Thursday 14 August 2014

F1 2014 Mid-Season Categories

It's with great pleasure that I introduce this year's F1 Prediction League mid-season categories. As always we take the opportunity created by the mid-summer break to spice up the Prediction League.

What's on offer? 
A huge total of 25 points towards your final season score and £30 in Amazon vouchers for the player who scores the most points in the second part of the season (mid-season categories + last 8 races).

Why get involved?
As a current player this season in the Prediction League, that’s an easy one; it’s an opportunity to boost your final season score (and position in the table), and there’s the £30 of vouchers available if you get on a hot streak in the second half of the season.

But the mid-season categories are also an ideal entry point for new players. Perhaps you’ve been perusing the Prediction League, and wondering about pitting your mighty F1 wits against the rest of us, or you know someone who would relish the challenge. For new players, there's also an opportunity to win the £30 and to get used to the current format before next year. 

There are also a number of vacancies open down the grid so you can fight for a team of your choice to win the Constructors Championship!  It's a perfect time to get involved especially as every player fights for individual race glory each race weekend. We keep a record of individual driver stats and records so make your mark on Prediction League history by getting involved!

Current Championship Standings



Categories

Risks vs. Rewards (5 points)
Position of your driver (5 points) 
Teammate domination (5 points)
Most improved constructor (4 points)
I was on holiday during the first half (2 points)
I live for the Champagne (2 points)
Highest average qualifying position (2 points)
Total 25 points

Risk vs. Rewards (5 points)


Pick up to five of the below statements (1 point will be scored for each correct statement but all need to be correct to score points) 

You can also choose any of these statements to not happen but you will only score ½ point for those statements. The same rules apply in that all statements you select to either happen or not must turn out to be correct. Have a look at the options below!
  • Rosberg will finish the season with the most pole positions (can be tied)
  • Ricciardo will finish in the top 3 in the Championship
  • Williams will win a race or score a double podium
  • Sauber will score at least a point
  • Maldonado will reach Q3 at least once
  • One of the top drivers (Hamilton, Rosberg, Alonso, Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Button, Bottas) will either announce their retirement or that they are moving to another team before the last race of the season (before the Abu Dhabi race weekend begins at FP1)
  • Mercedes will have more combined qualifying and race retirements than Red Bull (ties don't count)
  • Red Bull will have more combined qualifying and race retirements than Mercedes (ties don't count)
  • There will be a race with 14 or under finishers
  • There will be a race with 20 or more finishers
  • Raikkonen will score a podium
  • Massa will retire from another race through collision damage
  • The world championship winner will win the Abu Dhabi race
  • Hamilton will win both Suzuka and Brazil (two of the few races he has not won)
  • Alonso will score points in every remaining race
  • Mercedes will score at least six 1-2s out of the remaining eight races
  • Mercedes will win the constructors championship at or before Singapore
  • Vettel will win a race this season
So for example I could pick:
  1. There will be a race with 14 or under finishers (Potential 1 point)
  2. There will be a race with 20 or more finishers (Potential 1 point)
  3. Alonso will score points in every remaining race (Potential 1 point)
  4. Williams will NOT win a race or score a double podium (Potential ½ point)
  5. Maldonado will NOT reach Q3 at least once (Potential ½ point) 
This represents the FIVE maximum statements that can be picked. If all statements are correct then I will receive four points in this case, if any are wrong then I will score zero points.


Position of your driver (5 points)


Each player is randomly assigned one driver from the five categories below. They must pick whether their driver will finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the remaining 8 races within the assigned category. Ties will be settled by standard F1 countback rules. For each correct driver position you will score 1 point.

Category 1
Alonso
Bottas
Vettel


Category 2
Button
Massa
Raikkonen


Category 3
Hulkenberg
Magnussen
Perez

Category 4
Grosjean
Kvyat
Vergne

Category 5
Gutierrez
Maldonado
Sutil

All eighteen active players this year will be allocated one of the three drivers from each category. See the end of this post for random.com evidence - it's important that we make this as objective and transparent as possible! 

The categories above are ordered in alphabetical order, with random.com’s 1-6 player list in each category getting the first name (Alonso, Button, Magnussen, Grosjean or Gutierrez), 7-12 player list in each category getting the second name (Bottas, Hulkenberg, Perez, Kvyat or Maldonado) and 13-18 getting the third name (Vettel, Massa, Raikkonen, Vergne or Sutil).

Check out the table below to see which drivers you have been assigned.


For any new players feel free to select one of the combinations below (it’s first come, first serve so do not pick the same combination as another player).

Selection 1: Alonso, Button, Magnussen, Grosjean, Gutierrez
Selection 2: Bottas, Massa, Perez, Kvyat, Maldonado
Selection 3: Vettel, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Vergne, Sutil
Selection 4: Alonso, Massa, Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Maldonado
Selection 5: Bottas, Raikkonen, Magnussen, Kvyat,
Selection 6: Vettel, Button, Perez, Vergne, Gutierrez
Selection 7: Bottas, Button, Hulkenberg, Vergne, Gutierrez
Selection 8: Alonso, Massa, Perez, Grosjean, Sutil

I feel the random element to this category makes it very interesting.


Teammate Domination (5 points)


The idea for this mid-season category is to pick a combination of three drivers, within an allocated budget, who you think will have the greatest domination over their teammate. You have a budget of €12m.

The scoring is as follows. For each practice session your chosen driver(s) beats their teammate they score 1 point, for each qualifying session 5 points and each race session 7 points.

When a teammate doesn't take part in a session (for example not setting a time in a session) no points will be scored. The only exception is race. A driver will score 3 points if:
  1. that driver finishes the race
  2. his teammate finishes at least half of the race (unless driver error)
  3. the driver was clearly beating his teammate when his teammate started experiencing terminal problems (if the two drivers are on different strategies then there might need to be a pit stop adjustment - this will count as 20 seconds on all tracks for simplicity).
The following driver costs are as follows. Remember you have a €12m budget:


Note: Caterham removed from TMD as driver line-up uncertain for the rest of the year.
Note: A driver will be compared to their teammate throughout the season regardless of driver changes.

Points will be given depending on final finishing order within the prediction league table, see below:
1st – 5 points
2nd and 3rd – 4 points
4th, 5th and 6th – 3 points
7th, 8th and 9th – 2 points
10th, 11th and 12th – 1 point

You will also be required to post a nominated best race. This will be the tie-break question - the player who scores the most points on their nominated race weekend will win the category if points are equal. If there is still no winner, time of posting will be the decider.

Most improved constructor (4 points – 2 + 1 + 1)


Predict who will be the most improved constructor in the second half of the season. The current standings are as follows:


The measurement criteria will be the standings now compared to the theoretical standings of the last eight races only.
Say the standings from the last eight races are: (1) Mercedes, (2) Ferrari, (3) McLaren, (4) Red Bull, (5) Williams, McLaren is clearly the best pick as they have gained 3 places, from sixth to third.

Points

Best pick - 2 points
2nd best pick - 1 point

One extra bonus point for the exact number of positions gained for your picked team e.g. if you picked 3 for McLaren or 1 for Ferrari in the example above you'd score a point. An extra point will be scored for predicting which driver scores the most points for your chosen team e.g. Button or Magnussen.

In the event of a tie, both predictions will score the maximum points available.

For example:
Williams 2
McLaren 1
Caterham 1

McLaren and Caterham pickers would score 1 point for the equal second best pick. Similarly if both Williams and McLaren improved by 2 positions then both sets of pickers would score 2 points. No other pickers would score any points.  


I was on holiday during the first half (2 points)


Which driver will make the most improvement from the first half of the season to the second half of the season? 

This will be measured by comparing the Driver's standings from the first half of the season (standings at round 11 - post-Hungary) to the total of points scored between rounds 12 and 19 to assess which driver has made the most position gains.This is similar to the Constructors category above and has the same rules. The only difference is that the scoring is as follow:

best pick - 2 points
2nd and 3rd best picks - 1 point 


I live for the Champagne (2 points)


Which driver will score the most podiums (without Mercedes drivers)? 

Best pick - 2 points
2nd best pick - 1 point

In the event of a tie, both predictions will score the maximum points available.


Highest average qualifying position (2 points)


Which driver will have the highest average qualifying position (without the Mercedes drivers)?

Best pick - 2 points
2nd best pick - 1 point

In the event of a tie, both predictions will score the maximum points available.

--------------------------------

Template to use for posting:

Risks vs. Rewards
Statement 1:
Statement 2:
Statement 3:
Statement 4:
Statement 5:

Driver Allocation:
C1: [Your Driver] [Position finished within that category, using results from remaining races]
C2:
C3:
C4:
C5:

Teammate Domination
Driver 1:
Driver 2:
Driver 3:
Highest scoring race:

Most Improved Constructor:
Positions gained:
Driver to score most points: 

Most Improved Driver:

Most Podiums:

Highest Average Qualifying Position:

--------------------------------

Random.Org random selection evidence





16 comments:

  1. Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: Sauber will score at least a point
    Statement 2: Mercedes will NOT score at least six 1-2s out of the remaining eight races
    Statement 3: Raikkonen will NOT score a podium
    Statement 4: Ricciardo will finish in the top 3 in the Championship
    Statement 5: Maldonado will NOT reach Q3 at least once

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Alonso 2
    C2: Massa 1
    C3: Hulk 2
    C4: Kvyat 2
    C5: Maldonado 3

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Sutil
    Driver 2: Bianchi
    Driver 3:

    Most Improved Constructor: Sauber
    Positions gained: 2
    Driver to score most points: Sutil

    Most Improved Driver: Button

    Most Podiums: Ricciardo

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Ricciardo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Brian, thanks for posting. For teammate domination you don't have a third driver listed. Cheers.

      Delete
    2. Also for TMD, do you mind answering which race will be your highest scoring race?

      Delete
  2. Great categories!

    Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: Massa will retire from another race through collision damage
    Statement 2: The world championship winner will win the Abu Dhabi race
    Statement 3: Hamilton will NOT win both Suzuka and Brazil (two of the few races he has not won)
    Statement 4: Williams will win a race or score a double podium
    Statement 5: Vettel will NOT win a race this season

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Vettel 1st
    C2: Button 2nd
    C3: Hulk 1st
    C4: Grosjean 2nd
    C5: Sutil 1st

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Hamilton
    Driver 2: Ricciardo
    Driver 3: Chilton
    Highest scoring race: Monza

    Most Improved Constructor: McLaren
    Positions gained: 3
    Driver to score most points: Magnussen

    Most Improved Driver: Raikkonen

    Most Podiums: Vettel

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Ricciardo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: There will be a race with 14 or under finishers
    Statement 2: There will be a race with 20 or more finishers
    Statement 3: Williams will win a race or score a double podium
    Statement 4: Maldonado will reach Q3 at least once
    Statement 5:

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Vettel 1st
    C2: Button 3rd
    C3: Magnussen 3rd
    C4: Vergne 1st
    C5: Sutil 2nd

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Ricciardo
    Driver 2: Sutil
    Driver 3: Perez
    Highest scoring race: Belgium

    Most Improved Constructor: Sauber
    Positions gained: 3
    Driver to score most points: Sutil

    Most Improved Driver: Sutil

    Most Podiums: Vettel

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Vettel

    ReplyDelete
  4. Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: Ricciardo will finish in the top 3 in the Championship
    Statement 2: Williams will win a race or score a double podium
    Statement 3: Raikkonen will NOT score a podium
    Statement 4: Vettel will NOT win a race this season
    Statement 5: Maldonado will NOT reach Q3 at least once

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Alonso 3rd
    C2: Massa 1st
    C3: Magnussen 1st
    C4: Kvyat 1st
    C5: Maldonado 3rd

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Alonso
    Driver 2: Sutil
    Driver 3: Raikkonen
    Highest scoring race: Belgium

    Most Improved Constructor: McLaren
    Positions gained: 2
    Driver to score most points: Button

    Most Improved Driver: Raikkonen

    Most Podiums: Ricciardo

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Bottas

    ReplyDelete
  5. Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1:One of the top drivers (Hamilton, Rosberg, Alonso, Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Button, Bottas) will either announce their retirement or that they are moving to another team before the last race of the season (before the Abu Dhabi race weekend begins at FP1)
    Statement 2:Massa will retire from another race through collision damage
    Statement 3:Mercedes will win the constructors championship at or before Singapore
    Statement 4:Maldonado will reach Q3 at least once
    Statement 5:Grosjean signed with Mclaren for next year

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Vettel, 2nd
    C2:Raikkonen 2nd
    C3: Perez 2nd
    C4:Grosjean 1st
    C5:Sutil 2nd

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Alonso
    Driver 2: Maldonado
    Driver 3: Vettel
    Highest scoring race: Belgium

    Most Improved Constructor: McLaren
    Positions gained:2
    Driver to score most points: Button

    Most Improved Driver: Maldonado

    Most Podiums: Ricciardo

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Bottas

    ReplyDelete
  6. Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: Red Bull will have more combined qualifying and race retirements than Mercedes (ties don't count)
    Statement 2: One of the top drivers (Hamilton, Rosberg, Alonso, Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Button, Bottas) will either announce their retirement or that they are moving to another team before the last race of the season (before the Abu Dhabi race weekend begins at FP1)
    Statement 3: Williams will win a race or score a double podium
    Statement 4: Mercedes will win the constructors championship at or before Singapore
    Statement 5: Alonso will score points in every remaining race

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Vettel 3rd
    C2: Raikkonen 2nd
    C3: Hulk 1st
    C4: Kvyat 3rd
    C5: Maldonado 1st

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Alonso
    Driver 2: Massa
    Driver 3: Chilton
    Highest scoring race: Singapore

    Most Improved Constructor: Sauber
    Positions gained: 2
    Driver to score most points: Sutil

    Most Improved Driver: Maldonado

    Most Podiums: Alonso

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Ricciardo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1:Ricciardo will finish in the top 3 in the Championship
    Statement 2:Sauber will score at least a point
    Statement 3:Red Bull will have more combined qualifying and race retirements than Mercedes (ties don't count)
    Statement 4:There will be NO race with 20 or more finishers
    Statement 5:Vettel will NOT win a race this season

    Driver Allocation:
    C1:Vettel 2
    C2:Button 3
    C3:Hulk 1
    C4:Vergne 2
    C5:Sutil 2

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1:Riccardo
    Driver 2:Sutil
    Driver 3:Perez
    Highest scoring race:Brasil

    Most Improved Constructor:Williams
    Positions gained:1
    Driver to score most points: RIC

    Most Improved Driver:Maldonado

    Most Podiums:Bottas

    Highest Average Qualifying Position:RIC

    ReplyDelete
  8. Risk vs. Reward:
    - Ricciardo will finish in the top 3 in the Championship
    - One of the top drivers (Hamilton, Rosberg, Alonso, Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Button, Bottas) will either announce their retirement or that they are moving to another team before the last race of the season (before the Abu Dhabi race weekend begins at FP1)
    - There will be a race with 20 or more finishers
    - Alonso will score points in every remaining race
    - Mercedes will win the constructors championship at or before Singapore

    Driver Position:
    Bottas - 2nd
    Massa - 1st
    Magnussen - 2nd
    Vergne - 2nd
    Gutierrez - 3rd

    Teammate Domination:
    Drivers - Bianchi, Massa, Magnussen
    Race - Singapore

    Most Improved Constructor:
    McLaren, +1, Magnussen

    I Was on Holiday in the First Half:
    Raikkonen

    I Live for Champagne:
    Ricciardo

    Highest Average Qualifying Position:
    Ricciardo

    ReplyDelete
  9. My Picks for Mid season

    Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: Alonso will score points in every remaining race
    Statement 2: The World Championship winner will win the Abu Dhabi race
    Statement 3: Daniel Ricciardo will finish in the top 3 in the championship
    Statement 4: Kimi Raikonnen will NOT score a podium
    Statement 5: Maldonado will NOT reach Q3 at least once

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Fernando Alonso 2nd
    C2: Kimi Raikkonen 2nd
    C3:Kevin Magnussen 3rd
    C4: Jean Eric Vergne 2nd
    C5: Pastor Maldonado 2nd

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Daniel Ricciardo
    Driver 2: Daniil Kyvat
    Driver 3: Kevin Magnussen
    Highest scoring race: Abu Dhabi

    Most Improved Constructor: Williams
    Positions gained: 1
    Driver to score most points: Valterri Bottas

    Most Improved Driver: Kimi Raikkonen

    Most Podiums: Daniel Ricciardo

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Valterri Bottas

    ReplyDelete
  10. Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: Mercedes will have more combined qualifying and race retirements than Red Bull (ties don't count)
    Statement 2: Ricciardo will finish in the top 3 in the Championship
    Statement 3: Williams will win a race or score a double podium
    Statement 4: Maldonado will NOT reach Q3
    Statement 5: Raikkonen will NOT score a podium

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Alonso 2nd
    C2: Button 3rd
    C3: Perez 2nd
    C4: Grosjean 3rd
    C5: Maldonado 2nd

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Alonso
    Driver 2: Vettel
    Driver 3: Chilton
    Highest scoring race: Singapore

    Most Improved Constructor: Williams
    Positions gained: 2
    Driver to score most points: Bottas

    Most Improved Driver: Massa

    Most Podiums: Bottas

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Bottas

    ReplyDelete
  11. Risk Vs Reward:
    - There will be a race with 20 or more finishers
    - Williams will win a race or score a double podium
    - Mercedes will win the constructors championship at or before Singapore
    - Alonso will score points in every remaining race
    - Mercedes will have more combined qualifying and race retirements than Red Bull (ties don't count)

    Driver Allocation
    Cat 1: Alonso 1st
    Cat 2: Raikonnen 2nd
    Cat 3: Perez 3rd
    Cat 4 : Kvyat 2nd
    Cat 5 : Maldonado 3rd

    Teammate Domination
    Ricciardo, Sutil, Magnussen
    Russia

    MOst Improved Constructor
    Mclaren 1 place, Magnussen

    I was on Holiday
    Raikkonnen

    Champagne
    Bottas

    High Average Quali
    Bottas

    ReplyDelete
  12. Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: Raikkonen will NOT score a podium
    Statement 2: Vettel will NOT win a race this season
    Statement 3: Maldonado will NOT reach Q3 at least once
    Statement 4: Mercedes will NOT win the constructors championship at or before Singapore
    Statement 5:

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Alonso 3rd
    C2: Massa 1st
    C3: Perez 3rd
    C4: Kvyat 1st
    C5: Sutil 1st

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Bianchi
    Driver 2: Magnussen
    Driver 3: Vettel
    Highest scoring race: United States

    Most Improved Constructor: Williams
    Positions gained: 2
    Driver to score most points: Bottas

    Most Improved Driver: Massa

    Most Podiums: Bottas

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Bottas

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fun and challenging categories!

    Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: Crashtor Maldonado will NOT reach Q3 at least once
    Statement 2: Kimster will NOT get a podium
    Statement 3: Alonso will score points at every race this season
    Statement 4: Vettel will NOT win a race this season
    Statement 5:

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: Bottas 1st
    C2: Kimi 3rd
    C3: Magnussen 2nd
    C4: Vergne 1st
    C5: Gutierrez 2nd

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: Alonso
    Driver 2: Magnussen
    Driver 3: Maldonado
    Highest scoring race: Spa

    Most Improved Constructor: Sauber
    Positions gained: 2
    Driver to score most points: Sutil

    Most Improved Driver: Gutierrez

    Most Podiums: Bottas

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: Bottas

    ReplyDelete
  14. Aled Lewis picks (before FP1)

    Risks vs. Rewards
    Statement 1: The world championship winner will win the Abu Dhabi race
    Statement 2: Hamilton will win both Suzuka and Brazil (two of the few races he has not won)
    Statement 3:
    Statement 4:
    Statement 5:

    Driver Allocation:
    C1: BOT 2
    C2: RAI 1
    C3: HUL 1
    C4: VER 1
    C5: GUT 3

    Teammate Domination
    Driver 1: RIC
    Driver 2: VER
    Driver 3: MAS
    Highest scoring race: Japan

    Most Improved Constructor: McLaren
    Positions gained: 1
    Driver to score most points: BUT

    Most Improved Driver: MAL

    Most Podiums: RIC

    Highest Average Qualifying Position: VET

    ReplyDelete