2014 UBS Chinese Grand Prix

[Lewis_Hamilton_]

Can't help but feel that if Vettel let Ricardo by sooner, Ricardo could have snatched that podium.

All in all though, not a particularly exciting race, Kobayashi providing about the only entertainment, glad to have him back.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

It wasn't an attempt at anything, it was poking fun at the the ridiculous hats that are clearly refugees from an era utterly devoid of style.

Now I suggest you all keep the topic to F1 and not Lewis personal tastes or cultural heritage.

Wouldn't it have been easier to say that before having your fun with it too?

Anyways, I think I should mention a good comeback for Perez even if it was just ninth, but still helped keep the team up toward the top of the WCC

Can't help but feel that if Vettel let Ricardo by sooner, Ricardo could have snatched that podium.

All in all though, not a particularly exciting race, Kobaiyashi providing about the only entertainment, glad to have him back.

I was thinking the same thing in the last five laps, but then part of me thought that Alonso probably saved just in case of that situation.

 

[Vagabond]

Wouldn't it have been easier to say that before having your fun with it too?

It would have been easier to delete all the off-topic content, what's your point? That you can be off-topic but I can't poke fun at it? If you want to answer that, I suggest you PM it.

 

[GTPorsche]

So, turns out the race was called 2 laps short because of a mistake by the guy holding the checkered flag. Only one hurt by that is Ricciardo, possibly, since he was on Alonso's tail at the end of lap 54.

 

[mattythedog]

I don't know who noticed, but if you remember Lewis said on the radio that he was shown the chequered flag a lap early. So the results are now at the end of the penultimate lap.

Note - Result declared at end of Lap 54/56, in accordance with Article 43.2 of sporting regulations (chequered flag was shown to leader at end of Lap 55).

Doesn't change much, just to point it out.

 

[That90sGuy]

Edit: Tree'd

 

[Barra333]

Ricciardo probably needed til lap 60 to pass Alonso. Kobayashi will lose his 17th place though.

 

[Dhalism]

a bit of off topic, but i'm a scientist and i was wondering if anyone knew who that merc girl was they kept showing after the race. For science you know

 

[Furinkazen]

Errrr.
http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/1...ded-after-chequered-flag-is-waved-prematurely

 

[ShiftingGears]

Errrr.
http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/1...ded-after-chequered-flag-is-waved-prematurely

Farcical.

 

[Dodzzz]

That's really strange...

It reminds me of this:



Where a race leader thought he has already completed the last lap and won the race..

 

[Lizard]

Poor Kamui. At least it doesn't change any standings and Kamui still impressed us.
Sauber were wrong to get rid of him I think but I think his greatness is a lot more consistent now after a year away than before where sometimes he would shine and sometimes he was not so good.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I see Vettel is claiming that he let Ricciardo through of his own choice. Why he decided that the best way to do that was to go too fast into the corner, miss the racing line and pull himself up to stop himself running wide - instead of not fighting when Ricciardo made a move on the back straight - is beyond me.

 

[Samus]

I'm not sure who Rosberg is kidding with the comment that he intends to keep the championship lead. The only reason he had it at all is a mechanical failure taking Lewis out in Australia. Lewis outperformed Nico in 100% of this season's races so far, and really should have won four of four had it not been for unreliability. Unless dumb luck helps him again, he is doomed to be overtaken and left behind by Lewis.

Where has he gone wrong? With the exception of Bahrain when he challenged him Hamilton has had the edge on Rosberg in every race.

 

[VolkswagenX]

Hamilton superglued Rosbergs car to the track. That's why he had a bad start... Glad to see Alonso back on the podium. Really hope Ferrari can keep this up and improve for next race. Been to long for us Ferrari fans.

 

[Samus]

The development updates in Spain should be interesting. A lot of the time they all cancel each other out and nothing changes but hopefully some teams do find a net gain on Mercedes somehow.

 

[niky]

So I spent the afternoon outside, without internet, enjoying sunshine, fresh air and good food. Then I remembered the race, and thankfully had a TV close-by that I could commandeer, kicking the children off the couch so I could enjoy the race. Yes, I'm a terrible house-guest.

Some thoughts:

Winner: Fernando Alonso. - Boxed out everyone else at the beginning. Had a fantastic start. Kept his foot in it even after giving best bro Felipe Massa a fist-bump in the first corner. Put up a good fight against Vettel in the first stint, gained the upper hand decisively with the undercut in the pits, and used the back markers masterfully to keep Ricciardo off his tail till the very last lap. A decisive victory for the Spaniard.

Errh... can't remember anything else happening. Except perhaps those silver alien spacecraft finishing two weeks before the rest of the field, even if the pouty one had telemetry problems and a mild case of the Bottas (but let's be honest... his race was ruined the moment half the frontrunners mugged him off the starting line), and someone named Sebastian being told to "Let Daniel through." Which I think is a coded message about Elton John's love life. His response: "Tough luck" was taken as a response saying that if Daniel wanted to leave on that plane for Spain, he ought to just buy his own ticket.

-

Oh, and Kobayashi unlapping himself. That was absolutely hilarious. That's going on the year-end highlight reel, for sure.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

I loved that move by Koba!, Last season Vettel wins eight in a row, this season gets overtaken by a Caterham!

 

[Müle]

He even made Mercedes make these god-awful hats that only douchey dudebros wear...

Q.E.D​

I see no problem here.

Literally grasping at straws. No different from hating on Vettel because of his finger.

 

[chromatic9]

I see Vettel is claiming that he let Ricciardo through of his own choice. Why he decided that the best way to do that was to go too fast into the corner, miss the racing line and pull himself up to stop himself running wide - instead of not fighting when Ricciardo made a move on the back straight - is beyond me.

Horner claimed Vettel chose to do it that way to lose the least amount of time. There was some extra explaining to Vettel about different strategies and that he then agreed to let him pass before that. Looked like he ran wide though to me.

Can't believe how bad McLaren are right now but it does seem like they've lost a lot of people over the last few years to have an impact.

Not a great race but I did enjoy Hamilton and Alonso performances.

 

[otakukid96]

I'm really getting tired of Alonso/Ferrari not getting penalties when they deserve them. I'm going to have to stop following F1 if the FIA keep being biased towards Ferrari. He really deserves a penalty for hitting Massa at the start. He had no reason to be heading to that far right.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Horner claimed Vettel chose to do it that way to lose the least amount of time.

I find that hard to believe. Where Vettel and Ricciardo had been fairly evenly-matched for several laps, Vettel lost several seconds on the lap he ran wide. If he really wanted to minimise the time lost, he would not have fought it when Ricciardo tried to pass him on the back straight. Like you say, it looked like he ran wide. I think Horner is just trying to save face because Ricciardo forced Vettel into an error.

I'm really getting tired of Alonso/Ferrari not getting penalties when they deserve them. I'm going to have to stop following F1 if the FIA keep being biased towards Ferrari. He really deserves a penalty for hitting Massa at the start. He had no reason to be heading to that far right.

Watch the replay again. Massa went right to start with, but cut back to the left when Ricciardo closed the door. Meanwhile, Alonso was choosing his own line, and was probably as surprised to see Massa there as Massa was to see him. Remember, the drivers sit low in the car, with high sides to the cockpit, and the HANS device limiting their ability to turn their heads. Massa and Alonso were in one another's blind spot.

And as Martin Brundle pointed out, Massa's quick cut to the left was a very risky move, and he was driving into a gap that was always going to close. If you watch the starts from each of the Chinese Grands Prix, both sides of the grid converge at that point. It's a bit hard to blame Alonso when Massa was taking huge chances like that.

Besides, the FIA tend to be a little bit more lenient at the start - unless someone is clearly in the wrong and/or something serious happens - as they accept that it is the one time every car is in close proximity to every other car.

 

[Samus]

That incident at the start was a racing incident all day long. Three cars in close proximity at the start of the race and three into one didn't go. Simple as that. There was no intent on Alonso's part.

As for Vettel I don't know. When watching it, it certainly looked like he ran wide onto the dirty line but I do wonder if he did that on purpose to really show that he was letting him pass but wasn't happy. I dunno, unless someone fesses up it's impossible to say. The only thing you can't deny is that Ricciardo was faster and Vettel seems flustered. Not that it's such a huge deal to be made of, not yet anyway. Different circumstances but it's not too dissimilar to Alonso, someone regarded as one of the best, getting flustered at Hamilton in 2007.

 

[King1982]

 

[King1982]

 

[Robin]

Pity China produced quite a boring race this year. I see the 'Tough Luck' thing becoming another Mutli 21 gate. Totally looked like he ignored orders and ran wide to me, Horner trying to cover it up.

On a side note, does anyone think the new on track superimposed graphics look lame? Like where they have the gran prix country written across the start line and even some sponsors like the large logo's on the grass and billboards are now CGI.

I guess trying to save money on printed tarpaulin these days.

 

[otakukid96]

On a side note, does anyone think the new on track superimposed graphics look lame? Like where they have the gran prix country written across the start line and even some sponsors like the large logo's on the grass and billboards are now CGI.

I guess trying to save money on printed tarpaulin these days.

Yes! It looks absolutely horrible in the wet as well. They spray just causes the images to fall apart.

 

[Samus]

Yeah they started that at some point last year, mainly with the Rolex green superimposed on the inside of certain corners. The illusion is shattered somewhat when you see the corner from another camera and it's gone.

 

[niky]

That incident at the start was a racing incident all day long. Three cars in close proximity at the start of the race and three into one didn't go. Simple as that. There was no intent on Alonso's part.

True enough. Given how incredibly frantic that start was, it'd be hard to claim either of the two incidents were due to reckless behaviour. There were just more cars hitting the corner at the same time than any of the drivers expected. When you're all cutting in for a wild, opportunistic overtake, things are bouind to happen.

As for Vettel I don't know. When watching it, it certainly looked like he ran wide onto the dirty line but I do wonder if he did that on purpose to really show that he was letting him pass but wasn't happy. I dunno, unless someone fesses up it's impossible to say. The only thing you can't deny is that Ricciardo was faster and Vettel seems flustered. Not that it's such a huge deal to be made of, not yet anyway. Different circumstances but it's not too dissimilar to Alonso, someone regarded as one of the best, getting flustered at Hamilton in 2007.

Seemed very deliberate. Like he was opening the door wide and wanted everyone to see he was opening the door wide.

The team's explanation for "tough luck" makes some sense. In previous races, Vettel has moved over right quick when strategy deemed it necessary. But of course, the frustration level is likely much higher right now.

Vettel isn't the only one struggling with this new formula. I still believe that he is, indeed, a very talented driver. (multiple ROC team trophies with Schumi bears this out) But more in the clinical, precise style, which requires a car he can trust... Kimi is likewise having trouble "feeling" out his own car... showing the same issues Massa did versus Alonso in a Ferrari that has three square wheels and one slightly eccentric one.

I wouldn't count Vettel out (in the inter-team battle) just yet. He's not doing too badly, and it's a long season.

 

[Furinkazen]

Oh Kamui