Malaysian Grand Prix 2011, Sepang International Circuit - Race 2/19

Glaucus · 9 Apr 2011 at 14:32

Not convinced mclaren have, apparently they went back to titanium diffuser.
Either track/tyre combo or RBR using kers and the unbalancing that has.

Glaucus · 9 Apr 2011 at 14:33

deuse said:
Sell the crapple in MM and get a Android pad

No thanks, then I can't watch films. Android has just as many problems as apple, it just depends on use for which is better.

dannyjo22 · 9 Apr 2011 at 14:44

sunama said:
To be fair, the performance gap between the top 4 cars is so small, any small errors (which are all part and parcel of race laps), will be costing the driver more time than the performance of the cars themselves.

Gentleman, tomorrow's race is probably one of the most open GPs in recent months. Vettel (Based on qualifying times), will not be time trialling tomorrow and will be in a genuine race against 3 other cars...most notably Hamilton.

I hope that's true, personally I think it's down to Hamilton running more wing and making up for that decreased speed on the DRS. Something he won't be able to do in the race so that extra darg could hurt him. Hopefully not.

If Red Bull gets off the line in first place I still expect them to control the race, hopefully again I'm wrong as the season will be a bit boring without a challenging team.

Still closer than anyone thought.

Shimmy · 9 Apr 2011 at 14:48

Vettel haters, look away now.

Hi-res

Merlin5 · 9 Apr 2011 at 15:20

Yes, but tomorrow we'll see this

TaKeN · 9 Apr 2011 at 15:21

Vettel looking Ginger there! :eek:

Mick Hucknall??!!

dannyjo22 · 9 Apr 2011 at 15:25

Vettel was asked how many races he would win in a season with hamilton as his team mate.

He replied...

Shimmy said:
Hi-res

Hamilton was asked how many races he would win in a season with Vettel as his team mate.

He replied...

Merlin5 said:

Shimmy · 9 Apr 2011 at 15:41

WOAH, chill your beans.

I'm a Hamilton fan too btw, more so than I am Vettel tbh.

I just like to poke fun at the Vettel haters.

gord · 9 Apr 2011 at 15:44

I thought it was a great qualy all round, disappointed not to see one of the boys on pole but it's a good performance from SebVet and I think Lewis might have something to say in to turn 1... Completely stoked for the race now!

Type_R · 9 Apr 2011 at 16:11

utajoker said:
only just watched quali, how have mclaren closed the gap so much.

hamilton only a 1/10 behind vettel. mclaren have faster race pace so it should be close tomorrow.

Without a doubt the gap has been closed due to several reasons.

1. The Mercedes Engine & KERS is superior to Renault.
2. The increased downforce RBR have isn't as useful in a straight than in a corner.
3. Mclaren have made their car slightly better/more efficient since Oz.
4. The RBR is not as well balanced with KERS on board.

Probably in that order

I hope the Bulls break down tomorrow due to KERS, just like some people thought F1 was boring with Schui/Ferrari; I'm thinking I have had enough of watching the smarmy Vettel/RBR winning all the time

Shimmy · 9 Apr 2011 at 16:12

More flexi front wing news.

Ferrari have announced they have started their development plan for a flexible front wing like RBR's and hope to race it soon.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90581

Seems the rival teams didn't try to develop one over winter once the new strict(er) rules were announced.

Type_R · 9 Apr 2011 at 16:15

Shimmy said:
More flexi front wing news.

Ferrari have announced they have started their development plan for a flexible front wing like RBR's and hope to race it soon.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90581

Seems the rival teams didn't try to develop one over winter once the new strict(er) rules were announced.

Surely they should have been doing this last year!! RBR have been perfecting, I mean cheating, with it since 2010. The other teams are well behind the game if it takes them a year to 'decide' to copy a concept that clearly works!

DBT85 · 9 Apr 2011 at 16:37

Type_R said:
I hope the Bulls break down tomorrow due to KERS, just like some people thought F1 was boring with Schui/Ferrari; I'm thinking I have had enough of watching the smarmy Vettel/RBR winning all the time

As have I, but i want to see Vettel's car working perfectly and Hamilton to still beat him. I want a championship where rival teams are actually fighting on the track and not just waiting around until one crashes into their team mate or has a brake disk pop or anything else.

I'm not saying i'd be unhappy if the RBR's failed though

gord · 9 Apr 2011 at 17:13

Type_R said:
I hope the Bulls break down tomorrow due to KERS, just like some people thought F1 was boring with Schui/Ferrari; I'm thinking I have had enough of watching the smarmy Vettel/RBR winning all the time

I hope you don't and that's just a whimsical internet remark. Beating people by them having a mechanical failure is boring.

Driving into each other while switching places, not so boring, but we can't talk about it as I like Nuts posting here.

Duke · 9 Apr 2011 at 17:19

Type_R said:
Surely they should have been doing this last year!! RBR have been perfecting, I mean cheating, with it since 2010. The other teams are well behind the game if it takes them a year to 'decide' to copy a concept that clearly works!

I would hazard a guess it isn't easy at all to copy. Its not like the f-duct for example, which was 'just' making some holes.

Emlyn_Dewar · 9 Apr 2011 at 17:28

I thought Q3 this morning was excellent, although I was glad Vettel nicked pole from Hamilton in the end.
Kobayashi did a decent enough job and it was good to see the Renaults with a reasonable pace.

I can't really see what Ferrari/Alonso can do with the package they have right now. Hopefully Alonso keeps it on the road and capitalises on any mistakes made from anyone ahead. Just as happened at the last race, I expect Massa to disappoint from start to finish, hopefully am proven wrong.

dannyjo22 · 9 Apr 2011 at 17:39

Todge said:
As have I, but i want to see Vettel's car working perfectly and Hamilton to still beat him.

Amen, I'd take no satisfaction in a win like that. I want to see Hamilton or someone pound on him til he cries and whinges again. I want the driver I like to win by beating them not through poor luck on the others part.

I couldn't understand the people on here constantly wishing a failure on alonso, I guess it's because their driver couldn't beat him in a straight fight.

Type_R · 9 Apr 2011 at 17:46

dannyjo22 said:
Amen, I'd take no satisfaction in a win like that. I want to see Hamilton or someone pound on him til he cries and whinges again. I want the driver I like to win by beating them not through poor luck on the others part.

I couldn't understand the people on here constantly wishing a failure on alonso, I guess it's because their driver couldn't beat him in a straight fight.

Its never a straight fight though as one is in inferior machinery! Obviously if the RBRs fail once every few races it will be good as it will keep the WC alive. At the moment its going to be a whitewash. Well it would be if Webber could keep up

pingwing · 9 Apr 2011 at 17:46

Type_R said:
Surely they should have been doing this last year!! RBR have been perfecting, I mean cheating, with it since 2010. The other teams are well behind the game if it takes them a year to 'decide' to copy a concept that clearly works!

Im pretty sure all the other teams were holding out the FIA would sort Red Bull out on that one to save them the development costs, but its cleared to run in Australia again so they have to copy the design elements to stay competitive...

Shame as its the FIA really not getting into this cost cutting thing...

Anyone else a little bored of the staggered quali thing?? It occurred to me today was the first race in ages I watched it live as the whole top ten shoot out thing is tactically a bit irrelevant (now fuel has been eliminated and the tyre thing still doesn't seem to disadvantage the front much to make a difference). Was considering that it'd be more fun to watch if they reduced it to a 30 min and a 20 min session with the say bottom 10 cars falling out the first one and the rest hammering it for pole over 20 mins. Gets more cars on track in the last bit and puts more pressure on q1...

dalin80 · 9 Apr 2011 at 17:49

Type_R said:
Without a doubt the gap has been closed due to several reasons.

1. The Mercedes Engine & KERS is superior to Renault.

I would say different rather then superior, supposedly the renault engine is lighter, has a lower CoG and much much better mileage.

According to a mclaren guy on autosport the merc unit is only up around ~10bhp, according to horner its ~1000bhp.

But if your having to start the race carrying a couple of extra laps of fuel to make up for efficiency then it probably levels out the same.

KERs is hard too say, even if they are both running it at all.

The merc is towards the top of the speed sheet but it supposedly has a very good DRS wing.