The Official 2011 Chinese GP Thread **Spoilers**
Posted by DJSKYLINE
Right then, only a few days has past since the last race as we have a back to back race with the chinese GP this weekend!
7 different winners in the last 7 races here, will we have a 8th? Can Webber return back to form with some good luck this weekend?
I think RedBull will still be the team to beat here but we have that long straight where the Mercedes engines car powered with KERS also could be useful!
Free practice 1 at 3am UK Time, who else will be watching it live with me?
Hoping for a good race this weekend hopefully!
Im not a great fan of this track. The only good thing about it is that its only a week after Malaysia.
The DRS will be interesting here. I think Malaysia was a nice balance for overtaking difficulty... Here it could be too easy. Though the detection zone, how often are cars within 1 sec?
Ferrari showed stronger pace in Malaysia than in Oz. Hopefully that means the battle at the front can be a 3 battle for 2nd behind Vettel/Webber with Mclaren, Renault and Ferrari :p
Right now, I cant see anyone other than Vettel winning. I'd like to see Button on the podium again and feel he has it in him to do so
!
Williams are testing the RBR exhaust copy that most teams will have soon enough. I wonder how much time they will gain, Sauber estimate a 0.5/lap gain for the C30.. so I suspect a similar jump for Williams!
They say they are only testing, however, given one floor is here ready to run, if it proves reliable reckon they will let Rubens race with it? I hope so!
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
The DRS will be interesting here. I think Malaysia was a nice balance for overtaking difficulty... Here it could be too easy. Though the detection zone, how often are cars within 1 sec?
Ferrari showed stronger pace in Malaysia than in Oz. Hopefully that means the battle at the front can be a 3 battle for 2nd behind Vettel/Webber with Mclaren, Renault and Ferrari :p
Right now, I cant see anyone other than Vettel winning. I'd like to see Button on the podium again and feel he has it in him to do so
!Williams are testing the RBR exhaust copy that most teams will have soon enough. I wonder how much time they will gain, Sauber estimate a 0.5/lap gain for the C30.. so I suspect a similar jump for Williams
!They say they are only testing, however, given one floor is here ready to run, if it proves reliable reckon they will let Rubens race with it? I hope so!
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
Yes, the wet races at this track have been very interesting, but the dry races here have really been quite boring - such as 2008.
This is probably one of my least favourite tracks on the calendar, so it will be interesting to see if the new rules can spice it up a bit, especially if the race is dry as forecast.
X (@ed24f1)
This is probably one of my least favourite tracks on the calendar, so it will be interesting to see if the new rules can spice it up a bit, especially if the race is dry as forecast.
X (@ed24f1)
i wonder how high petrov will take off in this race...
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For a list of EVERY download for GP4, look here: [docs.google.com]
Funny how HRT have lived up to their words. Faster than both Virgin cars.
Jenson drives it like he owns it; Lewis drives it like he stole it
Its only FP2... Id be surprised to HRT in front of Virgin during qualifying... Still, its progression from them.
I think Virgin's CFD only approach is maybe part of the problem, the other of course being funding.
Mclaren too have proved its not always a sure thing to get it right with a wind tunnel. In fact they are a fine example of how to do it wrong. Likewise Renault too. It was only for 2010 they had sorted their wind tunnel calibration out, a problem which plagued them for years. Not months.
I doubt whether a CFD only approach can be successful for top10 in F1, there are countless problems still. It might allow them to break into the top 15 on pace, but any higher and Virgin will need a wind tunnel IMO to help gain the tenths.
But first, they need money! Right now they need to find seconds, and if CFD will allow evaluation of lap time to be within +/- 0.3 then CFD is fine IMO. Its only when they need more accuracy, and to find smaller time steps will a wind tunnel be crucial, and crucial is the word. People dont realize, but wind tunnels are advancing as fast as CFD technology. There's a reason half the grid made the trip to Cologne to use Toyota's wind tunnel... because it's beyond any other automotive tunnel with tooling and DAQ.
As i said pre-season. Give the team more money and they will deliver more time. Plus I dont really rate Nick Wirth much, at least not compared to Geoff Willis (says a BAR/Honda fanboy). But yeah, expecting a team to run on £40mil and be higher than they are is nothing short of insane IMO. Lotus must be on £60-70mil and they are only 1 second or so ahead. Give them more money or just stop the whole thing because it will be a waste.
Though before we do judge their season, let's wait till the Turkey updates. They are meant to fix an apparent aero problem, and I believe HRT are due for an update at Turkey too...
As for the race. Well, to me it seems more of a RBR walkover than we've seen yet. Personally I think Vettel's being toying with everyone anyway, but here they look miles ahead and im sure with some still reserve. I remember people saying once they rules have stabilized Mclaren and Ferrari will take their place at the top. Instead it seems Renault, Merc, and maybe Sauber are gaining more than at least Ferrari :p whilst RBR scamper away.
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
I think Virgin's CFD only approach is maybe part of the problem, the other of course being funding.
Mclaren too have proved its not always a sure thing to get it right with a wind tunnel. In fact they are a fine example of how to do it wrong. Likewise Renault too. It was only for 2010 they had sorted their wind tunnel calibration out, a problem which plagued them for years. Not months.
I doubt whether a CFD only approach can be successful for top10 in F1, there are countless problems still. It might allow them to break into the top 15 on pace, but any higher and Virgin will need a wind tunnel IMO to help gain the tenths.
But first, they need money! Right now they need to find seconds, and if CFD will allow evaluation of lap time to be within +/- 0.3 then CFD is fine IMO. Its only when they need more accuracy, and to find smaller time steps will a wind tunnel be crucial, and crucial is the word. People dont realize, but wind tunnels are advancing as fast as CFD technology. There's a reason half the grid made the trip to Cologne to use Toyota's wind tunnel... because it's beyond any other automotive tunnel with tooling and DAQ.
As i said pre-season. Give the team more money and they will deliver more time. Plus I dont really rate Nick Wirth much, at least not compared to Geoff Willis (says a BAR/Honda fanboy). But yeah, expecting a team to run on £40mil and be higher than they are is nothing short of insane IMO. Lotus must be on £60-70mil and they are only 1 second or so ahead. Give them more money or just stop the whole thing because it will be a waste.
Though before we do judge their season, let's wait till the Turkey updates. They are meant to fix an apparent aero problem, and I believe HRT are due for an update at Turkey too...
As for the race. Well, to me it seems more of a RBR walkover than we've seen yet. Personally I think Vettel's being toying with everyone anyway, but here they look miles ahead and im sure with some still reserve. I remember people saying once they rules have stabilized Mclaren and Ferrari will take their place at the top. Instead it seems Renault, Merc, and maybe Sauber are gaining more than at least Ferrari :p whilst RBR scamper away.
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
Is qualifying even worth waking for tomorrow?
Will just be redbull on pole.
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Will just be redbull on pole.
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yes, if you are a real fan '
i usually am, but i cba to wake up again for a redbull pole. I've got all weekend so could do with the extra sleep :P
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If qualifying will be as exciting as Malaysia it will be worth it !!
Besides, it might another Vettel pole, but you can bet it will be an awesome lap. I dont want to do the classic Vettel-Shumi comparison, but as ive got older (and slightly more mature) i think ive come to better appreciate such brilliance. When it was Schumacher, I hated watching him win all the time, but that was because I was young, and hated him. Now, I very much dislike Vettel but very much more so appreciate his driving and ability and its almost a pleasure to watch. Even if it isnt my favourite driver winning.
Im sure after another 3-4 races of the same my tone will change though :p. It might also be that IMO RBR are a far more likeable team than what Ferrari ever were. I might think Horner is an arrogant prick with a smug smile, but id chose that any day over the grumpy looking Jean Todt, and even grumpier looking Ross Brawn.
For those reasons of RBR being a likeable team with a young image, their current dominance is far easier to handle than any other previous domination. Likewise I think the reason most tolerated early 2009 was because it was the idea of a risen from the ashes team, and a very likeable driver who was pretty much dead and forgotten in F1 terms.
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
!!Besides, it might another Vettel pole, but you can bet it will be an awesome lap. I dont want to do the classic Vettel-Shumi comparison, but as ive got older (and slightly more mature) i think ive come to better appreciate such brilliance. When it was Schumacher, I hated watching him win all the time, but that was because I was young, and hated him. Now, I very much dislike Vettel but very much more so appreciate his driving and ability and its almost a pleasure to watch. Even if it isnt my favourite driver winning.
Im sure after another 3-4 races of the same my tone will change though :p. It might also be that IMO RBR are a far more likeable team than what Ferrari ever were. I might think Horner is an arrogant prick with a smug smile, but id chose that any day over the grumpy looking Jean Todt, and even grumpier looking Ross Brawn.
For those reasons of RBR being a likeable team with a young image, their current dominance is far easier to handle than any other previous domination. Likewise I think the reason most tolerated early 2009 was because it was the idea of a risen from the ashes team, and a very likeable driver who was pretty much dead and forgotten in F1 terms.
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
I can just see this season being very dull results wise, more so with qualifying. The only reason redbull didn't walk it last year was through most reliability and driver clashes.
There were only 4 occasions last year where Red Bull weren't on pole, one of those being a freak result from Hulkenberg.
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There were only 4 occasions last year where Red Bull weren't on pole, one of those being a freak result from Hulkenberg.
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