Its less important now, but in the past when overtaking was almost impossible it was everything.
Qualifying is now little more than an inconvenience that gets in the way of teams tyre strategies, which is a real shame.
Spanish Grand Prix 2013, Barcelona - Race 5/19
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Its less important now, but in the past when overtaking was almost impossible it was everything.
Qualifying is now little more than an inconvenience that gets in the way of teams tyre strategies, which is a real shame.
There is no need for re-fuelling. Just make the tyres more sensible so drivers can push for longer and not be punished. In addition, we now have KERS and DRS to negate the worry about races becoming processions.
As it is, we have gone from limited on track action (pit stop, re-fuel and overtake) to absolutely bloody everything (tyres, KERS, DRS) and it is becoming farcical.
As it is, we have gone from limited on track action (pit stop, re-fuel and overtake) to absolutely bloody everything (tyres, KERS, DRS) and it is becoming farcical.
Merc says there is nothing wrong with the car but Lewis has said it's the way they treat the tire before the race.
If they get it right in the next race or two then watch out
How do you treat a brand new tyre? Anyway I hope they don't get pole in Monaco as Seb might cry they are going too slow on the formation lap again
Soldato
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@NobleF1 said:
How do you treat a brand new tyre? Anyway I hope they don't get pole in Monaco as Seb might cry they are going too slow on the formation lap again
Lewis did say but I missed it.
Just watch the bbc player from the end of lap 31-35 see that murisa keeping up with vimto and kimi
well that says it all really.
@Spunkey
I hoped they would do it for the next race but Canada if fine with me.
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Soldato
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Bianchi wasn't keeping up with Raikkonen; he was keeping up with Vettel, who had been holding Raikkonen back. Bianchi was able to do this because Vettel had been told to pace himself and he doesn't know how. This race has proven once and for all that Vettel is a time triallist, not a race driver.
And for anyone thinking Red Bull had a point about tyre conservation slowing the race down, here's the total race times of the winners for the last three years:
2011 Sebastian Vettel 1h 39m 03s
2012 Pastor Maldonado 1h 39m 09s
2013 Fernando Alonso 1h 39m 16s
Alonso was less than 0.2s/lap slower than Vettel was when he won the race two years ago, and both drivers made the same number of stops to do it. Mateschitz is complaining because his precious Sebby can't handle the demands of tactical racing.
Well that was a fun trip, culminating in being in the garage during the last 10 laps (so both Vettel and Webbers pit stop) and then a chat with Seb.
The Man!
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Always a pleasure being in Redbull hospitality, I'm looking forward to Abu Dhabi and contemplating adding Monaco now!
The Man!
Signed Shirt!
Always a pleasure being in Redbull hospitality, I'm looking forward to Abu Dhabi and contemplating adding Monaco now!
You know it was the team defining the pace Seb had to drive, right?
and thats why DRS and KERS came in (to make overtaking easier)
Better qualifying still gives more choices for race strategies (in general) - even if occasionally the team/driver is better off being around 11/12 to choose tyre type on Sunday AM (and have a new set on)
Alonso said he drove in Spain at 90%. Other drivers, who were using 3 stops said that they were at maybe 70% odd.
The 2 Ferrari drivers were taking their pit stops almost at will. I think Massa made his stops every 10 laps, which was quite early, but I loved seeing that sort of balls-to-the-wall driving. All I heard in Massa's radio comms was that his tyres were finished, to which he got a reply asking him to pit. I don't think heard once Massa or Alonso told to save their tyres.
The Mercs who were constantly saving tyres is not something that entertains me...I'd much rather see Hamilton taking 4-5 stops and driving to the limit. Hamilton, given his prodigious speed, could probably overhaul those on 3 stops.
My worry is that Pirelli (by using a more durable tyre in Canada onwards) are handing the title to Vettel, especially given that Vettel is already leading the title, with tyres that don't suit RBR. Once he gets the tyres of his choice, he may dissapear into the distance and onto his 4th title win, by a large margin. Vettel & RBR are too good, to be given tyres of their choice. The last thing I want to see are tyres changed to suit RBR.
Even with that many tyres the race would be too short for that many stops to work. Pit lane is too long and too slow
Hmm you do know he was driving 6 seconds SLOWER per lap then in quli?
Alonso was about 6.6 seconds a lap slower then quali.
I know what you're going to ask next and the answer is
It was only 1.8 seconds a lap slower using Bridgestone tires and they lasted longer
Autosport interviewed Lewis, and he metioned it then..
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107411
Autosport said:
Not sure what kind of pre-conditioning he is inferring, I assume he's passing on stuff that's been touted around the garage, but I guess lets see if they figure it out..
It was only 1.8 seconds a lap slower using Bridgestone tires and they lasted longer
Which year? It would need to be 2010 to be comparable.
You know where to look. But to help Rubens was 4.5 seconds faster in the race then last week. This was in the brawn team same track.
From the BBC
"Even in 2010, the last year of Bridgestone tyres, race lap times were usually within two seconds of qualifying times."
"On Sunday in Spain, the fastest lap was 5.5secs slower than the pole time."
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I've read elsewhere that the speed of this years cars has caught pirelli out.
They expected them to be much closer to last year.
The race may have been a similar time duration, but the cars were being driven well within their limits to do this.
They expected them to be much closer to last year.
The race may have been a similar time duration, but the cars were being driven well within their limits to do this.