****The Official Chinese Grand Prix thread*****

[ferrisbueller]

Corpulent Tosser said:

ferrisbueller said:

Hungrymc said:

Lewis's re pass (where he ran his car wide onto the line Nico wanted to be on) many times.

If there were walls rather than white lines, or rules were strictly enforced about leaving track boundaries, what would have happened there?

IMO Hamilton would have lost the position or caused a collision.

If my aunt had balls she would be my uncle.

Love it.

MSc runs someone off the track and he's a cheating kraut . Hamilton does it and there's no issue and "he's back". Will wait to see what happens when someone does it to him. This place usually turns in to mumsnet at times such as those.

[Hungrymc]

ferrisbueller said:

If there were walls rather than white lines, or rules were strictly enforced about leaving track boundaries, what would have happened there?

IMO Hamilton would have lost the position or caused a collision.

IMHO if Lewis had turned into the corner on a normal line (even a normal line for when a car is passing you on the inside). He would have been hit by Nico as Nico had ran in too hot and missed the apex by about 2 car widths.

But, I have no problem at all with either pass. It's racing and not time trialling.


Re today, have red bull really closed the gap somewhat or are they flattered by the weather? I suspect a bit of both.

[ferrisbueller]

I think if anything that it's an encouraging result for Mercedes. In wet conditions, their performance advantage is negated and historically the fundamentals of the Red Bull has been better. In the past, the Red Bull would have been quicker. In this case, it looks like the Mercedes basic car is relatively good also. It's not all down to the powerplant.

[Hungrymc]

ferrisbueller said:

Love it.

MSc runs someone off the track and he's a cheating kraut . Hamilton does it and there's no issue and "he's back". Will wait to see what happens when someone does it to him. This place usually turns in to mumsnet at times such as those.

Lol. Strawman argument. Are you saying I called Michael that? It really doesn't sound like me. Did you read my point about Nico's over cooked dive up the inside? It was very aggressive and could have gone wrong.... And I'm delighted he did it. I want to see racing.

Perhaps you need to think and check your logic before resorting to throwing silly accusations around. Also have a little think about who is turning it mumsnet.

[ferrisbueller]

Hungrymc said:

Are you saying I called Michael that?

No. Did I?

[Derek Smith]

Gaz. said:

Derek Smith said:

I'm trying to get Sky go on my laptop but I keep getting a window to say that I need to pay extra for sky go extra.

Thanks Sky. Here's my wallet, please help yourself.

Should you not be able to access Skygo.com with your sports subscription? I was under the impression if you had HD, sports or movies then you got skygo FOC?


Interesting to see Ricciardo get the better of Vettel again, meanwhile Alonso is tearing Raikkonen's arse apart.

What is the penalty clarification for Maldonado - does he carry the 5 places over to Catalunya?

Superb stuff from Hamilton, new British record for pole positions too.

I've got the full package but without HD so thought I could use Sky Go on any device but, after using it on my desk top yesterday, when I tried to log on with my laptop today I kept getting the window. In the end I switched off the lap top and went onto skygo direction from a bookmark and I go in.

Raik is a big disappointment. I know one poster on here, a bit of an F1 nerd, who suggested the pairing would be the highlight of the season. Idiot, eh?

I've always followed teams rather than drivers, as they tend to last longer, but now that McL is struggling a bit I've found myself watching LH. He's come alive this season - so far.

The situation will change throughout the season as well, so there's something to look forward to.

Bit pissed off with McL though. Button needs to go and they should be buying in a quality driver to pair the one imposed by Honda next season.

[Hungrymc]

ash73 said:

Well I watched all the sessions and post-quali analysis and I still haven't seen Lewis' lap. Absolutely st coverage, imo.

Disappointing performance by Nico, but those long straights should enable him to get past the RBRs tomorrow.

Great job by Ricciardo.

Any reported problems with Nico's car ? He had an off at the end, anyone know if he was on a quick lap?

[coetzeeh]

The wet weather flattered the RB's today. With dry weather predicted for tomorrow LH will disappear into the distance from the off, and NR will gobble the RB's pretty quickly on the straights.

If yesterday is anything to go with Alonso and the RB's will have a great scrap during the race.

[llewop]

Gaz. said:

ferrisbueller said:

Gaz. said:

Alonso is tearing Raikkonen's arse apart.

Raikkonen can't drive the car. That much has been clear since the first time he got in it. Hopefully he'll get his head around it very soon.

Hopefully. I honestly thought there would not be a cigarette paper between them.

For all the excuse of 'Alonso's been there longer' and 'he's made it 'his' team' etc. It seems to me that the difference between them is Alonso isn't afraid to graft. Raikkonen seems to think he can just turn up for race weekends and rag the car. I'm sure I saw a quote the other day that he said he didn't think using the simulator would help sort his issues, whatever they are - don't know if you don't try! For that reason, so far at least, it's pretty much played out as I'd expected - Raikkonen can be quick, occasionally. Alonso is generally close to as quick as the car is capable of most of the time.

But back to this weekend - hope their weather forecasts are accurate and the race is dry.

[toppstuff]

McLaren need to get their act together.

I really dont think it is the drivers - we have Button who is super smooth and does best with a sorted car, and Magnusson who is aggressive and pushes the car around the track. In both cases, the car still does not work well.

Ron needs to bang some heads together. Mclaren hired quite a few people from other teams - what are they doing?

[Carmo99]

ferrisbueller said:

I think if anything that it's an encouraging result for Mercedes. In wet conditions, their performance advantage is negated and historically the fundamentals of the Red Bull has been better. In the past, the Red Bull would have been quicker. In this case, it looks like the Mercedes basic car is relatively good also. It's not all down to the powerplant.

Agreed, except Riccardo was up on Lewis' time in sector 1 and 2 then lost time on sector 3, the power sector. If the RB get the power plant I see them challenging and winning. Time will tell.

[Derek Smith]

Hungrymc said:

Any reported problems with Nico's car ? He had an off at the end, anyone know if he was on a quick lap?

His middle sector was way short of LH but it looked possible, maybe even probable, that he would have been on the front row, but way back, if you see what I mean.

A race in prospect tomorrow. I agree with the poster who suggested that the weather helped RB so I'm looking for an exciting 3 - 10 battle.

NR needs to keep it restrained into the first corner. It might get a little cramped. But if LH gets a start, I can't see anyone getting near. He's up for it. So a lonely day for Nico? Let's hope for a pace car 10 laps from the end.

So some cars out of place. A sign for an exciting race.

[Crafty_]

Hungrymc said:

Any reported problems with Nico's car ? He had an off at the end, anyone know if he was on a quick lap?

1st Q3 lap he outbraked himself and had to nearly come to a stop to stay on track at the hairpin
2nd lap he spun out of the last corner

In the post session interview he said he was struggling with the brakes.

[toppstuff]

llewop said:

Gaz. said:

ferrisbueller said:

Gaz. said:

Alonso is tearing Raikkonen's arse apart.

Raikkonen can't drive the car. That much has been clear since the first time he got in it. Hopefully he'll get his head around it very soon.

Hopefully. I honestly thought there would not be a cigarette paper between them.

For all the excuse of 'Alonso's been there longer' and 'he's made it 'his' team' etc. It seems to me that the difference between them is Alonso isn't afraid to graft. Raikkonen seems to think he can just turn up for race weekends and rag the car. I'm sure I saw a quote the other day that he said he didn't think using the simulator would help sort his issues, whatever they are - don't know if you don't try! For that reason, so far at least, it's pretty much played out as I'd expected - Raikkonen can be quick, occasionally. Alonso is generally close to as quick as the car is capable of most of the time.

But back to this weekend - hope their weather forecasts are accurate and the race is dry.

I have never rated Raikkonen personally. If he has a good car that suits him, he will turn up and win with it. But he won't work to get the car right. He doesn't communicate with his team to work out problems.

I just don't see why he is rated so highly. Never have.

[longblackcoat]

llewop said:

Gaz. said:

ferrisbueller said:

Gaz. said:

Alonso is tearing Raikkonen's arse apart.

Raikkonen can't drive the car. That much has been clear since the first time he got in it. Hopefully he'll get his head around it very soon.

Hopefully. I honestly thought there would not be a cigarette paper between them.

For all the excuse of 'Alonso's been there longer' and 'he's made it 'his' team' etc. It seems to me that the difference between them is Alonso isn't afraid to graft. Raikkonen seems to think he can just turn up for race weekends and rag the car. I'm sure I saw a quote the other day that he said he didn't think using the simulator would help sort his issues, whatever they are - don't know if you don't try! For that reason, so far at least, it's pretty much played out as I'd expected - Raikkonen can be quick, occasionally. Alonso is generally close to as quick as the car is capable of most of the time.

But back to this weekend - hope their weather forecasts are accurate and the race is dry.

Kimi's last year of F1, I predict. He had the time at Lotus to demonstrate that with a goodish car he could outperform, so Ferrari took a chance. But he's not, and never has been, a good development driver. He's terrible with the press. He's really expensive. He's really good at getting 100% out of a 100% car and in a 90% car, the Lotus, he was still great. This year's Ferrari, an 80% car if ever there was one.........he really can't be bothered.

And although he's under contract for 2014 and 2015, he's performing so badly that I believe Ferrari will drop him at the end of this year and just pay him the salary; it's not like they haven't done this before.

And if he takes a(nother) year off, that's it for his career. Somehow, I don't think he'll be that bothered.

[hairyben]

ferrisbueller said:

If there were walls rather than white lines, or rules were strictly enforced about leaving track boundaries, what would have happened there?

IMO Hamilton would have lost the position or caused a collision.

Wouldn't the bahrain GP thread be a more appropriate place to discuss an aspect of that race ad nauseum while the rest of us move on with our lives?;)

[hairyben]

longblackcoat said:

Kimi's last year of F1, I predict. He had the time at Lotus to demonstrate that with a goodish car he could outperform, so Ferrari took a chance. But he's not, and never has been, a good development driver. He's terrible with the press. He's really expensive. He's really good at getting 100% out of a 100% car and in a 90% car, the Lotus, he was still great. This year's Ferrari, an 80% car if ever there was one.........he really can't be bothered.

And although he's under contract for 2014 and 2015, he's performing so badly that I believe Ferrari will drop him at the end of this year and just pay him the salary; it's not like they haven't done this before.

And if he takes a(nother) year off, that's it for his career. Somehow, I don't think he'll be that bothered.

At the current rate they might get to drop him on a performance clause.

[LDN]

Hamilton. Something else. I though he'd edge Rosberg over time but it seems that Nico is just maybe starting to crack. It's earlier in the season than I thought it would be. Vettel; I don't know what to say; maybe Riciardio really is an all time great awaiting his moment.

[Crafty_]

ash73 said:

Finally got to see Lewis' lap on the Beeb's website here. Fascinating to watch; very unusual lines, really looking for the grip, maybe a couple of tiny errors?

Sky were worse than useless today.

Do keep in ind that Sky have no control over the pictures we see.

[johnfm]

ferrisbueller said:

Love it.

MSc runs someone off the track and he's a cheating kraut . Hamilton does it and there's no issue and "he's back". Will wait to see what happens when someone does it to him. This place usually turns in to mumsnet at times such as those.

Which race were you watching?

Hamilton didn't run anybody off track. NR messed up opportunities to pass with fresher tyres by going into corners too hot and missing apexes.