The 2013 Formula 1 season will begin March 15th with the Rolex Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. That’s right around the corner! We provided the TFLCar staff’s picks for the top three winners for the Driver’s Championship. Thanks to Formula1.com, we acquired a schedule and some publicity photos of most of the drivers we picked to win it all.
Check it out!
| 1 | 2013 FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX (Melbourne) | 15 – 17 Mar |
| 2 | 2013 FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX (Kuala Lumpur) | 22 – 24 Mar |
| 3 | 2013 FORMULA 1 UBS CHINESE GRAND PRIX (Shanghai) | 12 – 14 Apr |
| 4 | 2013 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX (Sakhir) | 19 – 21 Apr |
| 5 | FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2013 (Catalunya) | 10 – 12 May |
| 6 | FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO 2013 (Monte Carlo) | 23 – 26 May |
| 7 | FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2013 (Montréal) | 07 – 09 Jun |
| 8 | 2013 FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX (Silverstone) | 28 – 30 Jun |
| 9 | FORMULA 1 GROSSER PREIS VON DEUTSCHLAND 2013 (Nürburgring) | 05 – 07 Jul |
| 10 | TBA (TBA) Lots of rumors… no clue as to which one will be used. | 19 – 21 Jul |
| 11 | FORMULA 1 MAGYAR NAGYDÍJ 2013 (Budapest) | 26 – 28 Jul |
| 12 | 2013 FORMULA 1 SHELL BELGIAN GRAND PRIX (Spa-Francorchamps) | 23 – 25 Aug |
| 13 | FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA 2013 (Monza) | 06 – 08 Sep |
| 14 | 2013 FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX (Singapore) | 20 – 22 Sep |
| 15 | 2013 FORMULA 1 KOREAN GRAND PRIX (Yeongam) | 04 – 06 Oct |
| 16 | 2013 FORMULA 1 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX (Suzuka) | 11 – 13 Oct |
| 17 | 2013 FORMULA 1 AIRTEL INDIAN GRAND PRIX (New Delhi) | 25 – 27 Oct |
| 18 | 2013 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX (Yas Marina) | 01 – 03 Nov |
| 19 | 2013 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX (Austin) | 15 – 17 Nov |
| 20 | FORMULA 1 GRANDE PRÊMIO DO BRASIL 2013 (São Paulo) | 22 – 24 Nov |
Predictions?
Many of the cracker-jack staff members of TFLCar have their own way of predicting the top three drivers for the 2013 Formula 1 season.
Read on and bask in our insight… I almost said that with a straight face.
Andre Smirnov – TFLCar Senior Editor
1. Fernando Alonzo: Because he has been with Ferrari long enough to finally create a fast car that can win a championship. Fernando is still one of the greatest, and Felipe will back him up.
2. Sebastian Vettel: Because RedBull still has the money and the talent to remain near the top. And Sebastian has proven his skills time and time again.
3.Kimi Raikkonen No matter what anybody says – Kimi is still the “Iceman”. He simply will win because he never smiles in photographs. He has the experience and ice running through his veins to get consistent results.
P.S. I wanted to put Lewis Hamilton on this list, but I am afraid he will have some growing pains with his new Mercedes.
Daniel Buxbaum – TFLCar Writer
1.Sebastian Vettel: He’s been around for a while, is the reigning world champion (three times!), and was happy with the car at Jerez. Plus, he’s not being cocky about expecting to win. Respect.
2.Fernando Alonzo: Because he’s a seasoned veteran, and who doesn’t love Ferrari?
3.Kimi Raikkonen: He’s straight-edged and speaks his mind. No fluff, no BS. Unless he shows up to the race with a hangover, in which case, he’s off my list.
Michael Frank – TFLCar Writer
On the theory that consistency wins a lot of the time in a lot of racing, and that Red Bull was able to revise its cars faster than any other team last year…. and even with the new rules for 2013… I’m voting:
1. Vettel
2. Alonzo
3. Button (McLaren had an off year in 2012; I think they’re due for a bounce back, maybe even to 2nd)
4. Hamilton (I’ll be shocked if Mercedes can make this much of a leap, but Hamilton’s hugely talented and Benz is clearly pushing a multiyear effort; that will at least show some evidence in 2013)
Nathan Adlen – TFLCar Senior Editor
I am basing my favorites on this scientific winning formula: Pb(latin-‘pes’)+Si+(N+O+{C6+H6}+Pb)+S=Au. Put simply, aggression, hot girlfriends and a Formula 1 car win gold.
1. Lewis Hamiliton (Aggression and Niclole Scherzinger? We have a WINNER!)
2. Jenson Button (seriously – his girlfriend, Jessica Michibata is crazy-hot) and he’s the most consistent while being fairly aggressive.
3. Fernando Alonso (Russian model Dasha Kapustina – are you kidding!? HOT!). Dude, he scares Ferraris to run faster when they have no business doing so.
Nicole Wakelin – TFLCar Technology Editor
I’m picking based on how hungry for win they look in their head shots.
1. Fernando Alonzo because he’s a Ferrari driver and he looks like he wants to win so badly that’d he’d just as soon kill you as look at you.
2. Marc Webber because he also looks totally ticked off, probably because he’s ranked 6th and just missed the top 5 and that would make me a cranky driver, too.
3. Kimi Raikkonen because he might not look angry, but he looks confused. Scary confused. The kind of guy you just want to avoid because he’s a little “Here’s Johnny!”.
Ryan Morris – TFLCar Writer
1. Kimi Raikokonen: One is the loneliest number, and it’s time to get a deuce championship.
2. Fernando Alonzo: My second favorite Ferrari driver of all-time (Phil Hill is my first) will take second place, simply because I really want him to take the championship. The way the FIA gods work with me insist that he always seems to come up short in any race I watch…maybe I just shouldn’t watch F1 this year and he’ll finally take the whole thing!
3. Sebastian Vettel: Because the cool kid already has 3 championships and it’s about time he just barely make the podium — which will mean he wins the whole thing for a fourth time next year.
We will revisit this list and see who came closest with their predictions. As for our readers, why not give us your top three picks. Tell us why you picked them and we’ll see who’s the most accurate.
I mean, I know I will be… you can’t argue with the science!
