663 replies to this topic

[jrg19]

25 minutes to go, should be a dry session. 

[TomNokoe]

So Lewis is has admitted he is still having a love affair with Nicole his brakes. How many times is he going to straight line the chicanes this morning? I'm saying 4.

[SamH123]

James Calado was in the running for the GP2 championship...

Surprised he would ditch it for a free practice run but maybe that is more important for his CV

 

edit: oh wait I think he's doing GP2 this weekend as well.  That's a packed schedule, and probably hard to adjust between the 2 cars 

Edited by SamH123, 06 September 2013 - 08:00.

[MortenF1]

Depending on the tracks - 'cause some tracks are more forgiving, or doesn't require the same from the brakes - I think Hamilton will have some braking-issues throughout the year. Hopefully it'll be different with next years car.

 

I am particularly interested in seeing what kinds of signals we're getting from Mercedes new low DF-package, and just how competitive Lotus will be. Red Bull and Ferrari are sure to be front-runners, no excitement there I think.

Toro Rosso to sail up (again) and take Force India's position of being the one to be able to hassle the established front-running teams.

[Zoetrope]

Tha ammount of gravel at Parabolica is probably higher than aggregate of all the gravel at the new Tilke tracks.

[Lights]

Tha ammount of gravel at Parabolica is probably higher than aggregate of all the gravel at the new Tilke tracks.

 

We better hope no one crashes at Parabolica this weekend then, because that will guarantee a car park sized asphalt patch there next year.

[undersquare]

Depending on the tracks - 'cause some tracks are more forgiving, or doesn't require the same from the brakes - I think Hamilton will have some braking-issues throughout the year. Hopefully it'll be different with next years car.

Yeah Lewis mentioned pitch didn't he, I'm guessing the FRICS system lets the nose dip under braking more than his rock-hard McLaren used to, and that adds a lag to the response.  Odd in a way because I thought half the point of FRICS was to disconnect the front from the rear when it senses braking g.

[jrg19]

Jensons DRS stuck open.

[Zoetrope]

So Lewis is has admitted he is still having a love affair with Nicole his brakes. How many times is he going to straight line the chicanes this morning? I'm saying 4.

1 and counting 

[SamH123]

Hopefully there'll be a great shoot out between VET/ALO/HAM this weekend, not surprised to see those 3 already filling the top 3

Edited by SamH123, 06 September 2013 - 08:59.

[TomNokoe]

Merc seem to have cured their woes from Spa. Very fast out the gate, which is against the norm. Hamilton's best sectors put him 0.4 clear.

[Holdenboy]

Hopefully there'll be a great shoot out between VET/ALO/HAM this weekend, not surprised to see those 3 already filling the top 3

 

and Rosberg too

[MMandi]

They've been fast out the gate before then lost their way through other sessions, so let's see if they can build on it but looking good so far

[Baddoer]

McLaren looks okay, Gutierrez desperately wants new contract by the looks of it

[MMandi]

What were the Ferraris doing

[mahelgel]

What were the Ferraris doing

Alonso was doing a practice start, Massa was on his way out when the pitlane light turned red just before he crossed the white line where the track starts. Massa then tried to stop, locked wheels, just crossing the white line after the session was flagged. 

[bonjon1979a]

Alonso was doing a practice start, Massa was on his way out when the pitlane light turned red just before he crossed the white line where the track starts. Massa then tried to stop, locked wheels, just crossing the white line after the session was flagged. 

It looked like Alonso had gone beyond the point that they were allowed to do practice starts but not by much and I'm not sure Massa was as close as it looked to Fernando. Lens shortens the distance, he locked up because he was concerned that the session had just been flagged.

[Dozer]

Great to see the Merc fast from the get go but i'll keep my enthusiasm down till tomorrow arvo having been burned before

[rasul]

Going to be the usual Mercedes pole by the looks of it. 

Boring. Hope some other car takes the pole for a change.

[SamH123]

Going to be the usual Mercedes pole by the looks of it. 

Boring. Hope some other car takes the pole for a change.

 

Yeah Vettel taking it would be so exciting wouldn't it 

[rasul]

Yeah Vettel taking it would be so exciting wouldn't it 

It would be more exciting, tbh. We are yet to see Vettel take the pole in dry conditions this year.

At this rate, there will be no point in watching qualifying when it's dry.

[DutchQuicksilver]

Looks to be Hamilton, Alonso and Vettel again just like in Spa. Hopefully Fernando can finally get that car on the front row, been a while.

[Zoetrope]

It would be more exciting, tbh. We are yet to see Vettel take the pole in dry conditions this year.

At this rate, there will be no point in watching qualifying when it's dry.

But then again, I expect Merc to struggle in the race just like Spa. If Lewis can hold Vettel for long enough, he might fall into Alonso claws making this a great race. Vettel flying away from P1 into distance...not so much.

[Tron]

Any reason why Gonzalez usually takes Bianchi's practice time and not Chilton's?

[rasul]

But then again, I expect Merc to struggle in the race just like Spa. If Lewis can hold Vettel for long enough, he might fall into Alonso claws making this a great race. Vettel flying away from P1 into distance...not so much.

In Spa they struggled mainly because of the setup. I expect Merc to be far stronger here in the race. Rosberg looked good on high fuel, his times similar to Vettel's. By the way, I doubt Red Bull is the yardstick here. I expect other cars to be stronger in the race, and Red Bull's top speed wouldn't exactly help them.

[olliek88]

Any reason why Gonzalez usually takes Bianchi's practice time and not Chilton's?

 

Yep, several million of them. 

 

Nice job from Calado in FP1, 4 tenths of Di Resta is a decent effort.

[KiloWatt]

It would be more exciting, tbh. We are yet to see Vettel take the pole in dry conditions this year.
At this rate, there will be no point in watching qualifying when it's dry.

It may make qualifying more exciting. But then he may run away with it in the race, which would also be boring. Personally, I'd rather have an exciting race and boring qualifying.


(Actually, if I'm honest, I'd rather have hamilton dominate qualy and race - which would be immensely boring for most. I guess you can't have your kayak and heat it too).

Edited by KiloWatt, 06 September 2013 - 10:01.

[TomNokoe]

It would be more exciting, tbh. We are yet to see Vettel take pole in dry conditions this year.
At this rate, there will be no point in watching qualifying when it's dry.

Vettel has had chance after chance to take pole in the dry this season. Monaco, Germany, Hungary he had an excellent chance but didn't perform. He admitted it each time. Quali this year has been very tight. Less than 2 tenths between pole and 2nd on numerous occasions and a ton of last-lap shootouts.

[DutchQuicksilver]

Good to see McLaren up there btw. Think they can fight with Lotus on Sunday. Only Merc, Red Bull and Alonso look to be quicker really. Though, the longer Lotus seems to be better than the old spec Grosjean is using.

[MortenF1]

Anyone got some speed trap figures? (not up on f1.com yet.)

[TomNokoe]

Perez finished 6th with a time set very early on. Button wasn't too happy with the back end, hopefully they don't compromise speed for stability because I think this is their best chance of the year for a result.

[Richard T]

Dreaming away to the old days today when Alonso kicked up the gravel exiting parabolica, how beautiful..

Oh well...

[MMandi]

Quali hasn't been boring this year as we've had in previous, going by some comments you would think the Merc has been running away with quali by about 6 tenth or something of an advantage

[TomNokoe]

Anyone got some speed trap figures? (not up on f1.com yet.)

A couple of figures from Twitter suggest Calado and Ricciardo topped - both hit 339kph. Got nothing else though I'm afraid

[BillBald]

Tha ammount of gravel at Parabolica is probably higher than aggregate of all the gravel at the new Tilke tracks.

 

So which is it, gravel or aggregate?

 

[apoka]

Quali hasn't been boring this year as we've had in previous, going by some comments you would think the Merc has been running away with quali by about 6 tenth or something of an advantage

Quali was mostly close in previous years as well.

[Zoetrope]

So which is it, gravel or aggregate?

 

English isn't my primary language, but after checking the dictionary I understood   Good one

[SamH123]

English isn't my primary language, but after checking the dictionary I understood   Good one

You're doing better than me because I'm English and I still don't understand the joke 

[anti]

Practice 1:  :: Lap Chart
 

[EvanRainer]

Vettel has had chance after chance to take pole in the dry this season. Monaco, Germany, Hungary he had an excellent chance but didn't perform. He admitted it each time. Quali this year has been very tight. Less than 2 tenths between pole and 2nd on numerous occasions and a ton of last-lap shootouts.

 

Boy, what an arrogant tosser.

[OO7]

Boy, what an arrogant tosser.

[Blackmore]

Looking good for especially Mercedes and Ferrari, FP2 should be interesting

 

 

[rasul]

Speed trap:

1 15 James Calado 339.5

2 19 Daniel Ricciardo 339.0

3 18 Jean-Eric Vergne 338.2

4 7 Kimi Räikkönen 337.6

5 10 Lewis Hamilton 337.5

6 14 Paul di Resta 337.5

7 9 Nico Rosberg 336.9

8 8 Romain Grosjean 336.8

9 4 Felipe Massa 336.4

10 3 Fernando Alonso 336.2

11 23 Max Chilton 334.4

12 12 Esteban Gutierrez 334.3

13 6 Sergio Perez 332.0

14 5 Jenson Button 331.1

15 11 Nico Hulkenberg 331.0

16 20 Charles Pic 330.5

17 21 Heikki Kovalainen  330.0

18 17 Valtteri Bottas 329.9

19 22 Rodolfo Gonzalez 329.8

20 16 Pastor Maldonado 329.6

21 1 Sebastian Vettel 328.8

22 2 Mark Webber 328.5

 

Red Bull are sitting ducks.

[micktosin]

Imagine vettel getting stuck in traffic during the race, that'll be nice with their top speed.

 

Speed trap:

1 15 James Calado 339.5

2 19 Daniel Ricciardo 339.0

3 18 Jean-Eric Vergne 338.2

4 7 Kimi Räikkönen 337.6

5 10 Lewis Hamilton 337.5

6 14 Paul di Resta 337.5

7 9 Nico Rosberg 336.9

8 8 Romain Grosjean 336.8

9 4 Felipe Massa 336.4

10 3 Fernando Alonso 336.2

11 23 Max Chilton 334.4

12 12 Esteban Gutierrez 334.3

13 6 Sergio Perez 332.0

14 5 Jenson Button 331.1

15 11 Nico Hulkenberg 331.0

16 20 Charles Pic 330.5

17 21 Heikki Kovalainen  330.0

18 17 Valtteri Bottas 329.9

19 22 Rodolfo Gonzalez 329.8

20 16 Pastor Maldonado 329.6

21 1 Sebastian Vettel 328.8

22 2 Mark Webber 328.5

 

Red Bull are sitting ducks.

 

[jrg19]

Even with those speed trap times you can almost guarantee RedBull wont be far off the pace.

[Zoetrope]

Considering RBR have better acceleration the tow will start working earlier, add DRS to that and the job might be done. Then pull away enough to brake DRS. I know it's easier said than done, but they are not doomed yet. Let's wait for the race to start actually.

[Vesuvius]

Imagine vettel getting stuck in traffic during the race, that'll be nice with their top speed.

but they have awesome traction...Kimi had best top speed last year on the race 346km/h but was still very slow on straights because traction sucked.

[Seanspeed]

 

Speed trap:

1 15 James Calado 339.5

2 19 Daniel Ricciardo 339.0

3 18 Jean-Eric Vergne 338.2

4 7 Kimi Räikkönen 337.6

5 10 Lewis Hamilton 337.5

6 14 Paul di Resta 337.5

7 9 Nico Rosberg 336.9

8 8 Romain Grosjean 336.8

9 4 Felipe Massa 336.4

10 3 Fernando Alonso 336.2

11 23 Max Chilton 334.4

12 12 Esteban Gutierrez 334.3

13 6 Sergio Perez 332.0

14 5 Jenson Button 331.1

15 11 Nico Hulkenberg 331.0

16 20 Charles Pic 330.5

17 21 Heikki Kovalainen  330.0

18 17 Valtteri Bottas 329.9

19 22 Rodolfo Gonzalez 329.8

20 16 Pastor Maldonado 329.6

21 1 Sebastian Vettel 328.8

22 2 Mark Webber 328.5

 

Red Bull are sitting ducks.

 

Not necessarily.  What trap speeds don't indicate these days is non-DRS top speed.  Red Bull have been quite good in this area this year.   

 

Granted, its Monza and others are running less downforce, so it might not be as prevalent here, but with their good traction and excellent one-lap pace, it makes it very hard for anybody to even get a shot at an overtake.

 

I think bad DRS top speed mainly just means they have a hard time overtaking themselves. 

Edited by Seanspeed, 06 September 2013 - 11:18.

[Trust]

They are going for pole position. If they manage that, Vettel will win it. However if they don't come first after first corner it will be fun.

[Massa]

Red Bull are slow at the end of the straight line but they are the fastest to reach high top speed because their awesome traction and short gearing. I would love to see a comparaison with all the car from parabolica to the first chicane, i'm sure the Red Bull is the fastest car to travel the main straight.

 

Two years ago, despite their low top speed, they had the higher top speed of all teams at the finish line.