- 446
- MattiDaDude
- V12 Matti Dude
Do you think teams will start looking at only running hard tires in qualifying? The performance gains of having fresh option tires seems massive and especiation where 3 stops or would work.
2011 Chinese Grand Prix
- Thread starter prisonermonkeys
- 653 comments
- 39,261 views
- 5,196
- Kuala Lumpur
- CHVRCHES_GTP
It really shows how much the Lotus team has made up ground on the front running teams. It was a fantastic race, I couldn't remember how many overtakes were done in the race and this is I think by far the best race this season! Congratulation to Hamilton, Vettel and the man on the mission - Webber from P18 to 3rd was just fantastic! At one time I thought Rosberg could go for his maiden race victory but whow, how quick everything changed.
Also did anyone saw during the last stop of Massa, on the way out he crossed the white line and didn't get any penalty?
- 12,513
- Ireland
- The__Luke
Probably just 1 run in each session and possibly qualifying on hards as well. Could get very interesting.👍
Todays race was the closest race in a long time. 14 cars on the lead lap. 6 within the first 15 seconds. Lotus only 1 lap down and matching leaders pace at times. Hamilton winning the race with just 3 laps left. Very good call on changing the DRS zone yesterday. Just think, we didn't have any rain and I don't even care about it. This year will be even better then last year.👍
- 9,741
- Las Vegas UTC-8
- Wardez
- Wardez
I just had to jump in here to spread my enthusiasm for witnessing one of the greatest motorsport races of all time.
It was just - words, you know? They don't work, all I can say is YESSSS! \o/
My two favorite drivers totally had one of the races of their lives.
Seems like all the extra bits of kit like KERS and DRS this year are going to shine in the, relatively, straight forward Tilke designed tracks.
We are all a little bit more awesome because of China 2011.
It was just - words, you know? They don't work, all I can say is YESSSS! \o/
My two favorite drivers totally had one of the races of their lives.
Seems like all the extra bits of kit like KERS and DRS this year are going to shine in the, relatively, straight forward Tilke designed tracks.
We are all a little bit more awesome because of China 2011.
Tired Tyres
Premium
- 12,602
- West Yorkshire
- Tired_Tyres
- Tired Tyres
Yep I saw it and thought it should have been a penalty but according to Brundle on the BBC it doesn't matter if it's the line right out of the pits almost still in the pitlane, only the part later on when it joins the track.
MarkWebber
(Banned)
- 668
- GTP_DHolland
Webber!! WEBBER!!!! Greatest drive of his career, his final stint was monumental.
- 489
- Central Coast,
My pre-race predictions. 2 out of 6.
Congrats to Team Lotus on beating Maldonado and Perez! they facebooked that they have joined the midfeild. I did not see much of Lotus that race, but well done them!!
- 3,241
- Desert Island
- GTP_DAN_
Fantastic race, Webber just proved his competency again but you can't help but admire Lewis. As much as people praise Vettel for his sheer talent and incredible pace (I completely agree, I'm a huuge Vettel fan), to me LH is in the same category as him.
Congrats Lewis!
Congrats Lewis!
- 2,576
- Australia
- J-PaP
Was quite a spectacle today. Really enjoyed the race. I think Webber showed you are better off sacrificing qualifying for good tires. Less traffic would have shown an even greater advantage with Webber's strategy.
Ferrari's performance was lackluster. Too much time lost in the pits and the pace wasn't that great to start with.
Ferrari's performance was lackluster. Too much time lost in the pits and the pace wasn't that great to start with.
- 5,196
- Kuala Lumpur
- CHVRCHES_GTP
I see.. That explains it all I guess.
I can't wait for Turkey. Seems like it's going to be another great race!
- 11,127
- Bromley
- V16T91
- E0nLeader
As good a race this was, I still think the season will have even better races to follow. Watch out for Spa in particular. And Monaco could be a little hectic at some point. Speaking of Monaco, where on earth could you use DRS there? All of the big high speed sections there have bends in them.
Have to say though, I reckon some drivers deserved much more than they got. I mean, for example, Rosberg was leading on merit after the first and second round of pitstops. Massa was looking strong too, and Button should have finished higher (no less because of Webber's scintillating drive).
Have to say though, I reckon some drivers deserved much more than they got. I mean, for example, Rosberg was leading on merit after the first and second round of pitstops. Massa was looking strong too, and Button should have finished higher (no less because of Webber's scintillating drive).
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- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
- 11,127
- Bromley
- V16T91
- E0nLeader
interludes
That would be kinda risky. The tunnel is a tighter corner than most would think, plus navigating through it while trying to use DRS would be difficult. The main straight seems like a decent option, but that would limit the usage of it quite a bit.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Well, the question of where to use the DRS has been covered elsewhere; namely, the thread on evaluating the DRS. We don't need to discuss it again here.
- 11,985
- Australia
- I_Grayson_Fox_I
The GIF is too large for me to find a host to upload the image.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6J8P67LF
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6J8P67LF
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- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
I for one wouldn't complain much if we heard a radio transmission that went "Fernando, Felipe is faster than you. Can you cnofirm that you understood this message?" at some point this season ...
chromatic9
Premium
- 2,835
- England
- chromatic9
Fantastic race.
I was almost expecting Hamilton's tyres to fade away with a few laps left after some pretty hard lapping in the last stint but the track had rubbered in slightly by then and in my view makes the options take more punishment in the last 10-15 laps.
I thought Webber could've got by at least one car a bit sooner at the first part of the race. Would've meant he could've passed Vettel. The rate he was catching is very much like a wet race. So great race how it all played out but still really based a lot on circumstances and whether the tyres are done for. I was more impressed how Hamilton kept his cool before the race and made an excellent start.
I was almost expecting Hamilton's tyres to fade away with a few laps left after some pretty hard lapping in the last stint but the track had rubbered in slightly by then and in my view makes the options take more punishment in the last 10-15 laps.
I thought Webber could've got by at least one car a bit sooner at the first part of the race. Would've meant he could've passed Vettel. The rate he was catching is very much like a wet race. So great race how it all played out but still really based a lot on circumstances and whether the tyres are done for. I was more impressed how Hamilton kept his cool before the race and made an excellent start.
- 446
- MattiDaDude
- V12 Matti Dude
The Outlaw
Premium
- 3,042
- Bay Area, California
- GTP_timeattack
Sorry, but that's a ridiculous statement/train of thought IMO. How exactly do you "reckon" what finishing position a driver "deserves"? It's as if you form your final opinion half way through the race when everything is far from set in stone.
Button didn't have the shear pace to keep up with Hamilton throughout the entirety of the race...and driving through Red Bull's pit (no fault but his own) and losing the position to Seb didn't help his cause. For the most part today, everyone got the position they deserved 👍 It was an epic fight from Rosberg to get that W02 up as high as he did throughout the race. Massa did a great job as well to keep the Ferrari up there, which is a car that simply shouldn't be expected to keep up with the RB7 or MP4-26.
- 1,085
- Concord MA
- DiGiTaL_
- Digital_L30
Completely gained even more respect for Lewis and team McLaren. I've always been a fan of Alonso and still am but even in his rookie season i knew Lewis had extreme talent behind the wheel of an F1 machine. Politics and controversy aside i believe that through the years he has built upon his strenghts as a driver and to me he looks like the Alonso of old, only better.
What most impresses me is his shear will to not have the RB's run away with every single race. It's like it's his personal mission to give the RB's a fight and i can respect that. I hope they can keep some momentum and continue developing the car so that both Jenson and Lewis can reap the rewards of being the only team actually in the same league as RB.
As for Ferrari.......i really don't see how they can achieve much this year. The F150 Italia looks like the F10's doppelganger, how they expect to be un par with McLaren and RB with a car 90% identical to last year's car is quite strange. Still early in the season but for sure even if they do develop more upon the car, the top teams will be doing the same. The Ferrari's will never be as fast as the RB's or McLaren's this year. Maybe Flavio was right, maybe they should really try to focus on 2012. How can they extract 1.5 seconds from the current chasis??
What most impresses me is his shear will to not have the RB's run away with every single race. It's like it's his personal mission to give the RB's a fight and i can respect that. I hope they can keep some momentum and continue developing the car so that both Jenson and Lewis can reap the rewards of being the only team actually in the same league as RB.
As for Ferrari.......i really don't see how they can achieve much this year. The F150 Italia looks like the F10's doppelganger, how they expect to be un par with McLaren and RB with a car 90% identical to last year's car is quite strange. Still early in the season but for sure even if they do develop more upon the car, the top teams will be doing the same. The Ferrari's will never be as fast as the RB's or McLaren's this year. Maybe Flavio was right, maybe they should really try to focus on 2012. How can they extract 1.5 seconds from the current chasis??
- 10,373
- Manchester
- Ardius_
I think this race can be summed up as:
18th to 3rd.
Fuel-flooded engine bay to 1st.
Both overtaking many cars of equal competitiveness and not always just because of strategy but through skill too!
Also; at various stages of the race it looked like Button, Hamilton, Vettel, Rosberg, Massa and Webber all had a chance to win the race. There are not many Grand Prix that can claim such swinging chances, you have to start looking at extreme races like Monaco 1996 or something.
18th to 3rd.
Fuel-flooded engine bay to 1st.
Both overtaking many cars of equal competitiveness and not always just because of strategy but through skill too!
Also; at various stages of the race it looked like Button, Hamilton, Vettel, Rosberg, Massa and Webber all had a chance to win the race. There are not many Grand Prix that can claim such swinging chances, you have to start looking at extreme races like Monaco 1996 or something.
