Grand Prix 2019 Chinese Grand Prix (1000th GP) Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

It has fallen to me to put together the PQR thread for the 1000th GP.

How to celebrate this historical moment? A reflective thread? An historical thread? A look back in to Chinese history with a tenuous link to F1 in some shape or other? Nah, lets do some F1 by numbers:

1 – Number of constructor’s championship titles won by Vanwall, the first team to win the trophy when it was introduced in 1958.

2 – Number of Formula One races entered by Bernie Ecclestone. He failed to qualify for either

3 – Lowest number of race wins in a career by a driver to have won the world championship (Phil Hill and Mike Hawthorn)

5 – Number of female drivers to have entered at least 1 GP

7 – Number of teams to have won a single F1 world championship race in their racing history.

8 – Lowest total number of wins by a team to have won the world constructors title since its introduction in 1958 (Brawn GP)

9 – Most wins by a team never to have won the world constructors title since its introduction in 1958 (Ligier)

10 – The number of drivers who won 2 races in the 1959, 1961 and 1982 seasons the only seasons where no driver won more than 2 races.

11 – Number of racing laps completed by Andrea Moda during their entire racing history

15 – The most poles set by one driver in a single season (Sebastian Vettel in 2011)

16 – Highest number of race wins by a driver to have never won the world championship (Stirling Moss)

22 – Furthest position back on the grid from which a driver has won the race (John Watson)

31 – The number of teams listed as Formula One entrants but only ever entered the Indy 500 which was part of the F1 World Championship from 1950 until 1960.

32 – Highest number of GP wins by a countries only GP winner (Spain – Fernando Alonso)

68 – Highest number of F1 Championship races held by a single venue (Monza)

69 – The joint position of the 31 drivers who have taken just 1 pole in their careers in a league table of Drivers to start from pole. Charles Leclerc being the latest to join that list.

71 – The total number of circuits to host a championship Grand Prix

76 – The total number of drivers to have won a Formula one championship GP

100 – Percent of races won in a season in 1969 and 1973 by Ford Engines. The only time a single engine maker has won every race in a season

130 – Number of races it took for Mark Webber to win one

214 – Number of races Andrea De Cesaris took to not win any

278 – The highest number of race wins by drivers from a single country (United Kingdom)

322 – Highest number of starts by a single driver (Rubens Barrichello)

417 – The number of times an F1 race has been won from pole

974 – Number of race entries by Ferrari (with 972 starts)

Enjoy the 1000th Race.

 

[F1Brits_90]

could be a thing but it wouldve been lap11 vettel didnt pit til lap 14

 

[Greenlantern101]

 

[220]

2 practice sessions in and I dont think we have had a Renault engine problem yet.
All 4 renault powered cars in the top 10 for FP2 with Hulk 5th, Ricciardo the top of them in FP1 in 6th.

 

[olegg]

 

[olegg]

 

[olegg]

 

[cider_and_toast]

Not so much of a gap at the back for Williams so far. It would seem they are slowly clawing back a tenth here and there.

 

[FB]

Bobby K ahead of GR in both sessions as well. Useless, two handed, hairy git Russell should pack it in...

 

[Titch]

Not a fan then FB

 

[FB]

No opinion either way Titch, just that there has been some comments about Kubica being bald and mildly handicapped and that's why he was being beaten. Thought I'd turn it on it's head.

 

[Angel]

Loving the avatars Titch and FB

Ferrari are still saying that in 50/50 situations they plan to put Vettel first. I wonder how much longer that scenario will last if Leclerc proves to be the faster of the two. Not that he was today, but I meant in general.

 

[siffert_fan]

At least there was one beutiful F1 car on the circuit today:

Hill drives father's Monaco-winning Lotus in Shanghai demo

 

[RasputinLives]

Not so much of a gap at the back for Williams so far. It would seem they are slowly clawing back a tenth here and there.

I gather from this the Merc engine is still very much suited to the Chinese circuit then. They've been very successful round here.

I do wonder if Liberty Media would prefer a Ferrari victory for the 1000th GP. History and all that.

 

[Ruslan]

Sort of fast-forwarded through both qualifying sessions on TV. Does anyone know what the problem was with Leclerc's car?

A few observations:
1. It was cooler than usual weather....so results may vary.
2. Not sure if Ferrari is faster than Mercedes. Sort of looks it though, but not by huge amounts (maybe 0.2 vice 0.5).
3. The rest of the order seems the same as before.
4. The driver pairings seem the same as before except Kubica is now ahead of George Russell.
.....a. The most notable differences remain on some teams: Hamilton over Bottas, Verstappen over Gasly, Kvyat over Albon and Raikkonen over Giovinazzi
.....b. The general sense I get from the multiple practices over the first three races is that Vettel definitely has a speed advantage over Leclerc.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I do wonder if Liberty Media would prefer a Ferrari victory for the 1000th GP. History and all that.

If that were the case, surely the Kimster will be celebrating an astonishing victory for Alfa Romeo?

 

[F1Brits_90]

Ruslan Vettel & leclerc were running different downforce levels in FP1 & Leclerc cooling leak cost him that 2nd run later as he
missed final 35mins, so his fastest time was 1 of his 1st in FP2 in 1st half hour

 

[Ruslan]

Ruslan Vettel & leclerc were running different downforce levels in FP1 & Leclerc cooling leak cost him that 2nd run later as he
missed final 35mins, so his fastest time was 1 of his 1st in FP2 in 1st half hour

Well, here is what I am seeing so far: Leclerc's time compared to Vettel

FP1: -.036
FP2: -.281
FP3: -.193
FP1: +.263 (Leclerc ahead of Vettel)
FP2: -.035
FP3: +.169 (Leclerc ahead of Vettel)
FP1: - .256
FP2: - .801

Obviously Leclerc has had a great weekend at Bahrain, and Vettel did not, but you wonder if Vettel does not still have an overall speed advantage. We will know more tomorrow.

 

[220]

Well I think quali has given us a fair indication of car pace Bottas on pole by .02 from Hamilton. Vettel .3 behind in third but less than .02 ahead of his team mate. Max back in 5th .5 off pole pace. Gasly only .02 ahead of the Renaults who are 1.4sec off the pace with Danny Ric piping the Hulk by .004.

Given the time difference between team mates you would have to think they all maximised the cars potential apart from Gasly and the results are a fair indication of speed at least for China.

 

[olegg]

 

[olegg]