| Just 21 days to go to the first Formula One race of 2007. What's the scene? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This year's F1 season is being widely regarded as a different animal from usual. Not in the dog versus mutant dog sense, but more like dog versus big cat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The factors being credited with this development "" mostly regarded as a good thing "" include sweeping rule changes, multiple new driver-car combinations, the availability of just one tyre brand and the retirement of Michael Schumacher. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The rule book According to the engine freeze rule, the engine used in the last two races of 2006 will have to do. And not just for '07, but right through to the 2010 season. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Originally designed to cut development costs, some limited engine development will be allowed, under FIA's watchful scrutiny. However, engine blowouts on Friday will return to fashion and will go unpenalised. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The rule means drivers can afford to have the valves pop out on Friday, or use an alternative engine for Friday work, and save the actual engine for the race. Oh, and both Friday practice sessions are now 90 minutes each (up 30 per session) and no third cars either (third drivers still allowed). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Now that Bridgestone is F1's only tyre supplier, each team will only get two tyre specs per event, up to fourteen sets per driver per weekend. The drivers, it appears, are expected to use both the specifications during the race. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diving into the pit lane under the safety car won't be a 2007 feature. No cars may enter pitlane till the whole field has collected behind the safety car and all lapped backmarkers will be required to overtake the leaders and rejoin at the back. Ostensibly, this will clear up the confusion that accompanies safety car periods with cars leaping to the pits and backmarkers holding up leaders. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the car there are two major safety changes, one is an in-cockpit LED flag signals for the driver. The other is a medical warning light that tells safety marshals the severity of the crash. The crash tests have been made more stringent as well.
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| Team spirit Perhaps the biggest changes that will headline the 2007 season are Alonso's move to McLaren and Raikkonen's move to Ferrari. Both great drivers will be in new cars and the results could be unpredictable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pundits are already speculating on whether the always quick Finn will finally get a car he can win in on a regular basis and handle the pressure that comes with being a) Michael Schumacher's replacement and b) a star driver at Ferrari. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| And whether the dominant Spaniard made the mistake of going to a team which has struggled over the past two seasons to offer a fast and reliable car. McLaren also took on the services of F1 rookie Lewis Hamilton. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the top three teams, the other question that will be answered once racing gets underway is the Heikki Kovalainen/ Fisichella combine at Renault. Fisichella's team leading skills will be under scrutiny from the F1 world, and Kovalainen's cockpit skills are regarded as flashy and effective, but not in F1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Also in the speculation is Mark Webber who will have the Adrian Newey designed Red Bull RB3 with a Renault engine. Then there are the perennial race winner tips, including Button/Rubens at Honda. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Meanwhile, the rejuvenated AT&T Williams squad (with our very own Narain Karthikeyan in testing duties) has been racking up impressive times at test and is being tipped as the 2007 dark horse. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toyota, too, are regarded as having a formidable race car, although their drivers "" Schumacher (only one racing now!) and Trulli "" have yet to prove themselves as regular race winners. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Our predictions If the Ferrari proves reliable, Kimi Raikkonen is our pick for the 2007 title. Ferrari have lost the services of master strategist Ross Brawn and weltmeister Michael Schumacher, but we believe their unmatched technical prowess demonstrated over the last few seasons will be enough. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kimi has to blitz the competition "" like he has shown he can over and over again "" and end the blitzkrieg at the chequered flag and not at the leading edge of a smoking engine fire. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alonso-McLaren is a bit of an unknown. Never short on power, the McLaren will be a fast race car but if reliability gremlins continue to fester at the Woking based team, it could scuttle Alonso's shot at a title hat-trick. Which brings us to Renault. Again, we are convinced that the car will probably be top-three material, but will either Kovalainen or Fisichella be consistent enough for a title shot? Probably not this year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Down the order, we expect Williams and Toyota to have strong showings. But the big surprise will be Red Bull. The new engine development rules will favour both private teams (manufacturers can't gain a deep-pocket advantage) and aerodynamics. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Red Bull effort is both. It has Adrian Newey "" widely regarded as F1's greatest aerodynamicist - and engines from Renault and Ferrari for the two teams. You couldn't ask for more, really.
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Seven up!
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First Published: Feb 24 2007 | 12:00 AM IST
