Best of the rest

[Mr.S]

The question is simple who will win the "best of the rest" title this year?

Williams? Amazing chassis good engine, great drivers, needs more development on the car.
Jordan? Very good chassis no-so-good engine, great drivers, Need to work out reliability problems.
Benetton? Looks like a fast chassis, some problem areas though, engine needs more power, Fisico is fast and consistent.
BAR? The chassis looks fast and the engine is amazing very good clutch, possibly some reliability problems, and I don’t have to tell you about JV, they are improving every race and they have Honda power.

I'm sorry to say this but I don’t think that BMW will win this title, BAR have got it.

Your opinion...

[Sharky]

Mhhh. I think that, unfortunately, Jordan will have to be taken outy of the equation unless they get some preogress soon. As for Benetton....they only have one driver scoring so that makes it very tough.

I wouldn't bet on anyone but if I had to I'd go with.....BAR or Williams.

[Mr.S]

Yup, Williams or BAR. Williams have a head start in points because of good reliability, but BAR have a better car.

[Tristan]

Williams: all new chassis/engine, a "development year" plus a real find in JB (what, THREE years in open wheeled racing? Unbelievable)

BAR: so much money they should be doing a lot better

[Dannyboy]

Yep, I think BAR's got a solid chance and it would be a wonderful reply to all their critics not too mention groundbreaking for a second year effort. Did you know the combined total points scored by Stewart and Jordan in their second year of Racing was 6. BAR have 12 already. Fantastic.

[bondibill]

Ignoring Ricardo's little indiscresion, if he can continue with the form he showed on the rest of the race weekend, BAR with two drivers capable of scoring points, must have a good chance of hauling in Williams and Benetton and claiming the "best of the rest" title.

[Mr.S]

Ok add this on to my question- Who do you want to win the best of the rest.

Me, Williams BMW, again my favorite team.

[Sharky]

Williams. Perhaps benetton but because of Fisico.

[EERO]

Me, I'd like Jordan to do it. Frenzy's season is turning into a nightmare.

Honestly though, I didn't think Williams was going to be worth anything this year. I think their success owes as much to Jordan's and Jaguar's failures and Benetton's lack of two competitive drivers, Arrow's unreliability and Prost's unexpected slide to the very back of the field. As I've said before, once you get past the big two, there's no one.

Last year at least, Barrichello ran at the front in a Stewart, Frentzen ran well, won twice, had a pole.

The constructor's championship points out the problem; no one else matters this season.

[Minardi fan]

From their marvellous performance at the weekend, I have to say I think BAR will end up with the coveted title.

Jordan need their reliability sorting, Jaguar need a new car full-stop, Benetton need two drivers who can actually do something, and Williams just seem a bit off it.

[Tristan]

Why oh why does everyone here like BAR??!!! On their budget they should be doing a heck of a lot better! Villeneuve (though not quite a driver deserving of a WDC: lets face it you could have put a chimpanzee in that Williams) is a good driver stuck in a mid-grid car with a larger budget than Prost and Sauber COMBINED!!! BAR are a team bred from corporate big business sponsership. They are a team without any history or soul and are there purely to make money and to be laughed at. Bring back Tyrell. They were a team who went RACING.

Back to the topic: Williams have been the surprise package in their "development year". New driver/engine combo's are always difficult especially coming out of the doldrums that team was in. Well done.

[Marshal]

I agree with everything you say Tristan, except the question was who you think will be 3rd, not who you want. BAR really do seem to be moving in the right direction, and I think with the combination of JV and Honda they'll sneak it.

The interesting one is Benetton, they seem hopeless 3 weekends out of 4, but when they're competetive they really make it count. Well, Fisi does anyway.

[Mr.S]

I really don’t seem to like BAR, I'm just saying that JV's "motivation" has seemed to work, their cars are the third best on the grid. I can’t help but think that they are in the opposite situation as Williams. Where Williams’s chassis is amazing their BMW engine is not as good as Honda (it pains me to say). BAR's chassis is not as good but their engine is better.

Next year though watch out for a scary sight, a Jordan with a full works engine and a much-improved Jaguar Cosworth with Franchitti and Irvine at the wheel.

[Madfan]

After recent results I would have to think BAR is my pick.
What I don't understand is Tristan's view that JV is no better than a monkey.

[EERO]

Actually, Tristan, Heinz-Harald Chimpanzee was in "that Williams" and managed one win and one pole position. Maybe JV was better than a chimp?

[Tristan]

Keep everything relative: I also say Villeneuve is a good driver. He is. Fact.

BUT that car was SOOOOO far ahead of the field, it would be difficult for him not to win. As for HHF, I think he's overrated too. What has he done to prove himself? Not much really. That Jordan he won in was a mighty fine car, from all accounts, better apreciated now than at the time.

Anyway, back to the topic: who do I THINK will be 3rd?? Williams. Or maybe Jordan. The other two only have one reliable driver. (JB?? Reliable?? What am I saying??!!)

[Minardi fan]

WHAT??? Frentzen was the STAR of 1999. Tristan man, get with it!

[jvilleneuve2000]

I think that Williams will be the best of the rest, they are the only team with a strong car and with two consistant drivers. Jordan have got two good drivers but the car just hasnt been very good this year. Benetton and BAR have only got 1 driver scoring so it is going to be difficult for them.

[Tristan]

...only because he'd underachieved up untill that point (Sauber days excepted). He was blown away by Villeneuve in equal equipment. HHF got the nicer equipment in 1999 and did far better than JV. Now just how much of that turn around was due to driver skill......?