The Official Japanese GP thread 2013

[Scuffers]

VolvoT5 said:

TBH if Sauber carry on the improvements they have shown over the last couple of races then it wouldn't be such a bad idea to stay put? Going back to FI would definitely be a sideways move at best possibly even a backwards step.

kind of making the assumption that staying at Sauber is an option?

I would assume they need paying drivers and I'm not sure the Hulk has enough financial backing?

[vonuber]

RichB said:

confused: Webber did indeed question the three stop strategy so are you disagreeing with that or simply pointing out that when interviewed on the podium he was more sanguine?

Afterwards he was - from what I have read he weaqs chewing his tyres up in the first stint being to close to Grosjean, so had to pit earlier. So he was stuck between a two and a three stop, and they judged the two stop to be marginal.

[Jacobyte]

rubystone said:

e21Mark said:

Am I right in thinking that Webbers DRS failed .

No.

On his first run at Grosjean down the pit straight, I noticed that his DRS only activated when he was a long way past the start/finish line. You could see it clearly when they did the replay. So there was either a problem with it or he neglected/forgot to use it until it was too late to get any benefit from it on that occasion.

[Davidonly]

andy_s said:

Tyre Smoke said:

The racing is the most boring it has been for years. Drivers and teams are simply managing tyres and fuel. It is no longer about who has the fastest car and is the best driver. Save engines, save gearboxes, save tyres, save fuel. They'll be running electric cars or hybrids soon - look at endurance racing.

T'was ever thus. They always manage fuel and tyres. It's just the effect is now magnified and has a whiff of artificiality about it, but in essence, it's much the same it's always been in terms of managing the car.

What would be wrong with hybrid or electric F1 cars anyway?

I missed the first British GP this year since 2008... because of the new rules to some extent. The spectacle seems less 'heroic' than it used to some how?

Anyway, factor in significantly diminished aural excitement (first stage being: V6 turbos) and pretty soon I will probably have forgotten all about the live version of the sport.

Future F1 will probably be OK on TV still as its cheap to view on the BBC anyway and you can't 'feel' the show as you can trackside.

Actually it's all very sad.

I guess I was becoming a big F1 fan (late in life it has to be said). I did always follow things closely on TV since the 80's but 2008 was when I caught the bug proper.

2009 was quieter and less thrilling: why? I found out later: lower engine rev limit. Its got steadily more dull ever since. And remains very expensive to watch with a family in tow.

I guess it was a moment in time. I do wish I had gone to watch the V10 versions of these astounding machines!

[e21Mark]

Jacobyte said:

rubystone said:

e21Mark said:

Am I right in thinking that Webbers DRS failed .

No.

On his first run at Grosjean down the pit straight, I noticed that his DRS only activated when he was a long way past the start/finish line. You could see it clearly when they did the replay. So there was either a problem with it or he neglected/forgot to use it until it was too late to get any benefit from it on that occasion.

I asked the question as I heard Coulthard question whether it had worked as expected, when Webber first tried to pass Grossjean.

[Jasandjules]

e21Mark said:

I asked the question as I heard Coulthard question whether it had worked as expected, when Webber first tried to pass Grossjean.

And bear in mind that Vettel got the pass completed before he opened his DRS.

[andyps]

ash73 said:

andyps said:

no driver or team personnel have said they are suffering from tyres varying from batch to batch.

here

article said:

Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery has hit back at claims that the Italian supplier is producing inconsistent tyres which vary in quality at each race.

The claims were made by Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko. Not one to shy away from controversial subjects, the Austrian suggested the tyres varied in quality from team to team and race to race.

I can provide as many links as you like, but people on the internet never change their minds about anything, they just want to win the argument; so why bother...?

Your quote is from last year, and was from Helmut Marko who has regularly proven himself to say what is appropriate to protect a particular driver. Without a link to a comment from someone during the season this year, and specifically about recent races (which was the original point made that I questioned) I don't see why I should change my mind.

[VolvoT5]

Scuffers said:

kind of making the assumption that staying at Sauber is an option?

I would assume they need paying drivers and I'm not sure the Hulk has enough financial backing?

True, but we are also assuming Lotus don't need a pay driver as well.... I mean even Mclaren seem to have followed the money with Perez.

[Crafty_]

Found this interesting: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/110635

I don't remember Kimi being sensitive to setup before, but it does make sense with regards to speed compared to Grosjean - although I think Romain has done a better job than the points table would have you believe.

I wonder how he'll get on back at Ferrari if they continue to have chassis issues, this years car appears to understeer and then wash out at the front when pushed, which sounds the opposite of what Kimi liked earlier this year...

Edited by Crafty_ on Monday 14th October 22:28

[VolvoT5]

ash73 said:

It probably depends if Ferrari can build a car that suits both drivers, Kimi seems to have quite a different driving style to Alonso, to my eyes.

I would be interested if you could define that....... how is it different?

I only say that because I agree with you but I can't think of any objective/logical reason why to be honest. Some drivers are obviously 'fast n furious' or 'super smooth' but Kimi and Alonso don't stand out much to my eyes (apart from being incredibly good of course).

What I do find interesting is Kimi has definitely changed over the years, I think he is smoother and more consistent but perhaps ultimately not as fast unless the car is 100%; a bit like Button.

Edited by VolvoT5 on Monday 14th October 22:01

[woof]

Give a room full of monkeys enough time and they'd write a Shakespearean Sonnet. Sadly the same can't be said about EJ but he might have a 1 in 6 chance of guessing a driver move.

nsa said:

I've not read the full thread, but did anybody else see Eddie Jordan on BBC F1 Forum show predict Hulkenburg to Force India next year? He seemed pretty sure.

He made an early call about Hamilton moving to Mercedes last year: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19489930

Edit: EJ on YoutubeL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9xT7l7uju4

Edited by nsa on Monday 14th October 11:11

[andyps]

ash73 said:

As predicted So your burden of proof has changed from any team personnel, to anyone except Marko, to anyone specifically in the last couple of races?

Your original comment which prompted my question:

ash73 said:

mollytherocker said:

They have produced what was requested.

I don't think that's correct, we've had dangerous failures resulting in construction changes midway through the season which tipped the balance of the WDC; and tyres of the same compound are inconsistent from set to set.

You were clearly talking about this season with the construction changes midway through the season. Within the same sentence you claimed inconsistency from set to set. I asked for a source saying that which linked it to this year. Your response was from last year. I remain unconvinced about the validity of your claim but maybe one of the many quotes/sources you mentioned would actually relate to tyres since the construction change this year to confirm your accusation.

I asked out of a genuine interest as I hadn't heard the complaint you mentioned so wondered where it came from, I'm very happy to be given evidence to understand a situation and am not trying to score points in an internet game.

[andygo]

[quote=ash73]

It's only half the story though, as we can't see their pedal inputs sadly.[/quote

I think it's safe to say they are both pedaling like mad,

[lap_time]

vonuber said:

"The race today was pretty good, but I'd have liked one more step on the podium but there were different strategies going on," said Webber.

"I'm pretty happy with second but you always want a bit more. I got the best from what I could today.

"In the end we went to a three-stop but we we got back to where we were."

Is your name C. Horner by any chance?