The Official Japanese GP Thread 2012 ***SPOILERS***

The Official Japanese GP Thread 2012 ***SPOILERS***

Author
Discussion

woof

Original Poster:

8,456 posts

276 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
quotequote all
Back to the racing !

Some very unsettled weather in Japan at the moment - Typhoon Jelawat is causing a lot of damage.
http://news.sky.com/story/991265/typhoon-jelawat-h...


Tokyo is some 200 miles north west of Suzuka and will clear before the race weekend. Local forecast is a bit mixed depending where you look - but a bit of rain would make it interesting - maybe we'll see Kimi finally win a race in 2012!


Gene Vincent

4,002 posts

157 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
quotequote all
I'm going for a Button/Perez one-two.

Put a marker down early I say!

woof

Original Poster:

8,456 posts

276 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
quotequote all
I think it's going to be a Hamilton win and Alonso will of course pick up some points

Looking further ahead.. Alonso has this championship tied up - it's his to loose right now and that's a bloody strong position to be in.
Mclaren to get the constructors title ( about time they did it again ) Lewis to get within a few points of winning the WDC

Life Saab Itch

37,068 posts

187 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Both Saubers on the podium...

TerzoNeil

335 posts

202 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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can see the hamster going on the podium but not winning race, either button or fingers with alfonso fourth

vonuber

17,868 posts

164 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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1st: Pic
2nd: Glock
3rd: Petrov


And you know that would be an awesome race.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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I'm not sure that Ferrari will be that strong here. I see a 4th place for Alonso. McLaren are on a roll lately so...

1. Hamilton
2. Vettel
3. Button

But McLaren hardly ever get both cars in the top 5 let alone the top 3 so realistically...

1. Hamilton
2. Vettel
3. Raikkonen

Raikkonen has had 3 podiums in the last 5 races, with a 5th and 6th in the last two. He's definitely capable of the WDC. He can poach it from here like Vettel poached it in 2010.

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

254 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Button likes Japan. Did well last year. I'll say Button Win, Lewis second, and Vettel 3rd, with Alonso 4th.

Nick1point9

3,917 posts

179 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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MSTRBKR said:
I'm not sure that Ferrari will be that strong here. I see a 4th place for Alonso. McLaren are on a roll lately so...

1. Hamilton
2. Vettel
3. Button

But McLaren hardly ever get both cars in the top 5 let alone the top 3 so realistically...

1. Hamilton
2. Vettel
3. Raikkonen

Raikkonen has had 3 podiums in the last 5 races, with a 5th and 6th in the last two. He's definitely capable of the WDC. He can poach it from here like Vettel poached it in 2010.
I don't think Raikkonen is in a similar position to contend the WDC like Vettel was in 2010; Vettel won 3 of the last 6 in 2010 which I can't see Raikkonen doing. Realistically, will Raikkonen out score Vettel, Hamilton and Alonso, when 2 of them have better cars?

robmlufc

5,227 posts

185 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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Life Saab Itch said:
Both Saubers on the podium...
Perez on the top step I reckon.

stevesingo

4,848 posts

221 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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Button
Hamilton
Perez
Raikkonen
Vettel
Alonso

Will Button give way to Hamilton for the WDC? No. Why would he now?

We will see the Ferrari is somewhere behind the rest

woof

Original Poster:

8,456 posts

276 months

Monday 1st October 2012
quotequote all

Alonso doesn't have to win - he only need to score a handful of points per race and let the others fight. He's too mature a driver to throw it away. (cue Alonso throwing the WDC away)


MGJohn

10,203 posts

182 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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With the Hamilton-McLaren split out in the open, how good will his cars now be for the rest of the season? Was it mere coincidence and merely bad luck Hamilton had a rare non-self-inflicted Mechanical DNF in the last race? Doubt it, points mean more than prizes in F1. There again, it appears from what information is available, they took a chance with a known gearbox question hanging over Hamilton's car. Surely they should have made a certainty of these things. Funny old games folks sometimes play. You never know though.

So, I expect McLaren to continue their recently found superiority with Button now in the forefront. Nobody appears to have given Maldonado much thought. I expect his change of attitude to be again more productive and anticipate a good showing with the possibility of a win not out of the question.

Alonso will be wise to continue to drive for best points rather than the win, taking a win if fortune is on his side as has happened before. Yes, wise to continue trying to make a certainty of a good points score rather than beating every other car.

Until a few races ago I was expecting better things to continue from improved Lotus but, they continue to flatter to deceive. They will be thereabouts if luck again plays a part, not from better car/driver combinations I feel.

Vettel and the Red Bull cars. There will be huge incentive to maximise Vettel's chances in the remaining races. He's won from a long way back in previous seasons so again, there's a chance. Only takes a slip up from the Red Car Team or their No.1 driver or, a downturn of luck as happened at Monza and it's all change at the top in a race or two.

What of the two Mercedes cars? Who knows. That team continues to be an enigma from just about every aspect all season but a good showing is always possible. By the way, you can get 100-1 each way for a Schumacher win...

So all things considered, best thing if McLaren are not top car come Suzuka is stick a pin in all the top half dozen teams. It could be that close.

Continues to be one of the most interesting seasons for along time whatever happens in the remaining races.

Yes, very interesting. Hamilton drives the three pointed star next season ... who knew? Not me. What a turn up! Eddie J did apparently.

another 3 points

936 posts

196 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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I really hope Schumacher has a good race finishing in the points. Might encourage him to stay in the sport..at Sauber hopefully. Anyway, about time we had another race, its building towards an exciting final race.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 1st October 2012
quotequote all
woof said:
Alonso doesn't have to win - he only need to score a handful of points per race and let the others fight. He's too mature a driver to throw it away. (cue Alonso throwing the WDC away)
He isn't that far ahead. Just 3 more races like Singapore with Vettel winning and he's no longer leading.

woof

Original Poster:

8,456 posts

276 months

Monday 1st October 2012
quotequote all
FadeTrade said:
woof said:
Alonso doesn't have to win - he only need to score a handful of points per race and let the others fight. He's too mature a driver to throw it away. (cue Alonso throwing the WDC away)
He isn't that far ahead. Just 3 more races like Singapore with Vettel winning and he's no longer leading.
Valid point - if Vettel is 28 points behind - even Lewis still has a chance being 50 points behind.
Alonso hasn't won since Germany and I think he's natural position is 4 or 5th but he keeps scoring points and his rivals keep throwing it away.

So maybe it's still a 3 way fight - Alonso, Lewis & Vettel ( I don't see Kimi being part of it)
Mclaren odds on favourite to win the Team Champs

skinny

5,269 posts

234 months

Monday 1st October 2012
quotequote all
top 6 prediction - vettel (from pole), button, alonso, hamilton, raikonnen, perez.
and unless there's rain, quite a boring race despite a fantastic circuit.

Serendipity72

191 posts

138 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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Suzuka is both very fast and a big test of driver skill.
It is exactly the sort of circuit that the Red Bull doesn't like.

Jenson and Kimi both like it here. So one or both of them for the podium.

Force India, Sauber and Williams could all surprise.
But the safest money has to be on Alonso for a top 4 finish.

Shaw Tarse

31,543 posts

202 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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Button in need of a new gearbox?

Mini1275

11,098 posts

181 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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Yep:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103002

Autosport said:
Jenson Button will have a five-place grid penalty for the Japanese Grand Prix because he needs a new gearbox for the Suzuka weekend, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

The Briton returns to the scene of his brilliant victory 12 months ago, 75 points adrift of championship leader Fernando Alonso, and well aware that only a victory will keep alive his slim title hopes.

But he has already been given some bad news, with post-race investigations of his gearbox after the Singapore GP uncovering an identical gearbox problem to that which had put Lewis Hamilton out of the race.

McLaren has no option but to change Button's gearbox for a new one, which means he will moved down five places on the grid.

Hamilton will also be fitted with a new gearbox, but he will not suffer any penalty as he did not finish the last race.

McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe told AUTOSPORT: "Jenson's gearbox had the same problem as Lewis's gearbox during the Singapore Grand Prix, and subsequent investigation has revealed a terminal failure.

"Therefore both cars must start the Japanese Grand Prix with new gearboxes, which means that Jenson will receive a five-place penalty.

"Of course, this is a great disappointment for Jenson and the team. On the positive side, we have understood and completely resolved the issue, allowing both drivers to compete with confidence for podium positions."

Hamilton heads to the Japanese GP 52 points behind Alonso, with six races remaining in this year's title battle.



I reckon it'll be :

Hamilton
Vettel
Alonso
Raikkonen
Button