SimHQ.com - Motorsports Zone - Feature: F1 2004 Season Preview

When the F2004 was unveiled a collective sigh of relief went around the other teams. Despite Jean Todt's claims of a "surprising" front wing the Ferrari looked very similar to last year's car. The idea of evolution rather than revolution seems to be reflected in the times shown on track with Barrichello and Schumacher both setting respectable times but neither driver setting the track alight (although they showed a turn of speed in their last test at Imola). Now BAR have defected to Michelin Ferrari are the last of the potential regular podium finishers still on Bridgestone tyres. This looks to have been a poor move as Michelin are now clearly superior to Bridgestone in the dry and are looking to be catching up in the wet too. Despite the talent and speed in the team this looks to be Ferrari's least impressive season since 1999.

1. M. Schumacher

A clear sign of what Michael Schumacher thought of the new car was in his coming back early from his winter break in order to iron out some of the car's wrinkles. There is no doubt that in wet races and on certain track surfaces Schumacher is going to run and hide. Despite this even Schumacher's brilliance cannot escape the fact that the team are on the wrong tires this season. Schumacher will win several races this year but it seems unlikely that he will win the title though the team may still have a crack at the constructor's championship.

2. Barrichello

Brilliant in Suzuka Rubens was re-signed with Ferrari until the en of 2006 before any other teams could get a look in. It was well known that Williams were looking at hiring the Brazilian star and many thought it a pity that Rubens decided to take Ferrari's mega bucks instead of crossing to the Grove squad. With speculation still rife as to when Schuey is thinking of calling it a day Rubens could well capitalize and put himself in with a chance of the title should he pick up some decent mid season results. Ultimately it looks likely that Rubens will again play bridesmaid to team Schuey. At least there is no Austrian Grand Prix for Rubens to surrender this year!

Williams (Dark Blue & White with Compaq & Allianz graphics)

Easily the most distinctive car on the track this year the FW26 has been described as revolutionary by some an butt-ugly by most! BMW is easily the most prepared engine for the new season and it is hard to see a chink in the armour of the Grove squad except for the one point which has dogged him for the last 20 years. Both drivers have a poor relationship with the team! Just like Jones in 81, Piquet and Mansell in 87 & 92, Prost in 93 and Hill in 96 should Montoya (or possibly Ralf Schumacher) win the title this year the number one will not be on a Williams next year. Montoya is off to McLaren and Ralf is threatening to head to Toyota. These poor relations and lack of continuity within the team may well prove pivotal once the championship is heading down to the wire.

3. R. Schumacher

Although there can be little doubt that Ralf has an overblown sense of his own self-worth ($12 million per year seems just a little much for someone whose inconsistency from weekend to weekend makes him an outside shot at the title at best. It seems both Ralf and Williams are playing hardball over negotiations regarding next year's contracts and, with drivers available such as Mark Webber, Giancarlo Fisichella and possibly Jenson Button, it seems a very high risk strategy that Ralf is embarking upon. From the point of view of the season Ralf's contract negotiations should see him perform well in the early part of the year (Ralf is one of the best known drivers for putting in some dazzling performances around contract time). As the season wears on Ralf's inconsistency from weekend to weekend is likely to show again a it seems unlikely that he will be a serious threat for the title despite being in the best car.

4. Montoya

JPM's move to McLaren was one of the most surprising stories of the off season. This was not because of the deal itself (that had been known about since the British Grand Prix) but because McLaren had made it public knowledge over a year before JPM was set to join the ranks in Woking. Although both sides are strenuously denying it, McLaren's announcement is almost certainly because of a desire to unsettle the team and therefore aid the McLaren drivers in their quests for the championship. Montoya loves the new Williams and has bee quite impressive in testing, unfortunately as items for next year's car are necessarily hidden from him towards the e of the year so his testing workload will decrease and this may well affect his fight for the title.

McLaren (Grey with West graphics)

The men in black have been testing ore than any other team in a bid to properly prepare themselves for a serious tilt at the title. With a new car in MP4/19A (a highly developed version of last year's stillborn MP4/18) the team are hoping to have the fastest car in he field. Unfortunately all is not sunny at Woking, however. The new Mercedes engine has been anything but reliable and it is some ay down on the opposition in terms of horsepower as well. The chassis itself is a beaut, however, and when the team finish they are sure to score well. With reliability and finishing being all important this year that may not be good enough and it seems unlikely that the team will be able to mount a consistent challenge over the course of the season.

5. Coulthard

After 9 years DC's tenure as a McLaren driver is to finally come to an end this year. Coulthard is now McLaren's longest serving driver but he is anything but the most spectacular seemingly always to be the bridesmaid but never the bride when compared to his team mates Hakkinen and Raikkonen. This year seems unlikely to be different (although some have said that being a free agent for next season may be liberating for Coulthard. Coulthard seems unlikely to replace either Williams driver and his best bet currently seems to be with Toyota. A few wins may come his way but, after the problems with qualifying last season it is difficult to see Coulthard as a front runner this year.

6. Raikkonen

Last year's runner up in the title race, Kimi's produced a supremely mediocre performance compared to Barrichello and Coulthard to end the season on a relative low. Many are tipping Kimi for the title this year but, after setting the track alight in the early part of testing for this season, have looked distinctly flat footed of late. This could be McLaren sandbagging ahead of the season but this looks unlikely as their reliability hasn't been too hot either. The team may well come back after a somewhat stuttering start but, as they prove last year, trying to sort out problems on a car can take a long time & detract from developing the speed on the track.

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