2005 Line Up Gets Rated

[Skam85]

I thought I'd rate all of the (so-far) 15 confirmed drivers. As well as the potential possible drivers. Feel free to give your opinions.

M Schumacher (Ferrari)
What is there to say about this guy, he has won everything there is to win and I think he will do it again this year. But it will be a close one. A lot closer than last year at least!!

R Barrichello (Ferrari)
Rubens is to Michael as Robin is to Batman, Mini Me to Dr.Evil, Chewbacca to Han Solo. His faithful offsider. Don't get me wrong, he is a very talented and quick driver. On his day, close to Michael. We saw in 2004 Rubens take the fight to Michael a couple of times, but he's just not quite as quick. Michael would have to injure himself or retire before Rubens wins the Championship unfortunately.

Jenson Button (BAR)
Jenson, oh Jenson, where have you been for 4 years? He was a solid, unspectacular driver from 2000-2003, and in 2004 he came from no-where, propelling BAR up to 2nd in the constructor's championship. Must have been a damn good car. If BAR can give him the right machinery, he will win a race or 3, but I don't see him winning the title. This year anyway.

Takuma Sato (BAR)
I really enjoy watching Taku race in his bansai style of driving. He is a very special talent. Now all he needs is consistency and IMO can beat Button. Expect more podiums.

Fernando Alonso (Renault)
On his day, as quick as, if not quicker than Michael, as we saw in Hungary 2003. But Renault fell away towards the end of last season, and they need to get the car back where it belongs if Fernando has a chance to challenge this year. No doubt though, an absolute star and will be a worthy heir when Schumacher hands his Ferrari seat to him.

Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault)
Finally, Fisi has a (potentially) car worthy of his talents. Hopefully we can see him up there this year, because he deserves a good run for once. I can see him on the 2nd teir this year (with Rubens, Webber, Heidfeld, Sato etc)

Mark Webber (Williams)
I'll try and be unpatriotic here, but I am really glad to see an Aussie up there finally. It has been a long wait and judging Webber's performances in the Jag and Minardi, he will star. I can see 5-7 podiums, with a win maybe. I won't be too upset if he doesn't win, but it would be nice. He does have a lot of knockers in this forum, and I can KIND OF see where they are coming from but you can say the same things about a lot of drivers. I say let Webber prove himself and then go ahead and judge him as much as you want.

Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren)
This time last year, I was predicting a McLaren 1-2 in the championship. I won't go as far as saying that this year but there is a chance. Kimi should be gunning for the title, he did well in 2003, but Michael was just too good when it mattered most. Consistency and reliability are the keys.

Juan Pablo Montoya (McLaren)
A very fiesty person, which rolls on to the way he drives as well. Has proved he can make the transition from CART to F1 and lead races. He is amazing to watch working through the field, and at race restarts. Problem is, he can get demotivated and disinterested easily which also rolls onto the track. Again, consistency and a can-do attitude and this guy will win titles.

Felipe Massa (Sauber)
Very similar to Sato in the way he drives. Ran into anything that moved in 2002, was unlucky to be dropped from the team in 2003, but gained a valuable year of testing with Ferrari. Came back and blew Fisi out of the water early in 04, but Fisi gradually got the better of him, although Felipe had some great quali's late in the year. If he doesn't get a podium this year, it will be unfortunate, but could very easily drive a Ferrari after the Dream Team leave.

Jacques Villeneuve (Sauber)
I am keen to see how Jacques goes this season, I hope he does well. He may not have handled the BAR situation right, but you can't help but feel sorry for him. Hopefully he can adapt to a competitive Sauber early and amass some good points scoring finishes.

David Coulthard (Red Bull)
Another driver I am keen to watch this year. DC has had race winning cars all his career and now is the chance for him to help build a team into something good. Like Webber, DC has a lot of knockers in this forum, but he is still one of the most consistent and PR-Friendly driver you could have in a team. He will always bring the car home to the best of his abilities and hopefully he can also score some good points.

Ralf Schumacher (Toyota)
It was obvious throughout 2004 and towards the end of 2003 Williams was not right for Ralf. Yes, on his day he is as quick as his brother, but those days are few and far between. 1999 was his year, 35-0 vs. Zanardi, and the question comes to mind, is he past it? No, I don't believe so, he probably has 5 good years in him. But like so many others, he needs consistency and ALWAYS keep his chin up. With Trulli as a teammate and Panis (one of the best testers you could want) as tester, Ralf can build Toyota into something that justifies the money they spend.

Jarno Trulli (Toyota)
From 2002 onwards, Jarno Trulli has improved immensly as a driver. 2004 was a topsy-turvy season, but it should be remembered for his flawless Monaco performance and not for the late season mess. Before France, he was the 2nd best driver in 2004, but unfortunately something changed after that last lap pass by Rubens for 3rd. Shame really, because the debacle that followed cost Renault 2nd in the Constructor's. I expect 20-odd points for Trulli and I am really looking forward to his battle with Ralf. They are both very, very good on their day and Toyota will be dearly hoping they have quite a few of those 'days'.

Christijan Albers (Minardi)
I don't know much about this guy, but if he's another useless pay driver, it's a shame. Let's hope he proves me wrong and puts that Minardi where it shouldn't be.

Now, for the drivers who are a possibility:

Nick Heidfeld (Williams)
It would be a great shame if Quick Nick is not racing this year. Forget about a number 3 role, there is only one position at Williams that truly belongs to Nick-Webber's teammate. If not, my advice would be drive for a Toyota-powered Jordan. Then wait for Pizzonia to slip up (again).

Antonio Pizzonia (Williams)
Nothing against him as a person, but how can a guy who failed, then failed some more at Jaguar be even in consideration at Williams when talents like Davidson and Wilson sit on the sidelines? Sir Frank must see something in him, but IMO, his only use is as a tester. Like Luca Badoer. On the other hand, I would like to see Webber thrash the pants off him again.

Christian Klien (Red Bull)
CK did a solid job in his debut season and deserves a ride again. Give him the first half of the season to prove himself and then judge whether to put Liuzzi in place of him. I can see Klien going far with the right circumstances. But if it doesn't work it with Red Bull this season, my advice would be ditch them completely, find other sponsors and work your way back into F1 with a midfield team like Sauber, maybe being a tester for a year or so. He is only 21 so there is a long way to go seeing as Panis got to 38.

Vitantonio Liuzzi (Red Bull)
Apparently he is extremely talented. He won some open-wheeler series in Europe easily apparently. So let him drive as no.3 driver for a season, and opportunities will come up for him. I think he will be quick, but it's hard to say, Magnussen and Bruni and Pantano were meant to be quick as well.

Timo Glock (Jordan)
Solid and unspectacular in his debut season, subbing for Pantano. Scored points on debut, which was a good effort I suppose, but was no-where near Heidfeld late in the season. But that is hard to judge a rookie on, seeing as Heidfeld put that Jordan way further up the grid than it deserved to be.

Robert Doornbos (Jordan)
Looks like a pretty quick driver IMO, from what I have heard. EJ likes him, and Jordan have unveiled many a star throughout their history. Robert may be just one of them.

Jos Verstappen (Jordan/Minardi)
If a team is looking for an experienced driver, Jos is your man. You name the team, he has driven or been in the running for a seat with them. He did all he could do in that Minardi in 2003 and I think he would be perfectly suited alongside a Doornbos at Jordan.

Zsolt Baumgartner (Minardi/Jordan)
He is a proven finisher, but unfortunately I don't think he has the funds or quite the talent level to get a seat. EJ likes him, but too many drivers are in the running for Jordan for him to have a realisitic chance there. But you never know. Here's hoping. Go Attrition Man!

Giorgio Pantano (Minardi)
Evidently he is in talks with Minardi. Was made to look very very ordinary by Heidfeld last year but he did show one or two small glimmers of talent. I think maybe one more chance will suffice. Maybe he can score a point or two in a race of attrition.

Mario Dominguez (Jordan)
This is only contingent on Jordan being bought out by the Midland Group. I don't watch much CART, but Mario always seems to be there or thereabouts the front of the grid but I don't think he is suited to F1 IMO, but maybe he'll prove me wrong given the chance.

Done!! Phew!

Now the ball is in your court, I'd like to hear what you think of my opinions....

[BSchneiderFan]

I think you're spot-on with regard to the Heidfeld/Pizzonia debate. I see nothing to suggest that Heidfeld isn't still the WDC-in-waiting I saw when watching his F3000 title-winning season, whereas Pizzonia, who was unspectacular and erratic in F3000, has had opportunities in F1 and largely muffed them. Pairing him again with Mark Webber (who, the rumours say, doesn't much like him) would be an odd decision, to say the least. Heidfeld, by contrast, in my opinion, will push Webber very hard indeed, and may even be quicker.

We must, I fear, disagree over Verstappen. He had promise once, yes, but I don't think he has much left to offer at this level, and the way he fell out semi-publicly with Paul Stoddart did not suggest a professional approach to team-work.

[BSchneiderFan]

Oh, and bear in mind that Albers did win the German F3 Championship when it was still a title worth winning, and came close to beating Bernd Schneider to the DTM crown. He's pretty handy, though his F3000 experience was a little lacklustre. Unproven, sure, but not without some promise.

[Snrub]

I don't really see an absolute speed difference between a number of the top drivers and I think there's a few drivers who can match MS's absolute speed and one who can exceed it. Last year everyone was inconsistant and that was the biggest factor. IMO we've seen a number of drivers who needed to do at least a season in each rung of the ladder before F1 to build consistancy. After 4 years Button has some consistancy, but IMO he's vastly different from other front runners.

Looks like Dominguez won't be on the grid for this year, but why do you assume he's "not well suited" to F1?

[minirda]

Add Nicolas Kiesa to your list. He is a main candidate for the 2nd Minardi Seat.


It seems Midland F1 seeks experienced drivers. If they do, IMO Alexander Wurz, Jos Verstappen, Pedro delaRosa or Enrique Bernoldi all could do the job.

For the 2nd Jordan seat I would go for a young driver. Montagny is linked with Jordan, and I can imagin a French lobby is trying to get him a seat. His future will not be at Renault, so the team will let him go despite of a contract. I would like to see Anthony Davidson proove, me wrong about him. IMO he is the most overrated driver, especially by British members of this board. Hell, he's tested well, but i am not convinced of his racing abilities. Some people hoped to see him get a shot at Bar or Williams which is ridiculous in a way. Let him gain racing experience in another series or at Minardi. Same counts for Doornbos. He's not that good. One f3000 win in SPA doesn't make you a f1 worthy racer. Nevertheless, i can't think of any youngster who deserves the Jordan drive more than these three.

[Kicking-back]

Strike Wurz, de la Rosa and Davidson from that list for 2005, minarda - none of them will be leaving where they are this year.

Glock and Doornbos is still the most likely lineup for Jordan.

[BootsOntheSide]

That depends on how big Alex Scheider's wallet is - a huge offer could be enough to tempt Ron Dennis to part with Alex or Pedro. He's had chances to put them in the race team and hasn't even considered them, and I'm sure he could find equally good test drivers - it's not even quite so important during the season under the new rules.

[Tweed]

I doubt that de la Rosa, or Wurz particularly, would move to what is still likely to be the second-last team this year. Wurz didn't move to Jaguar when he could have, and even they were a better prospect than Midland/Jordan for this year.

[BootsOntheSide]

It's probably worth sticking this thread to assessment of the drivers who are signed, rather than comment on the candidates for Jordan and Minardi, as there's a lively thread on the subject already.

I'm not sure Massa's a Ferrari contender anymore, he doesn't really seem up to the job in my view, and I can't see them going for a definite #2 to Kimi or Alonso or whoever.

[BSchneiderFan]

At the risk of disregarding Boots' advice, haven't there been suggestions that Wurz might be sidelined at McLaren anyway, as he doesn't fit into the MP4-20? That might make him more prepared to move to Jordan/Midland, for the right offer.

[minirda]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

It's probably worth sticking this thread to assessment of the drivers who are signed, rather than comment on the candidates for Jordan and Minardi, as there's a lively thread on the subject already.

Agree. My Black Horse for 2005 is JPM. I always thought he didn't have the personality of a WDC. I might be wrong (again).

[hgmonaro]

Originally Posted by Tweed

I doubt that de la Rosa, or Wurz particularly, would move to what is still likely to be the second-last team this year. Wurz didn't move to Jaguar when he could have, and even they were a better prospect than Midland/Jordan for this year.

This is strange to me, cause I'd rather be tooling around in a Minardi on race day than tooling around midweek in a Mclaren I was NEVER going to race.

[Skam85]

And remember, de la Rosa has that Repsol sponsorship money. I heard $10mil somewhere.

BSchneiderFan, I wasn't actually saying Jos is a good driver, I'm just saying he is an experienced one, he's had experience with lots of engines, chassis and tyres, although Bernoldi is probably more of an exciting prospect now that he has been mentioned. He has experience and IMO some talent. Give him a go. He deserves another opportunity.

[BSchneiderFan]

Bernoldi is deeply enigmatic. Came to F1 with great promise, but was pretty unimpressive at Arrows (though the timing was bad, too). Yet BAR's using of him as a tester must mean something - the guys at Brackley aren't stupid.

[Skam85]

No they aren't stupid. I still remember his (and Arrows) last race. Running in 5th position and his engine died on him. I think he did OK at Arrows, as good as a rookie could do. (you can hardly count 2002, his car couldn't even do 30 laps most of the time)

[Kicking-back]

At the McLaren launch yesterday, Martin Whitmarsh was planning to use both Wurz and de la Rosa in the 3rd driver role this year.

[BootsOntheSide]

I'd agree that Bernoldi did quite well at Arrows, and looked especially good when it came to close-quarters racing against faster cars - I'll never forge tthe image of him overtaking Michael in Malaysia 2002. He probably does deserve another chance, and he's supposedly got plenty of cash on offer - with F1's increased popularity in Spain, and the Repsol Honda MotoGP team's relative lack of competitiveness in 2004, it'd be a good time for them to get a presence back in F1.

[BSchneiderFan]

Bernoldi's Brazilian, though.

[Kicking-back]

And has not got links with Repsol!

[pole2pole]

I think the outcome of the championship will depend alot on how good bridgestone perform this season, like if they get it wrong it will make for a very intersting season.

[Skam85]

Alonso has raised F1 popularity is Spain a hundred fold!

I think Boots may be getting Bernoldi confused with de la Rosa, he's Spanish and has got substantial Repsol sponsorship contingent on a race drive.