F1 2015: All Chat Here

[pablo]

in saying that lewis wasnt catching him at all at the end. either he knew it was never going to happen and settled for 2nd (doesnt seem like him) or else the pace was there.

I only watched the highlights but the gap seemed to be around 9-10 secs for the last 10-15 laps?

 

[weeloaney]

in saying that lewis wasnt catching him at all at the end. either he knew it was never going to happen and settled for 2nd (doesnt seem like him) or else the pace was there.

I only watched the highlights but the gap seemed to be around 9-10 secs for the last 10-15 laps?

Hamilton was on the harder tyres, think they said there about 1sec a lap slower than the softer that vettel had on. Would have had a part to play too.

 

[svensktoppen]

Between wrong tyres, and saving engine for the rest of the season when there was no real chance of catching, I think he just rode out the race.

Anyway, we will see in the next race where things stand, a proper challenge would not hurt

 

[davecoupe]

Very specific track too, pretty specalised due to the temps and the nature of the circuit. Pirelli were also ultra conservative with the tyres they brought which was a factor in the ferrari 2 stopping.

All in all, it's a wee bit too early to be jumping on board this wagon just yet:

 

[RoniN]

Merc is still the car to beat, Ferrari only got the win on the back of pulling off one less pit stop. Well done, obviously, but still some way to go on outright pace.

I wouldn't be so sure of that, Merc pitted the cars under the safety car and rejoined taking up their positions for the restart, basically getting a free pitstop and the Ferrari was quicker in their long runs during practice on Friday.
Look at how Kimi after the puncture came from the back of the grid to 4th. I think if he hadn't of had that bad luck he was on for a 2nd or 3rd place finish.

Hamilton was on the harder tyres, think they said there about 1sec a lap slower than the softer that vettel had on. Would have had a part to play too.

What race did you watch ??? Vettel was on the hard tyres too at the end.

I think the Ferrari package has improved tremendously, faster top speed and easier on the tyres than Merc but most of all their race strategy was perfect.
Will have to wait for China now and see if they can continue this resurgence?

Cheers

 

[DC.]

I wouldn't be so sure of that, Merc pitted the cars under the safety car and rejoined taking up their positions for the restart, basically getting a free pitstop.

Hamilton rejoined in 6th & Rosberg rejoined in 9th after the pitstop.

I think it was a 'perfect storm' of events which led to Vettel winning; most important factor was Hamilton missing so much running in FP1 & FP2. He complained of poor balance during the race, which he later explained was causing understeer & hurting his tyres.

Ferrari have made a big step over the winter, James Allison deserves huge credit for this along with their engine team.

 

[RoniN]

Hamilton rejoined in 6th & Rosberg rejoined in 9th after the pitstop.

Yeah 6th and 9th in the train of cars behind the safety car with Vettel leading and not 23 seconds behind on the road if it had of been a normal pitstop, is what i mean.
Rosberg lost out having to queue for his stop but Merc got him sorted pretty quick.

Cheers

 

[Crow555]

I'm now in a quandry. I absolutely detest Vettel, BUT I don't like seeing one team run away with the championship. Unless Daniel Ric can pick up the pace, I think I'm going to be cheering on the german in the red car for the season, much as it goes against my better nature.

 

[DC.]

You could always support the Finn in the Ferrari

Once Kimi gets a clean weekend he will right there with Seb.

 

[davecoupe]

I'm now in a quandry. I absolutely detest Vettel, BUT I don't like seeing one team run away with the championship. Unless Daniel Ric can pick up the pace, I think I'm going to be cheering on the german in the red car for the season, much as it goes against my better nature.

I'm the opposite, whilst Ive never 'supported' a team or driver in F1, I have historically disliked Ferrari due mostly to the political wrangling from Marrenello during the Schumacher era. Quite like Vettel though, and would love to see him prove that he can win with another manufacturer.

 

[stevyg]

I'm now in a quandry. I absolutely detest Vettel, BUT I don't like seeing one team run away with the championship. Unless Daniel Ric can pick up the pace, I think I'm going to be cheering on the german in the red car for the season, much as it goes against my better nature.

I hope Dan Ric proves his worth this season. He had a nightmare at the weekend, getting passed by his rookie team mate and lapped by his x-team mate on the same lap. Dear o dear...

 

[svensktoppen]

Another antisocial weekend of no radio, no TV, no RMS, in fact no speaking to anyone, lol

Looks like back to normal again up front. Really close between Williams and Ferrari behind though, and looked like only half a second between Ferrari and Merc in real terms. Should be an interesting race with any luck - fingers crossed!

 

[gcon45]

*SPOLIERS BELOW*












Rosberg is a grade A moaning bell end.

If he was concerned about Hamilton slowing him down and compromising his race then shut up and go past him.

Hamilton was preserving his tyres so had to control his pace.

Really thought Mercedes would have disappeared 20 seconds down the road today with China being tailor made for them so in a lot of ways this was an even more encouraging weekend for Ferrari than Malaysia.

Pretty boring race all told barring a few scraps down the field though.

 

[Shaun]

Thing is though, Lewis just has to ease off a little and as soon as the car behind is in the dirty air for a lap of 2 their tyres are gone. Vettel even said the same behind Rosberg.
Makes for a very boring race at the front.

Gutted for Verstappen for that to happen right at the end, one of the best drivers out there atm imo!!

 

[gcon45]

Thing is though, Lewis just has to ease off a little and as soon as the car behind is in the dirty air for a lap of 2 their tyres are gone. Vettel even said the same behind Rosberg.
Makes for a very boring race at the front!

If Rosberg wanted the privilege of clear air he should have qualified first though.
It's ridiculous to suggest that Hamilton should put his own race in jeopardy by ignoring the delta instructed to him by his race engineer.

 

[Dave..]

Thank goodness for fast forward. Renault engines had a terrible race, a few angry words from Red Bull ahead.
Verstappen was brilliant until his car quit.

 

[Deckz]

LOFL at the Marshells trying to push Max's car away!

 

[Wild Thing]

Whens the BTCC back on again? Lol

 

[DEEJAY.B]

^^ Donington park 19th April 2015 ^^

So thats the Bahrain GP and BTCC . .

 

[svensktoppen]

Another vote for Fast Forward

Anyone who took this race as a good sign for Ferrari needs put in a room with padded walls, lol

Merc was controlling it from the front. At one point Vettel was asked if he could go faster, the answer was no, and then Lewis upped the pace again before the pit stop. At the first pit stop, he went faster on his old tyres than Vettel did on a new set. 100% controlled to go fast enough to win, yet not so fast as to wreck the tyres, or stress the engine which now has to last 5 races I believe.

Utterly and amazingly boring way to "race", but hey, that is modern F1 for you. Like watching one of those "eco-rallies" to see who gets the most MPG...

Was a bigger surprise that Williams were not closer to Ferrari. But as said, the cost in tyres and engine wear for chasing down one position at the front simply does not compute. Which is ridiculous, but hey.

Verstappen was indeed awesome.

Best bit was actually Button vs Maldonado towards the end, even if it was because Maldonado had a problem Brilliant racing. What was the outcome of the little coming together at the end of that?

 

[pablo]

I was fast forwarding through the highlights ffs

 

[svensktoppen]

Same here, lol

Getting beyond a joke. Almost all the cover was of the mid-field as well, were an action is. Only saw the Williams for a few laps at the start, and the Merc/Ferrari were only really on screen at the pit stops, lol

McL probably got more screen time than Williams!

 

[gcon45]

Anyone who took this race as a good sign for Ferrari needs put in a room with padded walls, lol

I'll let the 2014 vs 2015 China classifications do the talking here:

 

[Steve VTi]

I'll let the 2014 vs 2015 China classifications do the talking here:
View attachment 81972

You do know the race finished under safety car? That's why the times where that close.

 

[gcon45]

You do know the race finished under safety car? That's why the times where that close.

Lol! My bad. Switched off at that point and got breakfast. It was a bit tighter than last year though and Lewis really was in cruise mode then.

China is a Mercedes circuit and they were always gonna win this one at a canter but Ferrari will be closer in the high tyre deg circuits.