380 replies to this topic

[swerved]

Pick a podium ? I'm feeling pretty optimistic and i think there could be some surprises in this one so my choices are just a guess based on nothing other than a feeling.

 

Surprise of the race ? Button.

 

1/ Kimi

2/ Vettel

3/ Hamilton

[Zava]

Pick a podium ? I'm feeling pretty optimistic and i think there could be some surprises in this one so my choices are just a guess based on nothing other than a feeling.

 

Surprise of the race ? Button.

 

1/ Kimi

2/ Vettel

3/ Hamilton

you have Kimi as first, and still the surprice of the race would be Button? that would need a helluva drive

 

I think either Vettel or Webber, depending on which strategy is better come raceday. and a not at all boring race. 

Edited by Zava, 26 October 2013 - 21:24.

[swerved]

you have Kimi as first, and still the surprice of the race would be Button? that would need a helluva drive

 

I think either Vettel or Webber, depending on which strategy is better come raceday. and a not at all boring race. 

 

 When i say surprise i dont mean a win, just maybe much better than expected, like for instance McLaren first podium, or even much worse than expected!, like for instance in Buttons case, an untypical crash, hope he doesn't but you get the picture.  

[sennafan24]

1. Seb

2. Webber

3. Alonso

 

Then some variation of

 

Kimi, Lewis and Rosberg

[DeLoreanFan]

 When i say surprise i dont mean a win, just maybe much better than expected, like for instance McLaren first podium, or even much worse than expected!, like for instance in Buttons case, an untypical crash, hope he doesn't but you get the picture.  

I'm with you, I woke up thinking about Macca today so who knows?

 

1/Macca (Button or Perez ) 

2/Kimi

3/Massa

 

I am going  with my picks!

[swerved]

1. Seb

2. Webber

3. Alonso

 

Then some variation of

 

Kimi, Lewis and Rosberg

 

I think its going to be even more interesting than just the tyre strategy suggest, like i said though, just a feeling, I kind of wish Kimi wasn't considering the financial position at Lotus because i think he might have taken more risks to go for the win, trouble is that 2nd in WCC is important, same for Alonso in Ferrari and Lewis in Merc, Vettel doesn't have those concerns so we'll see, anyway i'm going to grab a couple of hours 

[swerved]

I'm with you, I woke up thinking about Macca today so who knows?

 

1/Macca (Button or Perez ) 

2/Kimi

3/Massa

 

I am going  with my picks!

 

Even that would be an enjoyable result

[Andrew Hope]

Only chance we have of not seeing the finger wave after the race is if the smog is so thick you can't see who won.

[TomNokoe]

I refuse to believe one set of mediums on heavy fuel will take you 25 laps. I think a flat out 3 stop will win the race.

[SebnandoKimilton]

I hope Webber/Alonso/Raikkonen can make their tyres last, give Vettel some overtaking to do.

 

Hope there's a good battle between the Mercedes boys & that Romain can pull out some great overtakes from the back to well within the points.

 

Im exited, the win is likely Vettel's but with the diversified strategies he may have to work for it & the rest of the field is lined up for another great race.

 

Roll on formation lap. 

[Baddoer]

Heavy shower 1 minute before start, SC, red flags, Abu Dhabi

[Laffite]

By lap eight Seb will be some 20 seconds away, change to primes, keep the lead and go home.

Oh the podium? webbo and alonso.

[Nonesuch]

1) Vettel

2) Webber

 

But I'm hoping we'll see a good scrap for third between the likes of Hamilton, Raikkonen and Alonso.

Edited by Nonesuch, 26 October 2013 - 23:44.

[chrcol]

given lewis looks the slower merc driver this weekend, starting on softs and slow straight line speed as usual, I think it be a miracle if he is on the podium. Both ferrari and mclaren have caught up on quali pace, it doesnt look good for him.

[g1n]

Huge pileup in to t1-t2 hopefully, and then Hulkenberg, Button, Perez at the finish? hah

[travbrad]

1 Vettel

2 Webber

3 Raikkonen/Alonso

 

I wouldn't ever bet against Kimi or Fernando being on the podium, and the Mercs usually struggle on heavy fuel.

[weareracing]

Red Bull 1-2 plus 1................................ (Rosberg, Hamilton, Alonso, Hulkenberg or Raikkonen) on the podium ?

As long as GETTING THERE is interesting, I don't mind.

Reality is what you have to live with    

[Longtimefan]

1: Vettel
2: Webber
3: Nico

Surprise of the race: Hamiltons tyre delamination takes out Kimi's front left suspension.

[Atreiu]

Only surprise is this time I really rather sleep, which I will.

[404KF2]

Same here, if there were three Vettels in the race, they would all cross the line at the same time, in first.  Yawn.

[Kelateboy]

I refuse to believe one set of mediums on heavy fuel will take you 25 laps. I think a flat out 3 stop will win the race.

 

A bold prediction. 

 

But I am very sure the winning car will go for a 2-stopper. 

[Kelateboy]

Heavy shower 1 minute before start, SC, red flags, Abu Dhabi

 

And Vettel wins his 4th WDC without breaking a sweat...   

 

I don't know you are a closet Vettel fan.

[Andrew Hope]

Oh boy, let's all accuse each other of being fanboys. That never gets ****ing old. I'm sure glad I'm pulling an all nighter to chat about the race in here, I'm sure this time it won't be like the usual middle school sniping like it's been for the last 100 grands prix.

[muramasa]

Will Seb absorb points like sponge and stay ichiban again?

 

 

 

 

 

[Jackmancer]

I think it'll be a strategic battle between the two Red Bulls, but Vettel will win easily.

 

Sorry to be so boring. Hope I'm proven wrong.

[sopa]

If Vettel blows up, Alonso will need to finish in the first two positions to keep the championship alive. Could be interesting as well.

[Tosh]

We've seen this scenario so many times. Vettel starts, builds 5 seconds for two laps. Then if he feels like it he would do another 10 seconds juuuust to be sure.The only battle will be for the third spot on the podium, unless Webbo makes a crappy start.

[stanga]

I like Benson's preview on the BBC.

"Despite starting from pole position, Vettel will likely have to battle through the field at the Indian Grand Prix because of his team's strategy."

"But the necessity of overtaking leaves him vulnerable to potential incidents."

You mean we might see something of a race, Andrew, artificially created by the tires? Soooooo... Same old, same old. And fancy the race winner having to fight for it a little. Oh the humanity.

[apoka]

I think those deciding not to watch the race will miss out on something. We have different strategies in the top 10 with unclear outcome. RB and others struggle on the soft tyres, which will take them back in the midfield after the first stop and they have to work their way up from there. At the end, we will have drivers going for softs and either desperately trying to keep them together (if they pit early) or going for banzai laps (if they pit with only a few laps to go). I think we'll also have the odd (planned or unplanned) 3-stopper to spice things up. Most likely the outcome will be unclear until the last few laps, which should add some excitement. It's also clear that there will be a lot of fights as the guys on better tyres cannot just cruise behind others, but have to make their tyre advantage work. I think it will be worth watching.

 

[AlexS]

So who is right?  Autosport says race starts in 1 hour , F1.com says in 2 hours...

 

 

Edit: Autosport is once again wrong . And no one does anything about it. If the countdown clock is almost always wrong better have nothing.

Edited by AlexS, 27 October 2013 - 07:31.

[Zava]

So who is right?  Autosport says race starts in 1 hour , F1.com says in 2 hours...

f1.com is right, it seems autosport forgot to set back their clocks by 1 hour. current CET time is 8:29, race starts at 10:30, forum says 9:29. (well maybe the forum settings depend on me being lazy as well, but the other two already answers the question)

[muramasa]

So who is right?  Autosport says race starts in 1 hour , F1.com says in 2 hours...

must be F1.com coz it's of Rolex.

[kimister]

In my dream last night , I saw that there was a big accident ( similar to 2009 Spa ) and both Mercedes were out of race because of that. Then suddenly Vettel went backwards and found himself at 20. position ( possibly due to an mechanical problem ), Then after all dramas there was Lotus at the front. 

[michal2009b]

I really hope the soft tyres will be slower than mediums after 3-4 laps at the latest. It's the key to a good and potentially exciting race. It would've been good if at least 10 drivers start on mediums, the likes of Force Indias, Toro Rossos, Gutierrez for example. It'll be interesting to see how much faster those on new mediums will be compared to the starters on primes.

 

For the first time since Germany I am waiting impatiently for the race, I have a feeling it will be a good one and Webber and Alonso's strategies are the right ones. Enjoy the last Indian Grand Prix.

[Forma1]

Vettel

Webber

Kimi

 

Vettel will win easily, while Webber will have periods of the race in which he will fly. There will be an intense fight for the 3rd podium place between Kimi, ALo, Ham and Rosberg. First stint will decide everything, for Alonso/Webber it will come down how long they keep their tyres alive, they should make them last for about 20-22 laps. Considering the Nürburgring where Alonso had a hard time with his first stint on prime, it could be the case again. That's why I can't understand Ferrari's tactics, Alonso should have stayed in the box even if that had meant he would lose two places on the grid.

[SamH123]

I guess Pirelli have issued these 'max number of laps on each tire' (35 on meds, 15 on softs) recommendations as a get out clause if any tires suffer a serious failure 

[Jackmancer]

I guess Pirelli have issued these 'max number of laps on each tire' (35 on meds, 15 on softs) recommendations as a get out clause if any tires suffer a serious failure 

 

No 1 stop then ;p

[Forma1]

No 1 stop then ;p

Who did want a one-stopper? Only the Sky-guys spoke about it. Conducting a one-stopper you need the option last for a reasonable amout of laps, which is not the case this time.

[swerved]

Minor problems with Sebs gearbox apparently.

[Andrew Hope]

Minor problems with Sebs gearbox apparently.

What about his car's gearbox?

[Lights]

Charlie Whiting must be kidding himself about not gaining an advantage over the white lines. Yeah, sure, they don't, they just make unfortunate 'mistakes' every lap.

[Crossmax]

Charlie Whiting must be kidding himself about not gaining an advantage over the white lines. Yeah, sure, they don't, they just make unfortunate 'mistakes' every lap.

Quite, I was wondering if he actually believed what he was saying.

[apoka]

What about his car's gearbox?

 

Some problems in 5th and 7th gear - not sure what.

[Andrew Hope]

Thanks guys.. but I was just making a terrible 5-in-the-morning joke.

 

"Seb has gearbox trouble"

"What about his car?"

[muramasa]

at least on this paricular corner of Buddh, at the exit of that parobolica-ish section, surely cutting it is faster.

[nosecone]

Thanks guys.. but I was just making a terrible 5-in-the-morning joke.

 

"Seb has gearbox trouble"

"What about his car?"

too high level for us

[Forma1]

Horner is more nervous than before the birth of his child. He is nervous about the fact that Mark could have the better strategy. If yes, what would happen to the beloved Seb? 

But there is no need to risk: Vettel will walk away by having a 5-6 tenth advantage per lap. Maybe he will need to pass a few cars, but by being 2 seconds faster than them (on fresh tyres, yes), he will have an easy time.

[Andrew Hope]

too high level for us

I've never been accused of that before!

[apoka]

Horner is more nervous than before the birth of his child. He is nervous about the fact that Mark could have the better strategy. [...] But there is no need to risk: Vettel will walk away by having a 5-6 tenth advantage per lap. 

 

Unless you belong to those who believe that Vettel has a different car than Webber, then he actually has to push and work hard for being 0.5s per lap (using your number) faster than his team mate.

[SR388]

Lewis Hamilton dominates and leads flag to flag. Or he disappoints and finishes 5th.