Formula 1 Gran Premio de España Santander 2012

[ZEROX]

What does Colombia have to do with this?

I guess he meant JPM and South America.

 

[bypo]

Bro.
Race and qualifying is different. Rules are rules.
I know it's harsh but i don't think that'll be a problem for Hammy.

i hope not.. he deserves to win a race by now...

 

[Peter.]

The last win for Williams was in Brazil 2004, and by a colombian. I hope Maldonado gets away cleanly.

The Williams has the benefit of being one of the less stressful cars on its tyres, and Maldonado has the benefit of most of the big hitters in the cars faster than his being pretty far behind him. His biggest threat is probably Alonso or the Lotii, but the Williams race pace is probably enough to keep him ahead of Alonso.

 

[Patrick]

If Fernando gets a good start we'll see him dive bomb the first corner. It'll be interesting to see how Pastor does.

 

[tribolik]

do you remember Webber giving a ride to alonso after he got no fuel left in the car when a session ended? You have to. Either way, it's a a very hard punishment.
I think it doesnt suit the sport. They killed the chances for someone to win. And for me that is always too harsh in motorsport. Even for the spectators!

Yes I remember but it was after the race



the rules are there for a reason and until today no team (that I know of) was stupid enough to run out of fuel in Q3 after getting pole.

Bro.
Race and qualifying is different. Rules are rules.
I know it's harsh but i don't think that'll be a problem for Hammy.

Yes Hamilton will get a great start, will overtake 4 or 5 cars on the main straight and will get held up by massa until the pit stop... then a small problem with the pit stop will getting back to the end of the field again

 

[niky]

Hamilton is sure to make it back into the points, but he'll be miffed.

I was smirking when he said in the post-qualifying interview: "The team told me to stop... I don't know why..." Pffft... Yeah... Right.

It was an unnecessary stunt... They would've either had P1 or P2 even without under-fueling... The extra 3/10ths or so they gained wasn't worth the gamble.

Again... Even more so now that McLaren isn't up front... Kimi to win. 5 different winners, 5 different teams. Pure bliss.

 

[GTPorsche]

The F1 website shows rain for tomorrow. Could mix things up a bit if it changes conditions for the race.

 

[Peter.]

 

[RTSolvalou]

I hardly want to talk wagering, but I have to ask, when a driver who qualified fastest gets disqualified one way or a another, do the bookmakers have to pay out on the guy who qualified 2nd, who has then moved up?

I wish Pastor a trouble free race finish in the top 5 at least, but I do hope he wins.

 

[Prince.M5]

Webber's interview was...

Seriously, this is going to be an interesting race. If it rains, it will get nothing but spectacular!

 

[Matty]

I hardly want to talk wagering, but I have to ask, when a driver who qualified fastest gets disqualified one way or a another, do the bookmakers have to pay out on the guy who qualified 2nd, who has then moved up?

I wish Pastor a trouble free race finish in the top 5 at least, but I do hope he wins.

Same question I was thinking.

Would like him to win, but haven't picked him in Fantasy F1.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I think there is a good chance the race will produce another surprise result. Alonso might lead at the start, but I don't think he can maintain control over the race. I'm tipping Maldonado, a Lotus, or possibly Perez for the win.

A big part of the race result is going to come down to whoever can make the hard tyres work the best. Martin Brundle remarked during qualifying that most teams are finding that the hards and softs are about 1.2 seconds apart per lap, but some of the teams are finding they're only about 0.7 seconds apart.

 

[ZEROX]

Yes Hamilton will get a great start, will overtake 4 or 5 cars on the main straight and will get held up by massa until the pit stop... then a small problem with the pit stop will getting back to the end of the field again

+1
I hope they improve the pit stop part.

Maldonando better not messed up the start.
Rain forecast today just like last year where we get sunshine on reality.

 

[Peter.]

Duplicate post.

 

[F1 fan]

I'm trying a new approach...


(But to tell you the truth, I think that Kimi has a much greater chance of winning than Alonso)

Agreed, but I think Alonso could still be a threat.

Anyone know if Hamilton will get new tyres for the race?

Doubtful. We'll have to wait and see.

I bet someone got paid lots of money to make sure Hami was at the back to help make it a Spaniard win.

 

[GTPorsche]

Easiest way to fix the Q3 tire strategy is for Pirelli to supply another set of option tires to the ten cars that make it in and once the session is over the tires have to be returned.

 

[Peter.]

Easiest way to fix the Q3 tire strategy is for Pirelli to supply another set of option tires to the ten cars that make it in and once the session is over the tires have to be returned.

This is what the Speed commentators were speaking about during qualifying. It would certainly make things more interesting.

 

[niky]

Why stop there? Extra set of tires for everyone in Q2, same type as whatever they set their fastest lap on.

 

[F1 fan]

Easiest way to fix the Q3 tire strategy is for Pirelli to supply another set of option tires to the ten cars that make it in and once the session is over the tires have to be returned.

Paul Hembrey has been talking about that. It's a good idea, but it's not absolutely necessary. We were spoiled in Quali a few years ago as the sessions were always exciting but the races were lacking. The quali sessons are still exciting, but a little less than they used to be. The races are much more exciting nowadays, which is more important.

 

[Peter.]

Paul Hembrey has been talking about that. It's a good idea, but it's not absolutely necessary. We were spoiled in Quali a few years ago as the sessions were always exciting but the races were lacking. The quali sessons are still exciting, but a little less than they used to be. The races are much more exciting nowadays, which is more important.

The Pirelli tyres are taking away the nature of pushing the cars to their limit, which has always been an important part of Formula 1. The drivers can't even push in Qualifying, something which the purpose of is to drive the cars as fast as possible. Qualifying needs to be more separated from the race. By giving the drivers in at least Q3 a fresh set of Softs for the session only, we can still have an exciting qualifying session, and have ourselves a race more determined by on track action and less by tyre conservation and pitstops action.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Why stop there? Extra set of tires for everyone in Q2, same type as whatever they set their fastest lap on.

Because F1 is trying to appear "green" and to be cutting costs

 

[Anghammarad]

Agreed, but I think Alonso could still be a threat.

If the Ferrari has better race pace than qualifying speed as has been the case in the past years he will certainly have a good shot at a podium finish. I am a bit fearful of Maldonado in turn one though.

But we saw that the Lotus car was extremely good in the race simulations during free practice. I think that if they can maintain their starting positions for the first lap both Lotus cars will have a very good chance of scoring a win. I don't think that Maldonado will finish on the podium.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I am a bit fearful of Maldonado in turn one though.

When was the last time he caused a first-lap accident?

Despite popular opinion, he's not a complete numpty. He's been on pole before in GP2, and those races went just fine. Just because he's never been on pole before in Formula 1, that doesn't make him a danger to himself and everyone around him.

 

[Ardius]

As ever, I hope for the best, expect the worst as a Williams fan. I hope Pastor gets a great start and holds it together better than he did at Australia.

 

[Anghammarad]

When was the last time he caused a first-lap accident?

Despite popular opinion, he's not a complete numpty. He's been on pole before in GP2, and those races went just fine. Just because he's never been on pole before in Formula 1, that doesn't make him a danger to himself and everyone around him.

He is a very untidy driver at times who will (over)aggressively defend a position. But, thinking a bit more about it, the most likely scenario is that he will buckle under the pressure of being on his first pole and miss the start completely to end up in fifth after lap one.

 

[gorsad]

As unlikely as this may be, I really hope Button or Hamilton somehow manage to fight their way to the front and win the race. It'd be great to see Williams get a good result to, maybe a podium (don't want to jinx them by saying the 'W' word).

 

[dhandeh]

As unlikely as this may be, I really hope Button or Hamilton somehow manage to fight their way to the front and win the race. It'd be great to see Williams get a good result to, maybe a podium (don't want to jinx them by saying the 'W' word).

With the Pirellis, the days of some slicing through the field are gone. You get stuck behind a car for a lap and that set are ruined.

 

[gorsad]

With the Pirellis, the days of some slicing through the field are gone. You get stuck behind a car for a lap and that set are ruined.

Sometimes yes, but what about Mark Webber in China last year. 18th to 3rd. It's not a common occurrence, but still possible.

 

[dhandeh]

That was last years tyres, this years are a but different. Button, could get a podium if he can get the handling under control.
As for Hamilton anything in the top 8 would be a great result. I can see a pitstop moment again though!

 

[HKS racer]

Why exactly would they need to cheat, pole by 0.6 seconds, they wouldn't have needed to purposely under fuel.

Why exactly Mclaren need to steal Ferrari project in 2007. Are we sure they really got an advantage on their car, a part industrial espionage?

People used to illegality try to expliot things more than once. If it ends up they don't need to, it's another story, they don't have crystal ball (luckily).

Anyway M.Schumacher with Ferrari in pole @ Montecarlo got the same penalty some years ago, so it's not a completely NEW decision.