THIS year’s Fantasy Formula One competition promises to be a real cracker as the highly anticipated 2008 Formula One series kicks off next month. ‘Last year was fantastic and I think it will be exciting this year,’ said competition organiser Jamie Doggart.
‘McLaren are going out to prove a point and you’ve got the excitement of Alonso going back to Renault.’
Last year will be remembered as Lewis Hamilton’s, even though he finished second in the championship.
A relative unknown this time last year, by the end of the series the 22-year-old was a household name as Formula One’s first black driver and the first driver in history who looked set to win the world title in his rookie season.
However, it was not to be as the Englishman blew his chance to take it in the penultimate Grand Prix in China and then at the last race in Brazil.
After needing to finish at least fifth at the Interlagos circuit, he agonisingly came home in seventh after having dropped down to 18th place at one point.
The season was just as exciting off the track as Hamilton had a public spat with McLaren teammate and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who seemingly could not handle the success of the young pretender.
In addition, there was the saga that saw McLaren fined £50m. and lose all their constructors’ championship points after they were found guilty of spying on arch rivals Ferrari.
All in all, it was an exciting 2007 in the world of Formula One and the signs for the 2008 campaign point to it being just as scintillating.
For the first time, there is going to be a night race, held in Singapore in September, and there is a new road circuit race in Valencia, Spain.
A rule change has seen traction control taken away from the cars.
‘It may affect the ability of some of the drivers to stay on the road - that should be exciting,’ said Doggart.
He sees Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen as favourite to retain the world title after he flew in under the radar to claim the 2007 championship as the Hamilton phenomenon grabbed the headlines.
‘I think it will be Raikkonen but I’ve been wrong before,’ Doggart said.
‘Hamilton knows the form now and he’ll do well. But I think he’ll be pipped by Raikkonen.
‘There’s no scientific basis behind this. That’s a gut feeling.’
Finn Raikkonen has the highest price in the Fantasy Formula One competition with £40m while Hamilton weighs in at £37.5m.
And for the first time contestants can choose to have a budget of £82.5m. from which to pick five drivers and have the option of being able to change one driver.
Or they can have £85m. to spend and have no driver change.
Entrants are also asked to guess what the winning points total will be.
This information will be used as a tiebreaker if there is a draw for the top place.
Last year’s champion was John Torode.
In all, the 2007 competition raised more than £1,200 for the WRVS.
All the competition’s proceeds go to the charity again this year.
‘2008 will be exciting and let’s hope that we surpass last year’s total,’ said Doggart.
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