972 replies to this topic

[Forma1]

Fernando topped the timing sheet, but Vettel was on a charge and he was held up. I think Lotus and Vettel are the favourite.

Mark and Feliep did longer runs, Ferrari seemed to have the upper hand over RB in terms of deg, but the gap is slight between the two. THe hard lasted for about 12-13 laps (cutting the easy in and out lap off the maximum number completed by Felipe on hard), then they gave up.

[Juggles]

I think Vettel will be on pole. Logically the podium should be Vettel, Alonso and Raikkonen in any order, but just because it seems so obvious I don't think they will be the top three come Sunday.

I'd be happy with a 5th for Hamilton, very happy with a 4th.

[OfficeLinebacker]

I missed FP3, but I saw reports of a problem on Lewis' car. I'm seeing reports of both a tyre delaminating or somehow failing, and also speculation that it was suspension failure, or the damaged tyre also damaged the suspension.

Can someone confirm the exact nature of the problem with Lewis' tyre? Thanks.

[Bloggsworth]

Guitierrez 27 laps and still slower than Chilton in a broken car? Answers on a postcard please...

[artista]

I missed FP3, but I saw reports of a problem on Lewis' car. I'm seeing reports of both a tyre delaminating or somehow failing, and also speculation that it was suspension failure, or the damaged tyre also damaged the suspension.

Can someone confirm the exact nature of the problem with Lewis' tyre? Thanks.

Reading what ex-mechanics are saying, it seems the delamination of the tyre caused the suspension failure, but I don't think the team has given any official statement confirming it was that way and not the other way around.
I have no clue about the possible reason for the tyre delamination, though

[ferrarijon123]

MERCEDES AMG F1 ‏@MercedesAMGF1
Lewis' gearbox will be changed before qualifying following the incident in P3... Lewis will incur a five-place grid penalty as a result

[Shiroo]

nico isnt as good qualifier as Ham. I expect that Merc tomorrow will start around 10th

[Lelouch]

MERCEDES AMG F1 ‏@MercedesAMGF1
Lewis' gearbox will be changed before qualifying following the incident in P3... Lewis will incur a five-place grid penalty as a result

Is it just my idea that Mercedes is trying to make a point here?

[Sennasational]

Is it just my idea that Mercedes is trying to make a point here?

They'd be right to. Guttierez got a 5 place grid drop for dangerous and moronic driving. Stupid penalties for gearbox changes.

Oh and the reason for the tyre delamination is the same as the reason for the 3 others this season; Pirelli. They're going to end up killing a driver, as well as the sport at this rate.

[Darth Sidious]

Is it even worth Lewis taking part in qualifying?

Would it be better for him to sit it out, start from pit lane and have a full suite of new tyres for the race?

Or would he just be better off sitting out Q3 like Vettel did last week?

[Francesc]

Guitierrez 27 laps and still slower than Chilton in a broken car? Answers on a postcard please...

Doing race setup work exclusively. He has a 5 grid places penalty so it doesn't make sense for him to work on quali setup.

Edited by Francesc, 20 April 2013 - 10:15.

[SamH123]

Guitierrez 27 laps and still slower than Chilton in a broken car? Answers on a postcard please...

He was obviously on some long runs and is not slower than the new teams. He would probably not qualify above 17th anyway so may as well not really bother with qualifying as he has a 5 place grid penalty. I imagine that's why he didn't bother doing low fuel runs in FP3

[robefc]

Is it even worth Lewis taking part in qualifying?

Would it be better for him to sit it out, start from pit lane and have a full suite of new tyres for the race?

Or would he just be better off sitting out Q3 like Vettel did last week?

I hope they do that just to see Lewis going full tilt at the field with bags of fresh tyres!

[Sakae]

Fernando topped the timing sheet, but Vettel was on a charge and he was held up. I think Lotus and Vettel are the favourite.

Pretty fast leap without transition; if Ferrari has best package on vehicle side, why would be Vettel or Lotus favorites?

Edited by Sakae, 20 April 2013 - 10:21.

[Pharazon]

I hope they do that just to see Lewis going full tilt at the field with bags of fresh tyres!

these are pirelli's...

new tires get old very fast..


even with a whole bag of new ones he'd still not be able to attack like he should be able to

[Darth Sidious]

I hope they do that just to see Lewis going full tilt at the field with bags of fresh tyres!

Me too.
I don't see the point in just sitting out Q3 as that just a fifteenth place start in mid grid mayhem. I'd give him the rest of the day off, work on the car for the rest of the day and unleash him from the pit lane tomorrow knowing he won't get caught up in a turn one crash and can race as hard as he likes and pit as often as he likes.

But thats just wishful thinking......

[Coral]

I hope they do that just to see Lewis going full tilt at the field with bags of fresh tyres!

I hope they do that too...this is going to be a damage limitation weekend already for Lewis and it would be great to see him charging through the field.

[Fastcake]

Is it even worth Lewis taking part in qualifying?

Would it be better for him to sit it out, start from pit lane and have a full suite of new tyres for the race?

Or would he just be better off sitting out Q3 like Vettel did last week?

Starting from the pit lane is always a risk and you don't see people doing it unless they are forced to. Hamilton should have the pace to make it to Q3 quite easily, but probably not the pace to fight for nominal pole. I do suspect he'll sit still and save tyres for the race.

[kartinhero]

If all drivers decides to stay out of Q1, how is the grid determined?

[Shiroo]

If all drivers decides to stay out of Q1, how is the grid determined?

by car numbers

[kartinhero]

by car numbers

Really?

[kartinhero]

by car numbers

Who's gonna start from the P13 then?

[Niceone]

Starting from the pit lane is always a risk and you don't see people doing it unless they are forced to. Hamilton should have the pace to make it to Q3 quite easily, but probably not the pace to fight for nominal pole. I do suspect he'll sit still and save tyres for the race.

One try on each Q-session and he would still have three sets of new tyres for race.

[Sakae]

If all drivers decides to stay out of Q1, how is the grid determined?

They are always in time-determined sequence, even if they all would complete just a single lap in Q3.

[Forma1]

Pretty fast leap without transition; if Ferrari has best package on vehicle side, why would be Vettel or Lotus favorites?

I can't see you. I think Vettel could have gone better and Lotus always hold their pace back in FP3 with more fuel. Ferrari were the lightest on fuel last time around in China, that's why I expect Lotus and Vettel to be faster than Fernando.

[Sakae]

by car numbers

Where did you get that?

[kartinhero]

They are always in time-determined sequence, even if they all would complete just a single lap in Q3.

???

I'm speaking of Q1 and 0 laps

[SunnyENTP]

Is it even worth Lewis taking part in qualifying?

Would it be better for him to sit it out, start from pit lane and have a full suite of new tyres for the race?

Or would he just be better off sitting out Q3 like Vettel did last week?

It would be silly to sit our qualification. Vettel could do that as he was still going to start within the top 10. Why would anyone want to start from 15th place just to have sets of tyures that are only 2 laps fresher? Before he overtakes 5 cars and gets to 10th place he would be so far behind. He could have done that back in the bridgestone era but not with todays tyres. You are not supposed to push and race with them.

If he can start from 8th/9th which looks like the best case scenario, he might jump a few cars at the start and get to 4th/5th place. He has to use the undercut as well and pit early. So it would be an interesting race.

Edited by SunnyENTP, 20 April 2013 - 10:48.

[Shiroo]

Where did you get that?

I believe he was talking about situation when everyone would boycote qualifications.

[Sakae]

???

I'm speaking of Q1 and 0 laps

Ad, sorry. (I was distracted and thought of Q3).

[TheManAlive]

Where did you get that?

Its car numbers at the first race of the season, after that its championship order. But that rule only applies in the event no qualifying session takes place.

If all the teams in Q1 elected to not leave the pits at all for the whole session, then it would make sense it would be championship order. It wont ever happen though, I am sure.

[Kerch]

Starting from the pit lane is always a risk and you don't see people doing it unless they are forced to. Hamilton should have the pace to make it to Q3 quite easily, but probably not the pace to fight for nominal pole. I do suspect he'll sit still and save tyres for the race.

Then again starting in the middle of the pack has its own risks of a collision. I think Lewis would have to be confident of qualifying in the top 10 (after penalties) to not consider starting from the pits.

[Sakae]

I believe he was talking about situation when everyone would boycote qualifications.

Yep, my mistake.

[Forma1]

Is it even worth Lewis taking part in qualifying?

Would it be better for him to sit it out, start from pit lane and have a full suite of new tyres for the race?

Or would he just be better off sitting out Q3 like Vettel did last week?

It is obviously a must for Leiws to take part in qualy. You need 3 new sets of hard and one set of medium for the race, so there is no point in sitting there out and saving more tyres. What would you would with that? He can use one set of hard, two/three set of medium (depending how competetive Mercedes will be compared to the best) and that's it. He should qualify as forward as he can.

[PurpleHam]

Can Alonso get pole?

He's 4-1 and a fancy a cheeky fiver on him...

[kartinhero]

If all the teams in Q1 elected to not leave the pits at all for the whole session, then it would make sense it would be championship order. It wont ever happen though, I am sure.

What if everyone has 0 points (e.g. first race of the season)

[Claudius]

Who's gonna start from the P13 then?

Nr 14 I'd say

[Claudius]

I think Alonso will have a shot at pole here.

[kartinhero]

Nr 14 I'd say

Fair enough

[TheManAlive]

What if everyone has 0 points (e.g. first race of the season)

First race of the season would be car numbers if there was no quali.

[jrg19]

57 Q3s for Hamilton, that is almost unbelievable.

[kartinhero]

First race of the season would be car numbers if there was no quali.

There would be qualify, but all teams would elect to stay at pits to save tires. I believe there's no rule for it.

[Tsarwash]

Where did you get that?

That's what the BBC commentary team said at the quali for China. Not necessarily correct though.

[ForzaGTR]

I know it's the same for all drivers, but these grid penalties for gear box changes are ridiculous. Why should the driver be punished for something that happened through no fault of his own?

[Topsu]

So Hamilton was provided with a faulty tyre, which delaminated and broke the gearbox, thus giving Hamilton a grid penalty?

[apoka]

I know it's the same for all drivers, but these grid penalties for gear box changes are ridiculous. Why should the driver be punished for something that happened through no fault of his own?

Probably because there are no better alternatives.

[SpaMaster]

Reading what ex-mechanics are saying, it seems the delamination of the tyre caused the suspension failure, but I don't think the team has given any official statement confirming it was that way and not the other way around.
I have no clue about the possible reason for the tyre delamination, though

Hamilton has a 5-place penalty. If this is not team's mistake, wouldn't this qualify as Force Majeure? I would like to know the results of a proper investigation - whether it is suspension or tyres.

[Ravenak]

And what if it's a tyre failure? Should Pirelli have a penalty? Maybe Pirelli could be given a three-race ban.

[ForzaGTR]

Probably because there are no better alternatives.

No grid penalty but a fine for the team?

[Sennasational]

So Hamilton was provided with a faulty tyre, which delaminated and broke the gearbox, thus giving Hamilton a grid penalty?

That's the long and short of it, yes. Go Pirelli!