be, especially with former drivers now able to form part of the pool of stewards.
DP: I think it was sound in 2009, so more of the same please.
17 Will Kimi Raikkonen come back to the sport in 2011?
MF: Nope, Kimi's days in F1 are over. He's a rally boy. Or more specifically, he's a rally crasher.
FH: It depends how successful the FIA are with resource restrictions. If they succeed in reducing team costs further then teams with bigger budgets can invest in guaranteed speed without using up any of their precious car money.
PG: As Michael Schumacher's replacement at Mercedes...
SJ: He'll replace Mark Webber at Red Bull next year.
DP: No - he's gone for good now I think.
18 Biggest row of the year?
MF: When a newbie backmarker ruins a Ferrari driver's race - all hell will break loose.
FH: Max Mosley will dig up some revelation about one of the teams from his time in charge.
PG: When I tell the office that I'm missing a grand prix for a stag do...
SJ: McLaren's rear wing.
DP: McLaren's rear wing?
19 Team-mate Wars:
Michael or Nico
MF: Michael
FH: Michael. If it were Nico the effect would be seismic - over 8.8 on the Richter Scale.
PG: Michael. By quite a bit.
SJ: Michael
DP: Michael
Felipe or Fernando
MF: Fernando
FH: Felipe. Because everyone else will say Fernando.
PG: Fernando. Comfortably.
SJ: Fernando
DP: Fernando
Jenson or Lewis
MF: Hamilton
FH: Lewis, he may not be as smooth as Jenson but he's better at driving round problems in his car.
PG: Lewis. But not by much.
SJ: Lewis
DP: Lewis
Seb or Mark
MF: Vettel. No competition.
FH: Seb. Though Webbo will win races in 2010.
PG: Seb. By a different class.
SJ: Seb
DP: Seb
Rubens or Nico
MF: Hulkenberg
FH: Rubens. And hopefully we'll see him again in 2011 now that Schumi's moved the age goalposts.
PG: Nico. Hopefully.
SJ: Nico
DP: Nico.
Tonio or Adrian
MF: Adrian.
FH: Tonio is more consistent.
PG: Adrian.
SJ: Adrian
DP: Adrian.
20 Who will trash the pants off their team-mate?
MF: Kubica will trash Petrov but Glock will also thrash di Grassi.
FH: Kubica. In Kubica versus Petrov we have a potential World Champion versus a rookie.
PG: Robert Kubica and Timo Glock.
SJ: At the big boys, Webber's in for a good trashing. Otherwise Robert Kubica will be too strong for Vitaly Petrov.
DP: Hamilton over Button, and to a lesser extent in pure points terms, Kubica over Petrov.
21 The most boring race of the Championship?
MF: It's a toss up between Hungary and Valencia. Both are a good two hour snooze fest
FH: There'll be a wide range to choose from. What Monaco loses in terms of overtaking it gains in glamour. Valencia has the former but not the latter, so the European GP should be amongst the best snore-athons.
PG: Valencia. It's scandalous that such a restrictive and soporific circuit could be added to the calendar. Still, it's a lovely city and I enjoyed the trip last year. But the girl sitting next to me went to sleep mid-way through the race and that wasn't solely due to the quality of my chit-chat.
SJ: European GP around the streets of Valencia for the third year in a row.
DP: Budapest.
22 The best-placed German?
MF: Michael Schumacher.
FH: Vettel. It'll be Vettel, Schumacher, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Sutil.
PG: Michael Schumacher.
SJ: If he's going to win the title then it's obviously Seb Vettel.
DP: Vettel.
23 Jean Todt's biggest mistake of the year?
MF: Having a cup of coffee with someone from Ferrari. The antis will jump on him being pro-Ferrari.
FH: Jean Todt doesn't make mistakes. We have seen from his first months as FIA President that he has had a very positive effect on the way F1 is managed. If he is to appoint an F1 commissioner that will be a tricky choice, but right now the biggest mistake he is likely to make is wearing a jumper when a jacket and tie was required.
PG: Crying tears of joy when Schumi wins his first race of 2010...
SJ: Not giving Stefan GP an entry.
DP: Siding with Ferrari over any contentious issue.
24 Will Silverstone's new in-field impress?
MF: Nope... there's something to be said for tradition.
FH: Considering Damon Hill has been less than complimentary about it, I guess no.
PG: It'll certainly impress the accounts/accountants. By extending the circuit, more spectators can be crammed in. Ergo, increased revenue. Job's a good un.
SJ: People (drivers and fans alike) won't care too much about the new in-field they'll just be happy that there is actually a British GP. Oh, and other folk will be too busy concentrating on the World Cup final than care about the in-field.
DP: I've never been a fan of Silverstone from a racing perspective, so I think it will improve things.
Related Links
PF1's 2010 Predictions - Part One
