The close and competitive 2012 season has made the F1 Fanatic Predictions Championship extra-challenging this year.
There’s been a different winner in every race so far – and we could see a sixth this weekend.
But there’s some great prizes on offer if you can name the top five finishers – plus the pole-sitter – for the Monaco Grand Prix.
The top prediction will win a retro Autocourse eBook, second place will claim a Grand Prix Heroes DVD and the third-placed finishers will receive an F1 poster by PJ Tierney.
All you have to do now is get your prediction right! Study the form, pick a winner and make your selection below.
As usual you can edit your prediction up until the start of qualifying.
How to enter
To enter, predict the pole sitter and the top five finishers in the race. You can also enter a prediction for the pole position lap time – this may be used as a tie-breaker.
Enter your pole position lap time prediction as follows: MM:SS.ccc
For example, for a lap of one minute, 23.456 seconds you would enter 01:23.456
You need to log in using an F1 Fanatic account to make your prediction.
If you haven’t got one yet the sign-up process is quick, simple and entirely free: sign up here now.
After entering your prediction, you will receive an email confirming your entry. If this does not happen, or you are concerned your prediction has not been received, please get in touch using the contact form.
Enter your predictions
[motorracingleague entry=7]
2012 F1 Fanatic Predictions Championship overall prizes
Grand prize: Two grandstands tickets to the 2013 British Grand Prix
The person who scores the most points over the whole season will win two grandstand tickets to the 2013 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
The grand prize winner will receive tickets to all three days of the event with reserved seating for the race.
- Buy British Grand Prix tickets via the Silverstone website or call the ticket hotline on 0844 3728 300
Second place prize: An F1 painting of your choice
The second place finisher will win a Formula 1 painting by Rob Ijbema.
You get to choose which F1 driver, present or past, will feature in the painting.
Or you can pick one of the other motor racing paintings on Rob’s site:
Runner-up prize: Racecar Engineering subscriptions
The five players with the next highest scores (positions three to seven) will each win a year’s subscription to Racecar Engineering magazine.
Racecar Engineering is the world’s leading motorsport technology magazine. Every issue is packed with in-depth features, interviews and analysis from Formula One, Le Mans and all forms racing and rallying.
Runner-up prize: Autocourse calendars
The five players with the next highest scores (positions eight to 12) will each win a 2013 Autocourse calendar.
The Autocourse Grand Prix calendar contains images taken during the season of all the major players competing in the Formula One World Championship.
The images are high resolution and taken by one of the world’s leading Grand Prix photographers, the calendar is printed on art quality paper and comes with a stiffened backing board and shrink wrapped for protection.
2012 F1 Fanatic Predictions Championship race prizes
Race winner’s prize: Autocourse eBooks
The highest scorer in each race will win an Autocourse eBook. The 1971 edition will be the first prize up for grabs, and later players will have the chance to win 1972 to 1976 editions.
The Autocourse eBooks are faithful reproductions of the original annuals in digital form. The colour, clarity of images and text have been improved to modern standards, but the content remains in original format.
Autocourse has become the definitive record of Formula One racing the world over and early editions are collector’s items, which regularly trade for hundreds of pounds.
- The 1971 Autocourse eBook is available from www.autocourse.com for £19.99 with free postage/packing to UK customers.
First runner-up prize: Grand Prix Heroes DVD
The second-placed player in each race will win their choice of one of Duke Video’s new Grand Prix Heroes DVDs (pictured top).
Videos are available on such famous F1 figures as Niki Lauda, James Hunt, Mika Hakkinen, Jackie Stewart, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, Ronnie Peterson, Peter Revson and Frank Williams.
Second runner-up prize: F1 posters by PJ Tierney
The third-placed player in each race will win one of PJ Tierney’s excellent unofficial Formula 1 posters.
You can view PJ’s posters along with his other work on his website:
Rules
Competition terms and conditions
1. Maximum one entry per household.
2. The competition is not open to employees, friends or family of F1 Fanatic, Silverstone Circuit, Car-a-Day, Icon Publishing or Chelsea Magazines.
3. Predictions will be promoted on the front page of F1 Fanatic before closing prior to the start of qualifying.
4. In each round players are invited to predict (a) who will be on pole position and (b) what the top five finishers will be (five different drivers).
5. Players score points in each round as follows:
a. Correctly naming the pole sitter: 2 points
b. Correctly naming one/two/three/four/five driver/s who finish in the top five: 1/2/3/5/8 points
c. Correctly predicting where one/two/three/four/five driver/s finish: 2/6/14/24/40 points
6. Whoever scores the most points in every race counting towards the Formula 1 World Championship wins the grand prize.
7. In the event of a tie on points the winner will be determined by who is closest to predicting the pole position time correctly. If that fails to produce a winner the editor will choose a means of deciding who has won.
8. Predictions must be entered using the form above. If you have trouble submitting your entry via the form please contact F1 Fanatic via email and send your prediction using the contact form.
9. In the event of a dispute the editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
10. No cash alternative is offered for any of the prizes.
11. Grand Prix tickets: Children must be accompanied by an adult. Accommodation and transport to the venue not included.
12. Players who have won prizes will be notified by email within seven days of each Grand Prix. Grand Prix tickets will be despatched once they are available.
2012 Monaco Grand Prix
- Webber wins close Monaco Driver of the Weekend vote
- Monaco GP receives lowest rating of 2012 so far
- Williams were capable of top five in Monaco, says Gillan
- Top ten pictures from the Monaco Grand Prix
- Vote for your 2012 Monaco GP driver of the weekend
Image © McLaren/Hoch Zwei
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
25th May 2012, 9:08
Despite having a quiet weekend so far, I’m tipping Vettel to repeat his 2011 pole and victory in Monaco. Alonso will put up a dogged fight to take P2, with Kimi falling short of taking P2 from Alonso. Hamilton will get screwed by the pitstops but put up a spirited fightback to P4. Mark will have a quiet race.
BasCB (@bascb)
25th May 2012, 9:13
But Hamilton will start on pole, Vettel will be right behind but will crash out with Schumi!
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
25th May 2012, 9:14
that may be what you’re predicting, but my crystal ball says otherwise ;)
dennis (@dennis)
25th May 2012, 12:39
Hamilton on pole, but unfortunately McLaren will [insert dumb mistake here] and he will have to start from the back. Which means Vettel will start from pole, followed by Felipe Massa who, unseen by the cameras drove straight through the chicane and beat Alonso.
Vettel will try to drive 77 laps with the supersofts, and blocks the whole field from lap 20 on after everyone has pitted at least once. In that procession Alonso, who for some reason is still behind Massa waves his arms around a lot, and calls Ferrari and the FIA for help. Somewhere between Mirabeau and Loews in lap 25 Massa finally grows some balls back and decides not to let Alonso pass. On lap 45 Alonso loses his temper and causes a massive pileup with Massa in the tunnel.
Safety car. Vettel can’t keep up with Bernd Mayländer, because the Red Bull’s O.Z. rims don’t give enough traction and he gets a drive-through. Michael Schumacher now leads the field followed by Button. On lap 54 Button tries to overtake in the chicane, but Schumacher fends him off by doing a pit-maneuver on a soon-to-be-lapped Senna.
Schumacher, fearing his lead in danger parks his car in the Rascasse and claims the race is over.
In the heat of the parking situation Maldonado and Hamilton, who fought his way back into the points keep a cool head and lead the race. Nicole Scherzinger lost a bottle of champagne at the swimming pool, and the debris causes both their tyres to burst.
On lap 75 Jenson Button’s engine blows via remote control from Mercedes. However, Rosberg now on 2 slips on the oil and hits the barrier at St. Devote.
When suddenly everybody wonders why it’s suddenly so silent, Räikkönen, who stopped for a few drinks gets back in the car and wins, infront of Grosjean, who isn’t used to hard liquer.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
25th May 2012, 12:46
@dennis
Drop his car in the harbour?
Inflate the tyres with custard?
Leave a snake in the cockpit?
The comic possibilities are endless.
dennis (@dennis)
25th May 2012, 13:01
@keithcollantine
The custard idea is genius. Imagine how creamy sweet the car will be over the curbs!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
25th May 2012, 13:28
@dennis
Of course it would have to be driven by Jerome D’Ambrosio…
Schumi the Greatest (@schumi-the-greatest)
25th May 2012, 14:13
you lined that 1 up well keith..
MahavirShah (@mahavirshah)
25th May 2012, 14:26
@dennis Now this would be a race for the ages. Adding to the drama, through all the confusion everybody realizes that Karthikeyan was missing only to see him pushing the HRT over the line to finish 3rd :) !
JCost (@jcost)
25th May 2012, 14:28
@dennis
Put Bridgestone tyres on his car.
zicasso (@zicasso)
25th May 2012, 16:06
@dennis
[insert dumb mistake here]
short shift the car so it won’t go above 50 mph
Tango (@tango)
25th May 2012, 16:57
[insert dumb mistake here]
Put champagne in the petrol tank
xjr15jaaag (@xjr15jaaag)
25th May 2012, 22:05
[insert dumb mistake here]
give the car 7 reverse gears and 1 forwards gear
xjr15jaaag (@xjr15jaaag)
25th May 2012, 22:06
Or, fill the tank with air and the tyres with fuel
SonJaM (@nosajm9bys)
25th May 2012, 22:52
Nice analogy, but you missed the part where Shumacher runs into Alonso coming out of the pits!
disjunto (@disjunto)
25th May 2012, 9:30
I have actually just drawn names out of a hat for this weekend. The more effort I put into picking the top 5, the worse I do, so I decided to put no effort in, easy win
OEL F1 (@oel-f1)
25th May 2012, 10:28
I suppose you’ve predicted Karthikeyan for pole then.
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
25th May 2012, 10:54
And Pic for the win.
JCost (@jcost)
25th May 2012, 11:31
The only moment I miss 2011 is prediction time!
Todfod (@todfod)
25th May 2012, 15:24
Completely agree. 2011 was very predictable.. this year it just seems like a lottery
Kingshark (@kingshark)
25th May 2012, 18:04
Agree. That’s because in 2011 the we would see the same pattern every race. Red Bulls, followed by Ferrari’s and Mclaren’s, then Mercedes, followed by the midfielders, and then the new teams. ’11 was very uncompetitive when you think about it.
This year prediction is practically impossible.
Stinkfoot
25th May 2012, 18:33
yeah I’m down with that.
Western Hognose too – good work.
Sean (@spaceman1861)
25th May 2012, 9:37
Massa for pole and win :D (Dives for cover from yelling)
OEL F1 (@oel-f1)
25th May 2012, 10:27
Hope your right! :D
SonJaM (@nosajm9bys)
25th May 2012, 22:59
Massa? My prediction is Button, but then what do I know. Another air cooler/radiator cover will be left on his car and what happens, his tire flys off. This weekend, nothing but a lottery, I say! No one driver has been on form for two races in a row, but be rest assured the crashers (Schumacher ahem!) will be right there doing what he knows best, leaving the race before it is finished!
Hadzhiev (@hadzhiev)
25th May 2012, 9:42
We should ask Paul Hembery, having in mind how the season is actually going.
MW (@)
25th May 2012, 9:42
Bingo!
Sicnarf (@kenf)
25th May 2012, 9:56
Webber #1, Kimi #2, Roseberg #3
SonJaM (@nosajm9bys)
25th May 2012, 23:03
Webber pushes Kimi into Rosberg! Webber then has a slow puncher which then makes Maldonado run into him because he is slow. Hamilton #1, Alonso #2, Grosjean #3 me don’t think, but you never know.
Cyclops_PL (@cyclops_pl)
25th May 2012, 10:03
I think it will be decided between Kimi and Fernando.
just.daz (@nemo87)
25th May 2012, 10:38
I’m thinking a tussle between Lewis and kimi
JCost (@jcost)
25th May 2012, 11:34
I’d love to see a final showdown between a McL and a Lotus. Hamilton vs. Kimi would be fine. But I think Fernando, Jenson and Grojean will be in the mix.
Jeanrien (@jeanrien)
25th May 2012, 14:30
At least I find someone with the 5 names I picked … Also feel it will be a McLaren – Lotus fight but nothing sure this year and even more at Monaco
@keithcollantine : Don’t know if it’s easy to compute but it would be very interesting to see what is the picks coming most often and how many people have this quintet (Compared to Melbourne it must be a huge difference in the diversity) and that should show how the season is shaping with so many contenders …
AJ (@aj13)
25th May 2012, 10:44
I think “Grow John” has a great chance.
caci99 (@)
25th May 2012, 11:36
@aj13 :) it took me a couple os seconds to understand whom you were talking about.
We have seen some potential wins form Lewis Hamilton, but none of them ever finalized. May be this time?
Antonio Nartea (@tony031r)
25th May 2012, 11:51
Alonso / Grosjean / Kobayashi – for me.
No idea why, but I trust the Saubers will deliver another surprise this weekend.
Nick.UK (@)
25th May 2012, 12:18
@tony031r FINALLY! Someone else seeing the potential in those Saubers! :) Great odds on them by the way, if you’re a gambling man. Same with Rosberg. I rate the Merc and Sauber here a lot, they seem to have great traction on corner exit which counts for everything round here!
Antonio Nartea (@tony031r)
25th May 2012, 12:34
Sauber proved they are able to nail both the set-up and strategy here with Kamui last year.
If they squeeze their cars in Q3 and play that card again, they might have a serious chance at a podium finish.
Or at least, that’s how I see it…
Arrrang (@arrrang)
25th May 2012, 11:52
Pole HAM. 1 ALO 2 HAM 3 MAS 4 GRO 5 SCH and a Vettel crash out!;)
Paul (@paulmanac)
25th May 2012, 12:17
money on Karthikeyan to get lapped at least four times, if he actually manages to get round turn 10/11 chicane
Nickpkr
25th May 2012, 12:39
PER, GROS, ALO, RAI, HAM, KOB, MAS, VET, WEB, BUT
F1 Lunatic (@f1lunatic)
25th May 2012, 13:31
The lions rule the plains, the tigers the mangroves, and leave it to the cunningness of the fox to scratch the pole in the city!!
Fernando will be on pole. period.
Rahim.RG (@rahim-rg)
25th May 2012, 14:04
This is what i think….
Pole: Grosjean/Hamilton
Pole Time: 01:13.921
Pos1: Kimi Raikkonen
Pos2: Lewis Hamilton
Pos3: Romain Grosjean
Pos4: Fernando Alonso
Pos5: Kobayashi/Maldonado
Theoddkiwi (@theoddkiwi)
25th May 2012, 14:11
Wow I am amazed how little faith anyone has in Hamilton.
Slr (@slr)
25th May 2012, 19:14
@theoddkiwi I think it’s more to do with a lack of faith in McLaren.
JCost (@jcost)
25th May 2012, 14:14
Installs Bridgestone tyres on his car.
Ed Marques (@edmarques)
25th May 2012, 14:16
Pole Ham.
Race: Ham, Rai, Gro, Alo, Mal.
Snafu (@snafu)
25th May 2012, 18:27
precisely like what i predicted!
Blackmamba (@blackmamba)
25th May 2012, 14:35
Certainly, Kimi and Romain have a great chance of taking this one really. I cant see any other team coming close on the evidence of free practice. Hamilton has an outside chance though but that MacLaren was not looking sharp at all was it? The Ferrari looked better.
Todfod (@todfod)
25th May 2012, 15:29
This is a tricky tricky weekend to predict. I’ve got to go with gut on this one as i cannot read way too much in to thursday’s times.
Going with –
P1 – Lewis
P2 – Grosjean
P3 – Alonso
P4 – kimi
P5 – Maldonado, Perez or Vettel (havent decided yet… will only know after FP3)
Pole – looks like it’s gonna be either Grosjean or hamilton.. gotta wait till FP3 again
Lew1s (@lew1s)
25th May 2012, 15:30
I’m going for…..
Pole: Lewis Hamilton
Position 1: Lewis Hamilton
Position 2: Romain Grosjean
Position 3: Fernando Alonso
Position 4: Kimi Raikkonen
Position 5: Jenson Button
McGregski (@mcgregski)
25th May 2012, 16:07
I think
Pole – Lewis
1 – Lewis
2 – Grosjean (should it be fat john and not grow john?)
3 – Alonso
4 – Button
5 – Vettel
Random prediction – Kimi was leading until 3 laps from the end but because Boulier said he couldn’t rally he parked up in the pits and jumped into Red Bulls pool
Tango (@tango)
25th May 2012, 17:00
Fat John.
The Kimi one had me laughing!
zicasso (@zicasso)
25th May 2012, 16:16
My money is on no one this weekend, just like in last race and in the race before that… crazy season. I cannot be against these tyres. No way!
Doug Pike (@runningeagle5761)
25th May 2012, 16:55
kimi for win but grojean on pole
RS27
25th May 2012, 17:39
1kimi 2alo 3ham 4gro 5vet
Snafu (@snafu)
25th May 2012, 18:29
seems like no one has predicted Button for win or pole!
nic
25th May 2012, 18:53
If it’s going to be raining then it will be a lottery. The cars are close enough in form that it’s going to be the person on the track at the right moment on the right tyres that does well. If it’s raining then my prediction is that they will all have to be on the track at the same time to ward off the possibility of the track changing on them. Because of that a huge percentage of the field will get traffic on their lap and ultimately it’s going to be a lottery.
f1alex (@f1alex)
25th May 2012, 19:04
How can anyone predict this? It’s going to be so difficult, based on the way this season is going so far. Just when we thought Mclaren were quickest they seemed to have a slump (although partly due to their shambolic pit stops and inabilty to fuel the car correctly), just when we though Redbull weren’t quick they get pole and the win, just when we thought it couldn’t get any weirder, Maldonado wins in Barcelona.
I’m thinking Lewis Hamilton for pole, as he is usually quite quick in Monaco, and will want to make up for what happened in Spain. Button has also looked solid in practice. But then there’s the Lotuses (Lotii?) who seem both quick and steady over the bumps and kerbs, which will be important tomorrow and on Sunday. Alonso seems quick and maybe Massa is starting to get on top of the Ferrari too. Monaco specialist Maldonado looks like he will also be up there given his pace here in previous years and in practice, and also now he will have the confidence that winning your first race gives.
Therefore I’ve gone with:
Pole – Lewis Hamilton
1 – Romain Grosjean
2 – Lewis Hamilton
3 – Pastor Maldonado
4 – Kimi Raikkonen
5 – Fernando Alonso
No doubt I’ll be yet again proved wrong on Sunday.
AdrianMorse (@adrianmorse)
25th May 2012, 19:32
It would be interesting to know if Keith has any data on the correspondence between what people predict on F1Fanatic and the odds you get at the bookies (given his current job with Unibet).
On F1Fanatic at least, it strikes me how much people are guided by very recent form (judging by the above comments, at least), including me:
Pole: Hamilton, 1 HAM, 2 GRO, 3 ALO, 4 PER, 5 MAL, is pretty much a selection of who was hot the last grand prix (of course Kimi should be up there as well, but there is only so much room in the top 5). By contrast, Red Bull, Mercedes, Button and Massa are getting far fewer votes (wait…something is wrong here), even though:
Red Bull had a one-race slump, but Vettel had pole, win, and fastest lap in the GP before;
Mercedes had a two-race slump, but showed a lot of qualifying potential in the first three races, and they say the circuit should suit them;
Button had a one-and-a-half race slump (in Bahrain the McLaren was simply rubbish), but was excellent in Australia and China, and last year in Monaco as well.
I suppose the only ‘reasonable teams’ not getting any votes for the podium are Toro Rosso and Force India, so given the way this season is unfolding it might just be their time to shine.
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
25th May 2012, 21:26
I’ve voted Grosjean for the win and pole… He’s looked strong in all conditions…
I’ve also put a quid on him to get pole/win/fastest lap!
Younger Hamii (@younger-hamii)
26th May 2012, 0:07
Pole: HAM
Pole Time: 01:13.574
P1: HAM
P2: RAI
P3: ALO
P4: GRO
P5: VET/WEB
carbon_fibre (@carbon_fibre)
26th May 2012, 11:15
Me predictions are VERY brave, but who knows…
Pole : Grosjean
P1 : Massa
P2 : Alonso
P3 : Rosberg
P4 : Grosjean
P5 : Vettel
Zubair (@zubair380)
26th May 2012, 11:47
I’ve got a good feeling about “Felipe Baby”, which is why I put him P5 !
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
26th May 2012, 12:49
Hamilton for pole and win. Here’s hoping!