Hopes and expectations for 2006

Dixie Flatline · 6 Mar 2006, 06:22 (Ref:1537069)

It's a little less than a week to go until the first race of the season. We have a thread about the "2006 Formula One Awards", courtesy of mac:

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80019

What this thread concerns is your hopes and expectations for 2006. It isn't necessarily limited to who you would like to see world champion for 2006.

For example, I hope that JV has a good season and we're able to discuss a race without twenty threads on why JV should/should not be driving for BMW being posted to ten-tenths. I expect reality to be somewhat different. Quick Nick seems to be BMW's darling and JV is there only due to a contract, which superficially would seem to strain the relationship between driver and team.

I hope that Ferrari has a good season. Previously, when TGF has been sweeping all before him, I hoped for the opposite, "to give someone else a go". This season, especially if it turns out to be Michael's last in Formula One, Ferrari give him and Massa a car capable of challenging Renault and McLaren for victories. The same goes for Honda. After BAR dropped off the pace in 2005 compared to 2004, Button and Barrichello make for a good driver combination that should be challenging for strong results and I hope that their team can deliver a car worthy of that. If that's the case, and McLaren can sort out their reliability problems, then I hope to see four teams challenging for race victories and hopefully that means a wider spread of drivers taking the chequered flag.

I hope to see stable rules for once. It's been a while since I can recall the rules being left in place, by and large untouched by everybody. The 2005 season kicked off with a big stink over rule changes, with Paul Stoddart threatening to overshadow the Australian Grand Prix by challenging the FIA and the other 9 teams over changes to the rules so that he could race his Minardis. With changes made to qualifying for 2006, I hope that they are good changes, produce something positive for the fans and means that we are able to enjoy our racing knowing that everything's on a level playing field. By the same token, I hope that Max Mosley tries not to be publicly political over GPMA, but I suspect that's a vain hope.

I expect Super Aguri and Midland to struggle this season. Super Aguri, despite the backing from Honda, seems to me to be held together by sticky tape and chewing gum and with an erratic driver like Sato spearheading their on-field push with a rookie as a teammate, I expect them to be the tail-end charlies for most of the season. I hope they fare better than that. Suzuki-san was a competent pilot when he raced and I salute anyone who wants to dip their toe into the world of Formula One. We need more teams on the grid and no team deserves to end up as a historical failure.

I expect Midland to struggle because I don't know whether Shnaider and Kolles are in this sport for the right reasons. Are they prepared to spend the money to make Midland a competitive team? I don't know. Their man-management over the past 12 months seems questionable and has led to Johnny Herbert being hired to put a more friendly spin on Midland. But they seem to me to be only in Formula One to extract the most by spending the least. That might be Renault's current philosophy but they have been able to put together a team of professional engineers, managers and drivers that has led them to victory.

I'm interested in hearing what you think.

Menelaos · 6 Mar 2006, 06:37 (Ref:1537071)

Well, I hope there are no fatal accidents to begin with. I hope there's more than two teams going for the title, and I certainly hope that no driver has the title in his pocket after the first two months, as we all saw last year this doesn't help very much. Hopefully McLaren will be able to come up with a car that won't be breaking to pieces in half of the races, even if they don't make it to the top (although hopefully they will

).

I don't expect any of these things to come true - expect for the fatal accidents thing of course

**Bononi** · 6 Mar 2006, 11:36 (Ref:1537220)

More racing, overtakings, at least 8 different winners and the title decided in the last lap of the last race.

Suze · 6 Mar 2006, 12:20 (Ref:1537250)

Better closer racing, fight for DWC and CWC down to the last race, more overtaking, lots of winners and lots of competitive teams.

Marbot · 6 Mar 2006, 12:34 (Ref:1537258)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bononi

More racing, overtakings, at least 8 different winners and the title decided in the last lap of the last race.

Your optimism is truly breathtaking.

Marbot · 6 Mar 2006, 12:38 (Ref:1537261)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suze

Better closer racing, fight for DWC and CWC down to the last race, more overtaking, lots of winners and lots of competitive teams.

As is yours.

We can only hope.......or watch MotoGp instead.

Suze · 6 Mar 2006, 14:40 (Ref:1537299)

The title is hopes!!

pole2pole · 6 Mar 2006, 15:13 (Ref:1537312)

I hope that there is plenty of winners over the first six races or so. If one driver can string together a 3 of 4 victories then the championship will be more or less decided with the current points system. I am looking foreword to seeing what way this new qualifying format pans out. I can see lots of shouting matches ahead and toys being chucked out of prams. When will be the first time we will hear a driver claiming "I was on a really hot lap but got held up by a slower car" The other thing about this new qualifying is with all the drivers out at the same time we will miss some of the hots laps on the tv coverage.

Menelaos · 6 Mar 2006, 16:52 (Ref:1537360)

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyn bott

We can only hope.......or watch MotoGp instead.

Yeah, that's a sport where the title is decided in the last round

pink69 · 6 Mar 2006, 17:30 (Ref:1537379)

For 2006, I'd like to see everyone in with a realistic chance of winning races!

but that ain't gonna happen. So, ideally four teams scrapping it out for wins (Ferrari, Renault, Honda, Mclaren) with a couple of teams snapping at their heels, mixing it up towards the end of the year (Williams, BMW, Toyota, RBR). Lots of overtaking, last race title decider.

**chunterer** · 6 Mar 2006, 17:43 (Ref:1537389)

I hope that JPM has a consistent season and the car is reliable enough for him to take his first (and prob only) title.

I hope that Ferrari are on the pace again.

I hope that Fizzi wins a couple and gets a more regular opportunity to do something.

I expect (ok, think?) the following might happen:

1/ I see the front runners from last year being joined by Honda, Ferrari and possibly Toyota as the main contenders over the course of the season.

In the opening few rounds however, I see the battle for wins being Renault versus Honda and Toyota.
Mclaren will be on the pace but fragile and Ferrari may also suffer with their engine initially before entering the mix regularly.

2/ I reckon Rubens will be Honda's main driver winning a couple, with Button also getting his maiden (possibly only this year) win.

3/ Jarno Trulli is my darkhorse - if the TF106B is fast in qual and race then he will have a very very good season.

4/ Williams may be one of the top 3 teams to begin with but then may well fall back as the others sort out their gremlins.

6/ Sauber Bimmer may score some unexpectedly good results with either Nick or JV sneaking a win.

Marbot · 6 Mar 2006, 20:02 (Ref:1537496)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Menelaos

Yeah, that's a sport where the title is decided in the last round

Well it used to be and then Valentino showed up.But he always came through the pack.

Dutton · 6 Mar 2006, 20:30 (Ref:1537517)

I hope for a multi-team/multi-driver battle for the championship right down to, and including, the final the race.

I hope for Michael and Ferrari to win the championships.

I expect rather less.

JeremySmith · 7 Mar 2006, 01:19 (Ref:1537676)

I hope for an action packed season with lots of overtaking and some real battles.. I hope for wins by Jenson, Ruben's,Michael,Fisi,Mark..And that the championship goes down to the wire.

Dixie Flatline · 7 Mar 2006, 01:39 (Ref:1537681)

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyn bott

Well it used to be and then Valentino showed up.But he always came through the pack.

Before the Doc was Mick Doohan, though. Five straight championships, wasn't it? Never really watched 500cc, but how many of those were won in the last round?

pole2pole · 8 Mar 2006, 13:56 (Ref:1540306)

Maybe there will be one team that has something different from the rest like a bigger fuel tank to give them more flexible fuel strategy and completely wipe the floor with the rest and win races by finishing over a minute ahead.

**Adam43** · 8 Mar 2006, 14:12 (Ref:1540321)

Is that a hope or a fear?
Whatever, if a team does manage that then good on 'em.

safc_fan89 · 8 Mar 2006, 14:23 (Ref:1540328)

Far better races than last season, overtaking, decent qualifying, a title battle that goes down to the wire, better coverage from ITV...that sort of thing.

Not surew whether I can see most of that happening though...

neilap · 8 Mar 2006, 18:55 (Ref:1540668)

I hope races are not won by politics but by the best team driver combination.

Marbot · 8 Mar 2006, 19:08 (Ref:1540677)

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilap

I hope races are not won by politics but by the best team driver combination.

I was rather hoping for the opposite,with an higher than average rainfall prediction per race and ****ty reliability.

But either way it'll be exciting.

2fast · 8 Mar 2006, 19:50 (Ref:1540694)

I hope for world peace. Other than that, hope BMW sauber will be surprise of the year, and scott speed finish on podium at least once.

classic · 8 Mar 2006, 21:36 (Ref:1540752)

Hoping that JPM does a much better job this year and help reduce some of the over the top hype associated with Raikkonnen. If he is consistent enough, and the car improves as dramatically as it did last year, i'd put my money on him for the title.

**Bononi** · 8 Mar 2006, 22:03 (Ref:1540767)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2fast

I hope for world peace. Other than that, hope BMW sauber will be surprise of the year, and scott speed finish on podium at least once.

Well, apart from the world peace, I guess you're on high hopes about 2006...

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