1228 replies to this topic

[Ev0d3vil]

Thoughts about the race? Rain? Okay thats like a 90% sure thing. I hope we do NOT get an SC start for the sake of the fans watching though.

[Disgrace]

Perhaps running the race on schedule is Bernie's way of inducing a potential half points race to cancel out the double points race?

[thegamer23]

I have a feeling this is going to be a classic.
Expect some major dramas at the front.

[Ev0d3vil]

I have a feeling this is going to be a classic.
Expect some major dramas at the front.

 

I hope for us we see a classic tomorrow
 

Rooting a Lewis win as usual !

Edited by Ev0d3vil, 04 October 2014 - 13:08.

[Nigol]

Perhaps running the race on schedule is Bernie's way of inducing a potential half points race to cancel out the double points race?

 

I bet he is responsible for the typhoon!

[wj_gibson]

The problem is that with this type of storm they don't have the Korea 2012 option of holding out for as long as possible as the forecast is currently for the storm to hit around 1pm and then just intensify for 12 hours. It really could be two laps behind the safety car.

I really struggle to believe that, as with Indy 05, all that brainpower in the paddock and all the heads stay in the sand. The race should have been held today IMO.

Edited by wj_gibson, 04 October 2014 - 13:23.

[fisssssi]

I'm about to go to bed and all I can say is... dear god, please let there be a race tomorrow!

 

Also RBR seem to have taken the biggest gamble w.r.t. taking a wet setup.

[Paincake]

I have a feeling this is going to be a classic.
Expect some major dramas at the front.

Drama allright, I expect a close battle between Lewis and Rosberg untill they clash. Leaving way for a double Williams victory + either Ricciardo or Alonso.

[RubalSher]

Lewis

[TheManAlive]

If it ends up as just a drive behind the SC with no racing laps, then no points should be given. That would be a total farce and if the points differential went on to decide the championship it would be even worse.

[Paincake]

I'm about to go to bed and all I can say is... dear god, please let there be a race tomorrow!

 

Also RBR seem to have taken the biggest gamble w.r.t. taking a wet setup.

Wait so Williams did not have a wet setup? If that is so, im placing my money on Ricciardo to get third place podium at least. Hell, I'd imagine with enough chaotic weather both Lewis and Nico crashing, Ricciardo gets 1st place... bye bye WDC for either mercs, only constructors championship.

Haha, crazy scenario, and I hope no such thing happens.

[Risil]

How about a 1994ish doubter-silencing performance where Rosberg plays Damon Hill to Lewis Hamilton's Michael Schumacher?

 

Failing that I'll take an Alonso win.

[HoldenRT]

Given that they haven't brought the start time forward, I hope that it means they will try and race under wetter conditions compared to usual.  That they can use the full wet tyres.  Otherwise it will be a farce.  Travelling half way around the world in order to do slow laps behind the SC for the whole race would be almost as bad as the Indy 2005 fiasco.  Rain is sometimes unpredictable but this week it's been entirely predictable.  I've been tracking weather underground for the whole week and the forecast for Sunday has remained pretty much stable the entire week.  Everyone knows a typhoon is coming, just a matter of when it will arrive and how much rain will arrive before it arrives properly (Sun night/Mon morning).  Fingers crossed they can race properly.

 

edit - I hope the race can remind people that it's the racing itself we all enjoy, not all the endless speculations and rumours of drivers lineups.  The on track action needs to take center stage and remind people why we even watch in the first place.  Because the journos and rumours about silly season have been having a field day and it's taken the focus off the track.

Edited by HoldenRT, 04 October 2014 - 13:56.

[TomNokoe]

Red Bull with nothing to lose, do think they'll end up at the front somehow.

[sennafan24]

How about a 1994ish doubter-silencing performance where Rosberg plays Damon Hill to Lewis Hamilton's Michael Schumacher?

How about a 1988ish performance where Lewis plays Senna, and Nico plays Prost 

 

No, 1989 or 1990 comebacks please 

[HeadFirst]

IF the race starts under normal conditions (not behind the SC), I think it will be a take no prisoners battle among the top 2 from lights-out to the red flag that ends it.

[Longtimefan]

I really hope the race goes ahead, I so love Suzuka <3

[thesham01]

I will be annoyed if the FIA have caved badly to commercial pressure and we don't see any meaningful racing. We know what is coming, just put the race a few hours earlier - **** the fact it mightn't be ideal for Europe, we have Sky Plus nowadays for Christ sake! 

[Risil]

Beloved forummer Muramasa has been following the Japanese weather forecasts, and tells us that the best window for the race is in the afternoon. The disruption to TV schedules caused by moving the start forward a couple of hours isn't justified by the greater likelihood of fitting a proper race in that way.

 

Whether the race should always have been scheduled earlier -- just to have a bigger window for the weather to do its worst before nighttime -- is another question. We might be looking at a similar situation to the Toronto race in Indycar this year, where endless irritating rain made the track hover between raceable and un-raceable. But the fact they'd chosen to start at 3pm reduced the chances of them successfully dodging the rainclouds.

[sportyskells]

or in my case Virgin Tivo, just to remind everybody cars can not start if the copter can not fly therefore i am not taking the risk and will check this site if a race has taken place

[scheivlak]

 We know what is coming

No, we know not.

 

Stop with that nonsense.

[Risil]

No, we know not.

 

Stop with that nonsense.

As some white chick once said, of all human follies, prophecy is the most unnecessary.

[SmallHorsey]

Download some Benny Hill music, people. I have a feeling the race will be a lot more enjoyable if we have that playing while it's on.

[turssi]

What is he final grid after power unit penalties?

[Gilles4Ever]

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/116155

 

What is he final grid after power unit penalties?

[TomNokoe]

They know rain is coming. They should do everything in their power to make the track raceable. Not getting my hopes up though.

[muramasa]

The problem is that with this type of storm they don't have the Korea 2012 option of holding out for as long as possible as the forecast is currently for the storm to hit around 1pm and then just intensify for 12 hours. It really could be two laps behind the safety car.
I really struggle to believe that, as with Indy 05, all that brainpower in the paddock and all the heads stay in the sand. The race should have been held today IMO.

 
Maybe quote myself from other thread as a reply
http://forums.autosp...d-up/?p=6904531

 

Given that they haven't brought the start time forward, I hope that it means they will try and race under wetter conditions compared to usual.  That they can use the full wet tyres.  Otherwise it will be a farce.  Travelling half way around the world in order to do slow laps behind the SC for the whole race would be almost as bad as the Indy 2005 fiasco.  Rain is sometimes unpredictable but this week it's been entirely predictable.  I've been tracking weather underground for the whole week and the forecast for Sunday has remained pretty much stable the entire week.  Everyone knows a typhoon is coming, just a matter of when it will arrive and how much rain will arrive before it arrives properly (Sun night/Mon morning).  Fingers crossed they can race properly.
 
edit - I hope the race can remind people that it's the racing itself we all enjoy, not all the endless speculations and rumours of drivers lineups.  The on track action needs to take center stage and remind people why we even watch in the first place.  Because the journos and rumours about silly season have been having a field day and it's taken the focus off the track.

Actually no, yes there was announcement to be cautious for potential heavy rain on Sunday but never was actual prediction of torrential rain on Sunday , not just by Japan Met but also some other agencies that forumers YDdraig, blacky etc mentioned in other threads. It's always been moderate/ decent rain at worst.

Latest prediction says
http://www.tenki.jp/...5/27/30123.html
Hour: precipitation (mm/h)
06-09: 1
09-12: 7
12-15: 8
15-18: 5
18-21: 10
21-24: 8

So if anything original start time is the best, at least atm, but well, looking at these figures, start the race at 10 o'clock or 12 o'clock or 15 o'clock doesn't make much difference in terms of rain.
Note that wind is no threat. Typhoon will still be several hundreds km south of Shikoku and 500 or 600 km away from Suzuka at 9pm JPT Sunday.

The risk level of tomorrow's Suzuka is quite similar to sepang's every year for example actually imo. For sepang, we know there's afternoon downpour risk everyday that can wash race away anytime. Also race start time is late. It washed the 2009 race away, almost did in 2012. Risk for tomorrow is just the same as those.
So, if you call for schedule change due to rain based on data and analysis available for tomorrow, you should be calling for either move sepang start time to 1000 or scrapping sepang gp altogether as well.
I don't know the weather forecast in uk or wherever, but was rather decent amount of rain forecasted for 2008 GBGP or 2014 WEC at Silverstone or 2012 Korea race days, among many others? Hence they knew rain was coming as well? This times is nothing particularly different from those other cases in the past, in terms of risk.

Rain by distant typhoon can be patchy and random sometimes, unlike steady moving regular low pressure and front coming from Eurasia continent which almost always brings prolonged and consistent rain (like 2010 Suzuka quali day). So let's hope it won't be heavy enough to deny the race.

[turssi]

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/116155

So no other Renault penalties than the one for Maldonado, then. I asked because of posts talking about Vettel and Alonso as well.

[artista]

So no other Renault penalties than the one for Maldonado, then. I asked because of posts talking about Vettel and Alonso as well.

Vergne gets penalty, too

[Gilles4Ever]

So no other Renault penalties than the one for Maldonado, then. I asked because of posts talking about Vettel and Alonso as well.

They will take penalties in one of the coming races, but not this one.

[HoldenRT]

 
Maybe quote myself from other thread as a reply
http://forums.autosp...d-up/?p=6904531

 Actually no, yes there was announcement to be cautious for potential heavy rain on Sunday but never was actual prediction of torrential rain on Sunday , not just by Japan Met but also some other agencies that forumers YDdraig, blacky etc mentioned in other threads. It's always been moderate/ decent rain at worst.

Latest prediction says
http://www.tenki.jp/...5/27/30123.html
Hour: precipitation (mm/h)
06-09: 1
09-12: 7
12-15: 8
15-18: 5
18-21: 10
21-24: 8

So if anything original start time is the best, at least atm, but well, looking at these figures, start the race at 10 o'clock or 12 o'clock or 15 o'clock doesn't make much difference in terms of rain.
Note that wind is no threat. Typhoon will still be several hundreds km south of Shikoku and 500 or 600 km away from Suzuka at 9pm JPT Sunday.

The risk level of tomorrow's Suzuka is quite similar to sepang's every year for example actually imo. For sepang, we know there's afternoon downpour risk everyday that can wash race away anytime. Also race start time is late. It washed the 2009 race away, almost did in 2012. Risk for tomorrow is just the same as those.
So, if you call for schedule change due to rain based on data and analysis available for tomorrow, you should be calling for either move sepang start time to 1000 or scrapping sepang gp altogether as well.
I don't know the weather forecast in uk or wherever, but was rather decent amount of rain forecasted for 2008 GBGP or 2014 WEC at Silverstone or 2012 Korea race days, among many others? Hence they knew rain was coming as well? This times is nothing particularly different from those other cases in the past, in terms of risk.

Rain by distant typhoon can be patchy and random sometimes, unlike steady moving regular low pressure and front coming from Eurasia continent which almost always brings prolonged and consistent rain (like 2010 Suzuka quali day). So let's hope it won't be heavy enough to deny the race.

 

That's fair enough but if it happens it'll be an "I told you so" moment (not that anyone in F1 paddock actually pays attention here).

 

Would love to be wrong and worrying about nothing.  A good entertaining race is all that anyone wants.
 

[aray]

that's prediction pointing to a washout race in the current Charlie Standard..

Edited by aray, 04 October 2014 - 16:52.

[Gilles4Ever]

Anthony Rowlinson @Rowlinson_F1

Last tweet of the day from #Suzuka: it's raining. Quite hard #theresastormcoming #F1

[muramasa]

 
Whether the race should always have been scheduled earlier -- just to have a bigger window for the weather to do its worst before nighttime -- is another question. We might be looking at a similar situation to the Toronto race in Indycar this year, where endless irritating rain made the track hover between raceable and un-raceable. But the fact they'd chosen to start at 3pm reduced the chances of them successfully dodging the rainclouds.

Agree, IMO venues like sepang and Suzuka should have earlier start time like 1300 local time, it gives them more margin to react to whatever unexpected and emergency occurring. Plus beneficial for attendees as they have more time to go back home or enjoy post race atmosphere.

[muramasa]

Anthony Rowlinson @Rowlinson_F1

Last tweet of the day from #Suzuka: it's raining. Quite hard #theresastormcoming #F1

Am at like 30 or 40 km south of Suzuka but not raining at all,

yet

[Hamilton100000]

Agree, IMO venues like sepang and Suzuka should have earlier start time like 1300 local time, it gives them more margin to react to whatever unexpected and emergency occurring. Plus beneficial for attendees as they have more time to go back home or enjoy post race atmosphere.

But this is not done start time is always made to be optimal for european viewing. If race started at 1300 local then that would be 4 or 5am european time which is why it sadly will not happen anytime soon

[DutchQuicksilver]

But this is not done start time is always made to be optimal for european viewing. If race started at 1300 local then that would be 4 or 5am european time which is why it sadly will not happen anytime soon

As if a real F1 fan won't get up at 0400 or 0500 AM. 'Normal' people that aren't getting up early to watch a race at 0400 AM or 0500 AM aren't going to suddenly watch it at 0800AM either. It's a Sunday, people usually sleep out on Sundays. That's why I still don't get why Bernie moved start times for races like Japan, China and Japan a few years ago.

[D.M.N.]

The rain has began: https://twitter.com/...455814986956800

 

[jonpollak]

Brilliant OP

[Longtimefan]

of all the races to be possibly cancelled by the weather..  Why couldn't it be one of the Mickey Mouse tracks like Abu Dhabi

[RubalSher]

of all the races to be possibly cancelled by the weather..  Why couldn't it be one of the Mickey Mouse tracks like Abu Dhabi

 

Isnt a Suzuka GP in the dry as boring as it gets. No place to overtake (even with DRS) and cars running in circles?

[teddybreak]

So, any ideas on what the pecking order will be on a wet Suzuka tomorrow (if they will actually race of course)? Mercedes will still be miles clear of everyone I guess. Is Williams still as weak in the wet as they were in the first half of the season? One would expect Red Bull to come forward, but will they? How will Ferrari go? Will some of the midfield teams (McLaren, Force India, Toro Rosso) be able to spring a surprise and which team would be able to do so? Sauber went pretty well in the wet in Hungary if I remember correctly, can they score some precious points? Both Lotuses made it to Q2 in Great-Britain.

[Hamilton100000]

As if a real F1 fan won't get up at 0400 or 0500 AM. 'Normal' people that aren't getting up early to watch a race at 0400 AM or 0500 AM aren't going to suddenly watch it at 0800AM either. It's a Sunday, people usually sleep out on Sundays. That's why I still don't get why Bernie moved start times for races like Japan, China and Japan a few years ago.

I agree and I would get up at 4 or 5 am but its just fustrating that Bernie is insistent on having the races so late despite it having little effect on viewing figures and just opening up the risk of any weather problems. Look at tomorrow, there is a maximum 2.5hr window to get the race in so if there is any red flags there is basically no chance of getting a full race which is not what the fans want. I am sure every fan would prefer to have a full race at 4am than a 2 lap safety car race at 8/9am

[scheivlak]

As if a real F1 fan won't get up at 0400 or 0500 AM. 'Normal' people that aren't getting up early to watch a race at 0400 AM or 0500 AM aren't going to suddenly watch it at 0800AM either. It's a Sunday, people usually sleep out on Sundays. 

If they don't have children.... (as others have pointed out in that other thread)

[Hamilton100000]

So, any ideas on what the pecking order will be on a wet Suzuka tomorrow (if they will actually race of course)? Mercedes will still be miles clear of everyone I guess. Is Williams still as weak in the wet as they were in the first half of the season? One would expect Red Bull to come forward, but will they? How will Ferrari go? Will some of the midfield teams (McLaren, Force India, Toro Rosso) be able to spring a surprise and which team would be able to do so? Sauber went pretty well in the wet in Hungary if I remember correctly, can they score some precious points? Both Lotuses made it to Q2 in Great-Britain.

I would definitely pick redbull to be second quickest team in wet tomorrow as horner confirmed they were running a wet setup. I would expect williams to fall behind redbull and ferrari and probably be on a par with mclaren

[Giz]

If they don't have children.... (as others have pointed out in that other thread)

I have one of those.... I'd get up - the wife can sort him. It was in the pre nup

Edited by Giz, 04 October 2014 - 18:25.

[Sheepmachine]

There be a storm coming!

In all seriousness I do hope it goes ahead, japan is one of my favourites.

Edited by Sheepmachine, 04 October 2014 - 18:41.

[thegamer23]

[Longtimefan]

 

Awesome stuff indeed and shows what brave guys F1 drivers used to be.   Sadly no longer as more than 6 drips of water on track and they whine.  (Speaking about the film, well what a let down and disappointment that was but thats for another thread I think)

Edited by Longtimefan, 04 October 2014 - 19:16.

[Atreiu]

I dream the wet track lead to six cars spinning and crashing down the straight before turn 1.