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Author Topic: China - Round 3  (Read 5875 times)

Offline Scott

China - Round 3
« on: April 08, 2015, 11:41:57 AM »
Hard to believe The Chinese GP has been on the calendar for more than a decade.  5.5km, with one of the trickiest series of corners on the calendar.  Another Tilke track, it was designed based on the Chinese character Shang, as in Shanghai.  Personally I think it looks like a floppy eared bunny on a sled...no, I haven't been drinking.

The city has a whopping 24m inhabitants, the busiest container port in the world, and has been a primary shipping port for more than a thousand years.  It is mainland China's Commercial and Financial centre.  Getting to the airport from the metro subway takes a scant 7.5 minutes for the 19mile journey thanks to a Magnetically Levitated train which has been recorded at over 500kph.  An important market for Mercedes Benz, they will be banking on overturning their fortunes after a disappointing Malaysian race, maybe by some media events in the newly named Mercedes Benz Arena, an 18,000 seat arena in the city.

Schumacher still holds the track record of 1:32:238 way back in its inaugural race.  Last year Lewis took pole with 1:53, but it was raining.  At this point last year the scores were reversed with Rosberg leading by 11 points over Hamilton.  Rosberg took FL of the race with a 1:40ish, but Lewis won the race and closed the gap to just 4 points.

Controversy from last year was that Lewis was shown the checker at the end of lap 55 instead of 56 (oops!), which due to a quirky regulation meant that the race officially ended at the end of lap 54, meaning that a pass by Kobi on Bianchi didn't stand...not that points were involved.

Two interesting corners are turn 1-2 & 11-12 which are 270 degrees.  DRS zones are on both long straights.  Pirelli has announced Mediums and Softs, as the previous three years.  Weather looks to be dry and not a factor.

I'm not biting with all the media play about Ferrari really being a threat to Mercedes after the Malaysia win.  Bernie was no doubt thrilled with the Ferrari finish and has asked the media outlets of Mercdes and Ferrari to play it up into some kind of battle, but I doubt it will happen again except under unusual circumstances, like rain or a massive field depleting crash.


The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline J.Clark

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2015, 03:12:14 PM »
Nicely done Scott, and thanks for doing it.

It will be interesting to see if anyone gets near to Michael's lap record this weekend.  With the two very long straights, it could happen; although, I'll be very surprised to see it fall.

Tire ware seems to be one of the biggest issues facing the teams this weekend.  Graining of the front tires is usually a problem that crops up. This is due to the fast corners mainly.  The two turns that truly mess with the engineers I think are the 1-2 and 11-12, which have an increasing, or decreasing radius, each of which presents a unique problem.

I do believe, and hope, that the two long straights will help Williams close up a little (Ferrari too) on the Mercs.  Williams still seems the fastest in straight-line speed.  In Malaysia the speed trap results in qualifying (must have been Q1 before the rain) :  http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/qualifying_speed_trap_0.pdf

I will be watching to see if they can fill the stands.  For a few years now, attendance at this venue has been falling off based upon observations from TV coverage - a lot of empty seats.  This is true at a few other places as well.  Time, me thinks, for Bernie and circuit managers to take a look at the price of a seat.

I liked your "floppy eared bunny on a sled" by-the-way.  :D
Life is short - live each day to the fullest.

Online cosworth151

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2015, 04:15:36 PM »
I'm waiting to see if Merc can get its race strategy together. If they don't do considerably better than they did at Malaysia, Ferrari and maybe Williams might stand a chance at the top step.

As for the empty seats, just think of what it would look like if they hadn't turned entire grandstands into gigantic billboards.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline Scott

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2015, 08:07:15 AM »
1st Practice...Lewis half a second on Rosberg, and Vettel half a second on Kimi...Button half a second on Alonso.  Nasr on a fumes run to show off something?  Williams mid field...hope they are testing heavy or something.

Anyhow...

Pos   Driver   Team   Time           Gap
1   Hamilton   Mercedes   1:39.033   123.126 mph
2   Rosberg   Mercedes   1:39.574   0.541
3   Vettel   Ferrari   1:40.157   1.124
4   Raikkonen   Ferrari   1:40.661   1.628
5   Nasr   Sauber   1:41.012   1.979
6   Ricciardo   Red Bull   1:41.029   1.996
7   Kvyat   Red Bull   1:41.097   2.064
8   Sainz   STR           1:41.112   2.079
9   Bottas   Williams   1:41.303   2.270
10   Massa   Williams   1:41.304   2.271
11   Maldonado   Lotus   1:41.335   2.302
12   Verstappen  STR   1:41.575   2.542
13   Button   McLaren   1:41.845   2.812
14   Ericsson   Sauber   1:41.918   2.885
15   Palmer   Lotus   1:41.967   2.934
16   Perez   F India   1:42.141   3.108
17   Alonso   McLaren   1:42.161   3.128
18   Hulkenberg F India   1:42.184   3.151
19   Stevens   Marussia   1:45.379   6.346
20   Merhi   Marussia   1:46.443   7.410
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline Monty

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2015, 10:23:03 AM »
Well I'm here (I did say I would be bragging).
Weather is fantastic. I have to work on Saturday but I will be at the track from early hours on Sunday.
Unless there is a problem with tyres it looks like Hamilton will be hard to beat. I am just hoping for some good racing!

Offline J.Clark

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2015, 10:59:54 AM »
Good for you Monty - enjoy it.

FFP2 is in the books with times a little tighter than FFP1.
1.  Hamilton   Mercedes   1m 37.219s
2.  Raikkonen   Ferrari   1m 37.662s
3.  Ricciardo   Red Bull   1m 38.311s
4.  Vettel      Ferrari   1m 38.339s
5.  Rosberg      Mercedes   1m 38.399s
6.  Kvyat      Red Bull   1m 38.737s
7.  Bottas      Williams   1m 38.850s
8.  Nasr      Sauber   1m 39.032s
9.  Grosjean   Lotus    1m 39.142s
10. Button      McLaren   1m 39.275s
11. Maldonado   Lotus    1m 39.444s
12. Alonso      McLaren   1m 39.743s
13. Ericsson   Sauber   1m 39.751s
14. Verstappen    Toro Rosso   1m 39.894s
15. Sainz Jr      Toro Rosso   1m 39.971s
16. Hulkenberg   Force India   1m 40.151s
17. Massa      Williams   1m 40.423s
18. Perez      Force India   1m 40.868s
19. Merhi      Manor    1m 42.973s
20. Stevens   Manor    1m 44.564s

Williams do not seem to have shown much progress relative the the others.  Red Bull have on the other hand, jumping in between Williams and Ferrari.
Life is short - live each day to the fullest.

Offline Irisado

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2015, 12:23:18 PM »
Red Bull look to be more on the pace, and Williams look to have slipped back, along with Toro Rosso.  Otherwise, it looks like more of the same at the front.  Hamilton clearly has the edge on Rosberg, but will Raikkonen have a bit more luck this weekend, so that he can challenge Vettel?  That's the question I'm interested in.  I want to see who comes out on top in a straight fight between those two.
Soñando con una playa donde brilla el sol, un arco iris ilumina el cielo, y el mar espejea iridescentemente

Offline Scott

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2015, 01:10:43 PM »
Monty, was that you running across the track?   :tease: :tease:

You need more than a grandstand ticket if you want to test an F1 car. 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118436
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline F1fanaticBD

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2015, 03:17:38 PM »
Monty, was that you running across the track?   :tease: :tease:

You need more than a grandstand ticket if you want to test an F1 car. 


 :DD :DD :DD
Keep running the fast cars, you will be never out of girls

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2015, 03:18:59 PM »
Probably was Monty, they said it was a fan who wanted to drive one of the cars. Sounds like Monty, No?
 ;)


Steve Matchett said Kimi's times during long runs were very quick (faster than Nico) and consistent. Merc may have quali sewn up, but the race could be interesting.
Lonny

Offline Scott

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2015, 09:16:25 AM »
I did Q on Twitter, but sounds like it was without incident.  Too bad for the Mclaren's, it seemed for a moment that they might actually make it into Q2.  I can't believe Maldo missed Q3 by .007sec.  Gotta just grin and shake your head.  I think Kimi would have been with or past Vettel if he hadn't made that mistake on his last run.

The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline Scott

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2015, 09:19:36 AM »
Speed trap ...

The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline Monty

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2015, 09:22:53 AM »
No it wasn't me crossing the track. After the practice I have had crossing roads in China I would have been more successful than that!
Just got in from work in time to see Q3. Rosberg really got close.
I have everything organised and should be at the track by about 9:00 (not that there will be anything to see but I am going to make a full day of it!).
I will report all after the race.

Offline Scott

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2015, 09:23:01 AM »
Yet another awkward moment for Rosberg on the Q podium...
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline Scott

Re: China - Round 3
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2015, 09:24:57 AM »
No it wasn't me crossing the track. After the practice I have had crossing roads in China I would have been more successful than that!
Just got in from work in time to see Q3. Rosberg really got close.
I have everything organised and should be at the track by about 9:00 (not that there will be anything to see but I am going to make a full day of it!).
I will report all after the race.

Fantastic Monty!  Looking forward to your report.  If you find some wifi at the track, drop in on the mobile chat for a minute or two during the race...
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

 


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