The China Syndrome

[Brogan]

This weekend the F1 circus is at Shanghai in China.

With just 2 races left in the season it couldn't be closer with 3 drivers in with a chance of taking the WDC crown.

Lewis Hamilton is leading on 84 points with Felipe Massa on 79 and Robert Kubica on 72.
Mathematically it is possible for Hamilton to wrap it up this weekend but that is unlikely given the pace of Massa and the consistency of Kubica.

The Constructor's race is equally as tight with Ferrari on 142, McLaren-Mercedes on 135 and BMW Sauber on 128.

Whatever happens, let's hope the results are decided on the track and not off it...


Circuit statistics, maps and video here.

Current standings can be seen here.

 

[RickD]

No, it couldn't be closer, but it should be further apart, McLaren should have nearly wrapped it up by now and would have if the FIA hadn't shown a bias.

I will be recording it as can't be bothered to get up to watch it. Maybe by then we will actually know the result as the stewards would have awarded Massa the win if he didn't win..

 

[The Artist.....]

No, it couldn't be closer, but it should be further apart, McLaren should have nearly wrapped it up by now and would have if the FIA hadn't shown a bias.

I'm struggling to see the maths here.

OK, taking penalties that affected Massa or Hamilton this season.

Monaco - Raikkonen given drive through for fitting tyres 2 seconds too late - Result, Hamilton released and wins race
Spa - Hamilton punished for not sufficiently relinquishing place (Ok, we can let this one go - so that's probably 6 point swing)
Singapore - Massa given drive through for offence that has been punished with said punishment once before. May have picked up points otherwise
Japan - This has been discussed ad infinitum.

So, in terms of steward interference - we can probably remove at least 2 points from Hamilton for Monaco, and possibly more, add 6 for Spa, but that's still only a 9 point lead. Hardly a championship winning lead!

 

[RickD]

You may want to look at http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3 ... 13,00.html

 

[bombhead]

How far do you take the 'what-ifs' of a season? What if Massa's engine hadn't blown up in Hungary? What if Hamilton had got off the line properly in Bahrain?

I think the FIA are trying to be as fair as possible but are scrutinising everything to the Nth degree and penalising every incident, racing or otherwise, and seem to have made a rod for their own backs as the penalties are just flowing. This makes spectators and fans very frustrated.

 

[Brogan]

seem to have made a rod for their own backs as the penalties are just flowing.

I agree and made the same comment in another thread.
The other stewards have no choice now but to penalise for similar incidents, for the remaining 2 races at least.

 

[Speshal]

Latest weather forecasts all suggest a bright sunny day for Saturday and rain for Sunday, some are saying light showers, some are saying thunderstorms but they all agree it's going to be moist at some point

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml ... 2577&links

http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/CHXX0116_f.html

http://weather.cnn.com/weather/forecast ... cCode=ZSSS

Will this prey on Felipe's mind knowing how pants the Ferrari can be in the wet this year?

 

[Brogan]

Well that should certainly spice things up a bit.

Could turn out to be a bit of a lottery with the rain so the front runners will have to be a bit careful at the start to avoid any incidents (and subsequent penalties )

 

[bombhead]

Despite Hamiltons rather cringe-worthy comments about his own abilities on a wet track, when asked about the likelihood of rain at the remaining fly-away races, you'd have to say he's the one you'd pick him in wet conditions. Although he has to temper that desire given last year's Shanghai shenanigans...