GridBids 2012

[Waldorf]

Only 7 weeks until the first race of the season. I should get the initial driver prices sorted before too much longer. I'm planning on once again using the simple system of grouping the teams by tiers and giving each tier a price. I might take #1/#2 driver status into account, but just on the top teams that saw wildly different results from their two drivers.

[MonteCristo]

*Cough* Get mentions of FMB on the site and in the emails in 2012. *Cough*

I look forward to another frustrating year!

[NooDle]

I will be making a comeback, after years of button mashing and random picks, I vow to think through the picks I will make

Unless I have something better to do, which is nearly always...

[Waldorf]

First week of pre-season testing did little to make setting prices an easier.

Mercedes will dominate if they are permitted to run the 2011 car.
McLaren seem ok, and should be awarded bonus championship points every race for not being hideous.
Ferrari ended the week with a quick time, but are obviously having major troubles.
Red Bull seem to be sand-bagging on pace, but have some reliability issues.

I'm still thinking of pricing the second-banana drivers (Massa, Webber, Schumacher) at a discount.

[NooDle]

yes, yes, second bananas are good for making wacky picks!

[Waldorf]

I've come up with a first pass for initial driver prices:

15 - Red Bull and McLaren
7 - Mercedes
5 - Ferrari
3 - Lotus, Force India, Sauber
1 - everyone else

Have a look: http://www.gridbids.com/picks.php

At this point, I'm thinking of leaving Massa, Webber, and Schumacher at the same prices as their teammates.

Comments?

[Waldorf]

Since there were no comments, and I really don't have any better ideas for prices, I've just gone with those.

Feel free to start making picks now! (It seems way harder than the first race most seasons -- maybe that's a good thing?)

[MonteCristo]

Thanks!

I actually found it easier than most years . Just means I'll end up getting 3 points though.

[Waldorf]

Since Farz sent the email, picks have been streaming in. I'd like to start the season with 300 players, so please spam your friends.

I am interested in seeing what kinds of picks are made for the first race. The obvious strategies:
-- assume the Red Bulls and McLarens will dominate again, so pick three of them and you're done. If you get the podium, you score 58. Even picking 2-3-4 gets you your money back.
-- pick two of the 15-pointers, plus Rosberg, Alonso, Kimi. Then you avoid the huge stress of having only 3 drivers, and may benefit from any surprise finishes from the other three.
-- pick Vettel or Hamilton (or maybe Button), plus a bunch of others. Hope for rain or crazy safety cars.

[MonteCristo]

-- pick two of the 15-pointers, plus Rosberg, Alonso, Kimi. Then you avoid the huge stress of having only 3 drivers, and may benefit from any surprise finishes from the other three.

That be me!

[The Ghost Who Walks]

I'm a little intrigued as to why Ferrari are less points then Mercedes?
Something to do with testing I assume?
Makes the Ferarri's (or at least Alonso must picks)

[Waldorf]

I'm a little intrigued as to why Ferrari are less points then Mercedes?
Something to do with testing I assume?
Makes the Ferarri's (or at least Alonso must picks)

Testing was a mess this season, even more than usual. The initial prices are a mix of a team's performance last year and how solid they looked in testing this season. The main criteria I had for the initial prices:
- make Red Bull & McLaren expensive enough that they aren't automatic picks. The four cars are expected to dominate the top 4 finishing positions, which are worth 25+18+15+12 = 70 points. So I priced the four of them at a total of 60 points.
- have the total grid priced at around the total points per race (101), not including the minimum 1.0 price for no-hopers. With 60 points already accounted for, this means the other 'big' teams look to be a bargain. But are they?

Ferrari look to be the 4th-best team, a long way behind Red Bull and McLaren, and probably behind Mercedes as well. Alonso is still Alonso, but with 6 faster cars on the grid, how many points will he be expected to bring in?

If you think Ferrari are close to Mercedes, then Alonso is a must-have. Otherwise he's a bit of a toss up.

[Waldorf]

only 167 players have made picks so far.

Remember, the deadline is late Thursday evening in Europe.

Get Your Picks in Now!!!


Also, nag your friends to sign up and make picks.

[Waldorf]

in related news, these people suck for copying our awesome domain name: http://www.gridbid.com/

[MonteCristo]

in related news, these people suck for copying our awesome domain name: http://www.gridbid.com/

Their rules under "How Gridbid Works" is easier to understand, and in the end I saved money. Score.

[Picci]

Did my most random selection of picks. The first round is always a difficult call.

[NooDle]

I like the ridiculous points system so far. With an hour to go, did everyone do as I did

Vettel since he wins everything and thus is worth 15 pts + a bunch of random people to use up the rest of the points?

[MonteCristo]

Driver Cost
Lewis Hamilton 15
Sebastien Vettel 15
Nico Rosberg 7
Fernando Alonso 5
Kimi Räikkönen 3

Dear Fernando and Kimi,

BALLS.

Sincerely,
MonteCristo

[Waldorf]

Driver Cost
Lewis Hamilton 15
Sebastien Vettel 15
Nico Rosberg 7
Fernando Alonso 5
Kimi Räikkönen 3

Dear Fernando and Kimi,

BALLS.

Sincerely,
MonteCristo

Vettel and Rosberg also fail. These were the top "conformity" picks, so many people share our pain.

[NooDle]

Picked Vettel because I thought he would walk away with it.... But I did choose pretty much everyone else except the Maccas... I'm in deep shit unless something special happens and the Maccas both fail, or I magically end up with places 3-15

[xcraigx]

While Vettel is not in a dominant position, I would not count him out so quickly. While I doubt the Redbull has the pace to win, I think Vettel has a very good chance of making th podium.

I did not pick a Mercedes this round as I thought their pace in testing was all light fuel runs. I has a sad after the Qualy session.

and like everyone else, I picked the wrong Lotus. Kimi=no hope.

[NooDle]

Kimi = hope afterall

[Schumack]

49! not bad ....

[xcraigx]

Theoretical high score for Australia is 73. Think anybody got close?
(JB, SV, FA, KK, KR, SP, DR)

I'm sitting on a 58, so at least I'm starting the year well. But 20 races leaves alot of room for error.

[Waldorf]

I've done the results for Australia, so you can make picks now for Malaysia. At first glance, it seems very hard to come up with a good set of picks.

A couple of players scored 69 in Australia. Our group high score was tankslapper with 59.

hmm0_2012_Australia.PNG (19.27 KiB) Viewed 822 times