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[Mastah]

Lewis' pole lap was over a second faster than Vettel's in 2013

Which was done on drying track, so the comparison is pointless.

3 top teams in practice sessions in 2013:

1. Red Bull 1:25.9
2. Mercedes 1:26.3
3. Lotus 1:26.4

2015:

1. Mercedes 1:27.7
2. Ferrari 1:28.4
3. Williams 1:28.9

 

[Fox Mulder]

Whilst it is funny to see mclaren be so slow it's bad news for f1. I can't imagine any more engine manufacturers are going to be attracted to f1 for the chance to run around in last place for at least a year because you have so little data and aren't allowed to test properly.

All in the name of cost reduction, lol. Just let the few teams left spend whatever the hell they want and push the sport to the technology peak it needs to be.

 

[theignoramus]

F1 IS ON YOUTUBE HOLY BALLS

Never mind the current stuff, this is an opportunity for FOM to put up incredible legacy footage from the last 60 years. I dont even care if they charge for it.

 

[brotkasten]

Whilst it is funny to see mclaren be so slow it's bad news for f1. I can't imagine any more engine manufacturers are going to be attracted to f1 for the chance to run around in last place for at least a year because you have so little data and aren't allowed to test properly.

It was Honda's decision not to supply more teams. It's all valuable data and running time. Ferrari was lucky to have Marussia and Sauber last year, after they lost Toro Rosso. Now they're down to Sauber only and who known show long they'll last. I can't see how it's not going to affect the development of their engine.

 

[theignoramus]

https://vid.me/YoNt

pole lap with Webber commentary

I dont remember Lewis being so active with the brake bias settings last year.

 

[DBT85]

McLaren basically running with pedal power thanks to a conservative mapping from Honda due to the heat.

Malaysia, China and then Bahrain to come. McLaren seen testing a sail system to use wind power.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118058

"I expected in Barcelona much better pace in Australia, but unfortunately we don't have the experience of higher temperatures so we could not [risk] losing the engine in the first race," said Honda motorsport boss Yasuhisa Arai.

"Our settings are very conservative for this weekend, so that is the reason why we lose power with the MGU-K and the engine itself.

"The heat problem is not only with the engine, but also the MGU-K, we took that [reduction in] power to survive several races with the one engine."

With the second round of the championship bing held in hotter conditions in Malaysia in two weeks, Honda is likely to have to continue to take a conservative approach even if this sacrifices performance.

 

[jambo]

Is this the first race he's done? There's usually a settling in period, but he just seems to get it.

He was great during the whole thing. Although I did learn his favourite word is "ding dong", much like how Brundle doesn't have another word for "dividends", except it's more hilarious.

My only complaint about Webber was that sometimes he just wouldn't shut up.

Don't need talking 100% of the time.

 

[Lemonte]

yeah size zero definitely worth it.

 

[Yen]

I'm watching the BBC highlights (I've managed to avoid the result) and I have to say I'll be very disappointed if Alonso doesn't win another WDC.

 

[BLAZER]

Mercedes are going to blow away every team again i think. I just don't think its good for the sport. I know the history is exactly that but my god last year was boring within the realms of championship points for individual drivers.

 

[TCRS]

watching the qualy on bbc. shocking, simply shocking that mclaren.

youwerethechosenone.gif

I'm watching the BBC highlights (I've managed to avoid the result) and I have to say I'll be very disappointed if Alonso doesn't win another WDC.

it's looking even less likely... I'm a ferrari fan but I was still hoping that Alonso can win another WDC with McLaren. I would have liked that.

 

[DBT85]

Mercedes are going to blow away every team again i think. I just don't think its good for the sport. I know the history is exactly that but my god last year was boring within the realms of championship points for individual drivers.

Weird, I never found last year boring. Mercedes let them fight and so it went down to the wire and got a bit heated at times and thne Williams were doing well apart form on strategy calls, which were apparently done by a small Albanian goose.

 

[king picollo]

I was hoping McLaren had something up their sleeves, apparently not.

Watching Mercedes run away with it again all season isn't going fun.

 

[Cheeseman Battitude]

I doubt Alonso will be back after that display.

 

[TCRS]

holy shit 0.6s quicker than rosberg.

feels good to see ferrari up there tho. raikkonen finally giving a shit. impressed by sainz. massa:

 

[mclem]

Kimi, Sebastian is faster than you.

Sebastian, Kimi: Massa is faster than you.

(But close. That's going to be the race to watch tomorrow, I think)

 

[mclem]

Bottas' Mario Kart starts were some of my favorite moments from last season.

Good job he's a Mario Kart starter and not a SNES F-Zero starter.

 

[Ark]

I'm watching the BBC highlights (I've managed to avoid the result) and I have to say I'll be very disappointed if Alonso doesn't win another WDC.

I've come to accept that it won't happen. You should too, it's an easier life.

 

[mclem]

Is this the first race he's done? There's usually a settling in period, but he just seems to get it.

There was a race ages ago where BAR were excluded and the BBC took advantage of it and got a still-fairly-new Button into the commentary box, and he was brilliant there. Something to contemplate, Jenson!

 

[Massa]

There was a race ages ago where BAR were excluded and the BBC took advantage of it and got a still-fairly-new Button into the commentary box, and he was brilliant there. Something to contemplate, Jenson!

Maybe they can make an agreement with him where he goes to the broadcast box as soon as his McLaren breaks down? He can still do most of the race that away.

 

[LoveCake]

I don't know why McLaren didn't buy out one of the teams that went bust last season & used them as the test for the Honda engines, the cars are going to be nowhere this season & they have already found it hard to get a main sponsor, furthermore Alonso isn't going to be happy, ok he knew what he was joining with a new engine in the car, but cannot of imagined it being as bad as this.

It is ok for the pundits to say that McLaren will improve this season as they sort out the issues, all the cars have issues, even the Mercedes has issues & they will get better through the year, it is not like everyone else is going to stand still while McLaren catch up, i think it might have been better it McLaren had just built their own engine, then it would be understandable because what's going to happen in say three years time if McLaren are still bumbling about in the middle of the pack & Honda decide it's not worth the investment & pull out.

 

[DBT85]

Guessing time.

If a McLaren finishes the race, how many laps down will it be on the leader?
How much of the grid will be lapped by the winner?

I'm guessing 4 laps down for McL:aren and upto and including 7th for being lapped. The Williams and Ferrari will be safe.

 

[theignoramus]

That post-quali interview where Ron Dennis tries to put on a brave face....man, talk about trying to draw blood from a stone. Yes, Ron, RBR is already down 1 engine on the season and Ferrari is still behind the Mercs, but your team came in dead last.

 

[mrklaw]

Filipe Massa and Felipe Nasr is going to cause some confusion at some point.


I'm fine with Mercedes being dominant if the fight between Ferrari, Williams and maybe red bull is interesting.

 

[Cheeseman Battitude]

What's worrying about McLaren is they were having problems when running detuned in testing. In theory that will increase when running at full power in the races, if they are indeed at full power now.

 

[Cheeseman Battitude]

Filipe Massa and Felipe Nasr is going to cause some confusion at some point.

It's a good job Murray Walker has retired!

 

[Adam Scott Aukerman]

I get the impression that both Honda and McLaren would leap at the chance to be racing with unmarked cars this year. No wonder they chose such a boring livery.

I can't say any of this is surprising though.

 

[JadedWriter]

Man how about that McHonda..god damn, Alonso should just stay in bed for the rest of the season, there's just no reason to rush back to drive a shit box. Gotta give it to Hamilton, after FP1 and 2 I was expecting Rosberg to blitz pole, but holy fuck Lewis blew the guy out by almost .6. I must admit, wasn't expecting Sainz Jr. to impress me, I hope to see more of him. Nasr did good as well, but Red Bull took a step backwards. Way to go Massa too, I hope Bottas is okay enough to drive tomorrow. Weird how a Mercedes driver is guaranteed P2 as long as they complete a lap. Also must tip my hat off too Vettel, wasn't much of a fan of his at Red Bull, but seeing him in Ferrari being competitive is a treat to see, more of this and I'll definitely respect him, weird how sometimes all you need for a driver to do is change a team.

 

[DBT85]

weird how sometimes all you need for a driver to do is change a team.

I have to say. Vettel has next to nothing to do with this Ferrari being this fast. Alonso probably has more to do with it than he does, and they knew he was leaving.

 

[Psychotext]

So I don't have the data to hand, but is the Merc even more dominant here than they were last year? Or is it hard to tell because of the rain in quali last year?

 

[DrM]

Well, Ferrari surely miss that 0.7 second advantage that Fernando bring to the team

 

[Cheeseman Battitude]

Great qualifying today and Formula e from Miami later!

 

[JadedWriter]

I have to say. Vettel has next to nothing to do with this Ferrari being this fast. Alonso probably has more to do with it than he does, and they knew he was leaving.

Don't worry I wasn't attributing the Ferrari speed to him, it's just nice to see the guy proving that he can actually still perform in a car that isn't designed by Newey. That would be like saying Hamilton influenced the 2013 Merc, it's just a very well timed jump and he's not slower than his teammate.

 

[mclem]

Maybe they can make an agreement with him where he goes to the broadcast box as soon as his McLaren breaks down? He can still do most of the race that away.

If he sees the start of a problem halfway around a lap, best to bin it there. He does triathlons; he could probably make it to the box quicker with a run than trying to get the car back there.

 

[RoKKeR]

Nobody, one one Williams would be in the race

Not good about Bottas. Hope he can race. And why nobody? I don't know how that all works but is it not allowed or something?

 

[Norwegian Rudo]

I must admit, wasn't expecting Sainz Jr. to impress me, I hope to see more of him.

Keep in mind that qualifying was by far his strong suit last year. In the races where he didn't put it on pole and just drive away, he really struggled to to make any impression actually racing other cars.

 

[Elvin Atombender]

Not good about Bottas. Hope he can race. And why nobody? I don't know how that all works but is it not allowed or something?

You can't drive if you haven't qualified for the race.

 

[JadedWriter]

Keep in mind that qualifying was by far his strong suit last year. In the races where he didn't put it on pole and just drive away, he really struggled to to make any impression actually racing other cars.

Ok, thanks for the information. I don't really look at the feeder series usually. Hopefully he doesn't do any 2012 Grosjean and Maldonado tier stupidity.

 

[PdotMichael]

I have to say. Vettel has next to nothing to do with this Ferrari being this fast. Alonso probably has more to do with it than he does, and they knew he was leaving.

Looking at the fact that Kimi performed better compared to his last year performance. I would claim that the pairing Vettel & Räikkönen and their similiar driving styles is better for Ferrari and the car developement than any Alonso pairings in the last years - independent of all who is the better driver discussions.

 

[LeBoef]

I don't know why McLaren didn't buy out one of the teams that went bust last season & used them as the test for the Honda engines, the cars are going to be nowhere this season & they have already found it hard to get a main sponsor, furthermore Alonso isn't going to be happy, ok he knew what he was joining with a new engine in the car, but cannot of imagined it being as bad as this.

It is ok for the pundits to say that McLaren will improve this season as they sort out the issues, all the cars have issues, even the Mercedes has issues & they will get better through the year, it is not like everyone else is going to stand still while McLaren catch up, i think it might have been better it McLaren had just built their own engine, then it would be understandable because what's going to happen in say three years time if McLaren are still bumbling about in the middle of the pack & Honda decide it's not worth the investment & pull out.

as if mclaren has money left to have a second team or there are no costs related to maintain a team after buying it (even if the team comes for free).

 

[nature boy]

I don't know why McLaren didn't buy out one of the teams that went bust last season & used them as the test for the Honda engines, the cars are going to be nowhere this season & they have already found it hard to get a main sponsor, furthermore Alonso isn't going to be happy, ok he knew what he was joining with a new engine in the car, but cannot of imagined it being as bad as this.

It is ok for the pundits to say that McLaren will improve this season as they sort out the issues, all the cars have issues, even the Mercedes has issues & they will get better through the year, it is not like everyone else is going to stand still while McLaren catch up, i think it might have been better it McLaren had just built their own engine, then it would be understandable because what's going to happen in say three years time if McLaren are still bumbling about in the middle of the pack & Honda decide it's not worth the investment & pull out.

Teams can't just buy other teams and share development. The other teams would not let that happen.

If anything, it should have been Honda that should have bought a team, but I guess Honda is still traumatized from their previous F1 adventure.

 

[Dilly]

Honda's engine is one of the most emberassing things I've seen in F1 performance wise.

 

[yami4ct]

There are some tweets flying around that Bottas is under question for tomorrow, because he is not feeling well

No Bottas. Don't do this to me. Williams can't lose points so soon.

Get well soon, if true. Easily my favorite racer on the grid right now.

 

[Fox Mulder]

You can't drive if you haven't qualified for the race.

Weird, NASCAR just dumps you to the back at the start.

It was Honda's decision not to supply more teams. It's all valuable data and running time. Ferrari was lucky to have Marussia and Sauber last year, after they lost Toro Rosso. Now they're down to Sauber only and who known show long they'll last. I can't see how it's not going to affect the development of their engine.

Ferrari has Haas next year right?

 

[Souldestroyer Reborn]

Weird, NASCAR just dumps you to the back at the start.



Ferrari has Haas next year right?

Yes.

 

[nature boy]

Speeds by sector:

 

[Addnan]

You can't drive if you haven't qualified for the race.

You sure? What about when drivers get dq from quali, they are allowed to start from pit lane.

 

[Elvin Atombender]

You sure? What about when drivers get dq from quali, they are allowed to start from pit lane.

Yes, but at least they somehow participated in the qualifying.

The 107% rule wouldn't work if you could just put someone who didn't even qualify in the car instead.

 

[mclem]

Honda's engine is one of the most emberassing things I've seen in F1 performance wise.

You're forgetting Eddie Jordan Karaoke.

 

[Bo-Locks]

I wonder how far McLaren got with the feasibility studies into developing their own engine with some help from Ricardo / others like with the MP4 Road car. Anything has got to be better than this shitbox from Honda.