Ray S

Who will win?

I was in Japan for the last two races and all I can say is wow! This season is close and the racing has been fantastic.

ltc

Sato FTW

74goldtarga

Vettel and RBR about to put a stranglehold on the series I fear, but I hope not. Just for fun - podium is Kobayashi, Maldonado, Hamilton.

Virtual Surgeon

Go Hammy

FGL28

You forgot anybody but Alonso.

m73m95

Kimi's been too close. He has the track record. This will be his race

the flyin' scotsman

Lotus has shown to be very strong in the last race and test.

Then there's the Kimi factor..............all the way!!!

Flying Finn

Plus Kimi was drinking in Finland during the test... Kimi FTW!

multi21

It's really hard to predict what's going to happen at this race with the long break and everyone bringing in their new tweeks to their package for the start of the European season. Couple that with the in season testing to verify those improvements and there could really be some surprises this weekend.

I just hope it's not a boring race as this track has produced some real snoozers.

NoQuarter

Gotta go with the Iceman...

consolidated

Lotus and Ferrari made significant improvements in testing. Qualifying is going to be a lottery, top 8 separated by .5 seconds. It's going to be like the start of a new season given how tight the top of the points chart is. I have a feeling Kimi is going to take the pole, but Vettel the win.

ltc

Of course the Ferrari made significant improvement at Mugello.

The vig has been paid, the new Ferrari 2012 (which is basically a Sauber painted red with a Ferrari front wing, has been tacitly "approved" by Charlie Whiting. Plausible deniability, don't ask, don't tell.

From here out, Alonso will podium at each and every race, thus winning his 3rd WDC.

Ritter v4.0

The other Lotus driver.
If you think he's happy now, wait til he wins his first GP.

RajDatta

Alonso for the win
RG for 2nd
Hammy for 3rd

multi21

The Scuderia was admittedly reserved and basically told the world they would not do well to start this season and stated that they would be lucky podium. Although a difficult start, Ferrari grabbed a win in those away races. Based on this report, it appears Luca and Ferrari are more upbeat after the first in season testing in several years and a return to European soil.... Now the rest of the story....




Ferrari president confident ahead of Catalunya


Luca di Montezemolo and Fernando Alonso hope to see Ferrari challenge towards the front in Spain







Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has said the team appears more confident going into the Spanish Grand Prix after a tough start to the 2012 season.

The team has taken one victory this season thanks to a strong drive from Fernando Alonso in the Sepang rain but that win aside, 2012 has so far been a difficult one for the Maranello-based team with both Alonso and team-mate Felipe Massa struggling to challenge with the new F2012.

Ferrari bosses have readily admitted that they view the opening four races as a case of damage limitation and while he said he was shocked to see the team off the pace, di Montezemolo said he was confident of forward progress.

"I got a shock from the way we started, as I was not expecting it," he was quoted by ESPNF1. "I had in mind a different scenario. There have been four races and we have won one of them. So we are thereabouts and now we have to make a leap forward in terms of quality to have a more competitive car. I have noticed the engineers seem more confident and now we will see what happens in Spain."

Ferrari introduced a number of small upgrades onto the car at Mugello during testing last week and with the promise of more to come in Barcelona, Alonso said it was time for the team to turn things around.

“In Montmelo, we will be counting on making a step forward, but we won't know until Saturday if we have and if so, how big a step it is,” he said. “We have updates on the F2012, some of which we tested in Mugello last week and others which we will try out on Friday in free practice. Clearly, having limited the damage in the first four races this year, we must turn things around.

“Having said that, it's not the case that if we are not on pole in Barcelona then it's the end of the world. The important thing is to make progress, reducing the gap as much as possible, first this weekend, then again in Monaco and after that, in Montreal, Valencia, Silverstone. The season is very long, with sixteen races to go, the same number that constituted the entire calendar back in 2003. We must continue to work day and night.”