Chinese Grand Prix 2013, Shanghai - Race 3/19
- Thread starter Duke
- Start date
Soldato
Hamilton just needs to hold kimi out of DRS range and be as gentle on the tyres in undisturbed air as possible, presuming the mercs actually get a good start this time.
In webbers favour he has plenty of spare tyres and getting into the midpack should be easy with a chance of getting some points from tyre strategy.
In webbers favour he has plenty of spare tyres and getting into the midpack should be easy with a chance of getting some points from tyre strategy.
Soldato
Perez is turning out to be a crap purchase for McLaren.
And what happened with Button, how come his time was 2m05.673s?
And what happened with Button, how come his time was 2m05.673s?
Soldato
Wonder if Ricciardo will be told to give way to vimto?
Soldato
Just watched this morning's qualifying and it saddens me how low F1 has now become because of the tyres. The farcical situation of a driver under orders to drive a lap as slow as he can because it beats a no time is wrong. F1 is reducing itself to the same level as football it seems and today's P3 was the equivalent of diving in the penalty area or being a German goalkeeper denying the ball crossed the line when it did. Sad, sad days indeed and sad for the F1 fans..
Tyres, it is always the tyres
He was the only one to run on mediums, so didn't need to set a competitive time.
Associate
RBR let Vettel fill up Webber's car for a video package to be shown on Sky tomorrow?
Next week Mark rebuilds Vettel's suspension.
i have to say that was an embarrassing qualifying session for f1.
im glad i recorded it so i could fast forward past an empty race track for 75% of each session.
happy for hamilton on pole. i think they have good pace to get both on the podium but im sure vettel will have everything go his way and win.
not wanting to get in on the conspiracy theory but it is an unbelievable coincidence that this stuff keeps happening to webber.
im glad i recorded it so i could fast forward past an empty race track for 75% of each session.
happy for hamilton on pole. i think they have good pace to get both on the podium but im sure vettel will have everything go his way and win.
not wanting to get in on the conspiracy theory but it is an unbelievable coincidence that this stuff keeps happening to webber.
Soldato
I don't really understand all the tyre rules so bear with me. I just read this from the BBC "Vettel and Button, who is eighth, sacrificed grid positions so they could start the race on the more durable 'medium' tyre. Those ahead will start on the fragile 'soft' "
Could they not have used soft or supersoft in qualis and then start the race tomorrow on mediums? Or do they have to start the race on the tyres they qualified with?
Yes, they have to use the exact set of tyres that they set their fastest qualifying lap on. This is why Button went round in 2 minutes - by carefully tip toeing around, his tyres will be as good as new. In the event that you don't set a time in the session, which is what Vettel did, then you can choose what to start on.
Last edited:
Caporegime
Cars in Q3 have to start the race with the tyres they qualified with. It's a stupid, stupid rule.
Tyres that are used to do the fastest lap in Q3 are the set that must be used during the first stint of the race.
Vettel used both Soft and Medium in Q3, so in theory can choose which tyre to start on. Button only used the Mediums so will start the race on those.
If they did not leave the pit garage in Q3, then they can also choose which tyre to start on.
Unless... Q3 was run on wet/intermediate tyres and the race is dry or vice versa, then you can choose what tyres to start on.
If the set that was used to set your fastest lap was damaged, puncture etc then you can remove the damaged tyre from the set and then replace it with another from your allocation that has the same or higher mileage on it. But you need FIA approval.
Last edited:
Soldato
Thanks for the replies. They really should simplify tyres. Just one type of dry, one type of wet. All then go out on the track with the same dry tyres and put their foot down for the fastest lap they can do.
Especially for Whitmarsh. If I was Dennis I'd give up on the road cars and get the boys in the factory to start making a crucifx to nail him to outside of the woking factory.
Mclaren to win the last 2 races of the season to glowing reports of how quick they can turn a poor car into a race winner. Rinse and repeat year after year until they get rid of Whitmarsh.
Soldato
I'm not sure McLaren made the right decision here. He'll stay on the track longer tomorrow while others pit in the hope he gets closer to the front. On the other hand, McLaren know they don't have the fastest cars so would they not have been wiser to qualify with their fastest tyres and possibly be in the front 3 at the very start of the race? Or do you think their strategy will likely mean that Button will move up to the front quite easily?
If McLaren started with their fastest tyres - they would get swamped at the beginning of the race, and just go backwards.
By using the medium tyre with heavy fuel - they could benefit two fold;
1) No -one will be going their fastest (because of the degredation on the super-soft tyres) so theoretically it should be easier to keep up with them at the beginning of the race.
2) At the end of the race, the track is much more rubbered in - therefore degradation may be better, and JB (and Vettel?) can get better times out of the super soft while the rest potentially are on medium's. Fuel levels at the end of the race could also give JB and SV a benefit on the faster tyres.
Please note Im saying "could" /"possibly" as it is highly dependant on temps and what the track does /weather etc. This could backfire if there is rain for example.
Last edited:
Soldato
Bloody tyres. Hoping for a good race from the top 3 tomorrow with all showing a good race pace and Vettel not being able to move up and play, Very doubtful though. Lets see how long these softs last. First time I've personally seen someone do a few laps then lock up and a tyre delaminates causing a flat (Button in p2) they seem to just fall apart.