Malaysia - Round 2

[Alianora La Canta]

Grosjean got in Massa's way when leaving the pits at the start of Q2, thus barging one car ahead of him in the pit queue. This is forbidden in the rules (you have to leave the pits in a fashion that does not endanger anyone else's ability to run). The problem for me is that he only lost 2 places when the previous minimum position loss is 3.

[J.Clark]

Fairly exciting race - definitely not a zzzzzzzzzzzer.  In large part due to Ferrari having made a significant improvement.

Even though one of Manor's cars never made it out of the garage, they did well and should be congratulated for not only getting a car on the grid, but completing the race as well.  I could be mistaken, but I think this weekend puts more laps in the test bank for them than they have had - correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think they made any of the pre-season testing.

Result:
1. Vettel              Ferrari   56 laps   
2.  Hamilton      Mercedes   +8.5s
3.  Rosberg              Mercedes   +12.3s
4.  Raikkonen      Ferrari   +53.8s
5.  Bottas              Williams   +1:10.4s
6.  Massa              Williams   +1:13.5s
7.  Verstappen       Toro Rosso   +1:39.0s
8.  Sainz Jr              Toro Rosso   +1 lap
9.  Kvyat              Red Bull   +1 lap
10. Ricciardo      Red Bull   +1 lap

11. Grosjean   Lotus    +1 lap
12. Nasr      Sauber   +1 lap
13. Perez      Force India   +1 lap
14. Hulkenberg   Force India   +1 lap
15. Merhi   ESP   Manor   +3 laps   

Not Classified:
Rtd Maldonado   Lotus    47 laps completed
Rtd Button      McLaren   41 laps completed
Rtd Alonso      McLaren   21 laps completed
Rtd Ericsson   Sauber   3 laps completed

Did Not Start:
Stevens   Manor   fuel system problem

Ferrari seem to have completely overhauled Williams 

It would appear that Bottas manages his tires better than Massa.

Kimi  Drive of the Race has to go to him.  Started outside the top 10; flat just after passing the pit entrance; drives back through the pack to finish fourth;  One has to wonder if he could have beaten Vettel had he not had the puncture.
Vettel and Ferrari are very easy on the tires and that was huge in getting the win, great drive by Seb though - no question.

STR has both cars beat RBR   
Horner must be pulling his hair out.

Driver's standings after two races:
1   Hamilton      43
2   Vettel      40
3   Rosberg      33
4   Massa      20
5   Räikkönen      12
6   Nasr              10
7   Bottas      10
8   Riccardo      9
9   Sainz       6
10   Hulkenberg      6
11   Verstappen      6
12   Ericsson      4
13   Kvyat              2
14   Perez              1
Constructor's standings:
1   Mercedes      76
2   Ferrari      52
3   Williams      30
4   Sauber      14
5   Toro Rosso      12
6   Red Bull      11
7   Force India      7

[Scott]

Completely agree about Kimi and Ferrari.  I think Kimi could have had the top step if he had managed that pace from the start without a puncture.  I didn't see if it was Ericsson or Nasr that gave it to him. 

Really, a dream win for Ferrari.  Could not have come at a better time to revive Ferrari.  I've been a bit fed up by the corporate meddling over the past few years, but found a bit of fondness for the scarlet today.  I of course would have preferred Kimi there instead of Vettel, but I think that will come if Ferrari stays with the Mercs. 

That said, I don't think Ferrari has Merc's speed, but Mercedes seem to have become a bit arrogant and made some poor choices/decisions, including tire use this weekend.  It pretty much killed Hamilton's race, and then bringing in Rosberg instead of letting him stay out - at least a different strategy than Hamilton - and see if his tires could make the rest of the race.  I loved it - 'Why am I on hard tires?' after Hamiltons last pit stop.  Even Hamilton knew it was probably all over at that point.

Sepang is a Tilke circuit that is starting to grow on me.  I think it was one of his first, but really don't know.  It seems to have almost every kind of turn, though it's too flat for my taste.

Too bad Will Stevens didn't make the grid, but remarkable that Manor finished a car at all.  Nobody would have guessed it was possible even a few weeks ago. 

I mucked up and suggested to BD that it was Verstappen out early in the gravel, but it was Ericsson who misjudged the corner and buried the business end of his car in the gravel bringing out the only SC (I noticed they had the tractor out long before the SC was on the track - it was only lap 3 after all, there was really no panic). 

Another DNF by Maldo that was not his fault (maybe his brakes had something to do with his puncture earlier).  He just seems to get in the wrong place this year.  Sorry for him, and sorry Grossjean couldn't put a better race together, though there was plenty of mid-field fun to watch today.

Williams weren't in the spotlight today, but I would say it's quite certain that they have fallen behind (or been overtaken by) Ferrari this race.  That Ferrari seemed like they didn't even need to change tires except for the puncture.  Fantastic aero work over the winter in Maranello.  We saw their new F1 building, so they are obviously doing something right in the new F1 factory which is across the street from the main factory. 

For me the story of the day is how much better the Toro Rosso's ran than the RBR.  All the garbage from Newey about it being all engine (it being their problem with pace), and the team B with the same engine drives circles around Horner's boys.  After all the flack Cyril had to take with his comment about Newey being a liar, he will certainly have a grin on his face tonight.  RBR needs to re-group at the factory and stop just blaming the engine.  Renault will do what they can, but obviously RBR need to step up their program as well.

Sad that both Mclarens didn't manage to finish.  Alonso has been very upbeat in his interviews.  I loved Jenson's radio message when he was surprised that they were approaching cars ahead.  He does have great sarcastic wit.   

[Scott]

Missed Jeri and Philbe on chat this am...and the rest of you.  We had a fair crowd, but hope some more of you make the effort this year.  It's pretty fun, and if you're watching the race live anyhow, why not join the conversation...you might notice something we didn't, or vice versa.

[Jericoke]

Missed Jeri and Philbe on chat this am...and the rest of you.  We had a fair crowd, but hope some more of you make the effort this year.  It's pretty fun, and if you're watching the race live anyhow, why not join the conversation...you might notice something we didn't, or vice versa.

lol, I can't make a chat at 3 AM

But I miss making it!  I'm looking forward to races at civilized times and joining the chat!

To anyone who hasn't joined the chat, it really is a fantastic way to enjoy the race.  During the slow parts of the race (which there wasn't much of today!) discussions are plentiful, and when the race heats up and you're not sure what you just missed, someone will catch you up.

[Dare]

I enjoyed the race even though my trusty alarm failed me
again.There's two GPW's,the forum and the chat....see what
your missing next race.The chat with all the witty comments
adds to the race.

The hero's

Ferrari=New team boss fits the pieces together and Ferrari
            gets a win faster than I expected.Like Scott I wish it
             was Kimi instead

Vettel=The finger and mouth returns

Mercedes=2nd and 3rd isn't all that bad

Kimi=could have and maybe should have gotten the win

Max=good for him

Zero's

Mercedes=changing Rosberg's tires when I thought they
                 going for the distance.Made Lewis happy I bet

Hamilton=whining ,moaning,and groaning if things don't
                go his way.If unhappy thee's many that would like
                that seat
                 
 The start time=I hate early morning races

RB and Horner=after 4 years of dominance constant
complaining now because things aren't their way{grow up}

[cosworth151]

It was a pretty good race, especially considering the less-than-stellar circuit and extreme heat.

To Dare's list I would add:

Heroes:

Manor: One car made it the entire distance. At one point it was P11 (OK, it was after almost everyone else had pitted.) Their Twitter icon during the race was a little sign that said, "We're Back!"

ESPNF1.com: They offer a free live feed of Tweets from the teams and other key folks in F1 during the race. They give a nice insight into things.

Kimi: He would have done much better if not for his tire problem early in the first lap.

Zeroes:

F1.com: No way is it worth anywhere near as much as they are charging for it. They had a very good T&S that they have totally ruined.

Mercedes: They seemed to be in chaos all day. Botched pit strategy on both cars. Lewis was getting pit messages that weren't meant for him. They looked like they were in complete confusion the entire race.

The start time=I hate early morning races

  I agree: the race started at 03:00 over here.

[F1fanaticBD]

It was a season-opener for me as I missed the live race chat for the Aussie one, so it felt really great to be among my F1 angels during the race. 

And the best part of the race, FERRARI IS BACK  After a long long time a race won by Ferrari, not because the leaders dropped off, not because the rain blessed them with wet condition, not because of multiple safety cars to cut back the gap from the leaders, but with brilliant strategy and extremely fast machines, and made the dominant force scratching the heads "Where did we go wrong?"

For me Mercedes is not a zero, but a hero for being arrogant enough to ruin a race where they were suppose to dominate and take up easy points to increase the gap in the constructors championship. I hope they make such shows more often.

Hats off to Manor, though they were only granted to start the race, for just being outside 107%, still making it to the end will ensure a huge boost, as they keep rising from the ashes and rising higher and higher. Their spirit of competitiveness is surely to be admired, to be celebrated and must be followed.

And also there is the shame of a guy named Mr. Horner. With a budget of approximately half of his own, he was outpaced by his little sister team, who had to exciting young drivers. Many raised the question of being fast paced to the highest level due to influence as well as the effluence of their fathers, today they showed us why the STR choose them, and that they hold every right to be competing at the highest level. 

Woes of McLaren seems to be getting deeper and deeper, its just too bad to see Alonso explaining the same shitty diplomatic answers after changing the ship.

[Alianora La Canta]

I won't be able to make the chat on race days for the foreseeable future, as watching F1 at my parents' house has become a long-term arrangement and their internet has deteriorated beyond belief over the last 12 months. No chance of changing supplier - long story - so no possibility of doing anything more than the simplest internet activities (as in, it typically takes 1-2 minutes to open an email) while there.

The race for me was interesting without ever getting exciting. It was too Noah's Ark, largely because the DRS made passing trivially easy.

Heroes:

- Raikkonen. For not giving up or slipping into anonymity after qualifying 11th. He caught back up as far as 4th, which was the best result possible after being part of the Hulkenberg Express.

- Roberto Merhi and Manor. Starting the race was already good, but finishing only 3 laps down on the winner, with something that finished 2 laps down last year, was highly impressive.

- (really struggling here - most people did exactly as expected) Duncan Stephen, for making a script update that improves the look and feel of Timing & Scoring. It doesn't work on my computer, but from what I gather it makes the system much more readable for other people.

Zeroes:

- Force India's drivers. They were driving like they ran out of drink on lap 10. Both penalties were earned fair and square.

- Mercedes. Squashy tyres? For Q1? Really? Without that, it would have been an easy 1-2 for them.

- Christian Horner. So many U-turns, I'm half-expecting tomorrow's announcement to be that he's standing in his local constituency as an MP in next month's general election. And none of his hot air made his cars go faster.

[Irisado]

There was some action in the midfield, particularly involving the Force India drivers, but it wasn't that thrilling overall.  I think that the cars are perhaps a bit too strong these days.  How Kvyat's car wasn't more significantly damaged in that collision with Hulkenburg is a mystery to me.  Grosjean's amazing save of his spinning Lotus was great to behold though.

Not much else happened in my opinion.  Mercedes made a bad mistake with their tyre strategy in qualifying and paid for it in the race, Vettel exploited this to win, but I feel that Raikkonen would have won this race had Ferrari not messed up the timing of his qualifying run, and he could still have challenged for victory had it not been for that first lap incident.  He has been unlucky for two races in a row now.

Manor were the heroes of Malaysia for me, with Mehri getting across the line only three laps behind in a completely untested car.  A great job by them.

Verstappen also surprised me in the Toro Rosso.  I was expecting him to be spinning a lot this season, and he has proved me completely wrong so far.

As for McLaren, Alonso got the car going faster than I expected, but that's probably why it broke.  Honda has a lot of work to do.

[J.Clark]

Scott - I won't post anything on China before someone else does.
 

[Scott]