will RBR - Ferrari be competitive in 2007 and who will be the quickest driver?

[Pro Racer]

well i think they will be quick probably not win races but might get the occasional podium.

and i think webber will be the quicker of him and DC.

[kipper]

Firstly, the engine choice has yet to be confirmed although my hunch is that the Ferrari units will be going to Toro Rosso and Red Bull will be using Renault engines. As for their performances, regular points finishes must be the target and the occasional podium. As for which driver puts in the better performances, I'd imagine Coulthard will have the upper hand in the first couple of races, but thereafter there will be little difference between Webber and Coulthard.

[BootsOntheSide]

All the teams above Red Bull in the championship this year (apart from Williams) should be faster than them for much of the season, despite Adrian Newey. Honda and Toyora have got much more money to throw at their teams. 30 points would be an optimistic target for RBR and STR combined.

As for the Webber-DC battle, I'd expect Mark to come out on top. He's done nicely against Nico this year, adn David may be past his best.

[Pro Racer]

Originally Posted by kipper

Firstly, the engine choice has yet to be confirmed although my hunch is that the Ferrari units will be going to Toro Rosso and Red Bull will be using Renault engines.

on RPM out here in australia they in terviewed mark and this guy from RBR (forget his name) and they asked him which engine and he said red bull have a contract and we think we can honnor our them

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by pwr fan

well i think they will be quick probably not win races but might get the occasional podium.

and i think webber will be the quicker of him and DC.

A chance for the WDC ????

I think Mark will be as he is now, and DC the same.

[FPV GTHO]

Way too early to tell. RB have the availability to put alot behind the team, but look at this year. Once they realised the car was a dud, they put all their focus on 2007. If the same happens next year then i'd say they'll still toddle around behind the manufacturers.

My hope though is they can get into the mix of things. Last year they werent too shabby at all, quite often mixing it with Williams, Honda and Toyota.

[alesi95]

From the smug look on Mark Webbers face and the occasional thanking to Flavio Briatore for the opportunity i would guess RBR will be Renault powered next year.

[Chatters]

I agree with what kipper said in relation to the engine choice next year.

This looks like the perfect chance for Webber to snare some race wins, but I don't think a WDC is on the cards next year. He's 30 now, so something needs to happen quickly before he becomes "too old".

[FPV GTHO]

The perfect chance like Williams was supposed to be?

[jab]

How many years has Mark signed for?

I expect points finishes, but not wins for a year or 2 yet. But they'll fill the gap Williams are leaving/have left

[Splatz the Cow]

Both David and Mark are good at setting up cars, and that should be good for the team, but also mean that it will be pretty competitive between them.

They are really similar when you think about it; tall, old, fit, and well-spoken! Hopefully there driving styles will be complimentary to each other.

[ralf fan]

In theory RBR should be better than this year...with Adrian Newey at the helm. But things always dont work out the way its suppose to.... for one i doubt RBR can give Adrian the kind of facilities he had available at Mclaren and Williams. I can see them being regular points scorers next year with a couple of podiums.
As for the drivers... i expect Webber to be leaps ahead in qualifying but in terms of race pace and points i expect an even battle

[chillibowl]

f1-live.com are reporting that Christian Horner has claimed that RBR will in fact honour their 2007 Ferrari engine deal, here. although, i have not seen it reported anywhere else yet.

as for MW vs. DC in 2007. my vote has to go for DC, over the last 2 years he has shown a passion for racing i have not seen from Webber. i rate both, but this is very much a team that appears to be built around DC and i have to give him the advantage.

[chunterer]

They'll start off at simialr level but Mark will draw further ahead as the season goes on and in all probability drive DC into retirement, which will be a fair outcome and not something DC will be particularly ashamed of IMO.

[Knowlesy]

I don't think they will fly out of the blocks. But I expect a solid start with a build up of momentum over the year, in readiness for a 2008 title assault. Make no mistake, this is a team going places fast.

As for the driver battle, I see Webber just shading it. But it's rather like saying Ralf will beat Trulli. It's a conclusion that is about as exciting as drizzle - it is an average driver line-up that I expect will be a little different once RBR establish themselves as a threat.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by knowlesy

As for the driver battle, I see Webber just shading it. But it's rather like saying Ralf will beat Trulli. It's a conclusion that is about as exciting as drizzle

Funnily enough if it does drizzle then their battle could be quite entertaining as DC's pretty handy in the damp?

[Bononi]

I guess Mark Webber have to be better, after all he's returning to "home" !

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Bononi

I guess Mark Webber have to be better, after all he's returning to "home" !

But this time the grass won't be greener on the other side.

[Bononi]

Nope... Red Bull gives you wings !!!!

[Glen]

Webber will make DC look silly. Mark's an exceptional driver; a great loss to Williams and a major gain for Red Bull.

[Rex Judicata]

They have both had nice careers in F1. Neither will ever win a Championship, but they are some of the journeymen that keep the rest of the grid honest. The very young lions will cut their teeth on the pair, and the young lions are already eating them for lunch. They are developing the cars for the very young lions that may pass throught STR to RBR. Discussions of DC vs MW are about as exciting as watching grass grow. At least, we don't have to hear DC telling us that "This is my year."

[rocketracer]

Originally Posted by Rex Judicata

They have both had nice careers in F1.

nice is a word to describe a girlfriends haircut, and an incredibly inapt description of these drivers careers... unless being constantly beaten by your teammate is nice. Or driving in anticipation of mechanical failure is nice.

Originally Posted by Rex Judicata

The very young lions will cut their teeth on the pair, and the young lions are already eating them for lunch.

like who? klien? speed? Rosberg?

Originally Posted by Rex Judicata

They are developing the cars for the very young lions that may pass throught STR to RBR

like klien?

Originally Posted by Rex Judicata

Discussions of DC vs MW are about as exciting as watching grass grow

take some time in your garden today to get used to it then.... and if you dont find it fun - save yourself RSI and dont post in this thread!


On topic: dont be fooled by RBR's lull year this year - they have been very focussed on the longer term future. I expect them (alongside bmw) to be most improved teams for next year. They will have some teething problems, but they've got the right ingredients and long term desire to be more than just a decent team. Whatever the case, challenging in 08 will be their ideal scenario, and you'd have to say by hiring the Mclaren and Renault et al staff such as Newey that they are making some serious steps towards putting the right ingredients in place to make that happen.

If this is the case, then surely they wont want to have a completely new driver lineup in 08. So, you would expect with DC to be in the twilight of his career, that he will most likely miss out for 08. And Webber would be geared to be the experienced driver, probably partnering a "young (or is that very young) lion" such as liuzzi or similar. And if some predictions are true, then the bite marks will render webber without an arm or a leg and more significantly a drive for 09...

we'll see, but i think RBR have more potential at being a consistent top line contender in the next few years than a toyota or a honda. and if things fall in place, then we might see them fighting with a mclaren or a renault....

[knighty]

The whole engine supply saga to RBR is all quite interesting me thinks - as I understand it RBR are whinging that Ferrari are supplying them with motors that are purposely down on power from the ones the ferrari team use......well thats no surprise from ferrari.......

so they are looking at the renault engines for equality.......now if you were in flavios boots, you would be thinking "Adrian newey designed 2007 car with our top line engine spec.......those 2007 RBR's will be giving us trouble" - hence it would not surprise me in the slightest to see the same situation happen with low power Renault engines.

I cant help but think that Red bull should either throw money at cosworth......or even buy cosworth......also possibly poach a respected F1 engine designer (Ilien/Hilton), in order to get their own top line engine that they know for sure will be an un-biased supply deal

[FPV GTHO]

I think the engine freeze being brought forward a year has negated the effect of different spec engines.

[Rex Judicata]

Originally Posted by knighty

The whole engine supply saga to RBR is all quite interesting me thinks - as I understand it RBR are whinging that Ferrari are supplying them with motors that are purposely down on power from the ones the ferrari team use ... well thats no surprise from ferrari.

Ah yes, anything to do with Ferrari MUST have some sort of conspiracy theory associated with it - they just seem to come out of the woodwork.