2014 F1 Season

[Milsap]

It's back! And what a first race! I don't care what anybody says, these new rule changes are what the sport has been needing for ages. More rationing of fuel, turbo V6 engines that push out even more torque than before, meaning more for the driver to do.

And it should mean that Adrian Newey's exploitation of physics should make it more of a level playing field. This will be the season that we see that Vettel is only capable of winning in the fastest car. Like Damon Hill and Jacques Villenueve before him.

Rosberg or Hamilton will be my top tips for winning it, with Alonso and Hulkenberg getting somewhere in there too. Dark horses will most certainly be Williams.

[Kerou 犠牲]

This year will be worse than last due to the praise Hamilton will get when he wins because Mercedes seem far too ahead (they've been planning ahead of the new rules for a long time) and Vettel will be criticised like in the OP. Overtaking may be Vettel's weakness but there's no doubting he's an elite driver.

Hopefully Raikonnen wins it all but that's extremely unlikely

[Milsap]

and Vettel will be criticised like in the OP. Overtaking may be Vettel's weakness but there's no doubting he's an elite driver.

When Vettel can keep up like Alonso and Hamilton/Rosberg did last season/season before then I will admit he is one of the greats. Until now, he's only ever won in the best car (Except his first Monza victory which was more circumstance, like Hill's Spa win in '98). Hill and Villenueve were the same, coincidentally in Newey designed cars.

One commentator (Think it was Brundle) joked that Vettel had been given Webber's car yesterday.

[Wolstenholme]

I would have been all over this topic earlier, but only watched the race at 4am this morning... oops.

The thing about Vettel this year is that, Red Bull still seem to have one of the best cars as Ricciardo managed to bring it home in second (even though he was disqualified) which just shows that they have the pace, I'm guessing Vettel's bad luck in Australia is probably because he still isn't used to the new mechanics, I hope I'm wrong, I want to see everything more competitive this year.

What about impressions on the rookies?
I've taken to Magnussen already, and I feel like I'm gonna live Kvyat but we haven't and probably won't see a lot of Ericsson... hmmm.

Extremely glad to see Kobayashi back as well... he's not the best driver in the world and he's on a lot of people's bad sides but I just feel that having three 'catastrophe drivers', as my Dad calls them, is more fun. (the three being Maldonado, Grosjean and of course Kobayashi.)

Now I will go and celebrate Rosberg's win with my little fish who I named after him last year (yes, it's called 'Little Nico')

EDIT: Does anyone else use badger fantasy gp? if you do, do you wanna create a friends league?

[Kerou 犠牲]

Hamilton's never shone in a crap car either whereas Vettel showcased his talent consistently with the Toro Rosso for the record

[Milsap]

Hamilton's never shone in a crap car

2008. That McLaren was nowhere near as good as the Ferrari.

What about impressions on the rookies?

I'm hoping Kvyat will do well, and I'm hoping Magnussen isn't a one off like Petrov was.

Extremely glad to see Kobayashi back as well... he's not the best driver in the world and he's on a lot of people's bad sides but I just feel that having three 'catastrophe drivers', as my Dad calls them, is more fun. (the three being Maldonado, Grosjean and of course Kobayashi.)

Grosjean's grown up for me. Maldonado's car broke down too soon for him to have a crash, so we'll have to wait and see. Plus, I find that Kobayashi is nowhere near as bad as Takuma Sato was.

[Kerou 犠牲]

The 2008 McLaren was still a very competitive car, not a mid-grid at best car

[Milsap]

Hamilton won with a superb lights to flag finish today.

And he wasn't even driving at full Lewis Hamilton pace, which just goes to show how efficient that Mercedes engine is.

Ricciardo had another howler. Must have given him Mark's car >.<

[Kerou 犠牲]

Highkey hope Rosberg wins the title

[Milsap]

Well, no one can complain about that race being boring. Hamilton vs Rosberg, then a free for all behind them.

Hamilton won on the slower tyre in the slower car. Proving he is actually a very good driver.

[Kerou 犠牲]

Yawn.

Season's dull, extremely predictable. Gonna stop watching tbh.

[Milsap]

Would you be saying that if it was Vettel winning?

When Vettel wins every race- He's the best ever
When Hamilton wins every race- It's because of the car

[Kerou 犠牲]

Probably.

And no, people are saying Vettel won because of the car and they're saying Hamilton's back to his best when in actuality it's also because of the car.

[Milsap]

Hamilton and Rosberg are racing on equal terms, and Hamilton's demolishing him. He's driving better than he ever has been, and his best season was 2008. Less of the silly mistakes and politics with Ferrari as well as a new start have allowed him to shine. If it was just the car, he and Rosberg would be finishing closer than they have been.

[Kerou 犠牲]

The car's better suited to Hamilton, like the last Red Bull was to Vettel. I'd still argue he was driving a lot better in 2008 and especially 2007.

If he dominates like he has for a few more years I'd place him alongside Vettel or even above if Vettel struggles to adapt.