2013 Chinese GP ***SPOILERS AHOY***
Posted by flat tyre
In other news... Mark Webber's shaved his head. He means business.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You know you want to. [judgegrudge.mybrute.com]
Vettel seems to have really meant it when he said he was sorry. In interviews today, he has said that he still would've passed Webber if he hadn't misunderstood the order - he was 'looking for what it meant' on the wheel display - and that he doesn't think Webber deserved the win.
He also hinted that Mark not helping 'the team' (i.e. him) in the past played a part in his decision. Oh, and he would do it again.
The thing that surprises me most about this is that a more than one driver has implicitly criticised him by stating that they wouldn't disobey a team order. Nico has said that the thought never entered his mind at the last race, and Alonso - whilst pointing out that he's never been in that position(!) - said he 'probably' would obey. Massa said he always would, but then of course he'd say that.
Jenson, meanwhile, has expressed surprise that Sebastian needs to 'be like that', pointing out that drivers have won championships without having to resort to such tactics.
This clearly isn't over, so I'm looking forward to sunday
He also hinted that Mark not helping 'the team' (i.e. him) in the past played a part in his decision. Oh, and he would do it again.
The thing that surprises me most about this is that a more than one driver has implicitly criticised him by stating that they wouldn't disobey a team order. Nico has said that the thought never entered his mind at the last race, and Alonso - whilst pointing out that he's never been in that position(!) - said he 'probably' would obey. Massa said he always would, but then of course he'd say that.
Jenson, meanwhile, has expressed surprise that Sebastian needs to 'be like that', pointing out that drivers have won championships without having to resort to such tactics.
This clearly isn't over, so I'm looking forward to sunday
If I remember rightly, just a few weeks ago Mateschitz also talked about Raikkonen being a candidate at Red Bull. Seems plausible to me, especially if Vettel's being given the cold shoulder.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You know you want to. [judgegrudge.mybrute.com]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You know you want to. [judgegrudge.mybrute.com]
Probably just for this race as Turvey is racing ELMS and Paffett is DTM testing this weekend.
Races: 163 - Wins: 23 - Pole Positions: 24 - Fastest Laps: 22
Season 9: Constructors' Champions
Races: 163 - Wins: 23 - Pole Positions: 24 - Fastest Laps: 22
Season 9: Constructors' Champions
If it's true, it's most probably a temp thing, Da Costa is temping for Buemi, who's racing at Siverstone this weekend.
I'm giggling like a little girl that McLaren out thought Red Bull on such a mundane matter. Just rubbing it in with a 2:05 lap too. :D
Sounds like they didn't put enough fuel in for Webber, or perhaps not even refuel the car at all after Q1. When Vettel ran out in Abu Dhabi, it was the last lap of qualifying and they weren't sure there'd be enough fuel for a sample. With Webber, it was the first run of Q2 and there is nothing gained by pulling off the circuit - just get back to the pits and argue about it later (I assume a sample is taken after each run). If you're stranded on circuit, the best you're going to get is 10th. The fake smile on Webber's face said it all. Of course, it's a handy way of all-but-guaranteeing that Webber and Vettel will have minimal contact time tomorrow.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2013 10:09AM by gav.
Sounds like they didn't put enough fuel in for Webber, or perhaps not even refuel the car at all after Q1. When Vettel ran out in Abu Dhabi, it was the last lap of qualifying and they weren't sure there'd be enough fuel for a sample. With Webber, it was the first run of Q2 and there is nothing gained by pulling off the circuit - just get back to the pits and argue about it later (I assume a sample is taken after each run). If you're stranded on circuit, the best you're going to get is 10th. The fake smile on Webber's face said it all. Of course, it's a handy way of all-but-guaranteeing that Webber and Vettel will have minimal contact time tomorrow.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2013 10:09AM by gav.
Am I being stupid here? I've got an idea about how to fix these fuel problems.
Simple. Static load displacement for the ride height and zero fuel weight.
You know how much the suspension will deflect with zero-fuel weight. Add the fuel, look at the deflection and use that as a basis to judge your fuel load? Use it as a verification that the correct amount has gone in.
Take Mercedes, in Sepang, there is no way Lewis and Nico started with the same fuel onboard. Surely somebody in the team would have noticed this. And if not, surely somebody with common sense would have noticed the ride height one of the grid runs was not as low as it should have been?
I know for instances like with Webber we will be talking about small numbers, but surely with all the technology they have things like this can be avoided using common sense.
It sounds too simple to me, so it is probably not a viable verification solution, but feel free to add this and correct/enlighten me.
As for qualifying, RedBull might regret not getting in front of JB. Then again, if Button remains in front of Vettel when Button starts to pass the guys (if there tyres do go) then I suppose he is simply carving a way for Vettel too?
Vettel will be the one to watch tomorrow. I can't help but feel despite starting on the mediums we will see both Button and Vettel drive a conservative first stint to maximise time on that set of tyres, and obviously in turn minimise the final option tyre stint.
I know for certain tomorrow will be more interesting than today!
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
Simple. Static load displacement for the ride height and zero fuel weight.
You know how much the suspension will deflect with zero-fuel weight. Add the fuel, look at the deflection and use that as a basis to judge your fuel load? Use it as a verification that the correct amount has gone in.
Take Mercedes, in Sepang, there is no way Lewis and Nico started with the same fuel onboard. Surely somebody in the team would have noticed this. And if not, surely somebody with common sense would have noticed the ride height one of the grid runs was not as low as it should have been?
I know for instances like with Webber we will be talking about small numbers, but surely with all the technology they have things like this can be avoided using common sense.
It sounds too simple to me, so it is probably not a viable verification solution, but feel free to add this and correct/enlighten me.
As for qualifying, RedBull might regret not getting in front of JB. Then again, if Button remains in front of Vettel when Button starts to pass the guys (if there tyres do go) then I suppose he is simply carving a way for Vettel too?
Vettel will be the one to watch tomorrow. I can't help but feel despite starting on the mediums we will see both Button and Vettel drive a conservative first stint to maximise time on that set of tyres, and obviously in turn minimise the final option tyre stint.
I know for certain tomorrow will be more interesting than today!
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
I'm sorry but I think that you have your rose tinted specs on in this case. The actual ontrack racing in 05 and 06 was mindlessly dull, with a few very rare exceptions.
Remember all the hate flying around over the course of the Korea and India weekends last year when the accusation was that Pirelli had been to conservative over their tyre allocations?
Well now they have tried to spice it up a little and people are complaining yet again. We are spoilt.
I couldn't believe how bad the races in Korea and India were last year. Just think, we had processions like that constantly for years in the late 90s and 2000s.
Races: 163 - Wins: 23 - Pole Positions: 24 - Fastest Laps: 22
Season 9: Constructors' Champions
Remember all the hate flying around over the course of the Korea and India weekends last year when the accusation was that Pirelli had been to conservative over their tyre allocations?
Well now they have tried to spice it up a little and people are complaining yet again. We are spoilt.
I couldn't believe how bad the races in Korea and India were last year. Just think, we had processions like that constantly for years in the late 90s and 2000s.
Races: 163 - Wins: 23 - Pole Positions: 24 - Fastest Laps: 22
Season 9: Constructors' Champions
Yeah, I read that one. :D I couldn't bring myself to take any notice of the post-qualifying TV and interviews. I needed waking up. 
To be fair, the Toro Rosso a couple of years ago came on really strong towards the end of the season, with Alguersuari and Buemi regularly running in the top 10 in races. I don't know if that says more about the drivers or the car - clearly Red Bull had access to all the data, so would have known if those two drivers were performing or not, but I still feel they were very harshly treated - particularly Alguersuari, who was still so young in F1 (though he's only a year and half younger than Buemi, Buemi seems to have been around the periphery of F1 forever).
Is it too early to drag up my thread asking whether the Sauber was fantastic last year as opposed to Perez being brilliant? I know few expected Perez to be an all-time great, but he's been comprehensively out qualified by Button so far. Button is doing to Perez what Hamilton did to Button. That reflects well on Button, but let's assume that Button doesn't suddenly suit the 2013 car half a second more than he did the 2012 car in qualifying... that pretty much means that Perez is somewhere around 1 second slower than Hamilton in qualifying. Clearly it's rarely that cut and dry and it's still very early, but he's got a heck of a lot of improving to do in every aspect of his racing.
Either way, it reflects pretty dismally on one other driver - Kamui Kobayashi. If his F1 career isn't already over, then the best he can hope for is the hopeless mediocrity of the latter part of the career of Nick Heidfeld or Pedro de la Rosa. If he gets another chance, he needs to put in some stunning drives. Such a shame, as we all wanted him to be up at the front in F1.
To be fair, the Toro Rosso a couple of years ago came on really strong towards the end of the season, with Alguersuari and Buemi regularly running in the top 10 in races. I don't know if that says more about the drivers or the car - clearly Red Bull had access to all the data, so would have known if those two drivers were performing or not, but I still feel they were very harshly treated - particularly Alguersuari, who was still so young in F1 (though he's only a year and half younger than Buemi, Buemi seems to have been around the periphery of F1 forever).
Is it too early to drag up my thread asking whether the Sauber was fantastic last year as opposed to Perez being brilliant? I know few expected Perez to be an all-time great, but he's been comprehensively out qualified by Button so far. Button is doing to Perez what Hamilton did to Button. That reflects well on Button, but let's assume that Button doesn't suddenly suit the 2013 car half a second more than he did the 2012 car in qualifying... that pretty much means that Perez is somewhere around 1 second slower than Hamilton in qualifying. Clearly it's rarely that cut and dry and it's still very early, but he's got a heck of a lot of improving to do in every aspect of his racing.
Either way, it reflects pretty dismally on one other driver - Kamui Kobayashi. If his F1 career isn't already over, then the best he can hope for is the hopeless mediocrity of the latter part of the career of Nick Heidfeld or Pedro de la Rosa. If he gets another chance, he needs to put in some stunning drives. Such a shame, as we all wanted him to be up at the front in F1.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.