2008 Bahrain GP preview: predictions

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What are your predictions for the Bahrain Grand Prix?

Here’s who I think will win – place your bets below…

I think Bahrain will be the first race where we see a straight fight between Ferrari and McLaren without the mayhem we saw at Melbourne or the penalties at Sepang getting in the way.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see the Ferraris lining up on the front row of the grid with the McLarens on the second, unless BMW are going to try their aggressive low-fuel first stint strategy again.

Felipe Massa just can’t make the kind of mistakes he’s made in the last two races but I think he will play it conservatively just to get some points on the board. That will allow Lewis Hamilton into second place – but I don’t think he’s going to be able to keep up with Kimi Raikkonen.

Despite their troubles at Sepang I’m not writing off Williams yet – I think Nico Rosberg will qualify inside the top ten and drivers like him, Jarno Trulli and Mark Webber are going to be headache for Fernando Alonso who’s Renault just doesn’t seem to be quick enough yet. Bringing the car home in the top eight will be an achievement for the former champion.

My top three prediction:

1. Kimi Raikkonen
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Felipe Massa

What’s yours?

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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46 comments on “2008 Bahrain GP preview: predictions”

  1. 1. Raikkonen
    2. Hamilton
    3. Heidfeld

    Massa will bring home some points, but BMW continues their string of podiums and keeps the championship race close.

  2. I’m going out on a limb here and say:

    1. Raikkonen
    2. Hamilton
    3. Kovalainen

    I don’t think Massa will get it this time either. Sand + No TC = not a good place for Felipinho

  3. Realistic:
    1.- Raikkonen
    2.-Hamilton
    3.-Massa/Kova

    but i think  another 2nd place for Nick won’t be a big surprise… I really hope he’ll make into the podium again, or at least Kubica.

  4. 1. kovalainen
    2. hamilton
    3. heidfeld

  5. Good Keith, Let’s talk a little about race. Last year Lewis followed Felipe all through the first stint and in some laps has done some pressure making fastest laps. I´m not convinced yet that the two teams have switched their 2007 tracks high performance as someone’s has suggested. So, I think that Felipe will fail in his confidence in Bahrain leaving Kimi alone in field. And McLaren could fight Kimi in a fuel strategy to beat him using his two boys. I think McLaren is going to win then: – Lewis – Kimi – Heikki

  6. 1. Massa
    2. Kimi
    3. Kubica

    Risky prediction (i know)

  7. Kimi
    Hamilton
    Rosberg

    Trulli in the points.

  8. Thing with last year is that I seem to remember Lewis wasn’t too bad in the first/last stint but he struggled with his tyres in the middle (were they hard or softs?) .Otherwise he could have probably beat Massa and I agree with Becken that not a lot has changed in terms of Ferrari/McLaren tracks but I think the differences between the two are much less.

    I’m going to suggest Felipe to take the pole but for Hamilton to win the race , Raikonnen will be second and possibly Kovy for third place…

  9. 1 – Raikonen
    2 – kovalainen
    3 – hamilton

  10. Frecon, that may indeed be bold, but I like it. I was thinking either of the BMW drivers in third- Heidfeld just came to mind first for me.

  11. TommyBellingham
    4th April 2008, 0:33

    Kimi
    Massa
    Hamilton

  12. Franck Favennec
    4th April 2008, 1:15

    I think the result will be 1 Raikkonnen 2 Massa 3 Kovalainen

  13. 1. Kovalainen
    2. Kimi
    3. Heidfeld

    Pole – Felipe, but spins off on first corner

  14. 1)Massa
    2)Barrichello
    3)Piquet

    You need to be impartial to made a racional prediction. 

  15. I’m wih Bigotez, Keith:

    1. Raikkonen
    2. Hamilton
    3. Kovalainen

    I think Massa will struggle again, and that we will see both BMW’s in 5th and 6th. Alonso will have a hard time again.

  16. Ben Goldberg
    4th April 2008, 5:01

    I want Kimi to win, but I get the feeling that Massa is going to win like last year. So if none of that unpredictable stuff happens…

    1. Massa
    2. Raikkonen
    3. Kovalainen

  17. 1. Kimi
    2. Kovalainen
    3. Heidfeld/Trulli
    ie if sand does not play a huge role and we have a decent no. of race finishes

    1. Kimi
    2. Kovalainen
    3. Alonso
    if we have a case of Aus all over again (<10 finishers)

  18. Raikkonen
    Kovalainen
    Massa

    … he has to finish the race one day :-)

  19. 1. Massa.
    2. Kimi.
    3. Hamilton.

  20. I think Massa may genuinely have a problem with no TC, but I also think he may be capable of bouncing back under pressure. Ferrari all the way for me, so 1. Massa, 2. Hamilton, 3. Kubica. Raikkonen with some (mechanical) problems in 4th and both Williams’ in the points. Pole to Massa by .003.

  21. Williams are looking good… I think Rosberg might get onto the podium, but only if a Ferrari or Mclaren has problems.

  22. 1. kimi
    2. lewis
    3. heikki
    4. nick
    5. robert
    6. massa after a spin

  23. Votes for the winners so far:

    Kimi Raikkonen 12
    Felipe Massa 5
    Heikki Kovalainen 2
    Lewis Hamilton 1

    Any more?

  24. Massa
    Kimi
    kovalainen

  25. Assuming Massa keeps it all pointing in the right direction he will do well, but not enough to beat Kimi – and McLaren don’t seem to have enough pace to trouble either of them at the moment.

    1.  Kimi
    2.  Massa
    3.  Heikki

  26. 1 Kimi
    2 Massa
    3 Hamilton

    I think Massa will play it safe, but the Mac’s just don’t seem to have the pace to challenge the Ferrari’s

  27. Hamilton
    Massa
    Kimi
    Heikki

  28. theRoswellite
    4th April 2008, 14:33

    Hamilstud…makes rare unforced error.

    Kimiking…has luck "desert" him.

    Massaster…gets sand in his eyes.

    So,  we end up with:      Heikki hikes unto top step
                                             The Fortunate One, RK, is a Place
                        ….and………..Trulli finally, and truly, rewards Mr. T
    All for the good of the Realm.

  29. My prediction:
    1.Kimi
    2.Kovaleinen
    3.Hamilton
    DNF(Spin):Massa

    And the daft crazy not thinking straight prediction goes as:
    1.Kubica
    2.Trulli
    3.Alonso
    DNF(Spin):Massa

  30. I think its time for Massa

    1-Massa
    2-Raikonen
    3-Kovalainen

  31. 1. Kubica
    2. Raikkonen
    3. Hamilton

  32. 1. Massa
    2. Raikkonen
    3. Hamilton

  33. Edinburger Neil
    4th April 2008, 17:16

    I think !

    1. Massa
    2. Hamilton
    3. Kovaleinen

  34. 1. Raikkonen 2. Massa 3. Kubica 4. Kovalainen 5. Heidfeld 6. DNF – Hamilton

  35. Massa on pole;

    1. Kimi
    2. Massa
    3. Hamilton

  36. Raikkonen will always be faster than Massa in a race, and Kovaleinen will start to regularly beat Lewis, so 1. Kimi, 2. Massa, 3. Heikki.

  37. Lady Snowcat
    4th April 2008, 18:19

    Kimi
    Massa
    Heikki

    Well Massa has to finish a race soon…. doesn’t he?….

  38. 1. Hamilton
    2.Massa
    3. Rosberg

  39. kimi
    Hamilton
    Robert

  40. hamilton – kimi – heidfeld

  41. AmericanTifosi
    4th April 2008, 19:41

    Kimi
    Heikki
    Robert

    Hamilton is going to get punished for changing his engine and gearbox from his crash. Massa will crash. Nick or Nico will come in third, Jenson will score points both Torro Rossos will finish in the points or not finish at all.

  42. hummm… I think Lewis can´t be punished…

  43. nice to see someone else trusting BMW and picking Robert to make the podium

  44. 1. Raikonnen2. Rosberg3. Massa

  45. 1)Raikonnen
    2)Heidfeld
    3)Hamilton/Kovalainen

  46. 1. Kimi
    2. Massa
    3. Lewis.

    Massa will take pole, but Kimi will leapfrog him in the pits. The Mclaren’s will have a relatively lonely race – too far behind the Ferraris to challenge, but faster than the Beemers.

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