2011 Chinese Grand Prix

[Rossticles]

Schumacher out, Sutil out, Heidfeld out, Saubers out

Are there excuses for Schumacher's lack of pace compared to Rosberg this time? Nico was definitely held up a little by Perez.

If he was off by 1.2 then it was more than KERS that was a problem I'd say.

Truth.

 

[DwightSchrute12]

That was the best Q2 action I've seen in a long time. Almost like a race ha. With Petrov in but out, Di Resta should be able to get a P9 on the grid at the very least, maybe even P7 if he can best the Torro Rosso crew.

 

[zdawood89]

This one minute may be better racing than all of tomorrow provides.

Qualifying is often times more interesting than the race itself.

 

[DwightSchrute12]

Schumacher out, Sutil out, Heidfeld out, Saubers out

Are there excuses for Schumacher's lack of pace compared to Rosberg this time? Nico was definitely held up a little by Perez.

Commentary on the F1 app says Schumi took the hairpin too wide.

 

[zdawood89]

Im impressed with Toro Rosso

 

[Terronium-12]

At this point I'm a bit tired of any excuse for Schumacher's (lack of) performance.

 

[zdawood89]

At this point I'm a bit tired of any excuse for Schumacher's (lack of) performance.

It's more car than driver.

2010 RBR (Rear diffuser) - Vettel
2009 Brawn ("illegal" double diffuser) - Button
2008 McLaren (Chassis design) - Hamilton

 

[F1 fan]

Di Resta, Rookie of the year

Bit early don't you think? Perez is one to watch too.

Qualifying is recording so I can watch it when I wake up.

Funny how your subconscious posts for you.

McLaren seem to be the biggest title challenger this season so far.

Maybe the Constructors title if Webber's reliability is sorted and he gets his act together. But so far, Sebastian Vettel has made the biggest claim for the drivers title.

So tenth and 16th for Renault. Although Petrov will get to pick his tyres and make up some places at the start with new softs.

You mean Heidfeld? Petrov is in Q3 so can't change his tyres.

Edit: Vettel into the 1:33's with a 1:33.706. Wow.

 

[Rossticles]

Wow. Halfway through Q3 and Vettel is already the man to catch, by a large margin.

 

[zdawood89]

Anyone have faith Vettel could do a 1'33.XXX in Q3?

Boom goes the dynamite!

 

[Terronium-12]

It's more car than driver.

2010 RBR (Rear diffuser) - Vettel
2009 Brawn ("illegal" double diffuser) - Button
2008 McLaren (Chassis design) - Hamilton

You realize that has nothing to do with the topic at hand, don't you? Nico still placed better than Schums.

 

[Rossticles]

You realize that has nothing to do with the topic at hand, don't you? Nico still placed better than Schums.

Word. The 2008 reason is quite ambiguous with 'chassis design.'

Boom goes the dynamite!

You can stop quoting yourself. It is kind of silly. Everyone has read what you've written already.

 

[zdawood89]

You realize that has nothing to do with the topic at hand, don't you? Nico still placed better than Schums.

And then yes, the final nail in the coffin for the argument against Schumi is Rosberg.

I am not defending Schumi, in fact I think he should not be racing still.

 

[Akmuq]

He was 1.2 off Rosberg, the fastest in Q1 who was on soft tyres. He was seven tenths off Vettel.

 

[FullSpe3d98]

Schumi made a mistake coming into turn 14. He locked his brakes.

 

[Terronium-12]

I'm liking McLaren's Saturday attire. I bet Ferrari are thinking "Pfft. Wannabes."

 

[Anghammarad]

More and more this is turning out to be a very uninteresting season. Wonder if we will see any other polesitter than Vettel this year.

 

[Terronium-12]

More and more this is turning out to be a very uninteresting season. Wonder if we will see any other polesitter than Vettel this year.

Hamiltion, Button, and Webber (if problems stop befalling upon him).

EDIT: Is it just me, or does Hamilton always look like he wants to dive right into Vettel's chest?

 

[C-ZETA]

Yawn. Vettel on pole again. But hey, Webber didn't actually have a failure/accident but still couldn't get through Q1? That's pretty awful for him.

 

[Terronium-12]

Yawn. Vettel on pole again. But hey, Webber didn't actually have a failure/accident but still couldn't get through Q1? That's pretty awful for him.

That's been confirmed?

 

[lukecfc]

Wow the second part of Q2 was set to be awesome, but was pretty much an anticlimax. I wonder what happened to Heidfeld, was expecting p1 or 2 from him.

 

[Akmuq]

You mean Heidfeld? Petrov is in Q3 so can't change his tyres.

No, I meant Petrov. He left it out on track so couldn't compete in Q3. So he doesn't have to stay on worn tyres because he has no tyres to stay on.

@lukecfc: Heidfeld probably got held up in traffic near the end of the lap. Bundle said that he was going fast.

 

[happycorey]

I know Webber is pissed

 

[mPWRD]

And of course Vettel's on pole. I think the phrase "the next Schumacher" is starting to make sense, especially seeing Schumi's rapid decline.

 

[Submerged]

More and more this is turning out to be a very uninteresting season. Wonder if we will see any other polesitter than Vettel this year.

I am assuming by "season" you mean qualifying season, rather than the race season?

Yes, the qualifying season isn't as hot as it can be if you're only interested in the fight for the top spot as Vettel seems to be magically attracted to the Number 1 position so far. However there are tactics and strategy that are in play during the qualifying that can create an interesting race.

So far, the racing itself this season, has been relatively lively. I have been awake to watch all minutes of the racing so far this year, which is much better than the past two years of F1 in which I practically would just fall asleep after five or ten laps. This year has been slightly different in that I have been able to follow more what is going on with all the other drivers, as we all know that Vettel will generally run away with it. Which has actually (ironically) allowed the commentators and the spectators to simply focus more on the midfield racers. Which has lead to some interesting racing and action to watch.

Its kinda odd, but it seems to work.

 

[Prince.M5]

Pretty dissapointed with Heidfeld, Webber and Petrov. Those guys really could set a fire to Vettel and other front runners.... Both Team Lotus guys did a good job, taking both cars to the end though still need a little more work to get into Q2. The HRT guys aren't that far away from getting along with the Virgins.... Out of sight, Di Resta did a fantastic job!

Afterall, congratulation to Vettel, Hammy and Button. Should be a good race tomorrow and let's see if it rains.

 

[F1 fan]

No, I meant Petrov. He left it out on track so couldn't compete in Q3. So he doesn't have to stay on worn tyres because he has no tyres to stay on.

Forgive the brain fade. It's late.

 

[Ardius]

Qualifying is often times more interesting than the race itself.

Evidence suggests that this isn't true this year. The race is far more important now than grid position because the tyres are such an important factor. Pole position can easily be squandered if you screw up your race strategy or become held up in traffic - drivers have to pit as soon as the tyres wear now, not when the team feels best to drop them into free air.
Did you even watch Malaysia?

It's more car than driver.

2010 RBR (Rear diffuser) - Vettel
2009 Brawn ("illegal" double diffuser) - Button
2008 McLaren (Chassis design) - Hamilton

Oh so I guess Michael's 7 titles are just down to the cars then?
I wonder why Kovalainen, Barrichello and Webber didn't win those respective titles, eh? The car?

More and more this is turning out to be a very uninteresting season. Wonder if we will see any other polesitter than Vettel this year.

What, are you watching a re-run of 2002 or something? I watched a pretty intense qualifying session there with some big surprises. And Australia and Malaysia were pretty good races, entertainment wise.

Maybe you should start following more than 1 team or driver...because thats the only reason I can think of for why you are finding this year uninteresting...
I mean, we've got 2 Toro Rosso's and Di Resta making Q3..Webber not making Q2, drama with Petrov and Heidfeld....what the hell more do you want? Sure, we didn't get much of a fight for pole today...but pole isn't everything, just as winning races doesn't have to be the only interest.

 

[Anghammarad]

What, are you watching a re-run of 2002 or something? I watched a pretty intense qualifying session there with some big surprises. And Australia and Malaysia were pretty good races, entertainment wise.

No I'm watching a season where it's quite probable, bar any mechanical failures, that we will see Vettel win every qualifying, take the start and then just run a calculated race with just enough effort to keep the lead comfortably. There was never any discussion about the win in either Australia or Malaysia. If it seemed like Vettels race pace wasn't as good as his qualifying pace it was just because he didn't need to push. It's quite obvious that there was a lot more in the Red Bull had it really been needed.

There's no doubt that Vettel has blistering speed. I just want to see him make a less than perfect quali and end up in third row and have to race for real instead of endless hotlapping.

 

[Ardius]

I wouldn't be too sure about that, McLaren were only a tenth off in qualifying at Malaysia and in the race Hamilton was matching if not beating Vettel's times in his stints. It was possible that Hamilton could have beaten Vettel and several factors played against him (used up too many tyres in qualifying, got jumped by Heidfeld and of course had to fight with Alonso).

My other point still stands too - even if the pole and win is lacking some fight, we are getting plenty of action elsewhere in the field....you'd have to be blind to miss it.

I don't think Vettel has the win tomorrow just yet, strategy can still be screwed up, DRS has a much bigger effect here and the RBR KERS seems quite fragile too.