The 2010 season in 20 questions
Michael Schumacher is my tip for the title - who's yours?
In less than 24 hours’ times we’ll start to get answers to all the questions we have about the hugely anticipated new Formula 1 season.
As is traditional, now’s the time to make your guesses on the big stories of the season ahead. Answer these 20 questions on the 2010 season below and we’ll check them again in eight months’ time to see who did best:
1. What will be the best surprise?
2. What will be the worst surprise?
3. Which driver will be replaced first?
4. Who will he be replaced by?
5. What will be the biggest political story?
6. Jenson Button vs Lewis Hamilton: who will score the most points?
7. Felipe Massa vs Fernando Alonso: who will score the most points?
8. How many races will Michael Schumacher win?
9. Will Kimi Räikkönen announce a return to F1 in 2011?
10. Who will have the worst reliability?
11. Who will be the most impressive rookie (including Kamui Kobayashi and Jaime Alguersuari)?
12. Which will be the most entertaining race?
13. Who will set the most pole positions?
14. Who will win the Monaco Grand Prix?
15. Who will be the first retirement at Bahrain?
16. Which will be the best new team?
17. At which race will the drivers’ title be won?
18. Who will win the constructors’ championship?
19. Who will win the drivers’ championship?
20. How many points will the winning driver score?
Here are my answers:
1. Lotus getting on the pace by the end of the season
2. HRT not making it to the end of the season
3. Jaime Alguersuari
4. Daniel Ricciardo
5. Plans for a new engine specification
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Fernando Alonso
8. Six
9. No
10. HRT
11. Nico Hülkenberg
12. Canada
13. Lewis Hamilton
14. Fernando Alonso
15. Karun Chandhok
16. Lotus
17. Brazil
18. Mercedes
19. Michael Schumacher
20. 308
This one’s just for fun but if you fancy putting your prediction powers to the test to win some serious prizes, make sure you join in the 2010 F1 Fanatic Predictions Championship
See all the articles in the F1 Fanatic 2010 Season Preview
2010 F1 season
Slovenia said on 11th March 2010, 12:22
1.Kobayashi will win one race
2.Bernie Ecclestone will leave F1
3. Jaime Alguersuari
4.Nick Heidfeld
5.I don’t know….
6.Lewis Hamilton
7.Fernando Alonso
8.Five
9.No
10.HRT
11.Kamui Kobayashi
12.Abu Dhabi GP
13.Lewis Hamilton
14.Fernano Alonso
15.Karun Chandhok
16.Lotus
17.Abu Dhabi GP
18.Ferrari
19.Michael Schumacher
20.287
Xanathos said on 11th March 2010, 12:22
1. Once again Toro Rosso
2. The dead-slow Lotus
3. Vitantonio Liuzzi
4. Paul Di Resta (obviously)
5. Ferrari’s continued rants aimed at the new teams and at Mosley
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Felipe Massa
8. four
9. No
10. Virgin
11. Kamui Kobayashi
12. Bahrain, just because the teams haven’t sorted out their strategies yet and the cars haven’t run in the heat yet
13. Sebastian Vettel
14. Michael Schumacher
15. An over-ambitious rookie, propably Petrov
16. HRT with one lucky point
17. Abu Dhabi
18. Red Bull
19. Michael Schumacher
20. around 250
sid said on 11th March 2010, 12:25
1. Confirmation of Indian GP
2. Schumacher quitting midway due to neck muscle strain.
3. Jaime Alguersuari
4.
5. Lack of overtaking/night races
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Fernando Alonso
8. 2
9. Yes in RB.
10. HRT/Virgin
11. Nico Hülkenberg
12. Spa
13. Lewis
14. Lewis
15. Glock
16. Lotus
17. Abu Dhabi
18. Ferrari
19. F.Alonso
20. 248
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 11th March 2010, 20:33
Wow, that was fast: Ecclestone confirms 2011 Indian Grand Prix
sid said on 12th March 2010, 3:32
Awesome! I just hope they design a great track…
I will also bump up my points predictions to 270 considering the extra race this year…
Ads21 said on 11th March 2010, 12:25
1. Paul Di Resta winning at Monza after replacing Sutil mid-season. Although I do like Vlad’s idea of a Willaims winning in Cananda.
2. A sand-storm stopping the race in Bahrain
3. Sutil for Di Resta at Hungary after Di Resta had shown amazing speed on Fridays and Luizzi had outdriven Sutil
4. See Above
5. I don’t know but I’m sure it’ll have the suffix ‘gate’
6. Hamilton
7. Alonso
8. 1, Spa
9. No
10. Virgin
11. Paul di Resta
12. Canada
13. Fernando Alonso
14. Fernando Alonso
15. Di Grassi
16. Lotus probably by the end of the year
17. Singapore
18. Ferrrari
19. Fernando Alonso
20. Far too many because of a silly points system. But it’ll add up to about 130/140 points in old money.
Prisoner Monkeys said on 11th March 2010, 12:27
1. What will be the best surprise?
The competitiveness of the new teams by season’s end
2. What will be the worst surprise?
Flavio forces his way back into the paddock (or at least tries to)
3. Which driver will be replaced first?
Vitantonio Liuzzi
4. Who will he be replaced by?
Paul di Resta
5. What will be the biggest political story?
Ferrari and the new teams
6. Jenson Button vs Lewis Hamilton: who will score the most points?
Lewis Hamilton, but it will be closer than most people are willing to give Jenson Button credit for
7. Felipe Massa vs Fernando Alonso: who will score the most points?
Fernando Alonso, but it will be another close one and Ferrari’s undoing in their bid for both titles
8. How many races will Michael Schumacher win?
Two or three
9. Will Kimi Räikkönen announce a return to F1 in 2011?
No
10. Who will have the worst reliability?
Scuderia Toro Rosso
11. Who will be the most impressive rookie (including Kamui Kobayashi and Jaime Alguersuari)?
Vitaly Petrov will surprise
12. Which will be the most entertaining race?
Bahrain (first race of the season), Hungary (seven different winners from seven different races … until 2009)
13. Who will set the most pole positions?
Tie between Felipe Massa and Leiws Hamilton
14. Who will win the Monaco Grand Prix?
Jenson Button
15. Who will be the first retirement at Bahrain?
Pedro de la Rosa
16. Which will be the best new team?
Virgin Racing
17. At which race will the drivers’ title be won?
Korea, if not Japan
18. Who will win the constructors’ championship?
Mercedes GP
19. Who will win the drivers’ championship?
Sebastian Vettel
20. How many points will the winning driver score?
More than 225, less than 275
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 11th March 2010, 12:30
Now come on Prisoner Monkeys I expect better than that! Give us a real number :-)
Prisoner Monkeys said on 11th March 2010, 12:47
It’s midnight and my head hurts!
So no.
K said on 11th March 2010, 13:09
You could have just taken the mode of your range which is 250, similar to others guesses and pretty reasonable.
TheWiseOwl said on 11th March 2010, 16:03
Mean*, not mode.
K said on 11th March 2010, 16:07
lol indeed.
Browny said on 11th March 2010, 12:30
1. Hulkenburg regularly scoring points and maybe a podium
2. red bull not matching mclaren, ferrari and mercedes, finishing a lonely 4th
3. Chandcock
4. Probably no one because HRT can’t afford to race two cars
5. some crazy steward decision affecting the title race
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Fernando Alonso
8. 2, germany and monza
9. Yes with Red Bull taking Marks seat :(
10. Virgin
11. Nico Hulckenburg, he will comfortably outperform Kobayshi and other rookies
12. Australia, always throws up a good race, pitty its no longer the first round of the championship
13. Felipe Massa
14. Lewis Hamilton
15. Chandock will not select first gear on parade lap
16. Lotus
17. Brazil (again, should be the final race, way better atmosphere)
18. Ferrari
19. Fernando Alonso
20. 412 points
alejandro said on 12th March 2010, 6:37
Chandcock… LOL
racefan said on 11th March 2010, 12:33
It’s hard to answer all but I’ll do some.
6. Jenson Button vs Lewis Hamilton: who will score the most points?
Ans: Lewis.
7. Felipe Massa vs Fernando Alonso: who will score the most points?
Ans: Alonso.
13. Who will set the most pole positions?
Ans: Vettel.
14. Who will win the Monaco Grand Prix?
Ans: Alonso.
16. Which will be the best new team?
Ans: Lotus.
18. Who will win the constructors’ championship?
Ans: Mercedes
19. Who will win the drivers’ championship?
Ans: Michael
W-K said on 11th March 2010, 12:35
1. HRT making it to end of season
2. Renault (Company) withdrawing support for team.
3. Lucas di Grassi
4. Davide Valsecchi
5. Modern tyres, i.e. small side walls.
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Fernando Alonso
8. Two
9. No
10. HRT
11. Nico Hülkenberg
12. Spa-Francorchamps
13. Fernando Alonso
14. Jensen Button
15. Lucas di Grassi
16. LOtus
17. ABU DHABI
18. McLaren
19. Sebastian Vettel
20. 297
K said on 11th March 2010, 12:41
Mercedes easily the best new team, they are technically a new team after all.
Beninlux said on 11th March 2010, 12:43
1. HRT scoring a point
2. Schuey’s neck giving up on him before the end of the season.
3. Jaime Alguersuari
4. Brendon Hartley
5. Budget cap actually agreed for 2011
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Fernando Alonso
8. 4
9. No
10. HRT
11. Kamui Kobayashi
12. Brazil
13. Hamilton
14. Hamilton
15. Brendon Hartley
16. Lotus
17. Brazil
18. Ferrari
19. Hamliton
20. 208
James_mc said on 11th March 2010, 12:44
1. Sebastian Loeb driving an F1 Car
2. Schumacher’s neck giving in and having to miss a race
3. Hai-Meee Alg-Ay-Swarray
4. Brendon Hartely
5. Someone being excluded from races for dangerous driving
6. Hamilton
7. Alonso
8. 3
9. Hopefully yes
10. Virgin
11. Nico Hulkinberg
12. Turkey
13. Vettel
14. Rosberg
15. Alguasari (crash)
16. Which will be the best new team?
17. Abu Dhabi
18. Ferrari
19. Fernando
20. 236
James_mc said on 11th March 2010, 13:03
16 should be Lotus
James said on 11th March 2010, 12:47
1. What will be the best surprise?
A team other than the “Big 4″ winning a race.
2. What will be the worst surprise?
A driver getting replaced, or a team failing to complete the seaosn.
3. Which driver will be replaced first?
Algusauri or Schumacher… if his neck doesnt hold out
4. Who will he be replaced by?
If Algusuari then probably Hartley, if Schumacher then Heidfield for sure
5. What will be the biggest political story?
Diffusers probably, Mclaren’s rear wing
6. Jenson Button vs Lewis Hamilton: who will score the most points?
Hard to call this early, but I reckon Lewis by a small margin
7. Felipe Massa vs Fernando Alonso: who will score the most points?
Alonso, easily
8. How many races will Michael Schumacher win?
I reckon 4 is a distinct possibility
9. Will Kimi Räikkönen announce a return to F1 in 2011?
Depends how the rallying goes. As it stands, it wouldnt suprise me if he did
10. Who will have the worst reliability?
Virgin, Lotus and HRT
11. Who will be the most impressive rookie (including Kamui Kobayashi and Jaime Alguersuari)?
The Hulk or Koby
12. Which will be the most entertaining race?
Monaco is generally a good one. Any race which is wet will always be a barrel of laughs
13. Who will set the most pole positions?
Alonso
14. Who will win the Monaco Grand Prix?
Too early to call.
15. Who will be the first retirement at Bahrain?
Tough one. Could be anyone going into the first corner
16. Which will be the best new team?
Sauber, if you count them as a new.
17. At which race will the drivers’ title be won?
Korea
18. Who will win the constructors’ championship?
Ferrari
19. Who will win the drivers’ championship?
Alonso/Hamilton/Scumacher/Button/Vettel – Take your pick
20. How many points will the winning driver score?
A lot! Could break the 250 barrier?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 11th March 2010, 12:58
I don’t – they raced last year, just had a change of owner. Even the name is (rather oddly) the same.
By ‘new teams’ I meant Lotus, Virgin and HRT.
James said on 11th March 2010, 14:28
In which case it’s a tough one to call… haha
HRT is an unknown due to their lack of runing
Lotus is just miles off the pace. A real suprise for a Mike Gascoyne inspired motor
Virgin have had poor reliability, and I expect that to remain the case at least until after Canada.
I might just say HRT for the hell of it =D
sato113 said on 11th March 2010, 18:01
who knows, maybe HRT will be faster then the rest by 3 secs in Bahrain!
Peter said on 11th March 2010, 12:48
1. Virgin’s pace midseason
2. Rubens Barrichello
3. No replacements this year
4. Not applicable
5. Something with Flavio Briatore
6. Hamilton
7. Alonso
8. 2
9. No
10. Lotus
11. Nico Hulkenberg
12. Brazil
13. Alonso
14. Schumacher
15. Sutil (first corner crash but who will he take with him?)
16. Virgin
17. Abu Dhabi
18. Red Bull
19. Alonso
20. 239
GQsm said on 11th March 2010, 12:53
1. What will be the best surprise?
Force India becoming a force to be reckoned with
2. What will be the worst surprise?
Back markers not relatively improving at all.
3. Which driver will be replaced first?
Schumacher
4. Who will he be replaced by?
Heidfield
5. What will be the biggest political story?
Massa friction
6. Jenson Button vs Lewis Hamilton: who will score the most points?
Lewis
7. Felipe Massa vs Fernando Alonso: who will score the most points?
Alonso
8. How many races will Michael Schumacher win?
1
9. Will Kimi Räikkönen announce a return to F1 in 2011?
Yes
10. Who will have the worst reliability?
Virgin
11. Who will be the most impressive rookie (including Kamui Kobayashi and Jaime Alguersuari)?
Kobayashi
12. Which will be the most entertaining race?
Brazil
13. Who will set the most pole positions?
Lewis
14. Who will win the Monaco Grand Prix?
Alonso
15. Who will be the first retirement at Bahrain?
Chandhok
16. Which will be the best new team?
Lotus
17. At which race will the drivers’ title be won?
Final race – Abu Dhabi
18. Who will win the constructors’ championship?
Ferrari
19. Who will win the drivers’ championship?
Lewis
20. How many points will the winning driver score?
More than the others
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 11th March 2010, 12:55
Worst answer ever!
GQsm said on 11th March 2010, 13:09
haha sorry, I was in a rush and couldn’t be bothered to work out the number or wins, seconds, thirds etc I thought Lewis would get.
SKUZZ said on 11th March 2010, 13:24
funniest!
steph said on 11th March 2010, 13:40
Lol! I don’t know why but that seemed the sort of answer Kimi would give :P
Salty said on 11th March 2010, 18:46
Stop pining – he’s off with his voddy playing in the mud now ;)
luigismen said on 11th March 2010, 12:59
1. Sauber getting some podiums
2. Renault
3. Pedro de la Rosa
4. That’s a though one
5. USF1 wanting to get back in
6. Hamilton
7. Alonso
8. None
9. Nope
10. HRT
11. Hulkenberg
12. Spa
13. Hamilton
14. Alonso
15. Karun Chandhok
16. Lotus
17. Last race
18. Mclaren
19. Hamilton
20. 277