Who will challenge Ferrari in 2005

[muzza4ever]

I know the season isn't out yet but barring a miracle the Driver's championship will be wrapped up this weekend.

So bearing in mind the new rules which are still to be decided which team do you think will run the Prancing Horses the closest next year?

[006_007]

Probably McLaren or Williams. I would like to see BAR, but I think part of their performance, in particular their race pace, is due to running a 3rd car on race weekends. Now if McLaren gets to run a 3rd car next year......


*edit* by challenge I assume you mean finish next season within 50 points of Ferrari.......

[muzza4ever]

indeed - I feel it's a foregone conclusion - hence the use of "run closest" in th epreamble ;-)

[grumpy1]

Williams will challange hard.I cant remember Williams having 2 bad years in a row(probably have).I also think that McLaren will also fight hard.I expect BAR to drop back now they will not be able to run the 3rd car fridays.Renault will start to feel the lose of Mr Gascoyne(not spelt right Im sure) and Toyota will improve.As for the rest Jordan will fight with Toyota mid pack and I expect Minardi and Jag to fight it out at the back.Sauber will be a dark horse that will surprise at a few events but will still be mid pack.

The Grumpy1

[esorniloc]

Originally posted by grumpy1
I cant remember Williams having 2 bad years in a row(probably have).

98, 99 and 2000, NO WINS, No Poles!

[touringcarnut]

I think Williams have a good 2005 ahead of them, I just feel the new line up will help motivate the development and evolution of the team.

[Knowlesy]

I think it'll be pretty uch the same challengers with McLaren and Williams being the strongest for next year.

Renault should also be very strong again and BAR will remain in contention for wins.

And as for my dark horse......Toyota!

[touringcarnut]

Toyota maybe.. just need to start performing quickly considering the budget that they have. They had a promising first season in F1 and it went downhill from there!

[Dan Fielden]

What! No minardi as an option? LOL sorry

[Thorstone]

Probably McLaren,BAR if Mika Häkkinen comes back

[Led ZeppF1]

Originally posted by esorniloc
98, 99 and 2000, NO WINS, No Poles!

And no official engine supplier!

Errr, actually Williams already have BMW as their partner. But it were their first year's partnership. So, no win and no poles is not bad.

But next year, I will surprises if Williams-BMW can't challange the title, at least win one or two race.

[minirda]

Originally posted by knowlesy
I think it'll be pretty uch the same challengers with McLaren and Williams being the strongest for next year.

Renault should also be very strong again and BAR will remain in contention for wins.

And as for my dark horse......Toyota!

Why not mention all 8?

You could have said one of the above, or Jordan and Minardi.

BTW: I voted Renault. Fisi could well become the biggets sensation of 2005.

[spa-eau rouge]

the only contender for a very serious challenge to ferrari in 2005 is RENAULT ...

[Draven]

Originally posted by Dan Fielden
What! No minardi as an option? LOL sorry

Well Jag got one vote so there are still Idealistic dreamers out there

[Draven]

It's got to be Mclaren, Williams, Renault and then maybe BAR. But BAR might find next year a little more difficult especially if Toyota and sauber get it togther and start nicking points at that end of the table.

[Testure]

Between McLaren and Renault, I think. Both those teams are at a stage in the development cycles where they're expecting to regularly challenge for race wins next season. BAR are a stage behind (and know they won't be as strong next year as this), Williams another stage again. I'd like to have voted for Renault, but I voted for McLaren. In terms of drivers, I'd reckon those two teams are the strongest of the bunch, too.

It'll be very interesting to see how Renault's new engine next year works out. Before this season, a lot of people were expecting them to drop off in performance quite a bit, but it hasn't really happened. They've been pretty strong just about everywhere and have had two points scoring positions just about everywhere. It's an indication of the strength of their engineering organisation that they're now legitimately second in the standings with an engine that was only fired up for the first time rather close to the start of the season (remember the wide-angle engine being dumped?).

Ferrari will be stronger still, though.

[gert]

As I can only pick one, I voted McLaren.
If I could pick 2 (why not??) I would also have picked Williams.

I think they will both give Ferrari a hard(er) time in 2005 - but of these 2 I'd give McLaren the edge.

[muzza4ever]

Hi gert - I figured picking more than one team could lead to splinters in a painful place ;-)

Have to be decisive in this world and as I wondered who people thought would be closest to Ferrari unless there's a tie for points it can only be 1 team.

[garcon]

Where's the "None of the above" option?

[garcon]

Ah, right - who's going to run them the closest? (Yes, I've read page 1 now... )

As you say, that's not necessarily the same as challenging them. It'll be McLaren and/or Williams.

[Dan Fielden]

I voted for Williams as i think the M.W and J.B partnership will be great and they will work well together and it will be the first time in a while that Williams have had two drivers that get along won't it . What with M.W And J.B being team mates and Benneton in 01

[BertMk2]

Probably McLaren - they got things soooooooo wrong at the start of this season and I can't see Ron letting that happen again.

Having said that if the regulations for next year are radically different from this year and decided very late then it could come down to who can throw the most cash and experience at their designs before the season starts.

[ralf fan]

Id say Renault and Mac