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

The championship is still alive!!!!!!!!!!! Okay that may be a bit over optomistic

Despite another crushing win by Vettel in Singapore, Buttons valiant second place ensures that the championship mathematically remains possible for the experienced Britain, but for him to take his second world title he requires Vettel to not finish in all the remain races and Button to win every race and to be honest there is as much chance of me winning the lottery.

Indeed, Button has had a strong 2011 and this would be more highlighted if it wasnt for the sheer dominance of Vettel who has taken a podium in every race apart from Germany. He has outperformed his beleagured team mate Hamilton who is under severe pressure from the media after another incident, this time with Massa who didn't take kindly to it and made his feelings clear after the race.

But at Ferrari they seem to be going through the motions after a great win at Silverstone, Alonso has strong drives without challenging and Massa is regularly in the middle of the points without ever challenging the podium, surely he'll be on the way out soon as he's not performing at a level that Ferrari require him to be if they want to be serious Constructors Champions in the future.

Big news at Mercedes as Aldo Costa and Geoff Willis have joined the team, with the team struggling (in comparison) since their return to the sport in 2010, these two signings might just get them back at the front in the near future and might convince Schumacher to extend his contract, Singapore aside, Schumacher's performances have been a lot better this season and at the very least he has matched Rosberg and perhaps there is still life in the old dog yet and the podium might not be too far away.

Japan has become famous for title deciders with Prost/Senna being the most memorable with the crashes at the final chicane and turn 1 being some of the most controversial in the sport (particularly the latter after a dispute over the start position). The track is regarded as one of the best driver tracks on the calendar, second only to Spa and returned to the calendar in 2009 after Fuji pulled out of F1 due to financial problems after holding the grand prix in 2007 and 2008 where Hamilton and Alonso won respectively.

No doubt the championship will be won in Suzuka but you never know, stranger things have happened in F1, surely the reliability of the Red Bull can't hold out forever, can we hope?

For Galahads superb circuit write up see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/suzuka-international-racing-course/
 
Hamilton, Senna, Buemi and Kovalainen are all being investigated for yellow flag offences, and Schumacher for a pit entry incident.
 
I caught the tail-end of P2. The Red Bull is frighteningly good in the Esses, visibly so much downforce and snappy direction changes. No wonder they're looking miles ahead at the moment.
 
No action taken against Buemi, Senna, Kovalainen and Hamilton for alleged yellow flag offences.

Schumacher fined €5,000 for a late pit lane entry; he went the wrong side of a bollard.
 
Well Vettel gave us all a little hope by going off. Maybe it will damage his set up time a little and he won't get pole. Thats the only way I see us getting a race for the lead. The Red Bull is awesome at Susuka and Vettel is the master round there.

As for the fight for second - should really be Webber but I think he'll get swamped by Button, Alonso and Hamilton again. Button seems to have so much confidence at the moment.
 
i think lewis will qualify in second.i mean after button set his fastest time,lewis went out to do his quick lap and was the quickest in the first sector before the yellow flag was shown.infact both vettel and lewis had to abandon their laps because of the yellow flag.
 
Didn't get to see any of the practice but Crofty on the 5Live sports summary commented that the Red bull was 1 to 1.5 seconds quicker in race set up than anyone else. Looks like my son will be getting his Red Bull X1 unless Vettel sticks it in a wall.
 
No action taken against Buemi, Senna, Kovalainen and Hamilton for alleged yellow flag offences.
Schumacher fined €5,000 for a late pit lane entry; he went the wrong side of a bollard.
Yes, and the Yellow Flag Four were 'let off' after the stewards found that although their times were their quickest for that whole sector (of 2557 metres), they all slowed down in the 278m long yellow flag section at the Liuzzi incident.

I mean, couldn't the stewards have worked that one out for themselves, without calling the four drivers in?
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The redbull floor eh?Full story is German but you may be able translate with Google..I wondered why Vettel was in a bit of panic to get his car back down on the floor after he crashed..

"Is the Red Bull floor illegal? Experts recognised some suspicious scratch-marks on the front-part of the undertray, when Mark Webber's car was lifted by a crane in Monza. Seems like the first 30cm of the floor were dragging on the asphalt and could be flexible. Which is not allowed. The FIA tests the flexibility behind that mark. Opponents are also suspicious because of Red Bull's spendings. Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn said: "Production costs for three sets of front wings, plus bodywork and a new floor are about 800,000 Euros. Plus wind tunnel costs. It would be irresponsible for us to sacrifice that kind of money for just one race."
Full story: Auto Motor und Sport (in German)
 

Zed Ali. Wow this is big news. If they are investigated and found guilty they could be thrown out the championship for cheating. COME ON JENSON.

Translated article below.

In Monza it was competing for the unexpected insights into the aerodynamics of the Red Bull cars.The pictures of Underbody cast doubt on the legality of the RB7. In our exclusive video technology, we show the Monza package in detail.

The competition continues to try to unravel the mystery of the Red Bull RB7. When Mark Webber's car accident in Monza on hooks, hung the fans had all the time to photograph the best kept secret. The lower floor was like being on show in front of the lapwing. Anyone who wants can look at the outrage on Youtube.

Red Bull missing front wing

"I've heard of it," smiled chief designer Adrian Newey tortured in Singapore, "but I refrain, To do that to me." Mark Webber dismisses: "Adrian has two world titles in the bag in his head is only the 2012er 2011er The car is ticked off..." Much worse, it Newey, the story of the front wing was demolished: ".. We have only got back half the other is probably in Maranello"
With no noise comes from not the case. As auto motor und sport in its latest issue (issue 22, from 6 October in the trade), reveals the competition has discovered irregularities.The front part of the subsoil has a length of 30 centimeters, even scratches. They break off from the exact point at which measures the flexibility of the FIA.
Red Bull underbody illegal?

The suspicion: The hired car to the front does not scratch with only the front edge of the soil on the road, but with a much larger area, then bends the controls before the measuring point. That would not be legal.
Even otherwise stirs resentment about Red Bull One wonders how it is possible in the context of cost reduction plans to build a special Monza kit. "Three sets of wings, cover and lower floors cost in the production of 800,000 euros. For this, the wind tunnel costs. For us it would be irresponsible to sacrifice so much money for a race. Since we have to save elsewhere," expects Mercedes before team boss Ross Brawn.
The Red Bull Monza package exclusively in video

In our exclusive video technology, we show you again the specifics of the cars at Monza, with Sebastian Vettel went on to score the first ever Red Bull's victory in Italy. In particular the changes to the new diffuser, with the 15 inch long bar on the roof, are clearly in the 3D animation technology experts from our Italian Giorgio Piola. The individual changes, see the relevant explanations, as usual, again separately in our photo gallery.
 
Media clutching at straws I think, looking for a way to make the season closer in terms of competition. Absolutely no way on earth the FIA will take any action, especially at this late stage in the season. Unless of course Ferrari protest ;)
 
Jenson looks about as hooked up as he did in early 2009. Wonder if he can snatch this Pole?

The redbull floor eh?

Have you ever seen a driver more concerned that they would lift up his car? Seb was literally running around the barriers when they started to strap his car up. And then he basically stood guard from then on out to ensure that thing wasn't leaving the ground.
 
Vettel for pole. Every race McLaren are at the fore in practice and everyone wonders 'what if'... Well I'm telling you now, it's going to be Vettel. I just hope Webber beats Vettel because if he doesn't he just makes it more likely that Vettel will dissapear on Sunday. :yawn:
 
Wow. When Nico took his helmet off he looked like he wanted to clink someone round the head with it. Not a happy boy, and who can blame him?
 
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