Poll Will there be a new race winner in 2012?

[Viscount]

The past 42 races have been won by Vettel (18), Hamilton (7), Alonso (6), Webber (6), Button (5). With the 2012 grid supposedly going to be a lot closer than the previous few years I'm wondering if someone other than the drivers above will actually have the chance to win a race this year?

I really hope the cars are a lot closer this season to make things more interesting. Looking at the race times from last season, in a normal dry race no-one had the pace to get close to the top 3 teams apart from Renault at the start of the season. There were 8 races where only cars from Red Bull, McLaren or Ferrari finished within 1 minute of the race winner. Timewise the closest anyone outside of the top 5 drivers finished to the race winner was Schumacher's 4th place in Canada finishing 14.2s off of Button.

So, will Massa, Schumacher or Räikkönen return to their winning ways or will a new driver join the GP Winners list?

 

[teabagyokel]

• To win a race, Massa needs to finish ahead of his team-mate.
• Raikkonen, Schumacher and Rosberg need a car that will challenge, but I believe they all have the potential to win races (in Schumacher's case, it would be likely to be wet. In Raikkonen's case, it would be likely to be Spa.)
• I reckon if there is to be a Monza 2008 then there is a chance for Hulkenburg to take advantage, but obviously that is an incredible long shot.
• I doubt Williams or Caterham's ability to produce a car with even an outside chance in a monsoon (unless it is Maldonado in Monaco).

 

[Blog Zbod]

The past 42 races have been won by Vettel (18), Hamilton (7), Alonso (6), Webber (6), Button (5)....

And this after 30+ years of Bernie mucking about with the rules, trying to reduce the dominance of the major players. We all see how well that worked out, don't we?

Had it not been for Vettel's phantom gearbox menace at Brazil, all 19 races of the 2011 season would have been won by a WDC. I see little chance that any new faces will be visiting the podium this season.

 

[Andy Karter]

If the Ferrari doesn't improve over the season and is similar to the Lotus, FI and Mercedes on performance I can't see Massa getting in the top ten unless one or more of the other top cars drops out for whatever reason.

I see this as a bit of a make or break year for Rosberg as if he doesn't win this year I don't think he ever will.

 

[FB]

I'd love to see one of the Mercedes boys win a race this year but somehow I think it will just be the usual suspects (and, no, I don't think Keyser Soze will win a race!)

 

[Slyboogy]

Hm... I doubt there will be a new winner.

 

[Viscount]

Quite a few correctly went for Rosberg, unsurprisingly Maldonado wasn't a popular choice. I wonder if there'll be anymore new winners this season.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Perez almost won in Malaysia too, we could have had 3 different winners already.

 

[Josh]

Does Greenlantern101 know something we don't?

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Anyone fancy a bet on Romian Grosjean winning this season?

 

[Slyboogy]

The way he smiles, it's as if he's won every race already!

 

[Mephistopheles]

Hm... I doubt there will be a new winner.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Sorry about that Slyboogy

It wasn't funny...

 

[Slyboogy]

That was before I had my Rafiki avatar.

Yes I was wrong.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Well I haven't been right yet either because I said the Kimster, but there is still time..

 

[Kewee]

i've got a sneaking suspicion Pastor Maldonado might win one.

 

[RasputinLives]

psst Kewee - the voting is still open so do what I did and vote for him now and look like you knew all along

 

[Kewee]

Gottcha Ras. Done! By the way I enjoyed you post the Stats or the Stars. I also love stats and I will reply. You may even agree with some of what I'll have to say though not many will, but hey, why spoil a trend and suddenly say something everyone agrees with. I'll try to reply soon.

 

[MCLS]

• I doubt Williams or Caterham's ability to produce a car with even an outside chance in a monsoon (unless it is Maldonado in Monaco).

 

[teabagyokel]

I got the driver right