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

It's turning out to be a strange old season

Mixed conditions and poor pit stops paved the way to an enthralling race, while it had one of the lowest overtaking figures of the year, it certainly showed that overtaking isn't the be all and end all of grand prix racing, however the two Mclaren drivers showed that overtaking can be exciting.

Of the runners and riders, Ferrari have made the biggest gain and maybe, just maybe, Red Bull have lost their monopoly over the top step of the podium and we might finally have a championship, however I'm sure I have said this after China and Canada.......

The curious case of Mclaren continued apace this weekend as they had no pace, found pace and then lost it again. In the changeable conditions at the start of the race, Hamilton and Button charged through the field until the dry conditions when the natural order reasertied themselves, however, it is hard to see how they really showed in fully dry conditions as Button lost a wheel nut early on and Hamilton had to fuel save for the latter part of the race.

Going into the German Grand Prix, Red Bull will understandably be favourites as Sebastian Vettel looks to extend his lead at the top of the championship as he continues in his quest for back to back champions (and the youngest to do so before I'm mistaken) but he'll have to fight off a resurgant Mark Webber who is finally challenging his team mate again after a slow start to the season after he struggled to acclimatise to the Pirelli tyres, he was also stung by the team orders at the end of the last Grand Prix, so you can't bet against him for at least a podium position next weekend.

Renault seem to have disappeared after a strong start to the season, Vitaly Petrov seems to have fallen back into 2010 mode after a strong start to the season. Nick Heidfeld has fared better recently and still features in the lower ends of the points, however a podium seems a long way away, a theory solidified as their side exhausts have had to be abandonded due to the propsed rules, however with the debate going on at the moment, this may not be the case after all.

Mercedes seem to have found pace recently, Rosberg is constintely in the midle of the points while Schumacher seems more like himself again, in more ways than one.......... But at his home grand prix, he will be keen to show that he still has it, along with a large number of German drivers, the most represented country on the grid, so many people will be keen to show that they are the best German on the grid.

Team lotus made it into Q2 again which is a major achievment for them and shows that they are getting closer to the midfield and their major goal of getting points before the end of the year so they can beat Virgin and Hispania.

This year we return to the Nurburgring as part of the deal is that the circuit alternates with Hockenheim, last time we were there was in 2009 where Mark Webber won his first grand prix in the Red Bull. In recent memory Nurburgring will be best remembered for the crazy race in 2007 where a heavy rain shower caused havoc at the start of the race and famously allowed Markus Winkelhock to lead the race in his Spyker, joining the elite of people who led a race in their first (and only race)

For Galahad's excellent circuit write up, see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/nurburgring/

 

[siffert_fan]

To me,the main point of the weekend was that the FIA's continual search for ways to slow down the Red Bulls relative to the other teams is bearing fruit. While some may applaud this, as it gives their favourites a chance to win, personally, I think that this effort by the FIA lends an aura of artificiality to F1, to the point that it is approaching NASCAR in that respect.

 

[Incubus]

Alonso gave Hamilton a lift in 2009 at Suzuke after the latter saw his vintage car give up the ghost halfway through the drivers' parade. Does that count?

 

[RevMaxPower]

To me,the main point of the weekend was that the FIA's continual search for ways to slow down the Red Bulls relative to the other teams is bearing fruit. While some may applaud this, as it gives their favourites a chance to win, personally, I think that this effort by the FIA lends an aura of artificiality to F1, to the point that it is approaching NASCAR in that respect.

I love the way we all see things differently according to which Team or Driver/Drivers we follow and admire!

One mans' meat and all that... It's what makes this Forum so interesting.

Hamilton and Furry Nando for me, by the way... Two great drives yesterday.

 

[Sarinaide]

Well Mark and Fernando are friends and keen cyclists so it is not really that surprising that Mark pulled over.....plus I don't think Mark Webber is that kind of character anyways.

 

[Quintessentially]

To me,the main point of the weekend was that the FIA's continual search for ways to slow down the Red Bulls relative to the other teams is bearing fruit. While some may applaud this, as it gives their favourites a chance to win, personally, I think that this effort by the FIA lends an aura of artificiality to F1, to the point that it is approaching NASCAR in that respect.

It is an approach littered throughout the history of motorsport, especially when one team designs a car with such a significant performance advantage. It happened as recently as Renault with the mass damper. I am certain Redbull's advantage would've been completely eroded a long time ago under Max. At the same time credit must go to McLaren and Ferrari for their effort in closing what looked like an insurmountable performance deficit at some point and to Hamilton and Alonso for yesterday proving once again that when it comes to out and out racing they are the two best drivers in the field. Formula One doesn’t create these types of drivers anymore and the modern day F1driver to far too risk averse. In the absence of these two it would’ve almost certainly been a Redbull procession. Vettel's fast lap was just over 2tenths shy of Hamilton's but critically was made 12laps before Hamilton. This underlined the sheer pace in the Redbull despite being in turbulent air.

 

[Slyboogy]

Formula One doesn’t create these types of drivers anymore and the modern day .

Then how come the two you mentioned are still in F1 today?

 

[Quintessentially]

What does that have to do with my point and why have you selectively left out the other bits of the post?

 

[Slyboogy]

What does that have to do with my point and why have you selectively left out the other bits of the post?

Nothing to do with your Original point indeed, it was just something that I pointed out.

 

[Quintessentially]

No worries then

 

[Slyboogy]

Barrichello didn't have KERS on his car in this race while Maldonado did, might explain the difference.

 

[Brogan]

A little late, but here's the tyre analysis from the race.

It's interesting how many drivers set fastest lap on the prime tyre.
Obviously the slower speed of the tyre is being countered by the reduction in fuel as the race draws to an end.

 

[teabagyokel]

One of the things that didn't seem to be mentioned was that yes, the prime tyre is 2 seconds slower than new softs, but its not 2 seconds slower than worn softs!

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Obviously the slower speed of the tyre is being countered by the reduction in fuel as the race draws to an end.

Yes that's a big factor.

Also, wouldn't track evolution help a little bit given that rain overnight basically made the circuit 'green' and as the race went on grip increased?

Also...Did track temperature during the race rise too? Perhaps it was cooler at the start of the race and slightly warmer an hour and change later?

 

[Brogan]

It's going to be a combination of all of those factors.

Makes you wonder if any of the front runners could have pitted slightly earlier than they did.
I'll see if I can find the lap time chart I created.

Edit: Found it.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

One of the things that didn't seem to be mentioned was that yes, the prime tyre is 2 seconds slower than new softs, but its not 2 seconds slower than worn softs!

Yes, especially once the track had rubbered in as the race progressed.

I think MB did sort of mention it but not till quite late on, once Petrov started setting faster lap times on his new primes than he had on his last set of worn options. But you'd think they might have foreseen something like that a bit sooner.

Btw, that's a great chart, thanks Brogan.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Those two charts illustrate quite nicely how Hamilton was able to keep his lead over Alonso at the end. Most drivers took 3 or 4 laps to set PB's after changing to the primes but Hamilton, looking at the lap times chart, was on the pace almost immediately, denying Fernando the chance of getting past by staying out longer on his options.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

It's going to be a combination of all of those factors. Makes you wonder if any of the front runners could have pitted slightly earlier than they did.

Perhaps the race was so tight that the Pit Walls were scared to make a move until they got a mid field runner to give them an indication on a Prime-Option Delta, lest they look like idiots?

Sometimes teams would rather wait to get a guinea pig number (Petrov in this case) than risk looking stupid.

There's only two ways to look: Hero or Stupid. Given mentality, people would rather not look stupid.