French GP preview: Predictions

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Who’s going to win the French Grand Prix?

Ferrari look set to be very strong this weekend and Lewis Hamilton is out of contention for the win before practice has even begun. Read my podium prediction below and make your own.

Ferrari look irresistible this weekend – indeed, they often have at Magny-Cours. In the past 11 races here they’ve won seven times and finished one-two last year.

This time last year we saw Kimi Raikkonen assert himself after a difficult start to the year. I’d put my money on him doing the same again and edging team mate Felipe Massa. He proved last year he could beat Massa even starting behind him – just as he did at Sepang this year.

Although Massa has qualified strongly this year Magny-Cours, oddly, tends not to favour the pole sitter. In the last ten races at Magny-Cours the pole sitter has only won three times.

Hamilton will have done something truly remarkable if he managed to get even on the bottom step of the podium but starting no better than 11th it should be impossible for him if the front runners keep their noses clean.

With a pace advantage over BMW, McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen should be back on the podium for the first time since Sepang. So my podium prediction is:

1. Kimi Raikkonen
2. Felipe Massa
3. Heikki Kovalainen

No-one managed to nail the top three last time – least of all myself – but M Smith, Mac, Martin Land theRoswelite correctly predicted Robert Kubica’s maiden Grand Prix victory.

What is your podium prediction for the French Grand Prix?

Join in more discussions on the F1 Fanatic Forum

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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40 comments on “French GP preview: Predictions”

  1. David Watkins
    19th June 2008, 23:32

    1) Massa

    2) Kubica

    3) Raikkonen

  2. Massa
    Kubica
    Heikki

  3. My prediction is:

    Kovi goes very light to try and spoil the Ferrari party but falls back behind Kubica at the pit stops. Hamilton goes lighter still for p11. Massa goes light to try and prevent Kovi doing it and suffers at the put stops falling back behind Kimi who therefore starts third (or maybe even fourth) but ends up first having fueled longest.

    So Kimi, Kubica, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say Hamilton on a four stopper purely as a result of Kovi / Massa trying to out de-party each other.

  4. 1. Raikkonen
    2. Massa
    3. Kubica

  5. 1. Raikkonen
    2. Kubica
    3. Heikki

  6. 1. Massa
    2. Raikkonen
    3. Kubica

  7. 1. Kimi
    2. Kubica
    3. Kovi

    Just ‘cos I like the letter K today for some reason :)

  8. I agree w/ Keith’s prediction. BMW is out of its waters here and Heiki is due for a strong result. The Ferraris will win this GP walking and Kimi should edge Felipe.

    1. Kimi
    2. Massa
    3. Heiki

  9. 1. Kimi
    2. Massa
    3. Kubica

  10. Kimi looks strong for a comeback from the unfortunate pitstop fiasco. He will be my bet for the top step. I have a feeling Hiekki’s time is right around the corner. Renault’s Barcelona test looked good, so hoping a mix of possible rain and upgrades will get them on the podium.

    1. Kimi
    2. Hiekki
    3. Alonso

    If there is rain, it could be lot more like a lottery. Wouldnt bet against Alonso and Lewis then.

  11. 1. Kimi
    2. Massa
    3. Kubica

    Robert finished P4 here last year, and that was coming from a crash!

  12. 1. Massa
    2. Heikki
    3. Kimi

  13. Scott Joslin
    20th June 2008, 10:25

    I am going out on a limb here

    Kovi
    Kimi
    Massa

    I think I have had too much coffee this morning!

  14. Kimi
    Heikki
    Massa

  15. I’m thinking it might be worth Heikki being very lightly fuelled so he gets pole easily.Then in the race from that position he’ll be told to lap very slowly like Villeneuve did in Suzuka 97′ so keep the field bunched together to help Lewis overtake some cars for as long as possible.

    Suppose the only problem with that is finding clear air with Lewis so he could put his fast McLaren to use – and he’ll be lightly fuelled as well so he doesn’t end up too far behind.

    My podium : Felipe , Heikki , Kimi by the way.

  16. sChUmAcHeRtHeGrEaTeStEvEr
    20th June 2008, 10:42

    kimi
    massa
    kubica

  17. Kimi
    Massa
    Lewis

    Lewis will hit back with vengeance!

  18. Francois – I am certain that if they did that they’d get in trouble for using team orders. It would be too blatant. (Team orders were legal in 1997).

  19. I’ll also bet in a Ferrari one-two; changing the order.

    Heikki will miss the podium again, and show that he’s not only placing himself as McLaren’s Number 2 at Dennis request, but that he, in fact, is still missing THAT so frequently mentioned “final 2 tenths”.

    Massa
    Raikkonen
    Kubica

  20. Massa
    Kimi
    Heidfield

    Alonso will crash out
    hamilton will be 7th.
    rosbergs brakes will fail him.

    in practice Kubica was saying over the team radio that his tyres were graining almost immediatly, like end of first lap.

  21. Votes for the winners so far:

    Raikkonen – 12
    Massa – 6
    Kovalainen – 1

  22. What about this one. It is raining cats and dogs, Hamilton is fighting Alonso for sixth and crashes into the Renault. They get out of the car and start exchanging punches. The marshalls have to use their fire extinguishers to separate the pair. All that foam obstructs the view on the track and in the ensuing confusion, kubica crashes into the back of Heidfeld. The safety car comes in and kimi runs into the back of Kovi as the latter is stopped in the end of the pits waiting for the gree light – they are lost for words… Massa wins the race by a mile with Piquet Jr in second, just ahead of Barrichelo, Webber and Coultard – the four of them exchanging positions throughout the race. And if you are wondering, yes, I am Brazilian.

  23. It may be abit early since qualifying hasn’t even happened yet – but here is my prediction:

    1. Raikkonen
    2. Massa
    3. Kubica

  24. raikkonen
    massa
    alonso

  25. Since all the reasonable predictions are in, I’ll go for the slightly more improbable:

    1. Kubica
    2. Kovi
    3. Hamilton

  26. Antfia – Am loving your race prediction – but begs the question, who is going to win the Alonso/Hamilton b*tch fight?? As I cant see Hamilton throwing much of a punch my money is on Alonso!!

  27. My pick (and I hope this comes true)

    1. Raikkonen
    2. Massa
    3. Alonso or Kubica

    p.s. @ Audrey, evidently Hamilton has a Black Belt in Karate, which if he does, bodes well for him ;-)

  28. Massa, Hamilton, Raikonnen, Kovi, Kubica, Alonso, Heidfeld, (DC or Weber for 8th).

  29. Felipe Leite
    20th June 2008, 17:30

    1 – Massa
    2 – Kimi
    3 – Heidfeld

  30. 1 – Kimi
    2 – Kovi
    3 – Heidfeld

  31. Dry Race
    1. Raikkonen
    2. Massa
    3. Kovalainen

    Wet Race
    1. Raikkonen
    2. Hamilton
    3. Alonso

  32. 1. Raikkonen
    2. Massa
    3. Kubica

  33. QUALY
    1. Felipe
    2. Kubitza
    3. Kimi

    RACE
    1. Felipe
    2. Kubitza
    3. Heikki

    FIGHT
    I´ll put all my Money in “Sugar” Lewis.

  34. “Lewis is out of contention for the win.” What a ridiculous statement to make.

    1. Hamilton
    2. Alonso
    3. Massa

  35. Here’s why I think Hamilton is out of contention for the win already:

    Alonso started tenth last year and finished seventh – and Hamilton will be starting even lower than that. On a dry day, with few retirements and no safety car periods (i.e. pretty much every French Grand Prix since 1999) he’ll have done extremely well if he gets in the top five.

  36. Que Buen Guebo
    21st June 2008, 4:07

    Felipe Massa
    Kimi Raikkonen
    Robert Kubica

    Thats the Podium buenos mamaguebos

  37. 1] Massa
    2] Kimi
    3] Heidfeld

  38. This is really tough, but I think Hamilton will go light and get the pole. He will then try the “Schumacher” 4 stop strategy. I like the idea of Kovi going light too in order to mess up the leaders. So official Qual Top 5 will be:

    Kovi
    Massa
    Kimi
    Alonso
    Kubica

  39. I predict only one of the Ferraris is going to be on the podium and Hamilton to finish in the top 5.

  40. 1. Massa (from pole)
    2. Kubica
    3. Kovi
    4. Hamilton (4 stopping)
    5. Kimi (after loosing a nose cone)

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