2012 Malaysian Grand Prix

[Liquid]

I'm almost tempted to forget Vettel and go for Pérez.

It's a more than promising start for Sauber generally, but Red Bull will have their day(s) over the course of the season.

I'm still very underwhelmed by the lack of Mercedes race pace. Even with Schumacher's spin, his recovery was somewhat lacking. But if they can nail qualifying, they could be on for podiums somewhere like Monaco...

 

[superbike81]

I'm almost tempted to forget Vettel and go for Pérez.

That's great that you found someone new to be a fan of but I wouldn't expect him to be in contention for a win any more this season unless we get another crazy race like this one. He will be very lucky to see the podium again this season.

 

[Liquid]

It's funny how I get called out by almost everyone for blaming Karth for the Vettel incident immediately after it happened but now 5 pages later people are like "oh well yeah I guess he did move."

He was penalized by race officials who have access to much more video footage than we do, so I think it's pretty clear.

Welcome to armchair punditry. We're argumental, but it's all good fun.

 

[Jav]

And i'm really happy for Perez, today he showed to everyone that we really need to keep an eye (or two LOL) on him. 👍 Really proud to see his first podium, not the last one hopefully.

I think the rain showed us today who are the real drivers in F1 today and damn!!! Sergio had me on the edge of the seat for those last 2 stints! What a drive from Sergio, just wow! I just hope he doesn't go to Ferrari to be Alonso's little _itch...

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

That's great that you found someone new to be a fan of but I wouldn't expect him to be in contention for a win any more this season unless we get another crazy race like this one. He will be very lucky to see the podium again this season.

Based on what exactly?

 

[Sureboss]

It's funny how I get called out by almost everyone for blaming Karth for the Vettel incident immediately after it happened but now 5 pages later people are like "oh well yeah I guess he did move."

He was penalized by race officials who have access to much more video footage than we do, so I think it's pretty clear.

He got penalized?

 

[superbike81]

Based on what exactly?

Simple history. He got to and stayed at the front because of pit strategy and the fact that the usual front runners were either struggling with poo pit stops, tires, or crappy drivers who don't belong in F1.

In any normal race in normal conditions he would have likely been around P7 which is still a great finish.

 

[superbike81]

He got penalized?

Yes he did, doesn't matter though as HRT is a team of mobile chicanes anyways so it won't effect their usual P24 finish.

 

[otakukid96]

That's great that you found someone new to be a fan of but I wouldn't expect him to be in contention for a win any more this season unless we get another crazy race like this one. He will be very lucky to see the podium again this season.

I have a top 6. Vettel just happens to be my number 1.

 

[DaxCobra]

If only Hamiltons pit stop went well...

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Simple history. He got to and stayed at the front because of pit strategy and the fact that the usual front runners were either struggling with poo pit stops, tires, or crappy drivers who don't belong in F1.

In any normal race in normal conditions he would have likely been around P7 which is still a great finish.

...WHAT!?!?!?

So the fact that Sergio pushed the tires further than anyone else, and still turned quickest lap times doesn't mean anything to you? It's one thing to have good strategy, but to have it and run fast to keep position is another level. They were quick in Australia, and the biggest issue for them was that Sergio ran a one stop unplanned. History means little obviously, if it was that significant, I should have expected a double williams DNF last weekend.

Fact is this isn't the case, we don't know exactly how good the cars are to make a broad statement like that. Also how do you know he would have been P7? This season so far is unpredictable, unlike last season where any of us could have regularly told you the top five with no issues.

Sauber are fast and might easily be able to take the fight to Renault, Merc GP and Ferrari. Same goes for Williams right now, but we wont truely know till the first major updates which should come at Bahrain I believe.

 

[Blaze_409]

Sauber wont be making a return to the podium unless theres more wet weather and attrition....

The Lotus, Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull have locked out the top 8 as evidenced by the grippingly tight qualy session...Top 8 within 4tenths. Everyone else no where to be found.

 

[Blaze_409]

BAhahahahahahahahaha!

 

[superbike81]

He was turning fastest laps because the drivers who usually do it were struggling for various reasons. He was turning fastest laps because he didn't have anyone to fight for position with the majority of the race. He gets within striking distance of Alonso and chokes and runs off the track. Put him in the position he would normally be in mid-race and we'll see how many fast laps he can turn when he has to deal with passing the normal front runners.

 

[DaxCobra]

He was turning fastest laps because the drivers who usually do it were struggling for various reasons. He was turning fastest laps because he didn't have anyone to fight for position with the majority of the race. He gets within striking distance of Alonso and chokes and runs off the track. Put him in the position he would normally be in mid-race and we'll see how many fast laps he can turn when he has to deal with passing the normal front runners.

Hamilton had clear air, so did Alonso...

 

[mister dog]

No he didnt... watch the video (tip watch the dry line)

Nope nope, watch the car at racing pace in front of Vettel, it accelerates out of the corner taking a wider line (slightly but still wider), Vettel couldn't take that line as there was a HRT in the way, thus not taking the best racing line having to avoid it.

Anyway doesn't really matter no race is over anyway

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Sauber wont be making a return to the podium unless theres more wet weather and attrition....

The Lotus, Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull have locked out the top 8 as evidenced by the grippingly tight qualy session...Top 8 within 4tenths. Everyone else no where to be found.

Quali doesn't equal end of the day results. If it did we should have saw Grosjean on the podium last week and Shumi this week. Not the case sadly, we see that no matter the condition Merc GP cars rear tires lose grip faster than the other top teams, RBR don't have the overall speed, Lotus are on level ground with Sauber and Williams right now. McLaren is the only team that can sit there and say that they have constant overall speed.

Like I said this only GP 2 for anyone to say that they know how this season will go this early, is just doing the armchair routine. None of us know how it will go but as of now, it looks like a massive mix up. The only team I can predict on podium every week I think, is McLaren.

Hamilton had clear air, so did Alonso...

Exactly.

Well people will just have to underrate these teams. If they do overly well by the end of the season and support them next year, I'll make sure to be quick about their bandwagon decision

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

delete double post

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

delete

 

[superbike81]

Exactly.

Well people will just have to underrate these teams. If they do overly well by the end of the season and support them next year, I'll make sure to be quick about their bandwagon decision

Alonso won the race, and Hamilton was struggling with various issues, just like most of the usual front runners.

You won't see me jumping bandwagons, Ferrari is in my blood, my dad raised me around Ferraris, cheering for Ferrari racing teams, and loving Ferrari even when they weren't doing well.

All I'm saying is one good result does not mean the results will continue, especially in this situation. I once placed 3rd in a Formula Continental race and I was doing pretty damn well, you could say it was "the race of my life", yet I never was able to find that pace again. I had a very very good day, but I didn't fool myself into thinking that's how it would be from then on.

I'm not discounting Perez or his accomplishment yesterday, I'm saying he still has a long way to go to be a consistent front runner. I have no doubt he will score many more points this season, I just don't think he'll do this well again, not this season and not in a Sauber. I might be wrong, actually, I hope I'm wrong, I love to see new talent doing well.

 

[PeterJB]

I don't even care that Vettel's race went down the crapper because PEREZ WAS SO GOOD.

 

[DaxCobra]

Alonso won the race, and Hamilton was struggling with various issues, just like most of the usual front runners.

You won't see me jumping bandwagons, Ferrari is in my blood, my dad raised me around Ferraris, cheering for Ferrari racing teams, and loving Ferrari even when they weren't doing well.

All I'm saying is one good result does not mean the results will continue, especially in this situation. I once placed 3rd in a Formula Continental race and I was doing pretty damn well, you could say it was "the race of my life", yet I never was able to find that pace again. I had a very very good day, but I didn't fool myself into thinking that's how it would be from then on.

I'm not discounting Perez or his accomplishment yesterday, I'm saying he still has a long way to go to be a consistent front runner. I have no doubt he will score many more points this season, I just don't think he'll do this well again, not this season and not in a Sauber. I might be wrong, actually, I hope I'm wrong, I love to see new talent doing well.

I don't think that F1 drivers are the sort of drivers to have sudden spurts of pace never to be found again.

Perez was faster in the rain and dry. We didn't really get to see it's pace last race because of the weird pit strategy, but Kobayashi got a fastest lap at one stage.

What has Hamilton struggling with? And Alonso only won because Perez dropped it, Perez was still a second faster each lap.

 

[Ardius]

And the others, they go backwards because...? Lose power? Lose aero through the race? No, they destroy tires and have to manage them. That is the reason they qualify well (getting everything out of the tires) but finish poorly (putting too much effort on them) IMO.

Mercedes goes backwards due to destroying their tyres it seems but Red Bull seem to fall back a bit just on sheer speed. Force India also seem to go backwards a little though its hard to judge where they really stand.

Its not all down to tyres, sometimes a car just works better over 1 lap with low fuel than it does over a race distance with full tanks.

 

[Liquid]

Force India also seem to go backwards a little though its hard to judge where they really stand.

Surprisingly quiet thus far given their potential. Torro Rosso look like surpassing them this year. Williams too, if they can get both cars in the points!

 

[superbike81]

I don't think that F1 drivers are the sort of drivers to have sudden spurts of pace never to be found again.

Perez was faster in the rain and dry. We didn't really get to see it's pace last race because of the weird pit strategy, but Kobayashi got a fastest lap at one stage.

What has Hamilton struggling with? And Alonso only won because Perez dropped it, Perez was still a second faster each lap.

F1 drivers don't have sudden moments of greatness? Care to explain Kovalainen? Winner in Hungary in 2008, back then there was much discussion that he could be an up and coming competitor. What has happened since then? If I recall correctly he's been on the podium 2 or 3 more times besides that win. This kind of thing happens all the time. But like I said, I'm not discounting Perez's performance, I think he will do fairly well this year, but I just don't see him having the experience to truly fight it out with the top drivers. So unless we are in another situation in which pit strategy related to weather puts him out in front, I don't think he will be able to fight his way to the front all that often, regardless of his pace.

My guess would be that Hamilton was struggling with his mindset more than anything. Botched pit stops, having to navigate through traffic, and then knowing that the person ahead of you is a long ways ahead with not much racing left to do, he probably was off of his game mentally.

Alonso did was an experienced driver is supposed to do, just enough to hold his lead position. I called it when I first saw that Perez had a chance of winning it, I said "he will make a mistake, he will not win this race" and what happened? I'm not psychic, but I can identify with all the feelings going through his head. For those of you who haven't been involved in truly competitive real-life wheel to wheel racing, you will never understand how much your nerves play on you when you are in a position you've never been in before. It's so easy to lose focus and make a mistake, and that is exactly what Perez did. He saw a chance at victory, lost focus, and made a mistake. He did have a faster pace, but he couldn't finish the job.

 

[Lizard]

F1 drivers don't have sudden moments of greatness? Care to explain Kovalainen? Winner in Hungary in 2008, back then there was much discussion that he could be an up and coming competitor. What has happened since then? If I recall correctly he's been on the podium 2 or 3 more times besides that win. This kind of thing happens all the time. But like I said, I'm not discounting Perez's performance, I think he will do fairly well this year, but I just don't see him having the experience to truly fight it out with the top drivers. So unless we are in another situation in which pit strategy related to weather puts him out in front, I don't think he will be able to fight his way to the front all that often, regardless of his pace.

Kovalainen was gifted the win by Massa having engine failure to start.

 

[superbike81]

Kovalainen was gifted the win by Massa having engine failure to start.

One could argue that Perez was "gifted" his position through a series of bad moves by other teams complicated by poor weather.

But I do believe Perez has a brighter future than Kovalainen.

 

[Lizard]

One could argue that Perez was "gifted" his position through a series of bad moves by other teams complicated by poor weather.

But I do believe Perez has a brighter future than Kovalainen.

Except that Perez was going quite fast at the end after the troubles Kovalainen was not.

 

[TopGearFTW]

One could argue that Perez was "gifted" his position through a series of bad moves by other teams complicated by poor weather.

But I do believe Perez has a brighter future than Kovalainen.

Making the best out of changeable and unpredictable weather conditions is hardly the same as coasting through for the victory after the leader's car breaks down.

 

[Liquid]

In both cases you've still got to be there to take advantage of the misfortunes or bizarre occurances.

I just posted a video about the 2000 German Grand Prix in the OMG/WTF thread. No way in hell would Barrichello have won that race had the safety car not come out after the track invasion but it did happen, and ultimately Rubens made the most of it. The whole field was bunched up and when the heavens opened he took a gamble to stay out and managed to maintain the gap. Same with Kovelainen, same with Perez. Both took their chances and were ultimately in the right place at the right time. Whether they'll repeat it is a matter for another race.