2009 Season: Fearless Predictions

The start of the 2009 season is finally upon us. With radical rule changes such as the introduction of slick tires, completely new aerodynamic regulations, and KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems) in place, the championship was sure to be shaken up. But what's astounding is that after an impossibly close field in 2008, there seems to be even less of a difference in performance between the teams this year. Expect an extremely hard fought battle in the midfield.

Here are my fearless predictions for the driver's championship:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - Last year is behind him. He is very comfortable with this year's car and says it's like a racing car used to be years ago. The Iceman cometh.
   
2. Fernando Alonso - Is there any better driver to take a car that is merely 'good' and make it a championship contender?
   
3. Robert Kubica - BMW's plan has been to fight for wins and the championship this year, and Kubica can do it if he has the car.
   
4. Jenson Button - He's always had the talent but never had the car. If Brawn GP can find funding to develop the car at the same pace as their rivals, this could be Jenson's year.
   
5. Lewis Hamilton - Lewis has proven himself, but McLaren seem to be struggling this year. While they are sure to find pace in the car, will it be soon enough?
   
6. Felipe Massa - He drove like a champion in the second half of last year, but Kimi's resurgence could get the better of his emotions.
   
7. Jarno Trulli - While he is a very quick driver with a car that has surprised in Winter testing, Toyota will be hard pressed to consistently give Trulli a competitive car throughout the season.
   
8. Heikki Kovalainen - He can be as good as Hamilton, but he'll need better luck than he had last year, and he'll need McLaren to let him reach his potential.
   
9. Sebastian Vettel - Even though Red Bull seems to be down in the midfield, this kid can and will drive anything faster than was thought possible. Keep an eye on him.
   
10. Nick Heidfeld - Quick Nick will be a great second driver in a great team.

One driver who can't go unmentioned is Nico Rosberg. He is a true talent that can win races if given the proper equipment. Let's hope that Williams have done their homework and produced a car worthy of the old days.

2009 Driver Lineup

The majority of seats have been confirmed for 2009, but there are still a few question marks.

Renault: Ok, no question here as they just announced their lineup last Wednesday. We all knew that the best choice for Alonso was to stay at home with the Regie. Unlike McLaren, Renault work very well with Fernando, and why would they let him go a second time? He's shown that he is undoubtedly the best development driver in the paddock, and the tenacity he shows on track lap after lap rivals only Michael. But Piquet? Really? Aside from Japan, he's been a blight on the team pretty much all year, and not since the early 90's has a driver been out qualified by his team mate every single race of the season. He drove an ok race in Germany to capture a podium, but that was all down to luck. Surely Flavio isn't going soft even after the way he treated Kovalainen the first half of last year. Maybe they just want Fernando to know that he's definitely the number one driver?

Toro Rosso: Please, just please hang onto Sebastian Bourdais. Unless you're Lewis Hamilton, it takes you a while to acclimatise yourself to F1. He showed promise early in the season, fell off when the new car was introduced, then put in some really strong performances starting in Belgium. And he's a four-time Champ Car champion - I don't see how you can go wrong. Could Sato be the right man for the second seat? He's a bit on the wild side when in a sub-standard car, but he would bring experience to a still young team while still having the aggressive qualities of a young driver. Still, there is plenty of young talent on the way up.

Honda: Jenson seems to be in, although there were brief rumors that he might be shown the door. It's ludicrous that there was even mention of this, because the guy can drive a racecar with the best of them. He's shown to be a great driver in the wet (especially in Hungary '06), and let's not forget who scored the most points of any driver in the second half of the 2006 season. Going back further, his first win could have been at Monza in 2004 were it not for the ridiculous speed of the Ferraris. Rubens, on the other hand, might want to be getting his retirement plans in order. Honda have been very open about finding someone new, and the most experienced driver on the grid is not likely to get faster. Like Toro Rosso, they have plenty of choices, mainly in the form of Bruno Senna and Lucas Di Grassi. However, they should realize that no driver (even Fernando, Ross Brawn) will be able to challenge for podiums if the car is another disaster.