2016 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand PrixFormula 1

[SVT Cobra GT]

After the twisty Singapore race, we head up north to a circuit that traditionally is at the start of the season. The Sepang circuit has had some changes done to it which include resurfacing, improved drainage, 9 corners have been reprofiled and the drop at turn 2 has gone. This may make a difference in the race with the new surface. Rosberg retook the lead after his win in Singapore and with 6 races left as of writing it should become quite an interesting title run in. With Red Bull and Ferrari being Mercedes' closest rivals, it's up to them to spice it up further, get ready for the Malaysia Grand Prix.

SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT

FIRST GRAND PRIX
1999

NUMBER
OF LAPS
56

CIRCUIT LENGTH
5.543KM (3.444 Miles)

RACE DISTANCE
310.408kM (192.879 Miles)

LAP
RECORD
1:34.223 Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams-BMW, 2004

TYRE ALLOCATIONS
Soft, Medium & Hard

SKY SPORTS CLASSIC RACE SCHEDULE
Tuesday - Malaysia 1999
Wednesday - Malaysia 2002
Thursday - Malaysia 2003
Sunday - Japan 1989

2015 RESULT

1 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

2 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

3 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

2015 Fastest lap - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:42.062 (lap 43)

For those of you taking part, don't forget to submit your picks in @LMSCorvetteGT2's fantasy F1 league. Here.​

 

[mustafur]

Does Redbull have a policy of making their drivers use the same tyre selection.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Please rain please rain please rain please rain.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Please rain please rain please rain please rain.

It's unlikely. Or at least less likely than in previous years, because it's not the monsoon season.

 

[DLR_Mysterion]

It's unlikely. Or at least less likely than in previous years, because it's not the monsoon season.

 

[Jimlaad43]

BBC say rain
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/1735161

 

[dingodile_r89]

BBC say rain
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/1735161

Funny how we need rain to slow down the Mercedes cars so we can actually have an exciting race. Hope next year is more competitive from the driver's championship standpoint.

 

[DLR_Mysterion]

Funny how we need rain to slow down the Mercedes cars so we can actually have an exciting race. Hope next year is more competitive from the driver's championship standpoint.

Sometimes I wonder how we kept watching during the Ferrari era

 

[Jimlaad43]

I just want rain in general, not necessarily to slow them down. If ti rains and Hamilton is able to lap the field, that would be just as impressive.

 

[Samus]

Sometimes I wonder how we kept watching during the Ferrari era

They weren't as dominant. Nobody has been as dominant as Mercedes since 2014. As I posted in the other thread, since 2014 they have won 90% of all competitive sessions, quali and races.

 

[MustangManiac]

Sometimes I wonder how we kept watching during the Ferrari era

As a Ferrari fan I had no problems watching during that time frame. But then, I don't have a problem watching now. F1 has always had a dominant make (yes Samus, some more than others), but it has pretty much always been this way. 6 years of Ferrari, 4 years of RBR and going on 3 years for Merc ...who is next? Maybe the new regs will shake things up next year, I am ready for another run for Ferrari 👍

 

[FutureF1]

But what about that time from 2006-2010... No repeat winners and no repeat teams. I'm not sure what we did back then but it seemed to work

 

[dingodile_r89]

Sometimes I wonder how we kept watching during the Ferrari era

Hakkinen-Schumacher was fun...

 

[NFSCARBON1]

Sometimes I wonder how we kept watching during the Ferrari era

The Ferraris always had competition, with McLaren, Williams, Renault and even Honda taking pole positions, wins and generally spicing things up. Admittedly most overtakes were during pitstops, but other teams at least had a chance.
Also development of the cars and testing were essentially unlimited.

Now Mercedes are so far ahead of the pack, it's almost like they're in a different formula. They've done a very, very good job and the current regulations and lack of funding means nobody can develop their car enough to catch them

 

[mustafur]

If it rains in the race it better rain in qualifying as well, this way teams like Redbull and Ferrari can go with High downforce setups otherwise Merc will walk it easy like usual.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

The circuit is already fairly high downforce to begin with. That's one of the reasons why the circuit was modified - negative camber was added to a few corners to decrease reliance on aerodynamic grip and increase the emphasis on mechanical grip.

 

[DesertPenguin09]

Especially the last turn. It's completely backwards now and has negative camber. Some sections were crowned a bit for better drainage. I like that there's more gravel too

 

[Dotini]

.

Now Mercedes are so far ahead of the pack, it's almost like they're in a different formula. They've done a very, very good job and the current regulations and lack of funding means nobody can develop their car enough to catch them

Yah, this is normal. It happens everytime they get involved. Look at the 1930's or the 1950's. It has to do with German engineering, German organization, German determination and most of all German cubic money. Ferrari are always beatable because, well, they just have too many Italians.

 

[mustafur]

Yah, this is normal. It happens overtime they get involved. Look at the 1930's or the 1950's. It has to do with German engineering, German organization, German determination and most of all German cubic money.

Mercedes F1 team is nearly entirely British.

 

[Dotini]

Mercedes F1 team is nearly entirely British.

There has been enough German management involved to make the difference. Technically, I put it down to their unique split turbo/compressor setup. They started on their power unit years before the competition, and never stopped developing it.

 

[Peter.]

There has been enough German management involved to make the difference. Technically, I put it down to their unique split turbo/compressor setup. They started on their power unit years before the competition, and never stopped developing it.

Giving the German influence the credit is unfair to Ross Brawn and co. for laying the framework for this dominance we've had since 2014. I'd say the Mercedes team is British engineering and German money put together.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Mercedes F1 team is nearly entirely British.

Let's not go down this rabbit hole again. The team is recognised as German. For all intents and purposes, they are German regardless of who they employ or where they are located. The only people who ever make an issue out of a team's identity are people who think that Formula One owes Britain something because they place too much emphasis on "heritage". It was seen as a travesty when there were no Italian drivers on the grid, and yet the sport has continued to support itself ever since. If all of the British drivers retired, the teams withdrew from Britain, British personnel quit the sport and the British Grand Prix ceased to exist, the sport would continue. Britain is no more or less important to the sport and has no greater or lesser claim to it than anyone else. End of story.

 

[mustafur]

Let's not go down this rabbit hole again. The team is recognised as German. For all intents and purposes, they are German regardless of who they employ or where they are located. The only people who ever make an issue out of a team's identity are people who think that Formula One owes Britain something because they place too much emphasis on "heritage". It was seen as a travesty when there were no Italian drivers on the grid, and yet the sport has continued to support itself ever since. If all of the British drivers retired, the teams withdrew from Britain, British personnel quit the sport and the British Grand Prix ceased to exist, the sport would continue. Britain is no more or less important to the sport and has no greater or lesser claim to it than anyone else. End of story.

In the points he made the British part does have a place, but i wouldn't say the entire thing is down to the team having a British majority just a noteworthy one.

End of the day if you want to win in F1 generally you have to have a British base going by history, only Ferrari in the last 40 years have bucked the trend, look at all the lead designers for every team on the F1 grid nearly all are British.

 

[Robin]

Giving the German influence the credit is unfair to Ross Brawn and co. for laying the framework for this dominance we've had since 2014. I'd say the Mercedes team is British engineering and German money put together.

I would say Honda actually laid all the ground work.

 

[mustafur]

I would say Honda actually laid all the ground work.

Well your wrong because they wouldn't win a race with a Honda engine lol.

 

[Robin]

Well your wrong because they wouldn't win a race with a Honda engine lol.

Brawn GP was running a Honda designed car with a different engine.

 

[mustafur]

Brawn GP was running a Honda designed car with a different engine.

and what does that have to do with 2014 and on wards?

Mercedes are riding on that Rocket ship engine with a chassis bespoke to that engine, design wise Brawn GPs effect would be nearly 0% by this point.

 

[Dhalism]

They weren't as dominant. Nobody has been as dominant as Mercedes since 2014. As I posted in the other thread, since 2014 they have won 90% of all competitive sessions, quali and races.

Because there was only one The Michael. At least now there is still a competition for the title.

 

[Samus]

Because there was only one The Michael. At least now there is still a competition for the title.

Yes but as others said Ferrari still had real competition through it's dominant years. Red Bull were also not even as dominant, over their four years of winning it was only 2011 and 2013 you'd call dominant. Even then 2011 McLaren gave a good challenge at many events. It's just that the races RBR did win, they were almost all Vettel.

 

[Dhalism]

Yes but as others said Ferrari still had real competition through it's dominant years. Red Bull were also not even as dominant, over their four years of winning it was only 2011 and 2013 you'd call dominant. Even then 2011 McLaren gave a good challenge at many events. It's just that the races RBR did win, they were almost all Vettel.

I suppose the dominance was broken up by 2003 season, so it wasnt 3 years in a row, but i feel that if Ferrari had 2 drivers of equal caliber like Mercedes things woulda looked more like they do now. IIRC Michael only retired 4 times in 4 years in that period.