127 replies to this topic

[Timstr11]

So Hamilton is ill? Just read on autosport he cancelled his appointments for today and went back to the hotel.

[undersquare]

So Hamilton is ill? Just read on autosport he cancelled his appointments for today and went back to the hotel.

Allergic to the smog, one paper said. If so that's not going to get any better I wouldn't think.

[Tenmantaylor]

Even the build-up threads seem to be more about the show than the sport.

You could argue it's more a show than a sport a lot of the time. That and nothing has happened yet so impossible for there to be any sport to talk about but I'll try and entertain you:

Previous winners:


2012 Nico Rosberg Mercedes
2011 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
2010 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
2009 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
2008 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
2007 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
2006 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2005 Fernando Alonso Renault
2004 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari

Most pole positions: Sebastian Vettel x3

Winningest Driver: Lewis Hamilton x2

Winningest Team: McLaren/Ferrari x3 each

Winningest engine: Mercedes x4

Interestingly Red Bull havn't won at China in any of their title winning years marking it out as a slight bogey track for them even though Vettel has been on pole three times.

The track has suited McLaren well over recent years. The power required for the long straight is met by the Merc engine (and F Duct when they had) and the smooth flat surface seems to suit their stiff suspension approach to optimising the aero.

Edited by Tenmantaylor, 11 April 2013 - 10:12.

[Head]

Force India will fly on this track

i hope so , sutil for the win

[Timstr11]

Allergic to the smog, one paper said. If so that's not going to get any better I wouldn't think.

Ok. I see. Some anti-histamine might help.

[Maustinsj]

"Winningest"

[chumma]

Alonso and Hamilton were both taken out before the first corner...

What about Kimi and the rest? They had no problems? It was a dry race? Vettel was in the mix? You cannot take that away from Jense.

[ApexMouse]

The mac was miles faster than anything else at spa. Look at quali.

[chumma]

The mac was miles faster than anything else at spa. Look at quali.

I don't care. Someone tried making the point that Jense can't win a dry race unless drivers have problems and Kimi had no problems. Button was just plain faster and that fact should be acknowledged. ps quali was wet.

Edited by chumma, 11 April 2013 - 12:11.

[undersquare]

Ok. I see. Some anti-histamine might help.

Good point. Sitting in a Mercedes road car too I expect, with its carbon filters.

[ApexMouse]

I don't care. Someone tried making the point that Jense can't win a dry race unless drivers have problems and Kimi had no problems. Button was just plain faster and that fact should be acknowledged. ps quali was wet.

No it wasn't?

The two cars that could have given him the biggest challenge, the saubers, were taken out as well as Alonso. Kimi qualified 6 tenths off button, there was never going to be competition.

Its like using the 2002 season to say that schumacher can win dry races when others dont have problems. Plain daft.
I disagree, I think jenson can win races in all conditions, but the example you are using is whack.

Edited by ApexMouse, 11 April 2013 - 12:26.

[Lazy]

The mac was miles faster than anything else at spa. Look at quali.

I believe there was another driver in the other McLaren who wasn't quite so fast in qualy.

[ApexMouse]

With a different setup on his car, yes.

[Tenmantaylor]

I believe there was another driver in the other McLaren who wasn't quite so fast in qualy.

[Lazy]

lol

[bub]

Ok. I see. Some anti-histamine might help.

Are there any that don't cause drowsiness?

[OO7]

One of the driest forecasts I've seen for a while. Forecasters confident of no rain

I'm expecting rain in that case.

[JRizzle86]

Lewis did make quite the boo boo.

[Mandzipop]

Can we get back on topic discussing the build up to the Chinses GP 2013 and not Spa 2012.

[SmokeScreen]

http://www.espn.co.u...ory/105136.html

Button also admitted that he had wanted to switch to the 2012 car after Australia but now believes the team will be in a strong position if it can challenge for wins soon.
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"I think the one thing that surprised us is that nobody else has gone our route. We're the only team to do that; we expected all of the top teams to do the same thing so we didn't think that we would have lost anything at the first race. We thought that the smaller teams would probably keep the same tub, go in the same direction just slightly improve through the winter and they would be competitive at the first race. We didn't expect for most teams - well all teams apart from us - to go in the same direction, so that's what has hurt us.
"

OhKaaaaaayyyyy

[Goron3]

So cooler temperatures in China should suit who? Force India and Lotus are good on their tyres but how is that affected by colder temps?

[SR388]

I hope Lewis gets past his allergies. The smog may clear up as the weekend approaches and some of the factories are closed.

[SpaMaster]

http://www.espn.co.u...ory/105136.html

Button also admitted that he had wanted to switch to the 2012 car after Australia but now believes the team will be in a strong position if it can challenge for wins soon.
.
.
.

"I think the one thing that surprised us is that nobody else has gone our route. We're the only team to do that; we expected all of the top teams to do the same thing so we didn't think that we would have lost anything at the first race. We thought that the smaller teams would probably keep the same tub, go in the same direction just slightly improve through the winter and they would be competitive at the first race. We didn't expect for most teams - well all teams apart from us - to go in the same direction, so that's what has hurt us.

OhKaaaaaayyyyy

Well, it looks like all the top teams indeed have done the same thing. It's just that McLaren didn't do that.

[bub]

http://www.espn.co.u...ory/105136.html

OhKaaaaaayyyyy

Reminds me of the low nose thing last year, that didn't turn out too bad though.

[yoyogetfunky]

Apparently Webber's arrived with his head shaved!

[sopa]

In an answer to a question in this thread.

Button won a dry race in Japan 2011 without a dominant car and without the misfortunes of others. So he can win a dry race.

[bonjon1979a]

http://www.espn.co.u...ory/105136.html

OhKaaaaaayyyyy

It's all utter balls. What does he mean? He expected all other teams to chuck away what was making them fast and start over? Baffling.

[undersquare]

Just watching the 2011 race, what a cracker that was. Hope we're in for another one like that.