F1B Staff picks: Australian GP

Some people get excited when the first race of a new Formula One season finally arrives. With first practice for the Australian Grand Prix less than a day away, I suppose I can understand that some folks would rather just sleep the next few hours away rather than have to live from minute to minute with an anticipation which rivals that of the birth of their own first born child. However, those people have their priorities all wrong, as the real “Level of Anticipation” scale should go as follows, in reverse order of course, as to heighten said level of anticipation;

3) Birth of First Born Child

2) First Grand Prix of This or Any Other F1 Season

1) Kickoff to the Annual F1B Staff Championship

And as the fanfare finally subsides and the boisterous audience leap to their feet, your friendly staffers once again take to the stage amidst smoke machines and laser beams. Someone in the back of the arena gets a text stating that a loved one has gone into labor, but that can wait, for now it’s time to get down to the real nitty gritty! Even the drivers themselves are waiting in Australia with collective bated breath, each hoping that their favorite F1B writer will get it right this year…that a whole off season of preparation, training, formulating of strategies, designing and redesigning…

Ah, who am I kidding? The simple truth of the matter is that it’s all a guessing game, at least for the first few rounds, before any of us know anything. As for Australia, Vettel seems the obvious favorite going in with five staffers choosing the German to kick off the season in the same form as he’s shown over the last three seasons. LewHam gets two picks for the win, while the Kimster and Jenson get a nod each. Choices for First Out runs the gamut of rookies, with four of the five getting picked to come last, while Lotus’ Big John and “Crashtor” Maldonado do not appear to have lost anyone’s faith that they will continue to make the first laps interesting in 2013.

So with all of the actual miles between us, our little competition here gives the staff a bit of extra fun for eight months of the year, filled with some good natured ribbing that we’ll get to share from race to race with all of you. Can Laura defend her title? Will Steve make a dramatic comeback following a year’s sabbatical? Will Chris make a mockery of all of us in his first season on the grid? Can Victoria, Tony and Grace steer clear of the 107% rule all season long? Will “Black Ops Mark” use Morse code to get his picks in each race? For all of these answers and more, stay tuned over the coming season. For now, let’s get this party started!!

Todd

1. Vettel

2. Alonso

3. Hamilton

4. Webber

5. Button

6. Massa

FO Ricciardo

Grace

1. Vettel

2. Hamilton

3. Webber