257 replies to this topic

[pkonsti]

The China GP's offical program covers so far:

[f1paul]

Weather similar to last year. 

 

Wet Friday, dry Saturday and Sunday.

[f1paul]

 

Ultrasoft, Soft and Medium for this weekend. SS is skipped out. 

[f1paul]

[f1paul]

 

[ANF]

Some edgy entertainment and impressive urban dance skills for y'all.

[TomNokoe]

Ha ha ha, it happened again. I always plan to do a buildup thread on Wednesday evening and get beaten...

[SophieB]

Ha ha ha, it happened again. I always plan to do a buildup thread on Wednesday evening and get beaten...

Post what you have anyway!

Would people like there to be some kind of sign up thread for these F1 build up threads? I for one get a real kick out of reading labour of love OPs but I understand people are going to be less motivated if they find someone gets there first. The sign up sheet could take the pressure off!

[SophieB]

Fritz-Dieter Rencken‏ @RacingLines 7h7 hours ago

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#ChineseGP @fia presser line-ups.

 

 

Fritz-Dieter Rencken‏ @RacingLines 11h11 hours ago

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Oh to be a fly on the bulkhead as @PierreGASLY and @svandoorne discuss merits (or otherwise) of Honda and Renault power while sat next to each other for 8hrs on flite to Shanghai

[f1paul]

Post what you have anyway!

Would people like there to be some kind of sign up thread for these F1 build up threads? I for one get a real kick out of reading labour of love OPs but I understand people are going to be less motivated if they find someone gets there first. The sign up sheet could take the pressure off!

Perhaps make a thread foe the 2018 F1 season called "Formula 1 Weekend Thread Starters". The Indycar guys do it in the 2018 Indycar thread but we don't have one for F1.   

[SophieB]

Yeah, there’s not really a natural existing home to link it to.

Also, just for info, Sky F1 are showing Donnington 1993 at the moment, in celebration of the anniversary of Senna’s awesome drive.

[ArrowsLivery]

I am thinking the winning strategy will be something along the lines of US-S-M or US-S-S. Doubt a one stopper will be possible starting with the US, which should be getting shredded here. 

[Myrvold]

Fritz-Dieter Rencken‏ @RacingLines 11h11 hours ago

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Oh to be a fly on the bulkhead as @PierreGASLY and @svandoorne discuss merits (or otherwise) of Honda and Renault power while sat next to each other for 8hrs on flite to Shanghai

I know it's the wrong focus for this forum. But that business class looked quite nice. Guess I should take a trip with Emirates when I have the chance!

[PayasYouRace]

Yeah, there’s not really a natural existing home to link it to.

Also, just for info, Sky F1 are showing Donnington 1993 at the moment, in celebration of the anniversary of Senna’s awesome drive.

 

The F1 Youtube channel is showing the first lap, including an inset onboard from Senna which I've never seen before.

 

[Hellenic tifosi]

I am thinking the winning strategy will be something along the lines of US-S-M or US-S-S. Doubt a one stopper will be possible starting with the US, which should be getting shredded here.

Top teams (especially Mercedes) could do Q2 on softs, therefore using the US only for Qualifying.

[Ivanhoe]

Is this the first time they skipped a compound out of the range?

Edited by Ivanhoe, 11 April 2018 - 20:22.

[SophieB]

@fergieweather
#F1 #BBCF1 #CHINESEGP Forecast for #Shanghai race weekend: Rain developing overnight Thurs & on into Fri; Fri overcast with rain especially during 1st half of the day. Further rain overnight, likely fading Sat AM but staying cloudy. Much improved for race day: Sunday dry & sunny

[OO7]

The F1 Youtube channel is showing the first lap, including an inset onboard from Senna which I've never seen before.

 

Not only beautiful looking cars, but that video also shows how picture-in-picture should work.  Please take note FOM.

[d246]

@fergieweather
#F1 #BBCF1 #CHINESEGP Forecast for #Shanghai race weekend: Rain developing overnight Thurs & on into Fri; Fri overcast with rain especially during 1st half of the day. Further rain overnight, likely fading Sat AM but staying cloudy. Much improved for race day: Sunday dry & sunny

Doesn't lend itself to much running in the Practice Sessions then...

[Jovanotti]

Re: best onboards - the first corner in this one is pretty good as well.
https://www.youtube....o8-ZEceKSyzguOA

Edited by Jovanotti, 11 April 2018 - 21:07.

[jonpollak]

LuLu needs to get the cobwebs out and win here. Go Ferrari.

[balmybaldwin]

I hate the DRS at this track. It nearly always leads to an overtake on the first zone, and then an advantage to the leading car in zone 2 - there should be an extra detection point to give a car half a chance of fighting back.

 

edit: If we must have it at all

Edited by balmybaldwin, 11 April 2018 - 21:30.

[Nonesuch]

I'd really like to read an article about how this track was designed.

 

It seems like it went something like this:

• T1 in Malaysia is pretty cool, what if it kept going a bit more?
• The FIA wants a slow corner.
• Some more Malaysia?
• T9/T10 at Bahrain was pretty fun, right?
• Another slow corner just to be sure.
• What if that first corner was a bit bigger and led into a straight?
• ... just go back to the finish and throw a hairpin in there somewhere.

I doubt it's some clever commentary on Chinese knock-off products, but it makes it more fun to pretend that it is.

[turssi]

I am thinking the winning strategy will be something along the lines of US-S-M or US-S-S. Doubt a one stopper will be possible starting with the US, which should be getting shredded here.

I'm thinking it will be contrary to what ever Pirelli says it will be.

[HP]

I'd really like to read an article about how this track was designed.

 

It seems like it went something like this:

• T1 in Malaysia is pretty cool, what if it kept going a bit more?
• The FIA wants a slow corner.
• Some more Malaysia?
• T9/T10 at Bahrain was pretty fun, right?
• Another slow corner just to be sure.
• What if that first corner was a bit bigger and led into a straight?
• ... just go back to the finish and throw a hairpin in there somewhere.

I doubt it's some clever commentary on Chinese knock-off products, but it makes it more fun to pretend that it is.

The track design was indeed inspired by the first Chinese character of Shang Hai 上海 . Shang means in this content above, top, up (In terms of time it means before, in terms of navigating pages it means previous, it also means enter a bus, car, train etc.). Hai means sea.

 

Since Shang Hai is the most important industrial city of China, a word play with top ( 上 ) was maybe in order. In any case the idea behind the track design seems to me very much in line with Chinese culture.

Edited by HP, 11 April 2018 - 23:18.

[theflyingwheel]

Is anyone expecting anything else than a Lewis dominated weekend ? I cant see ferrari nor Rb getting close enough for the win.

[Kelateboy]

Normal service should resume this weekend with Mercedes on top step.

[vista]

Once again a decisive weekend for Mclaren - if they don't up their game heads are going to roll imo.

[Ricardo F1]

I think McLaren aren’t doing anything until they get back to Europe. Its an acclimatization year and they’re scoring points through good fortune too. They literally just announced a new company structure, heads are well in place.

Merc simply have to win.

Edited by Ricardo F1, 12 April 2018 - 03:40.

[MrRat]

Once again a decisive weekend for Mclaren - if they don't up their game heads are going to roll imo.

It's a back to back weekend. Wait till Spain before passing any judgement. They wont be able to do much different than Bahrain within such a short time. Possibly some setup optimizations at the most and a very small upgrade that was going to come at China.

[AustinF1]

Once again a decisive weekend for Mclaren - if they don't up their game heads are going to roll imo.

LOLOK.

[Venom]

This should be Mercedes weekend. The track layout and expected temperature is custom made for them and the tyre choice has even fallen in to their hands with the supersoft being 'skipped out' and their favoured medium compound being brought instead.

That said, I don't expect the gap to swell to the same size as say Melbourne. Ferrari and Red Bull will still be thereabouts. From what I've read Ferrari have got their much anticipated new floor coming this weekend so they'll be worth keeping an eye on.

Looking forward to the ultrasofts turning to mush in the first stint.

[SophieB]

Dimi PAPADOPOULOS‏ @f1enigma 19m19 minutes ago

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#F1 #ChineseGP PU elements used up to now @fia

[SophieB]

Red Bull Racing‏Verified account @redbullracing 19h19 hours ago

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Getting into the swing of things ahead of the #ChineseGP

[JeePee]

Is anyone expecting anything else than a Lewis dominated weekend ? I cant see ferrari nor Rb getting close enough for the win.

I expect the Bulls to be very quick here.

 

Hopefully they can finally show their true pace.

[Nonesuch]

The track design was indeed inspired by the first Chinese character of Shang Hai 上海 .

 

That's good, thanks! 

[LiftAndCoast]

[SophieB]

^^The thumbnail screen capture is awesome.

[Unicast]

Normal service should resume this weekend with Mercedes on top step.

 

While this is most likely accurate, it's just funny to read the same comment/prediction 3rd times (races) in a row this year

I do wonder what will happen if Vettel wins again in China... 

I think that, if everything works right for Ferrari (with the updates & not struggling to find a good setup early on), they might be very competitive again, even more than many expect.

It's gonna be fun to find out tough.

Edited by Unicast, 12 April 2018 - 08:53.

[Kegga2018]

I hope to see Hamilton walk it but i will not be surprised at all to see a Red Bull on pole come Saturday.

[Henri Greuter]

I mentioned this one in the F1 stats thread already but for the record:

 

The past two victories for Vettel meant that since the start of the Hybrid Era in 2014 Mercedes has failed to win at least one of the first two races of the season. 

But also.....

Since the hybrid era started, Mercedes has never been beaten more than two times in a row, since 2014 Mercedes has only lost two times in a row three times, vettel's recent string of two succesive victories is the third time such happened.

If they are beaten this weekend it will be a new record for Mercedes about which Toto&Co won't be used to yet.....

Edited by Henri Greuter, 12 April 2018 - 09:03.

[Danyy]

I hope to see Hamilton walk it but i will not be surprised at all to see a Red Bull on pole come Saturday.

Why wouldn’t you be surprised? A Redbull on pole? In China? Longest straight ever? Shut the front door!

[Unicast]

I hope to see Hamilton walk it but i will not be surprised at all to see a Red Bull on pole come Saturday.

 

I would be very surprised if that happens to be frank, not seeing how RedBull can claim pole with those two long straights (where the Renault PU will probably lose 3-4 tenth on the straights alone)

They would need to have a huge adv. on the twisty side of the track and even then they will be vulnerable in the race (to Merc/Ferrari on the long straight)

Edited by Unicast, 12 April 2018 - 09:11.

[Goron3]

I would quite like to see a wet qualifying but if it does rain this weekend, it's unlikely that it will hit the circuit when the cars are out. 

[Danyy]

I would quite like to see a wet qualifying but if it does rain this weekend, it's unlikely that it will hit the circuit when the cars are out.

A wet race would be more ideal. We haven’t had a good wet race in a long time!

[Donkey]

The track design was indeed inspired by the first Chinese character of Shang Hai 上海 . Shang means in this content above, top, up (In terms of time it means before, in terms of navigating pages it means previous, it also means enter a bus, car, train etc.). Hai means sea.

 

Since Shang Hai is the most important industrial city of China, a word play with top ( 上 ) was maybe in order. In any case the idea behind the track design seems to me very much in line with Chinese culture.

I always thought it was something about snail shells...

 

I quite like the track actually. I know the first corner is a bit frustratingly long for the drivers but it allows for different lines, the fast corners are challenging and the hairpin usually throws up good action.

[ConsiderAndGo]

A wet race would be more ideal. We haven’t had a good wet race in a long time!

Can't stand them, personally.

[Laster]

A wet race would be more ideal. We haven’t had a good wet race in a long time!

I don't know, Singapore was quite good. It didn't stay wet throughout, but it was wet for long enough into the race to make things interesting. 

[statman]

tyre technical info

 

[Whiz]

His Haircut is back...