Here it is, another year and another season of racing is upon us.  Endurance racing is on its merry way and NASCAR is revving up as well.  Now on to the important stuff, Formula One is starting back up.  The season is only a few weeks away (or more) and testing is well underway, and as testing goes, almost all the teams are in shape to win the title.  That is why just about every team will say not to put too much into testing.  Many faces this season are the same and there are some new ones, as well as the return of German Nick Heidfeld.  And what season would not be complete if the rumors to replace poor Massa did not surface.

Rules have been altered some in an attempt to increase passing but many of the drivers are leery.  The change that I am most looking forward to is the adoption of the ‘movable’ rear wing.   Drivers will have the ability to alter the down-force on the rear wing when in close quarters in order to make a move for position.  One thing the wing will not take into consideration is the ability of the driver being passed.  KERS also makes a comeback this year.  For those not versed in this technology, it allows energy built up under breaking to be stored for later use.  The temporary increase in horsepower can be used in the straights to help gain position and make the pass.   The last time KERS was available, not all the teams made use of it and those that had it, suffered a weight penalty making it not that big of a performance gain, since all the increase from straight line speed was lost in the turns.  Formula One tracks have a lot of turns.   Refueling is still left out this year but new tire supplier, Pirelli, brings a new twist to the battle of the pits.  Many of the drivers are liking the new rubber but most all of them are talking about the shorter life compared to the Bridgestones of last season.  This could be a win for the fans as the cars will have to make an extra stop or two for new tires, possibly erasing some of the large leads that cars up front could gain.  With the new toys available to increase passing many drivers are not very optimistic that it will happen, especially among the top cars.   I’m pretty sure I think I heard Sauber pilot Kobayashi state that he will show them how its done.

Two major things have happened recently that will have a major impact on the season.  First, there was the accident involving Renault Lotus driver Robert Kubica.  While racing in a rally event in Italy, the car crashed, sending the Pole to the hospital to have several surgeries to save his hand.  As much as he wants to return, Nick Heidfeld should occupy the seat for the season.  You can take the driver out of the race but you can not take the race out of the driver.  Get well Robert but take your time, we will keep the seat warm for you.  Then that brings us to the other major news to start the season, political unrest.  The season kicks off in Bahrain, a wealthy kingdom in the Middle East that has not escaped the unrest that has taken over a large part of the region. Word is to come soon from the all mighty troll, Ecclestone, on whether or not the unrest will pose a risk to the safety of everyone involved.  Do we really need to think about this?  The people of a country are revolting against tyranny and we have to think about having a race in the midst of a revolution is a good idea or not?

So as the season eventually gets under way, two story lines emerge: Can Vettel repeat and can Schumacher return to the form that he showed while at Ferrari.  My thoughts: double no.  Schumacher will have a much better year than last but the Mercedes will not be able to keep up with the rest of the pack.  Will we see him win another race? I believe so but not in the capacity needed to win a title.  Will Vettel be able to defend his title and bring it home again this year?  No.  The Red Bull will still be the car to beat this year but Webber may have something to say about it.   Vettel shows the ability to win while out in front and can defend position well.  One thing that he has shown is the inability to gain position among the top of the pack.  Last season, a trail of carnage was usually left in the wake of a passing attempt.  Time will tell if he can over come this one flaw in his quest to be a name to remember in this sport. Let us not forget that he is already being talked about in a move to Ferrari.  Will poor Massa ever get a chance again? Not while he is in a car painted red, that is for certain.

Oh, and there is this little naming thing between Lotus Renault and Renault Lotus. The first is green and the other is black. Just remember that and hopefully something will get figured out. Most likely in a court somewhere.

Before the season even begins, here are my predictions for this season (discuss among yourselves and report back):

Manufacturer Predictions:                                     Driver Predictions (Top 5 only)

1) Red Bull                                                                                1.) Mark Webber
2.) McLaren                                                                             2.) Lewis Hamilton
3.) Renault Lotus                                                                   3.) Jenson Button
4.) Ferrari                                                                                 4.) Nick Heidfeld
5.) Mercedes                                                                           5.) Sebastian Vettel
6.) Force India
7.) Williams
8.) Sauber
9.) Torro Rosso
10.)Lotus Renault
11.) Virgin
12.) HRT

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