Grand Prix 2010 Chinese Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Well here we go for round 4 and the third long haul race in a row. For those of us in Europe that's going to mean another early start on Saturday and Sunday.

It seems longer than 2 weeks since the last GP and the motorsport press has been unusually quiet. Most teams are set to introduce their early season upgrades in time for the Spanish GP so don't expect the status quo to change too drastically this weekend.

If the Red Bulls can keep their cars on the track and in full working order then it's going to be difficult to see any one else topping the time sheets over the weekend.

Ferrari have announced that they are going to test a Mclaren style F-Duct in practice so it will be interesting to see if that makes any difference.

Further down the field Lotus have announced they will be adding a couple of upgrades that may be worth a few 10ths and Force India will continue to use Paul Da Resta in first practice as he continues his F1 education.

 

[Desmond]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

I couldn't view the BBC link, so for those outside of the UK, here's the link:

Just absurd..

 

[Matthew Little]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

I couldn't view the BBC link, so for those outside of the UK, here's the link:

Just absurd..

Absurd and un-real...............

 

[Brogan]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

When you watch it in slo-mo it's incredible.

The wheels both detach within half a second of the suspension failing.
That is a catastrophic failure by any account.

Surely this more than anything highlights the dangers of no in-season testing?

 

[slickskid]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

It's actually easier to see on the BBC link what happened if you pause and frame by frame it @ 2:15 (side of track camera) in you can clearly see the initial failure in the right side and the wheel turn inwards before component disintegration and the forces exerting themselves then on the left side starting to tear that wheel away before failure. (From onboard best at 2:30)

Sorry to those that can't watch the BBC clip

Component failures happen from time to time and there's no guarantee it would have replicated itself through testing but point taken more testing may have highlighted issues, then again you could argue that FP is a test session of sorts.

Was also impressed with buemi attempting to steer a no wheels on my wagon machine

 

[slickskid]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Here's an interesting fact,

Looking at data from the first 2 practice sessions the quickest cars through the speed trap have been ferrari powered... 1st time this year thats been the case and who would have expected that!

 

[Matthew Little]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Quick update from Shanghai..............
---Saturday Practice is in the books; for the second time this weekend we've had a car go off the island......in this case, it was Renault's Vitaly Petrov who crashed at the final corner; by all accounts Petrov was unhurt and corner marshals' were able to clear the car from the track rather quickly. Session was red-flagged from 11:42am-11:50am local time(11:42-11:50pm US EDT).

1} Mark Webber(Red Bull/Renault), 1:35.323 sec[16 laps]
2} Lewis Hamilton(Vodafone McLaren/Mercedes), 1:35.564 sec[12 laps]
3} Sebastian Vettel(Red Bull/Renault), 1:35.691 sec[14 laps]
4} Jenson Button(Vodafone McLaren/Mercedes), 1:35.747 sec[14 laps]
5} Fernando Alonso(Scuderia Ferrari), 1:35.857 sec[13 laps]
6} Nico Rosberg(Mercedes GP), 1:35.913 sec[12 laps]
7} Michael Schumacher(Mercedes GP), 1:36.262 sec[10 laps]
8} Robert Kubica(Renault F1), 1:36.343 sec[16 laps]
9} Felipe Massa(Scuderia Ferrari), 1:36.416 sec[11 laps]
10} Kamui Kobayashi(BMW Sauber-Ferrari), 1:36.634 sec[16 laps]
11} Jaime Alguersauri(Scuderia Toro Rosso), 1:36.879 sec[17 laps]
12} Vitantonio Liuzzi(Force India F1), 1:37.031 sec[16 laps]
13} Sebastien Buemi(Scuderia Toro Rosso), 1:37.192 sec[18 laps]
14} Adrian Sutil(Force India F1), 1:37.240 sec[18 laps]
15} Vitaly Petrov(Renault F1), 1:37.339 sec[13 laps]
16} Rubens Barrichello(AT&T Williams), 1:37.585 sec[13 laps]
17} Pedro de la Rosa(BMW Sauber-Ferrari), 1:37.664 sec[19 laps]
18} Nico Hulkenburg(AT&T Williams), 1:37.784 sec[14 laps]
19} Timo Glock(Virgin Racing), 1:39.579 sec[15 laps]
20} Heikki Kovalainen(Lotus Racing), 1:39.616 sec[17 laps]
21} Lucas di Grassi(Virgin Racing), 1:39.749 sec[13 laps]
22} Jarno Trulli(Lotus Racing), 1:39.776 sec[16 laps]
23} Bruno Senna(HRT F1 Team), 1:40.316 sec[19 laps]
24} Karun Chandok(HRT F1 Team), 1:41.141 sec[18 laps]

Fastest Sector Times..................
S1: Hamilton, 25.0[gap, P1-P24, 1.4 sec]
S2: Webber & Vettel, 28.2[gap, P1-P24, 2.2 sec]
S3: Webber, 41.9 sec[gap, P1-P24, 2.3 sec]

Fastest Sector & Trap Speeds....................
S1: Hamilton, 290kph
S2: Button, Liuzzi & Hamilton, 284kph
S3: Hamilton, 265kph
Trap: Sutil, 310kph

Since weather is not likely to play a role in qualifying a few hours from now, it would seem as though the natural order of F1 has returned for the time being as Red Bull, McLaren and the Scuderia have drivers in the top-5. Mercedes GP could also play a role in qualifying, as too Massa in the second Ferrari, Kubica for Renault and even Alguersauri for Toro Rosso. It will definitely be an interesting session of knockout qualifying from Shanghai at 2pm local time(2am US EDT).

 

[Brogan]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Once again Red Bull show just how far ahead they are of the rest of the grid.
If they resolve their reliability problems then this season will be over even quicker than last year.

And what happened to McLaren?
Consistently fastest all weekend only to end up 5th and 6th on the grid

Of the 10 runners in Q3, Lewis was the only one who set a slower time than in Q2.
It must be a tyre issue as he claimed he couldn't have gone any faster and made no mistakes on his lap.

All the data here: F1 2010 Standings & Results - China

 

[slickskid]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Sutil had a slower time than Q2 also, but discounting Malaysia qualifying there is a definate trend for him there being slower in Q3 at all 3 other races.

It's always pretty difficult to quantify things through free practices with all the teams doing their own thing but if you put the Mclaren positions into perspective 5th & 6th is pretty much where you'd expect them to be behind the red bulls & ferrari's. Having said that just pouring over a bit of data i would have realisticly expected Hamilton to have at least split the two Red Bull's in quali so something apparently wasn't right in the final run or maybe the limits of the car have been found. Another amazing pole lap by Vettel but Rosberg's performance is very impressive again in quali.

The speed trap times also make for interesting reading, not only because they were topped by the Williams cars and Senna popping up in 5th (not that the HRT's can go round corners that well anyway) but 4 of what would be considered the top drivers in top teams, Schumacher, Alonso, Webber & Massa all posting speeds below the average and 4kph+ slower than the slowest Mclaren of Button and even more curiously there's a 3.9kph difference between Webber and the faster team mate Vettel. Makes me wonder if some have comprimised the set up slightly expecting a wet race.

 

[FB]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Hammy complaining about "bottoming" problems in Q3:

From the BBC website:

"We were doing so well in practice, Q1 and Q2, then the car started bottoming a lot more in Q3. I really don't understand what was wrong with the car. We have to go and analyse it."

Maybe Mclaren's ride height control is giving problems...

 

[slickskid]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Hammy complaining about "bottoming" problems in Q3:

Maybe Mclaren's ride height control is giving problems...

It seems that was an initial over-reaction.

Again from the BBC website

Hamilton, who was 0.476 seconds slower than Vettel, said: "We looked at the data and it appeared the car wasn't particularly bottoming more than any other sessions.

"The wind had picked up a bit more in Q3 but I think what we're still trying to understand is that the tyres seem to be very sensitive to temperature and how you prepare them on the out-lap is crucial.

 

[snowy]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

The pit crew standing about with the tyres out of their warmers for three quarters of a lap didn't actually help much... Running his second run in Q3 a minute earlier than any of the other main competitors and running into the disturbed air of two cars on their warm up in sector 3, could not have helped either.

McLaren lack even the sense they were born with!

Time and time again they have stuffed up strategy this season. It is time for a reshuffle.

 

[snowy]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Martin Whitmarsh says:

"We are closer - today you have to say Vettel did a great job but for the sake of a 10th we could have been up on the front row as well.

"But we're not satisfied with the car, we have to improve it and make it quicker and that's what we must make sure we do."

Completely missing the point that the car is just about the quickest on the grid. If they could only admit that they lack the strategic nouse to use it and Lewis Hamilton's talent, they might actually get somewhere in a race!

 

[Desmond]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

That was an amazing race.

I just wish Hamilton would have hunted Button down so I wouldn't have to see his damn smirk, nonetheless good try. Petrov was absolutely stunning today and another garbage garbage drive by Michael. I am losing money like nothing with his shitty performances. I am really glad we're going to Spain now so I can finally see some improvement on the Mercedes. Glad to see both Red Bull suffering in the end.

Oh and the stewards really need to stop making decisions after the race.

 

[Brogan]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

A superb race and a result that not many people would have predicted.

McLaren will obviously be ecstatic.
Red Bulll will be furious.
Ferrari will just be relieved.

Great result for Nico and Mercedes.

A special mention to Renault and both of their drivers.

 

[snowy]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

That race was mental!

I too am greatly relieved... or at least I will be once the stewards make the correct decision if that is possible.

 

[Brogan]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Well if there is a penalty, it will be a grid drop at the next race.

The rules were changed this year so any incidents investigated after the race will not impact on the race results but will instead take effect from the next race.

As such, a grid drop is the only penalty that can be applied.

Of course, you have to wonder why they don't investigate during the race considering it was only a third of the way through...

 

[snowy]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Throughout each phase of the race, in clean air and in traffic the Mclaren was a lot quicker than the Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes... So they should be feeling pretty confident and stop dissing the car and turn their attention to refining their quali and race decision making processes.

 

[snowy]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Lewis handed a repremand for dangerous driving in the pit lane.

FIA:

The Stewards received a report from the Race Director regarding an incident in the pit lane involving car
2, Lewis Hamilton and car 5, Sebastian Vettel. On hearing the explanation from both driver's and both
team manager's and viewing video evidence the Steward's decide that Lewis Hamilton drove in a
dangerous manner and therefore impose a penalty of a reprimand.

Sebastien handed a repremand for dangerous driving in the pit lane.
FIA:

The Stewards received a report from the Race Director regarding an incident in the pit lane involving car
2, Lewis Hamilton and car 5, Sebastian Vettel. On hearing the explanation from both driver's and team
manager's and viewing video evidence the Steward's decide that Sebastian Vettel drove in a dangerous
manner and therefore impose a penalty of a reprimand.

 

[Brogan]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

A reprimand for both.

A fair decision on balance I think.

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/f1_media/Documents/chn-document-39.pdf

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/f1_media/Documents/chn-document-40.pdf

 

[BlackCountryBob]

Re: 2010 Chinese GP Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

I must say, the new stewarding system this year seems to be much more intelligent in its implementation and balanced. Very glad of all that, a reprimand for both is fair, nothing else is really necessary.

A very good race I thought with a lot of interesting moments and exciting events. I know it will go down as another race made by the weather but I think it had the making of a good race without the precipitation and that a decent amount of overtaking went on during the dry section I think shows this to be true.

I am unsure if I would say McLaren has the best race car (as opposed to the Red Bulls being the best in qually) but after 4 races I would definitely say that most of the excitement this season has come from the mirrored cars.