2017 Shanghai China GP - Who will dominate ?

[Sakae 0]

4 hours ago, radical-one said:

Ferrari should continue winning before Hamilton picks up the pace. Last year and the year before (If i remember right) Nico won the first few races until Lewis gets back.

It will be good for Ferrari/Vettel to keep winning for now and try to keep the lead onwards, plus try keeping the pressure on Mercs.

 

Last year a race winner has retired from racing, and both, Vettel and Hamilton have something to prove. Hamilton wasn't very good at the start of last year, and Sebi last win here dates back to 2009. Yeah, so long. Each of his races can be explained, yet still, this is a track Vettel needs to settle a score with. Not as much with Hamilton, as with Shanghai circuit.

Edited April 5, 2017 by Sakae

[Emmcee 0]

Vettels win in 2009 and the conditions is was won under, iam sure he more than has this circuit covered. Just has had bad luck there.

Edited April 5, 2017 by Emmcee

[Sakae 0]

Up to now the one who dominates is weather.  (FOG?) FiA, or more specifically CW decided in his infinite wisdom that lost time will be not replaced by another session in more suitable conditions. That begs the question then, if FP is not needed today, why we would need FP time in any other day, dry or wet? 

[Emmcee 0]

Wasn't it last years race where it wasn't even that badly wet and they were trundling round behind the safety car for like 11 laps or something.

[radical-one 0]

They should change the whole calendar (or some within) to avoid bad weather conditions. For ex; China may take Japan's October schedule and Japan take's China's,etc

 

[Emmcee 0]

Also if they went back to more traditional starting times instead of early evening, that might help also.

[radical-one 0]

Yes it may help.

 

Anyways, if the race is on wet tires this weekend, I would predict a podium for Max.

[Publius Cornelius Scipio 0]

they portray F1 as super technological and super cool yet a bit of fog prevents them for running because they can't fly choppers... shouldn't they have advanced medical facilites closer at hand in the first place? bah

anyway I would be glad if it rained, as long as the race doesn't start behind the SC, they should just let them increase their ground clearance, say 15 mils for each car and get rid of the SC (if there's aserious accident the race need to be stopped and, if possible, restarted)

[Sakae 0]

FiA, in a person of one CW seems to be consistently reactive, and not always best way (Bianchi incident), rather than for once being or at least trying to be proactive. He could try and see little further than end of his nose. How much imagination it takes for this man to envision i) It could rain, and ii) we might need either a chopper or an ambulance as liaison to a nearby hospital? FiA, after all those years of racing in China managed to "approve" one hospital only in a metropolis like Shanghai, as I understand it.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Sakae

[Ruslan 0]

They should have run practice 2 regardless.

 

The amount of additional safety gained by having a helicopter for the hospital as opposed to driving there is really not very much. Nice to have, but should not be mandatory.

 

[Emmcee 0]

3 hours ago, Sakae said:

FiA, in a person of one CW seems to be consistently reactive, and not always best way (Bianchi incident), rather than for once being or at least trying to be proactive. He could try and see little further than end of his nose. How much imagination it takes for this man to envision i) It could rain, and ii) we might need either a chopper or an ambulance as liaison to a nearby hospital? FiA, after all those years of racing in China managed to "approve" one hospital only in a metropolis like Shanghai, as I understand it.

Couldn't agree more sakae, your 100% correct on this one.

[Sakae 0]

I've read that FiA approved hospital is about 50 km away from the race track.

[Sakae 0]

Verstappen...engine is not the only problem we have...

[Publius Cornelius Scipio 0]

1 hour ago, Sakae said:

I've read that FiA approved hospital is about 50 km away from the race track.

yes, that's the problem, they said that yesterday they made a test and it took them over an hour to get there.

[radical-one 0]

01	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	1:33.336		20
02	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari	1:33.389	0.053	19
03	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	1:33.707	0.371	26
04	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:33.879	0.543	25
05	Felipe Massa	Williams	1:34.773	1.437	23
06	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1:34.946	1.610	20
07	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull	1:35.092	1.756	23
08	Lance Stroll	Williams	1:35.182	1.846	24
09	Jolyon Palmer	Renault	1:35.192	1.856	21
10	Carlos Sainz	Toro Rosso	1:35.223	1.887	24
11	Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	1:35.449	2.113	22
12	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	1:35.521	2.185	22
13	Sergio Perez	Force India	1:35.626	2.290	20
14	Romain Grosjean	Haas	1:35.680	2.344	22
15	Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	1:35.804	2.468	23
16	Esteban Ocon	Force India	1:35.811	2.475	24
17	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	1:35.912	2.576	17
18	Marcus Ericsson	Sauber	1:36.063	2.727	25
19	Stoffel Vandoorne	McLaren	1:36.221	2.885	21
20	Antonio Giovinazzi	Sauber	1:36.705	3.369	24

 

[Sakae 0]

Sauber is reported having compatibility issues between chassis and a new engine. They seems to box themselves into the proverbial corner with 2016 unit.

Ricciardo must "feel good" being squeezed between two babies, Verstappen and Stroll.

 

One is left wondering whether gaps we see between two teams and rest of them is a sign of things to come, or this is something that disappear later in the season? Could be a season with 6 drivers trading places. Hamilton suddenly dosen't look too great when he doesn't has a car to drive him around. Probably setup thing...

Edited April 8, 2017 by Sakae

[BradSpeedMan 6]

The threat from Ferrari is real. This is a "Merc" track, which bodes well for close races till Spain. Hopefully Ferrari can keep up in the development race. Really enjoyed the qualifying, brilliant on the limit lap by Lewis, you could see and feel the push. Kimi getting closer on pace... Stop driving like an old man!!!

Edited April 8, 2017 by BradSpeedMan

[Sakae 0]

Ferrari's setup is race predominant. They do not have too much of success in qualy quite a while. Bottas is very close to Seb (5.9 cm ajar). Magic qualy-button works well then? 

 

Two teams - this Saturday - in a play. Rest of them looks hopeless.

Edited April 8, 2017 by Sakae

[radical-one 0]

I hope for 2 Ferraris on Podium. Kimi should overtake Bottas tomorrow.

[Emmcee 0]

2 hours ago, BradSpeedMan said:

The threat from Ferrari is real. This is a "Merc" track, which bodes well for close races till Spain. Hopefully Ferrari can keep up in the development race. Really enjoyed the qualifying, brilliant on the limit lap by Lewis, you could see and feel the push. Kimi getting closer on pace... Stop driving like an old man!!!

It's certainly looking that way isn't brad? I see it as Ferrari and Mercedes are neck and neck and Redbull is about a second back.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

2 hours ago, Emmcee said:

It's certainly looking that way isn't brad? I see it as Ferrari and Mercedes are neck and neck and Redbull is about a second back.

A second is like a lifetime in one season to make up. Disastrous situation for RBR

[Emmcee 0]

Yeah absolutely but in saying that, Ricciardo thinks it's ground that can be made quite quickly with these new regs. So does that mean it could be an aero issue or chassis? As you can't find a second of outright power. Not with today's regs.

[Unknown? 0]

Neck & neck between Mercedes & Ferrari - exactly what we need for the sport. All I'm hoping for is they can actually race each other on track and we'll be in for a great season. Vis a vis Red Bull - they're snookered by the Renault engine which has made them design a car to help it compensate for the relative lack of power. This compromise has limited the car's potential I fear. Give Newey a beasty engine and he'll design a monster of a car that will at least equal if not better the Mercs & Ferraris.

Here's hoping for a good race tomorrow!

[Unknown? 0]

Also, I completely understand them cancelling sessions due to helicopter problems, it's just not worth gambling with someone's life if they need serious medical attention after an incident. They can't build a medical facility at the circuits to deal with any and ALL eventualities. Granted, the facilities are great but they can't compete with a fully functioning hospital.

[Sakae 0]

To re-post:

Verstappen...engine is not the only problem we have...

Edited April 8, 2017 by Sakae