Japanese Grand Prix hours away!!
In just under 20 hours time the race weekend officially starts in terms of the Japanese Gand Prix. It appears that the race will be run in dry conditions, with only some cloud cover predicted for the qualies. The means that the qualies will be interesting, given the Ferrari preference for warmer weather.
The championship is still very delicately balanced with no team at the front able to afford not to finish well up in the points. Certainly we will see Kimi driving to support Felipe and Heikki to support Lewis. I think that the really interesting decision will be the fuel strategy as in the dry the Ferrari should have the advantage and Mclaren will need to try to counter this.
If they (Mclaren) are serious about trying to win and not just to drive for the championship, then they will need to follow a strategy where they try to dominate from the front. Ferrari will certainly do this as they will look to try to gain a good lead off the front and dominate with their better performance under dry conditions.
My hope as always is that Mclaren finish with a one two (in any order), but I think that Heikki may be a little out classed by his rivals in Ferrari.
The Devil October 9, 2008 - 7:41 pm
The Japanese GP will probably be the defining race of the season. If Hamilton wins then it’s about a done deal that he’ll become the 2008 WC. As you state Ferrari needs to go aggressive if they would like to stay in the hunt. On recent form Kimmi is struggling to qualify up the grid. This remains a mystery as he clearly is super quick in race pace as the number of fastest laps he set this year proves.
I hope for a Ferrari one two, not only because I am a Scuderia fan but the season will fizzle out with two races remaining if LH wins.
I’m not so sure if this is a Ferrari track. There is no real race data available due to the fact that the 2007 race was run in the wet. My sleeper for a podium? Vettel in STR. The track has the longest straight in F1 and with Ferrari power up his backside this guy is super quick.
My personal preference is for Massa to win to keep his championship hopes alive. He started badly in the season, had a farce of a race at Silverstone but really drove impeccably the second half of the season with some rotten luck.
He has paid his dues in F1 and will be deserving champion. With Lewis, I’m not so sure. Good yes, but great? Too arrogant and only where he is because he’s got the best machinery at his disposal. No other rookie in F1 had what he has in the history of the sport in his first two seasons.
I though that Heikki would’ve given him a run this year but was proven wrong. Put Rossberg, Kubica or Vettel in the other McLaren and the sparks will really fly.
The young up and coming drivers crop of talented drivers bodes well for the future of F1,no matter what Max Mosley has to say about F1 becoming too expensive.
The show will go on.
Mike October 9, 2008 - 7:55 pm
I agree with all of you comments, and think that your sleeper may well come to the for, particularly if there is a dash of rain. Clearly Ferrari scoring big would completely open the championship again, my hope obviously is that they dont