Conference krakar::f1

	I'll have a go. Most teams seem to have improved their
	cars enormously over the winter, and there's the added 
	complication of how the Bridgestone tyres will show in
	the races. In testing Bridgestones have been most 
	impressive. Only when "the flag drops and the guessing
	stops" will we really know who has something in reserve
	and who hasn't.

	I wouldn't want to go against Williams as being the 
	most consistent and quickest team around. Villeneuve
	may start better than Frentzen but later on I think
	the order will change. Benetton could triumph but their
	drivers are the problem. Alesi is too erratic and Berger
	often lacks motivation. If however he gets off to a good 
	start Berger could challenge the Williams.

	McLaren are next. Good trouble free tests with a car that
	observers thought to have something in reserve. Expect 
	lots of consistent good finishes. The Jordan drivers 
	lack experience but are no mean performers and the car 
	is now described as 'more driveable' than last years erratic
	performer. May do well, may not finish.

	Only Schumachers brilliance will extract anything from 
	this years unreliable and unstable car. Taking Irvines times
	as a guide it's very midfield, moreso than it was last year.

	The star of 97 may well prove to be Panis in the Prost-Ligier.
	Extremely fast in testing, the only real question is whether
	its Bridgestones can do in the race what they have in testing.
	With Prost (presumably) helping with development we might
	see an awful lot of the blue car this year. Nakano though
	is an unknown quantity.

	Disaster of the year will be Hill in the Arrows. A string
	of poor qualifications and DNFs will get a lot of publicity
	in the UK, where unfortunately the public do tend to think
	that its drivers that win races rather than cars.

	-John

    
  Benetton : I think this will be a good year for them. Berger showed a lot
    of enthusiasm last year and I believe he could well be a potential
    champion this. Alesi will test Briatore's man management skills again. 
    
  McLaren : If McLaren can produce a decent chassis this year they too
    could spring a surprise. Hakkinen put in some great performances
    last year in some poor, if powerful, machinery. Increased Mercedes
    power and a better car could bring Mika the drivers championship.
    Coulthard needs a good season after last year. 
    
  Williams : I remain to be convinced about Frentzen. Although he's quick
    I think he's unreliable and not guaranteed to finish races.
    Villeneuve will improve his performances and is probably hot favourite
    for the drivers title. However, wether the Williams will be as good 
    now that Newey is sidelined remains to be seen. That said, I wouldn't
    bet against Williams winning the constructors championship.
    
  Prost GP : Panis already looks the surprise package of 97. Wether this
    is a flash in the pan or he can sustain it, who knows. Unless they
    get success early in the season, Prost may decide that he should 
    spend most of his effort on getting the car ready for next year and the
    Pug engines.
    
    
  Ferrari : It seems unlikely that Schumacher won't win a race doesn't it?
    But how many could he win? Less than last year's three would be a
    disaster and I think that it could happen. Improvements at Benetton
    and McLaren could well put the squeeze on Ferrari. Expect to see 
    Schumacher being given the pip.
    
  Jordan : I suspect they'll have another poor season. Eddie seems to build
    cars that look good but don't stand up to GPs. The probable loss of
    Pug engines and $$$ next year will also be a distraction.
    
  Arrows : Some have called this a big gamble by Damon. I don't think �6m
    is a gamble, it's a gimme. This will probably be a poor season, but
    Walkinshaw knows what it takes and I think he's got what it takes.
    It was TWR engineers and designers - and Tom's astuteness in pinching
    Schumacher from Jordan that put Benetton on the map. With the best
    test driver around and some canny dealing in the engine department,
    season '98 could see TWR in amongst it. 
    
  Stewart : A podium finish in a three car race will be a good result
    for them this season.
    
    

    My 2p's woth of guesses:
    
    Benetton: Berger will be settled enough to make a good showing. Alesi's
    flashes of brilliance will surface occasionally. 3rd in constructors.
    
    McLaren: Big improvement this season. More podium finishes. 4th.
    
    Williams: I'm not convinced about Frentzen. Erratic behaviour will see
    few finishes. Villeneuve may win the drivers championship, but I think
    Frentzen will deny Frank the constructors. 2nd.
    
    Prost: As .2 I think they have a good chance of podium finishes,
    depending on the tyres. If the tyres are good then they may get the
    constructors. I feel they may have the best package overall, including
    a figurehead that the team and the (French) nation can get behind.
    
    Ferrari: As good as last season, maybe a little better. Schu may start
    getting fed up as the season progresses. Irvine will have a much
    improved season.
    
    
    Arrows: Lets see how Hill contributes to the development of the car.
    Not a contender, but should improve as the season moves on, maybe a
    podium finish or two. Lots of DNFs, Hill must remember that other
    drivers will not pull over just because he was WC last year!
    
    Stewart: Tiffs in the team will not affect them. As Arrows, they will
    form a solid backbone to the middle runners.
    
    Jordan: May push Williams into 3rd. The team to watch after ProstGP.
    
    We shall see!!!
    
    
    	Jon.
     

    And another one...
    
    Williams:
    
    Start like a train, if a little fragile. Villeneuve well in the lead by
    mid season, Frentzen steady Top 3 finishes, 1 or 2 wins. Get
    progressively caught later in the season as the lack of Newey kicks in,
    but still take the constructors title and JV is WC.
    
    Ferrari:
    
    Very like last season, with Irvine getting the rubbish car while they
    sort out Schum's. Get stronger as the season goes on but never quite
    able to run with an on song Williams. Schu runner up again.
    
    Benetton:
    
    Better than last year but not Championship material. Solid record of
    podium finishes gives them runner up in the Constructors, should win
    one or two.
    
    McLaren:
    
    Will run consistently in the Top 6 and one or both drivers will
    regularly feature on the podium. May sneak a win if the others hit
    trouble.
    
    Jordan:
    
    Cars will perform for a change but will let down by driver
    inexperience. Lots of early season offs, combined with some excellent
    qualifying positions. Will be poised for the big time next year but
    will lose their engine and will be back to square one.
    
    Prost:
    
    Panis will be a podium finisher at least 4 or 5 times and could win if
    it is wet in the early races. Car will be solidly in the top 10 all
    season.
    
    Sauber:
    
    Will embarrass Ferrari early in the season but fade as the engine gets
    a bit left behind. Will be regularly in the top 10 in qualifying and
    score a few points.
    
    Arrows:
    
    Will go for a conservative start and may sneak into the top 6 in Oz. If
    the Yamaha can be pursuaded to stay together they have the resources to
    be in the top 6 by season's end. Hill will *always* out qualify Diniz,
    barring mechanical or meteorological catastrophe, will prove his true
    worth as a driver and be in a Benetton or McLaren in 1998.
    
    Minardi:
    
    Best season for years - score some points but still be nowhere near the
    front
    
    Stewart:
    
    Thoroughly professional but not in a position to be in the mix for
    points until mid season. Magnussen to outshine Barrichello
    
    Tyrrell:
    
    Like Minardi - best season for a long time - Salo could get a podium in
    an atritional race, but not up there with the big boys
    
    Lola:
    
    Learning year basically throwing $$$ into a test program at real races.
    Will not qualify much during the first half of the year but will get
    better after Silverstone.
    
    Now to be proven totally wrong!
    
    Paul

    Her's my words of wisdom ;')
    
    I think JV and Williams will dominate even more than last year. HHF will 
    not come up to standards and will have quite a few off track travels.
    
    Benetton will be fast this year but I have yet to see either of their
    drivers put in a full race let alone a full season of error free
    driving. 
    
    Ferrari I think will be the main competition for Williams if they hold
    together, I do not see them holding together for a full season.
    
    Jordan has the 2 new rookies and I see this will be their down fall
    with the drivers trying too hard causing many mistakes. R_SCH will have
    trouble living in his brother's shadow, a big shadow to fill and nobody
    will give him the time. We forget how long it took Michael to mature
    and win. last year we saw pressure on Villenueve he came through the
    first year. We will see the same on the little Schu with slower 
    equipment. He's got to brake.
    
    Prost racing I don't know, Ligier couldn't get it together I can't see
    how Prost will make it happen, not the first year anyway.
    
    Arrows, they've been back markers for ever, I don't see anything that
    has changed. Hill will find it takes more than a good driver and it
    sounds like the Yamaha isn't going to help
    
    Stewart racing I will have to wait on this team, can't see much the
    first year.
    
    Lola I think have bit off more than they can chew they have tried a few
    times before when it was eisier to compete and failed. I see them having
    trouble making the 107 %.
    
    Maclaren I think will be the most improved. Now that they have the
    silver of the great MERC I think they will have the power. The team has
    always been there near the top or at the top. I think this will be the
    come back year.
    
    There it is in black and white.
    Fred
                           

    
    My slightly biased opinion :-
    
    Mclaren should win the championship - the Mercedes star and Silver paint
    job are very significant - with a drivers title for Hak and third or
    possibly runners up for Coulthard.
    
    Williams will make a good start, but will tail off after 2 or 3 races as
    new developments - without Newey, remember - either aren't forthecoming
    or fail on the track. When things start to go wrong I doubt the drivers
    have the experience to pin-point the problems and get them fixed.
    
    Benneton - reasonably solid performance from both drivers, consistently
    top 6 with a few podiums; runner up in the constructors.
     
    Ferrari - continued improvement, but with only one good car again, Irvine
    will struggle; runner up or 3rd in the drivers for Schu.
    
    TWR/Arrows - a full season of race length tests should prove useful for
    1998.
    
    Stewart - a few top 6 finishes, with the odd podium when the
    Bridgestones really make a difference. Reasonably solid start for a
    first season.
    
    PGP - unlikely to to anything that Ligier didn't unless the
    Bridgestones make a real difference - and even if they do can the
    drivers take advantage ? - the odd top 6 finish but nothing to write
    home about.
    
    Jordan - a lot of offs as Ralf tries to gwet to grips with F1 and
    living with his brothers reputation, coupled with engine problems I
    doubt they'll score a point in 97.
    
    Sauber - could well have their best season yet, if the engines hold up.
    
    Tyrell - with two reasonable drivers they could get an odd top 6
    finish, but I doubt the Ford V8 will be on the pace of the Merc,
    Ferrari & Renault powered cars.
    
    Lola - unlikely to score at all unless the Bridgestones make a real
    difference in the wet.
    
    If that isn't the kiss of death for Mclarens title hopes, I don't know
    what is %^/
    
    Graham
    

Consistency will be keyword this season for all teams
This will be closest season for some time

Villeneuve has reputation for fastest , but not the most conservative
of drivers and with Frentzen will probably not secure Team championship
for Williams

Best bet is on Maclaren for team honours as the two drivers will be on 
podium more regularly than any other team as team is stabilised and is now
competitive

Jordan, Ferrari and Beneton will push the two above for honours with Prost/
Ligier picking up some honours (expect Panis to be in top 5 drivers)

As for WC odds on Villenueve, but I would not be surprised to see Hakkinen pip
him at the post

Alan

    RE: the last couple.
    
    Does the silver paint have a better aerodynamic qualiity or
    something!!??
    
    		Jon.
    

    I'd guess some people at Marlboro must have been feeling a bit
    silly yesterday.... 

    Don't know about the silver paint, but I did read an article about F1 a
    couple of weeks ago, where they discussed some of the changes at
    Mclaren. One of them was use Gold Leaf (�30k worth/car !) as a heat
    shield instead of the aluminium used by other teams - Benneton
    commented that they had considered it but it dodn't give enough of a
    benefit so they didn't use it, perhaps they'll have a rethink now !
    
    
    G.