Grand Prix 2011 Canadian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

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O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Thought this might be useful if you wanted to sing along to the Canadian National Anthem before the start of the race.

Anyway, on to the Grand Prix, after all that’s what we’re here for. Last year Bridgestone provided tyres, which didn’t like the surface at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve too much, and the powers that be in F1 thought “ah, ha here’s an idea to spice up the racing. Why don’t we ask those blokes at Pirelli if they can make sets of boots for F1 cars that fall apart on the warm up lap”, and they did.

In 2010 Hamilton put his car on pole (you may recall him pushing his car back to the pits, so light was it on fuel) and then went on to win an exciting race with teammate Jenson Button standing on the 2nd step.

So what for Canada 2011? Red Bull, at least car No.1, has been a tad difficult to beat but McLaren and Ferrari are getting closer during the race. With 5 wins out of 6 races Vettel has a healthy lead in the Championship and some bookmakers are already paying out on the title being his. Vettel was 3rd on the grid last year, behind teammate Webber, and finished 4th with unspecified gearbox problems, still ahead of Webber who had led for many laps but got caught out by the high tyre wear rate.

Fernando Alonso was 3rd last time out in Canada after getting mugged by a hard charging Jenson Button. Mercedes had a mixed race, Rosberg was “best of the rest” behind the McLaren’s, Alonso’s Ferrari and the Red Bull’s whilst Michael Schumacher treated the race like a destruction derby, straight lining chicanes and bouncing off other cars with gay abandon. What of Felipe Massa I hear you ask; well, he was one of Schumacher’s victims and lost time pitting for a new nose cone.

This is very nearly the last Hurrah for the exhaust blown diffuser and we have two, yes 2, DRS zones. So expect cars breezing past another before and after the pits, when they’re not in their getting new tyres of course.

Will it be another Red Bull walk over or can the McLaren’s and Ferrari’s tame the charging Bull? How will the Pirelli tyres hold up dusty and bumpy Ille Notre-Dame Circuit? Will it rain? Who will win? Can one of the minor teams struggle up into the points? I don’t know but I get the feeling there will be lots of speculation.

And we have our own track side reporter this year - take a bow Ray in Toronto and make sure you post some good photos

For Galahad’s excellent circuit write up, track history and all the stats a boy or girl could want click here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/circuit-gilles-villeneuve/
 
All of that makes me think that actually this long 7th gear could be an even bigger issue in the race today, but I don't really know what I'm talking about so I've probably got it wrong.

Similarly, I don't understand the gearing situation properly, but simplistically, it would seem that is the 7th gear is too short, the rev limiter would be hit in Qualy conditions with free use of DRS, slightly limiting top speed, but optimised for the race. A longer 7th gear would mean the being just short of the rev limiter in Qualy (thus faster on the main straight), but not reaching the same point in the Race.

Can't really see how there's a compromise between Qualy and Race here - seems like an error.
Also, this doesn't seem to be linked with Wet/Dry set up at all
 
This is like them moving the wall of champions a couple of feet to the left, possibly right into Vettel's path again.
 
Similarly, I don't understand the gearing situation properly, but simplistically, it would seem that is the 7th gear is too short, the rev limiter would be hit in Qualy conditions with free use of DRS, slightly limiting top speed, but optimised for the race. A longer 7th gear would mean the being just short of the rev limiter in Qualy (thus faster on the main straight), but not reaching the same point in the Race.

Yeah this is what i though it meant by 7th gear length. In race conditions, without the full use of DRS, it is much harder to reach top speed, so having a shorter 7th gear will be better in the race because they won't hit the limiter, except when a second behind the car in front. Surely this would hinder overtaking, but improve general race pace?
 
Yeah this is what i though it meant by 7th gear length. In race conditions, without the full use of DRS, it is much harder to reach top speed, so having a shorter 7th gear will be better in the race because they won't hit the limiter, except when a second behind the car in front. Surely this would hinder overtaking, but improve general race pace?

Lifted from F1fanatic is Hamilton's rationalisation of things:
Lewis Hamilton believes he is in good shape for the race despite his low straight-line speed. He said: “We’re losing a couple of tenths along the back straight, which hurt us in qualifying. We’ve got a long seventh gear – a bit too long for qualifying perhaps – but that should be good for overtaking and will be a help when I’m slipstreaming as it means I won’t be on the limiter.”

Makes sense about slipstreaming, there should be a bit of room but making up 10+kph.
Also, what about those times when being followed, with no DRS.
Only Sauber/Virgin/HRT are slower in the speed trap! That surely isn't a good position to be in, whatever strategy/foresight you're employing
L.HAMILTON 314.5
N. KARTHIKEYAN 314.3
K. KOBAYASHI 312.7
T. GLOCK 312.4
P. DE LA ROSA 311.1
J. D'AMBROSIO 307.6
 
Agreed. What was Jenson's times like or is it Lewis' choice only? Seems to be another really bizarre choice by Mclaren? Why, on a circuit with some of the longest straights would you choose something that gives you a slow top speed?
 
Ha i do and i don't. I don't mind the variation of time, it is just frustrating trying to find other things to do before the race coverage starts at 5. Especially when rain is delaying the tennis as well.
 
http://www.planet-f1.com/driver/3213/6985872/Button-has-doubts-about-double-DRS

Jenson has mirrored my thoughts on the double DRS today. My main frustration with it is that most battles have tended to happen after the DRS zone at other circuits, but by continuing the DRS zone after the first corner i reckon it might ruin those type of battles and do as Jenson says, stops a driver battling to get the position back. At least the FIA can always go back to single DRS zones for silverstone if it doesn't work.
 
Hour by hour forecast for Montreal today from weather.co.uk (race starts at 1pm local time):
montrealweather.webp


Wet wet wet!
 
So to sum up: Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain.

Could you post the link for it. :)
 
I really do think this is shaping up for a special race. Mclaren gamble may well pay off big time. I really feel like we might be making a U-turn later and declaring Mclaren genius.
 
at most theres only a 60% chance.if it said atleast 80-90% i'd be alot more hopeful.

if it remains dry this could be hamiltons worst race of the season,even after monaco.
 
The main difference for me is it is actually raining. You hear these percentages for probability of rain, but it is all guesswork really. The science on weather is poor. I'd rather have it falling as we speak, than there be a higher probability of it.
 
Since I posted that (only 20mins ago!) the chance of rain before the race has actually reduced to around 30% in eah hour, although it remains at 50-60% for during the race. I'll keep an eye on it during the day...
 
Still high around race time though. I just have a gut feeling that we will see at very least intermediate tyres at some point today.
 
I would be very grateful if you could all avoid mentioning the result between now and next Saturday which is when I will be able to watch the race. Bet you can't though LOL
 
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