THE 2007 DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP GAMBLE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pos | Driver | Total | MBi | DS | TM | JN | RB | BT | MBo | GF | PE | CS | TO | ML | MG | MBe | RS | DW | TK | WG | ||||
1 | Raikkonen | 76 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | ||||
2 | Massa | 67 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | ||||
= | Alonso | 67 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||||
4 | Kovalainen | 17 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||
5 | Hamilton | 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||
6 | Kubica | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
7 | Heidfeld | 8 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
= | Fisichella | 8 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | Button | 3 | 1 | 2 |
THE 2007 CONSTRUCTORS' CHAMPIONSHIP GAMBLE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pos | Team | Total | MBi | DS | TM | JN | RB | BT | MBo | GF | PE | CS | TO | ML | MG | MBe | RS | DW | TK | WG | ||||
1 | Ferrari | 89 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||||
2 | McLaren | 69 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||||
3 | Renault | 50 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | ||||
4 | BMW | 41 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||||
5 | Honda | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
6 | Williams | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Red Bull | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Toyota | 1 | 1 |
This task of predicting the 'top fives' before the season has even started has always been fiendishly difficult. In fact, it's always been a fool's errand. But do it we must, because the editor says so! So I've done it. Am I confident that I'm right? No! But my reasoning is as follows:
Alonso will be champion again because he's the most complete driver and because the McLaren has been very impressive in testing, despite Raikkonen's genius and the Ferrari's evident pace (quicker by the week, seemingly). Having said that, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it ended up the other way around: Kimi can be champ as long as he keeps his head - but will he?
Undoubtedly, Ferrari will be very strong - and I think Massa's greater experience (over Hamilton) will edge their points total above McLaren's in the constructors' championship. The BMW will be as quick as the Renault, but not as reliable. And Williams will come out a smidgen ahead in an extremely tightly contested midfield battle involving themselves, Toyota, Honda and Red Bull.