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The Formula 1 2013 Season |OT| End of the Webber Era

Ark

Member
Solid race overall.

I felt that the Lotus were the dark horse coming into this race. Grojean was...nowhere to be seen, but Kimi was a beast as always.

I was having flash-backs of 2011 when Vettel pulled out that almost two-second gap during the opening laps, but I was thoroughly pleased to see Massa closing in the gap. Ferrari starting the year with a good car is nice to see. Also really happy to see Massa continuing his return to form off the back of last year.

Webber still has problems with starting a race, and was really nowhere to be seen.

Didn't really have any expectations for McLaren, so not really surprised by their lack of performance this weekend. It'll probably be even worse next weekend when the temperatures are more optimal.

I've been saying Mercedes would get there eventually, ever since 2010, and everyone just keeps shrugging me off. I've been right every year about Mercedes, and I'm right again this year. Top 5 was probably the best they could have hoped for this weekend given the conditions, perhaps if Malaysia gives us more optimal conditions we'll be able to see where they really are in amongst the grid. Hamilton is just continuing his 'zen' mentality that he U-turned into last winter (going into 2012). Always knew Rosberg was a solid driver, but we could never really tell how solid, this weekend has said all it needed to.

I honestly thought Sutil was a wasted prospect, but credit where it's due he jumped right back onto form and I've no doubt we'll be seeing more of that throughout the year.

It's just a shame we have a Brit bringing up the rear of the grid.
 

TomServo

Junior Member
I wonder if the Merc designers took into consideration that Hamilton would spend most of the race driving down the middle of the track.
 

Dilly

Banned
I must be the only one who likes the paintjob on the Mercedes. I was skeptical last year about Hamilton's move, but it already looks like it's the right call.
 

kharma45

Member
I've been saying Mercedes would get there eventually, ever since 2010, and everyone just keeps shrugging me off. I've been right every year about Mercedes, and I'm right again this year. Top 5 was probably the best they could have hoped for this weekend given the conditions, perhaps if Malaysia gives us more optimal conditions we'll be able to see where they really are in amongst the grid. Hamilton is just continuing his 'zen' mentality that he U-turned into last winter (going into 2012). Always knew Rosberg was a solid driver, but we could never really tell how solid, this weekend has said all it needed to.

For all the money and talent they have they should still be doing better, and last year was a disgrace from them.
 

Ark

Member
For all the money and talent they have they should still be doing better, and last year was a disgrace from them.

I disagree. Last year they had a good car with a whole host of issues, hopefully they've fixed those issues and they're right where they should be this weekend.

Most of the talent they picked up was last year and this winter, it's this years car and next years, are the cars they need to be on form for.
 
I must be the only one who likes the paintjob on the Mercedes. I was skeptical last year about Hamilton's move, but it already looks like it's the right call.
I hope you are. It's really ugly, boring and the BlackBerry sponsorship only makes it worse, at least when it comes to the image. Mercedes - The official No fun allowed-Team.
 

Yen

Member
What did he say? The video won't work outside UK.
They were taking about everyone in the field and he said "Oh yeah, sorry that he isn't going to be here." or words to that effect, while they showed his crashes last year, and his crashes against DC
 

Cuddler

Member
First late reaction of the year:
Kimiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've just finished watching the race on tv
 

kharma45

Member
I disagree. Last year they had a good car with a whole host of issues, hopefully they've fixed those issues and they're right where they should be this weekend.

Most of the talent they picked up was last year and this winter, it's this years car and next years, are the cars they need to be on form for.

They had a good car at the start but never developed it properly, they ended up at times battling with, or even behind, STR.

One win from three years for a team like Mercedes is pretty embarrassing.

Goddamn I feel like racing F1 myself after seeing the race, how is F1 2012 on the PS3?

Shite game from shite developers.
 

Branson

Member
Fell asleep with like 20 to go last night and woke up to the podium confused as fuck. Kimi? Nice. Decent race I guess. Wish it wasn't on so late here.
 
Fantastic start to the season. So happy to see Kimi get the win. He is the the best personality in F1 by a long shot. Every time he speaks he makes me laugh. Awesome that he got the fastest lap too. 2013 Iceman Cometh
 

Juicy Bob

Member
If McLaren are still off the pace by, say, Barcelona, I honestly think the best option for them would be to write off this year and put everything into 2014.

I've read that Caterham and Williams are likely to give up on this year already and concentrate the majority of their R&D work on next year's car. It makes sense to me. There's a big opportunity for the smaller teams to make a leap forward next season.
 
The race was a bit dull for me in that my mind drifted for a bit at about mid-distance and that was enough to completely lose the thread of what the hell was going on.

Great to see Kimi getting another one though, and Red Bull's race pace not being quite there (yet).
 

RayStorm

Member
So I guess nobody of you thinks that McLaren's poor performance is due to lack of understanding of their new pull rod suspension? Last year Ferrari had a quiet tough start too.
 

dalin80

Banned
So I guess nobody of you thinks that McLaren's poor performance is due to lack of understanding of their new pull rod suspension? Last year Ferrari had a quiet tough start too.

Maybe, the car simply does not look settled, there were a few slow-mos that showed it bouncing and being all sorts of oddness over the bumps.

Lotus and Ferrari look very much stuck to the floor and predictable while the red bulls looked uncharacteristically squirmy.

mercs looked OK as well but were pretty damn slow on the straights with some suggesting a more 'damp track' set-up at the cost of speed, its odd for a merc engined wagon to not appear in the top half of any of the speed traps.
 

DieH@rd

Banned
fairplay.formula1.20186zwq.jpg
 

Chris R

Member
So I guess nobody of you thinks that McLaren's poor performance is due to lack of understanding of their new pull rod suspension? Last year Ferrari had a quiet tough start too.

That is what I think as well, and they are probably working very hard on their '14 car, using this year as testing basically.
 
Indeed. McLaren are in trouble, and no Paddy Lowe+Lewis Hamilton combination to bail them out like last time.

They're in trouble because Lowe designed them another dud, and just like last time others at McLaren will be wasting months trying to correct his poor design. They should just bin the 28 and bring Goss's baby back and run the 27 from China onwards.
 

DrM

Redmond's Baby
They're in trouble because Lowe designed them another dud, and just like last time others at McLaren will be wasting months trying to correct his poor design. They should just bin the 28 and bring Goss's baby back and run the 27 from China onwards.

Mclaren would be alright if they wouldn't be so stubborn about their 'we will soon hit develpoment wall' crap and evolve 27. Maybe Lowe already talked with Mercedes during the development and he did not care so much :D
Right now, they are just like Ferrari 365 days ago.
 

Shaneus

Member
Ahahaha. FYI, a lot of people were dressed weird because of St. Patrick's Day.

Webber still has problems with starting a race, and was really nowhere to be seen.
Didn't have KERS for the first half of the race. I don't know whether that can 100% account for his start, it has to be a massive contributor. That 60kW disadvantage at the start would've killed him.
 
Ahahaha. FYI, a lot of people were dressed weird because of St. Patrick's Day.


Didn't have KERS for the first half of the race. I don't know whether that can 100% account for his start, it has to be a massive contributor. That 60kW disadvantage at the start would've killed him.

As someone mentioned earlier, it's always Webber who has KERS problems. It really does start to sound like an excuse. And yes, the lack of KERS would obviously be a huge disadvantage during the start.
 

Addnan

Member
Ahahaha. FYI, a lot of people were dressed weird because of St. Patrick's Day.


Didn't have KERS for the first half of the race. I don't know whether that can 100% account for his start, it has to be a massive contributor. That 60kW disadvantage at the start would've killed him.

Kers wouldn't explain why he struggles to get off the line though. He won't have the extra speed after a bit and could probably drop a place or two, but the fact that he struggles to launch the car can't be explained by Kers fault.
 

kharma45

Member
Kers wouldn't explain why he struggles to get off the line though. He won't have the extra speed after a bit and could probably drop a place or two, but the fact that he struggles to launch the car can't be explained by Kers fault.

Yeah it's like 60mph and above KERS is available isn't it?

Webber's poor starts are likely just down to him being no good at them.
 

Igo

Member
They're in trouble because Lowe designed them another dud, and just like last time others at McLaren will be wasting months trying to correct his poor design. They should just bin the 28 and bring Goss's baby back and run the 27 from China onwards.
Tim Goss led the design on this car and McLaren were very quick to publically state that after it was announced he would be replacing Lowe. This was probably before they realized how shit the car was though, and they were probably trying to assuage any fear that Lowe leaving would destabilize the team.
 

Juicy Bob

Member
34 points on GPPredictor. 35th overall in the GAF league.

Bloody Sauber. I had The Hülk down for most positions gained and for a top 10 finish. :(
 
Predicted Alonso, Massa, and Hamiltons finishing positions correctly. All my other predictions were pretty awful. 42 points overall and 37% of predictions accurate. Somehow good enough for 13th in the GAF league after 1 race. :/
 

jey_16

Banned
They're in trouble because Lowe designed them another dud, and just like last time others at McLaren will be wasting months trying to correct his poor design. They should just bin the 28 and bring Goss's baby back and run the 27 from China onwards.

I wonder if they can do a simulation of last years car with this years tyres...they are quite a bit different
 

Dead Man

Member
As someone mentioned earlier, it's always Webber who has KERS problems. It really does start to sound like an excuse. And yes, the lack of KERS would obviously be a huge disadvantage during the start.

If the team could say that he was wrong then it would be an excuse. The team goes along with it too often.

34 points on GPPredictor. 35th overall in the GAF league.

Bloody Sauber. I had The Hülk down for most positions gained and for a top 10 finish. :(
17 points. Who decided on this predictor rubbish?
 

dubc35

Member
WmPJCjz.jpg

Can upload that in a higher res if you guys want :)

vlcsnap-2013-03-17-17h35m57s238_zps07944638.png


Webber hat? Check. Black rimmed glasses? Check.

When I first watched this I thought it was a for sure sighting, not so sure now. (between Damon and Johnny)



If the team could say that he was wrong then it would be an excuse. The team goes along with it too often.


17 points. Who decided on this predictor rubbish?

Hmm, let me see who did.... :p

I had ALO-VET-RAI so I had the drivers that were on the podium correct.


One other part of the race I loved was the marshalls trolling Sutil by repetitive blue flagging, lol. ...and Lewis asked if he enjoy racing with Sutil again..."Uh...no, not really."
 
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