The Official Chinese GP Thread 2012***SPOILERS***

[heebeegeetee]

Eric Mc said:

He probably said "The nut with the jack incorrectly gave the green light".

Ha ha.

[MGJohn]

Best laid plans and all that. No doubt the team has rehearsed that umpteen100 times. In the heat of the moment, only needs one little slip.

[Derek Smith]

JonRB said:

Derek Smith said:

I'm getting to like the bloke.

I think I've liked him ever since he appeared on Top Gear actually.

God to say I'm glad to see the back of that bloody finger at the moment though.

I didn't know god was pissed off with him as well. Nice to know that you, me and god are all relieved that bloody finger is absent for a while at least.

[McHaggis]

I wonder how many different winners we will get this year.

No clearly dominant team, tyres still being learned by the teams, I think we will be well into Europe before any one team creates a gap (and my money would be on Mclaren, with their pace of development)

I can easily see each of the current/former WDCs getting a win (outside chance even for KR). Plus Rosberg and Webber - so maybe 8 different winners?

[John D.]

heebeegeetee said:

Didn't I hear Ross Brawn say something about individual wheel nuts sending a signal ( I must admit I wasn't listening fully as he said it) and that an error signal had produced a green light?

BBC commentary alluded to such a system I think. A false signal sounds plausible if that's the case.

[Marf]

John D. said:

heebeegeetee said:

Didn't I hear Ross Brawn say something about individual wheel nuts sending a signal ( I must admit I wasn't listening fully as he said it) and that an error signal had produced a green light?

BBC commentary alluded to such a system I think. A false signal sounds plausible if that's the case.

Yeah I remember this being mentioned on the BBC coverage.

[MGJohn]

Derek Smith said:

JonRB said:

Derek Smith said:

I'm getting to like the bloke.

I think I've liked him ever since he appeared on Top Gear actually.

God to say I'm glad to see the back of that bloody finger at the moment though.

I didn't know god was pissed off with him as well. Nice to know that you, me and god are all relieved that bloody finger is absent for a while at least.

Be very afraid ... the finger will be back ...
.

[Life Saab Itch]

Marf said:

John D. said:

heebeegeetee said:

Didn't I hear Ross Brawn say something about individual wheel nuts sending a signal ( I must admit I wasn't listening fully as he said it) and that an error signal had produced a green light?

BBC commentary alluded to such a system I think. A false signal sounds plausible if that's the case.

Yeah I remember this being mentioned on the BBC coverage.

It looked to me like the wheel gun failed, the mech took the gun off the wheel which triggered the green light, then when he went to try with the spare gun the car was moving.

[jpf]

Having seen the first half of the race, I can safely say the first half of the race was processional.

It doesn't make for great viewing when the most excitement in the first half of the race is Schumacher driving off the track with a poorly attached wheel nut.

It really is unfortunate that you have to hope for rain for the race to be exciting.

[JonRB]

jpf said:

Having seen the first half of the race, I can safely say the first half of the race was processional.

Blimey... did you watch the same race?

[uk_vette]

Bedazzled said:

It wasn't helped by a cr*p track either.

Strange ?

In what way was it a cr*p track?

I would say it is certainly way above most of the other tracks?

vette

[MGJohn]

JonRB said:

jpf said:

Having seen the first half of the race, I can safely say the first half of the race was processional.

Blimey... did you watch the same race?

jpf said:

.
Having seen the first half of the race, I can safely say the first half of the race was processional.
.

Yeah .. too right. You're definitely on safe ground there.

Glad they all travel in the same processional direction though. Not to do so could be very iffy...

Seconds thoughts. Only the first half of the race. Did they change ends in the opposite direction for the second half then? ... game of two halves kinda thing.
..

[IainT]

MGJohn said:

IainT said:

.
One interesting question: can McLaren make a serious WDC bid with two equal drivers or, will their taking points from each other mean someone else gets a chance?
.

That is a problem which also faces other teams like Red Bull and Mercedes to name but two. As the season develops certain decisions will have to be taken for the benefit of the team, not just the drivers who are part of, not THE team.

I strongly suspect that the current F1 scene has the best spread of closely talented drivers and manufacturers since day one in F1...

You might be right there John and it could be the thing that gives JB or LH a really good shot at the title (see below) - NR/MS and MW/SV taking points off each other as well. Good job Ferrari are so slow of FA would have it sown up!

(below)
McLaren clearly have a slight advantage currently and Merc really need conditions to be bang on to get their tyres in the sweet-spot. RBR will clearly be close all season.

[llewop]

McHaggis said:

I wonder how many different winners we will get this year.

No clearly dominant team, tyres still being learned by the teams, I think we will be well into Europe before any one team creates a gap (and my money would be on Mclaren, with their pace of development)

I can easily see each of the current/former WDCs getting a win (outside chance even for KR). Plus Rosberg and Webber - so maybe 8 different winners?

I'd agree with most of what you say except the bit about a dominant team; look at podiums so far, out of 9 in total and max of 6 per team:
McLaren 5
Ferarri 1
Red Bull 1
Sauber 1
Mercedes 1

So, for once, McLaren have got off to a good start. Okay the sample size is still quite small so early in the season, but bodes well for LH&JB

[Jungles]

I think McLaren is dominant, in terms of having the widest and most consistent performance envelope. For raw pace they have a marginal advantage, but their biggest strength seems to be the car's ability to be fast in any situation and fastest in most.

Having good drivers also helps, although the same can be said for RBR, Merc, Lot, and Fer (FA).

[dr_gn]

Did Rosberg ever use the W-duct in the race?

Sorry, can't be bothered to read the whole thread.

[ewenm]

dr_gn said:

Did Rosberg ever use the W-duct in the race?

Sorry, can't be bothered to read the whole thread.

Probably, when lapping cars in the DRS zone.

[McHaggis]

llewop said:

I'd agree with most of what you say except the bit about a dominant team; look at podiums so far, out of 9 in total and max of 6 per team:
McLaren 5
Ferarri 1
Red Bull 1
Sauber 1
Mercedes 1

So, for once, McLaren have got off to a good start. Okay the sample size is still quite small so early in the season, but bodes well for LH&JB

Good points; I was meaning dominant in the way RB were last year - locking out front rows, covering 1/2 positions, etc. Will be fascinating to see how it unfolds.

[DanDC5]

ewenm said:

dr_gn said:

Did Rosberg ever use the W-duct in the race?

Sorry, can't be bothered to read the whole thread.

Probably, when lapping cars in the DRS zone.

Apparently he didn't use it. Just the DRS/KERS for lapping back markers. Mercedes thought he'd have to use it to hold back whoever caught him up at during the race but no one did.

[ewenm]

DanDC5 said:

Apparently he didn't use it. Just the DRS/KERS for lapping back markers. Mercedes thought he'd have to use it to hold back whoever caught him up at during the race but no one did.

Does it not automatically happen when DRS is used?