2008 Japanese Grand Prix predictions
Massa looked set to lead a Ferrari 1-2 at Singapore - I think he will in Fuji
This year’s Japanese Grand Prix looks set to be dry, potentially giving us a very different race to the dramatic, rain-soaked encounter won by Lewis Hamilton last year.
As I wrote earlier in the week I think Fuji Speedway in the dry will play to Ferrari’s strengths but John Beamer disagrees and McLaren seemed to have an advantage in practice this morning. Who do you think will win in Fuji?
I expected Ferrari to set the pace at Fuji and despite McLaren’s slight edge so far, I’m sticking with that prediction. Although the weather will be on the cool side, which has worked against them earlier this year, they claim to have gotten on top of those problems.
Ferrari will be smarting after their humiliation in Shanghai, and in Fuji I think they will claim the one-two they were on course for before that fateful botched pit stop two weeks ago.
When I wrote about the retirement rates for the different drivers yesterday it struck me that Lewis Hamilton might have mixed feelings about his McLaren’s reliability. As Oliver wrote yesterday:
It would appear the McLaren of Hamilton is long overdue some mechanical failure. I just hope McLaren are not saving their reliability problems for the last few races.
Hamilton is yet to retire from a Grand Prix with a mechanical failure in his 32-race F1 career. Will he feel encouraged that his car is statistically unlikely to fail him, or concerned that the inevitable mechanical DNF must happen sooner or later?
Assuming his car goes the distance, it’s hard to see a rival machine getting between him and the Ferraris, so I’d pick him to finish third:
1. Felipe Massa
2. Kimi Raikkonen
3. Lewis Hamilton
Did anyone pick the surprise winner of the Singapore Grand Prix? Yes - in fact five of you did so congratulations to Santiago, DMW, Sainaa, Senna and AussieLeb.
But will anyone get the entire top three right this time? Make your predictions for the Japanese Grand Prix podium below…
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Hamilton
Massa
Alonso
1. Kimi Raikkonen
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Felipe Massa
1st Hamilton
2nd Vettel
3rd Massa
9th Raikkonen (if he can be bothered to turn up)
don’t know but would like:
1.Ham
2.Kov
3.Rai
4.Massa
1.RAIKKONEN
2.ALONSO
3.MASSA
Lewis to finish 5th
1. Raikonnen
2. Alonso
3. Glock
1.MAS
2.HAM
3.RAI
1. Massa
2. Hamilton
3. Glock
…
4. Kovi
5. Raikkonen
6. Alonso
7. Trulli
8. Vettel
Appreciate the mention Keith - I have a few more words on it here: http://www.f1-pitlane.com/content/japanese-grand-prix , including a short technical preview I managed to knock-up.
It is almost too close to call. I doubt it will be a Ferrari one-two. I’ll plump for:
HAM
MAS
RAI
I reckon it’ll be…
Massa
Hamilton
Alonso (buoyed by last weeks win)
1.Massa
2.Kubica
3.Raikkonen
…
Ret: Hamilton
DRY
Raikonnen
Hamilton
Massa
WET
Hamilton
Alonso
Raikonnen
Massa
Raikkonen
Hamilton
I’ll vote for:
DRY:
Hamilton
Massa
Alonso
WET
Hamilton
Alonso
Vettel
Interestingly on Betfair the odds of a Lewis win has lengthened slightly i.e. Massa and Hamilton are closer. Probably because rain was priced in before …
1. Ham
2. Kimi
3. Kubica
Dry
1.Massa
2.Raikkonen
3.Hamilton/Alonso
I think 3 will bw tough
WET
Hamilton
Vettel
Heikki ,that,s if he can keep up
1.Massa
2.Alonso
3.Kimi
4.Kubica
5.
6.
7.
8.Hamilton
1. Mas
2. Alo
3. Kov
DNF Ham - puncture/pit lane incident
DNF Rai - turned up on Sunday an hour late and hungover
I am a Hamilton Fan.
The race is going to be dry.
Grid will be Mas, Ham, Kov, Rai, Alo, Kub, Glo, Vet…
Race - Mas will scamper off and win, Ham will fail to keep up, Kov will go backwards AGAIN and finish out of points and RAI will come on strong, pass Ham in the pits and come home one-two.
Result
Mas
Rai
Ham
It hurts me to say it, but i predict a Red 1-2.
If it rains in qual, Bourdais on pole and maiden victory
Note to Keith. Ferrari embarassed themselves in Singapore, not Shanghai, although i hope your mistake turns out to be true next weekend
1.Hamilton
2.Massa
3.Kovalainen
As a diehard McLaren fan, I have to vote Hamilton to win. With that said, here’s my semi confident prediction.
1.Hamilton
2.Massa
3.Alonso
4.Heidfeld
5.Raikkonen
6.Kovalinen
7.Trulli
8.Kubica
Weather forecast for Shizuoka is rain for tomorrow, so, McLaren will be stronger in qualifying.
Then,
Hamilton
Massa
Raikkonen
1. Raikkonen
2. Vettel
3. Heidfeld
9: Massa - botches another pitstop
10: Hamilton - after a drivethru for cutting chicane
Pole by Hamilton or Massa.
If Ferrari like always take advantage with their strategy then Massa wins with Hamilton just behind following by Raikkonen in third.
If it rains(would love to see that :D)
Hamilton First Place, Massa straggling and finishing fifth or sixth and Raikkonen out.
1. Massa
2. Raikkonen
3. Glock
4. Alonso
5. Hamilton
6. Vettel
7. Trulli
8. Piquet
I think (maybe wishfull)
1. Hamilton
2. Kovalinen
3. Massa
Ham pole, race:
1. HAM
2. MAS
3. KOV
1. Massa
2. Kubika
3. Kimi
Hamilton will be on pole; But I think; he is going to have tyre trouble again. Turn 4-5 seem similar to turn 8 at Turkey.. plus..drivers lift off the accelerator in order to achieve a better turn in for turn 6. This will further increase tyre wear; especially for Hamilton.
kimi
alonso
heiki
MAS
HAM
KOV
Massa-Ferrari is the best combo now, slightly. If Massa takes pole, Hamilton will not force the issue at turn 1 and that will be it. Its cool, so Kimi will again qualify several rows back. Kov with go into q3 light as a feather to get ahead of Kimi. Alonso, who will qualify 4th will finish there.
Hamilton
Massa
Kimi (only because he’ll follow orders. Otherwise, he’d be 2nd.)
Nice one Vlad No Bemers on top 8?
Hell no!
I see both on points
First 3/frankly i don’t have a … idea
Mass
Kub
Fonso
Kimi will take revenge for (i hate You Bernie) Montreal heh
Wet
Hamstring
Massa
Vettel
Dry
Massa
Kimi
Hamstring
Massa
Raikkonen
Hamilton
Based on today I get this empty feeling that Lewis is going to seal the deal this weekend. Kimi chased Lewis down last year through his steelie resolve. This is what Massa lacks. Kimi will try to help Massa but to no avail. I think Lewis will snatch pole in the final flyer with Massa on the second row in 4th. Alonso will snatch 3rd with Kimi 2nd. As well as Kimi I think Alonso will try and help Massa but at the end of the day Lewis will scamper away leaving Massa to falter in an attempt to push and hence Kimi and Alonso battle for 2nd. If it does rain then either Glock or Vettel will have a crack at a podium.
After all that for now I’ll say:
HAM
RAI
ALO
Massa
Raikkonen
Kubica
I’ll say…
1. Hamilton
2. Massa
3. Raikkonen
… but I my judgment is pretty poor. I once put money on David Coulthard.
1. Hamilton
2. Räikkönen
3. Massa
So the controversy after the race will of course be how Kimi could fail to realize what his team wanted him to do.
Massa
Hamilton
Kubica
Raikkonen
Massa
Alonso
1) HAMILTON
2) MASSA
3) KOVI
1-massa
2-lewis
3-kimi
Hey Jack, noway Raikkonen will finish infront of Massa.
WET
Hamilton
Webber
Massa
DRY
Massa
Hamilton
Raikkonen
Judging by the way the Ferrari was going through it’s rears in todays practice, I think Massa will do a flying lap to snatch pole, but this battle will be one of strategy and one largely fought in the pits. Oddly enough the McLaren is using their tires much better than the Ferrari is, who I suspect will have to change tires more often, and the more times you put a Ferrari in the pit, the more chances of “a circus”.
For qualifying:
Massa
Hamilton
One of the Toyota’s
For race:
Ham
Mas
Alo
PS: Found the site after the British Grand Prix, and it’s among the best for being an actual F1 fan site, not a Massa/Hamilton/Alonso/[insert name of favorite driver here] love fest. Well done Keith.
i think qualifyings:lewis,alonso/massa,kimi,timo,vettel
cant say for the race but i’d love to have race:
1.kimi(RAIKKONEN ROCKS)
2.alonso
3.vettel
4.massa
5.timo
6.heikki
7.nick/sutil
8.fisichela/kazuki(most probably it will be like this)
DNF:LEWIS,….?
Thanks Juan and welcome to the site - hope you enjoy it
I’ll go for….
1st Massa
2nd Raikonen
3rd Hamilton
I will go again for the surprise. As the Ferrari-Alonso rumour has been at the scene again, and as we say in Spain when the river sounds, is because it brings water, I think the Alonso´s Renault is going to play a red team´s role.
Massa
Alonso
Hamilton.
If Kimmi does not performe, I can imagine him going away next season. F1 swallows their own heroes.
Of course the surprise is Alonso second……….:-))