Poll: Singapore Grand Prix 2019, Singapore - Race 15/21

[GravyMonster]

Bottas reset to v1.0

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Bottas reset to v1.0

Bottas -2.0

I love Singapore. No corner cutting nonsense, no running off.

 

[Glanza]

FP2 Highlights: https://youtu.be/CdayRf8XXUw

 

[utajoker]

Except the year Hamilton needed to open up a pit stop gap and did so - one of the few times we saw their true pace at the start of the hybrid era.

Mercedes also have a different design philosophy this year - I would have said they were particularly great at aero in previous years. It’ll be interesting. Hamilton’s pole lap last year was crazy.

that was quite epic, i remember it, he didnt quite get a pit gap but was a few seconds behind after the stop and caught the leader easily on fresh rubber, but the way he just took off after the safety car came in was ridiculous, withing 2 laps he was out of sight.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

that was quite epic, i remember it, he didnt quite get a pit gap but was a few seconds behind after the stop and caught the leader easily on fresh rubber, but the way he just took off after the safety car came in was ridiculous, withing 2 laps he was out of sight.

And of course I meant that they weren’t particularly great at aero in that quote. Considering how crazily ahead they were with their engine, it’s quite strange to see them caught up and passed in that area now.

 

[413x]

Verstappen is my vote for win

Yeah, can't believe hulk has no seat. Said in other thread but I'm not convinced ocon will be any better. He might, but I'm not confident.

Haas keeping grojean seems to be a universal dissapointment amongst fans

 

[drunkenmaster]

Merc always had great aero, most downforce doesn't equate to best aero. Best aero for fastest car across the season is the best aero. Merc have always had a mid/high downforce car but that was highly adaptable and could be competitive in Monaco and dominate Monza. This year again they've gone higher downforce but are still incredibly competitive with the lower downforce low drag Ferrari design which has a superior engine in Monza and it has destroyed most other cars in many of the other tracks.

People are nuts though, Merc had the lower downforce less drag design which they got to pole and a win last year. This year they have the higher downforce better tire wear design, it's MUCH more suited to Singapore than in previous years and from FP2 long run times, Ham is completely and utterly untouchable.

Slim chance of anyone but Ham on pole unless he makes a mistake and with stronger starts than RBR I'd bet on him being first into T1 and winning comfortably unless strategy, safety cars or a mistake ruin it. Even with a poor start, even with potentially losing a few places, his raw pace, tire wear and ability to go long, I reckon you'd just see him stay out longer than everyone, pass people then had 5-10 lap younger tires and catch and pass whoever is left at the end.

 

[Steampunk]

And of course I meant that they weren’t particularly great at aero in that quote. Considering how crazily ahead they were with their engine, it’s quite strange to see them caught up and passed in that area now.

The law of diminishing returns within the rules, and everyone catching up while the rules are fixed. What was really their success was that they came out of the gate with the best engine that all the others ended up pretty much copying. The last couple of years Mercedes have improved their aero and suspension and are managing to stay ahead with a bit of Hamilton performance too.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Slim chance of anyone but Ham on pole unless he makes a mistake and with stronger starts than RBR I'd bet on him being first into T1 and winning comfortably unless strategy, safety cars or a mistake ruin it. Even with a poor start, even with potentially losing a few places, his raw pace, tire wear and ability to go long, I reckon you'd just see him stay out longer than everyone, pass people then had 5-10 lap younger tires and catch and pass whoever is left at the end.

Yup, Mercedes were a second a lap faster on race pace. Like you say, barring a quali lock up or safety car at the wrong moment, it won’t even be close.

 

[4K8KW10]

Yup, Mercedes were a second a lap faster on race pace.

Less than a second - 0.3s vs Red Bull and 0.5s vs Ferrari.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/...e-grand-prix-2019.6Z4jhXNkUKG0OUfS6OrTlv.html

Why doesn't Ferrari increase the downforce or is it technically impossible to adjust the wings even more push for higher downforce?

I think this race will have its result most closely resembling the first race of the year in Australia.
The same bumpy circuit where the Ferrari aero doesn't work.

 

[Armageus]

Why doesn't Ferrari increase the downforce or is it technically impossible to adjust the wings even more push for higher downforce?

It's easy to add downforce (e.g. by changing wing angle), but all you do is add drag, hence why teams develop different solutions (e.g. spoon wings etc) to try and balance downforce vs drag.

Mercedes have a powerful engine (not quite as powerful as Ferrari), and also have a "cleaner" aero package.
Ferrari have the most powerful engine, but a much draggier aero package
Red Bull have a reasonable engine and maybe the best aero package (likely would be if they had more power to allow more downforce)

 

[GravyMonster]

This track is also about having a good chassis due to all the corners which are slower than a speed where the aero will have any useful effect. This year's Ferrari doesn't have that and is all about high speed tracks.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Ferrari top of FP3. Their the ones to beat now

 

[Psycho Ned]

Ferrari top of FP3. Their the ones to beat now

Just consolidating their lead at the top of the Testing & Practice championship 2019

 

[KiNgPiN83]

Why doesn't Ferrari increase the downforce or is it technically impossible to adjust the wings even more push for higher downforce?

If you use Instagram you should follow Giorgio Piola. He makes some great drawings of the different wings and elements and the changes of these for each race. Most of the time we don’t even notice how much the cars change each race but he points these differences out really well. Plus there are photos of the high/low drag versions of wings etc so you can see how they use them appropriately for each race.

 

[Nick1881]

I'm watching the run up to qualifying, Ant had Max and Daniel on comparing their laps, it was pretty funny. They seem to get on well and had a laugh together.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Ferrari seem to have hidden some pace.

 

[englishpremier]

Commentary really annoys me. Pretty much every race there is a team or driver from the top three teams that is a little way off the others. The commentators then start going "oh they're going to have to go out again" really? Merc are over 1.5s quicker than 16th place. Surely that is solidly safe.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Commentary really annoys me. Pretty much every race there is a team or driver from the top three teams that is a little way off the others. The commentators then start going "oh they're going to have to go out again" really? Merc are over 1.5s quicker than 16th place. Surely that is solidly safe.

It’s the same for FP1 et al. Mercedes try a new part or don’t get the set up right and end the session in P5 then it’s doom and gloom.

Teams near the bottom end up in the top 3 and it’s OMGWTFBBQ1!1 2020 champions.

 

[an0nym0us]

Quite surprised by Ferrari's pace here.