Who will be ROY in 2002?

[KevinPSX]

So which rookie will shine in F1's 2002 season? The rookie crop doesn't appear to be as good as last year's Alonso-Montoya-Raikkonen (alphabetically listed) led group.

I think that Massa and Sato will have the best chance (and a good one at that) to score points due to their better cars. Webber will have to struggle in the Minardi (even if it is improved, points will be hard to come buy) and McNish will be battling at the back of the pack.

Could anyone break into a seat midseason and do surprisingly well?

 

[GilesGuthrie]

I think Massa will do well if he can keep it on the track. The new Sauber looks quite svelte, so should be quick.

But I think that the most impressive rookie (i.e. the one that does the best with his equipment) will be McNish.

Sato is reporting back pains driving the new Jordan, which can't auger well, and Webber in the Minardi doesn't fill me with excitement.

 

[KevinPSX]

The thing about Sauber is that they fired the designer of the C20 just before the 2001 season started, so I'm not sure how good the C21 will be. And how much of the 2001 success was due to having two good young drivers?

I suppose McNish's extensive experience bodes well for him. Sato should have a car which can compete. But I think that 2002 will lead to fewer points outside the Big Three because Williams should be more reliable and both Williams and McLaren will have fewer weekends where the cars start somewhere around 6th-8th and don't move up much.

 

[f1king]

I gotta go with Messa! GUTSY

 

[f1king]

Toyota and mcknish might have a chance if :cheeburga toyota proves reliable.

 

[Dudley]

This is always a car question, it's between Sato, Massa and possibly McNish dependant on the job it turns out these guys have done.

For instance, more than any car I've seen so far (the Ferrari launches today) the Jordan looks the part, but is it fragile like so many Jordans have been and is the Honda finally only a year behind Ferrari? Will Sato be able to reign himself in a little, he was wild on occasion in F3 and by a distance these are the longest races he's done.

Toyota I've given up even thinking about till race one, They could be anywhere from Sauber2001 back from what I can see, McNish however is an experienced long distance driver who rarely makes mistakes, his speed might be a little more in question but remember this is a guy who several top teams have trusted the feedback of during the last decade.

Massa himself is a dark horse. Ok, he did win the FRenault Euroseries, which is also where Kimi came from but that doesn't automatically make him as good. Will Sauber sans Rinland, probably soon sans Red Bull and in the biggest danger of losing Petronas since the contract began produce the goods?

 

[Pupik]

Sato will be rookie of the year...maybe a talented Japanese driver will help Honda step up their game against Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes.

It's good to see McNish get an F1 seat, I think he got passed over about 8-9 years ago. I figured his racing career was going to stay in other categories for good. But he'll be a good source of input to Toyota, but it's going to be slow-going.

 

[KevinPSX]

I think it'll be McNish. He's obviously got the most experience.

I think Massa will end the season with the most points, though.

 

[made in holland]

I think McNish. Toyota has a lot of race experience, so i'll think they will do really well this season.

 

[KevinPSX]

I don't know if Toyota will do well (I'd tend to say that they won't be very good at all--back with Arrows et al.) but that, if you look at it and try to separate (a difficult task with a rookie driver and a rookie team) driver from team, McNish will be the best of the four.

The competition between Massa and Sato and their respective teams should be good.