China 2009

[Insomniac]

The grid is set:


1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 644kg
2. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 637
3. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 646.5
4. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 661
5. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 659
6. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 664.5
7. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 650.5
8. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 673.5
9. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 679
10. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 673
11. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 679
12. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 697
13. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 690
14. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 682.7
15. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso, 690
16. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 697.9
17. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 659
18. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 648
19. Timo Glock, Toyota, 652
20. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India, 679.5

The front 3 are pretty light. I don't remember the conversion between weight and liters. I'm thinking .75 Kg = 1 L of Gasoline. But then, I don't know what the rough liters per lap is.

I have to say, despite the steward nonsense, there is enjoyment from seeing the grid flipped upside down. The inability to test is going to make it a steeper climb for the current have-nots to catch up. This could lead to a lot of intrigue as the season goes by if the tables are slowly turned.

Huge failure on the KERS front. The per lap limit was stupid. They should've went with a maximum capacity (like a fuel tank) only. Efficiency of the system is essentially thrown out with the per lap limit.

Some of these teams seem lost having to fight from the back. Save the good tires for the last run of the session. No point in using them early, the times won't hold.

[oddlycalm]

The inability to test is going to make it a steeper climb for the current have-nots to catch up.

Yep, and Flav is screaming bloody murder as a result. :laugh: Harder for him to make his case when Alonso is able to put the Renault on the front row. ;) There should be a rule that Alonso should always have a mid-pack car because it makes watching the race a lot more fun. Button said he was amazed following him around in the early laps in Malaysia saying he had never seen a car so sideways for so much of the lap...:cool:

Given the fuel loads it looks like Brawn may be in the catbird seat again.

oc

[SteveH]

12. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 697
13. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 690
15. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso, 690
16. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 697.9


Them boys is heavy. Will be interesting to see how the race plays to their strategy.

[Insomniac]

Yep, and Flav is screaming bloody murder as a result. :laugh: Harder for him to make his case when Alonso is able to put the Renault on the front row. ;) There should be a rule that Alonso should always have a mid-pack car because it makes watching the race a lot more fun. Button said he was amazed following him around in the early laps in Malaysia saying he had never seen a car so sideways for so much of the lap...:cool:

Given the fuel loads it looks like Brawn may be in the catbird seat again.

oc

Alonso was just a little light. :) He is definitely skilled. It really was a shame that he bolted McLaren. Kind of funny that Hamilton may be as well.

Too bad we didn't get to see much of that sliding around.

I wonder if the designs that Renault asked about before are valid now?

[oddlycalm]

Too bad we didn't get to see much of that sliding around.
Yeah, it woulda been nice to have seen a lap of that from Button's onboard. :cool: I like that fact that the cars are sliding around more again. Some fans bitch about the common ECU but getting rid of traction control was worth it IMO. Losing some downforce didn't hurt either.

oc

[emjaya]

8. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 673.5
9. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 679

A lot of fuel in these two as well.


3. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 646.5

Life is not easy as a Webber fan. I thought he had that pole.

[Accipiter]

during today's FIA press conference, Red Bull team boss Chris Horner enjoyed a couple of little moments with Mercedes' Norbert Haug.

We particularly enjoyed it when Horner was asked about Sebastian Vettel's performance so far this year.

"He's been very, very impressive for somebody of such a young age," said the Englishman.

"He was desperately unlucky in Melbourne, he continued, referring to the German's clash with Robert Kubica in the final stages of the race, when Haug cut in with; "he decided to be unlucky!"

"But thankfully he told the truth..." chipped in Horner.

:laugh::rofl:

[OW]

Allowing Pit under Yellow - wow - what a concept
Never did understand - Why NOT
Racing is Racing

OMG - Did you see that Timo Glock WING CHANGE :thumbup:

[trish]

Is this race going to run the advertised distance or will it be timed? I just need to know for my recording.

[OW]

Who...da thunk

Yes .... I Love Varsha

[OW]

Seabass V ....wins
Seabass B ....11th ....quiet....not bad...

[opinionated ow]

How f&$%ing daft is the maximum sector times bs when chasing down the safety car...

[emjaya]

How f&$%ing daft is the maximum sector times bs when chasing down the safety car...

Most of the time it's out there because there are marshalls on the track clearing debris, so there shouldn't be any "chasing down the safety car."

[trish]

Seabass V ....wins
Seabass B ....11th ....quiet....not bad...

Bourdais

Buemi 8th

[opinionated ow]

Most of the time it's out there because there are marshalls on the track clearing debris, so there shouldn't be any "chasing down the safety car."

It's still completely unnecessary...double waved yellows in the sections with marshalls on track, but apart from the scene of the accident there should be nobody on the track anyway, so the track is clear and no reason why you can't drive at a speed you feel safe with. It's a completely unnecessary ruling by an increasingly inept body. Also, this is the only racing category with such bs...

[Insomniac]

Yeah, it woulda been nice to have seen a lap of that from Button's onboard. :cool: I like that fact that the cars are sliding around more again. Some fans bitch about the common ECU but getting rid of traction control was worth it IMO. Losing some downforce didn't hurt either.

oc

The common ECU makes sense to me. They need to be able to ensure fairness within the rules if they're going to outlaw electronic driving aids. And I agree that's a good thing. Reducing downforce is also good. Paring it back as they make gains in aero helps the racing.

[Insomniac]

Allowing Pit under Yellow - wow - what a concept
Never did understand - Why NOT
Racing is Racing

OMG - Did you see that Timo Glock WING CHANGE :thumbup:

Didn't they only do that for one season? I think it was just a reaction to how they'd all dive in and stack the pits when a SC was deployed and the advantage some teams would gain.

[Insomniac]

How f&$%ing daft is the maximum sector times bs when chasing down the safety car...

I don't understand why the safety car goes around the track. It would make a lot more sense for it to wait for the leader at pit out and pick him up there. The goal should be to get the leader as quickly as possible.

[ilferrari]

Seabass V ....wins
Seabass B ....11th ....quiet....not bad...

I hate to say it, but Seabass B has put in only one impressive performance in about 20 races now.

[NismoZ]

Actually the goal of the safety car is...safety. You want them to wait for the leader and just hope the delay doesn't lead to another incident?

[STD]

Heavy Vettel noise.

Buemi would have finished very well without the mist blinded clip on Vettel's right rear.


SB lost in the wake.

[Insomniac]

Actually the goal of the safety car is...safety. You want them to wait for the leader and just hope the delay doesn't lead to another incident?

Uhhh no. The cars all slow down as soon as the safety car is deployed. How does the safety car going around the track collect the leader faster? It doesn't go faster than the competitors.

[NismoZ]

Uhhhh, duly known and noted. Just trying to call attention to changes made over many long seasons to strike a better balance between competition AND safety. Would you argue NO safety car as before? Sure, the local yellow always works, especially when it's waved really hard! I clearly recall the days when Mario (or anyone else lucky enough to catch the yellow as they sped between 3 & 4 at The Mile) would dive down, accelerate along the pit lane at 120+ and pit just behind the "safety" car as it was pulling onto the track. Full tank, fresh tires, still in the lead when everyone else was just getting ready to stop and now maybe a lap on the field! Safe? Good for the "competition?" I don't think so. I know, lets race to the yellow at the S/F line. That's REAL racing. Too bad if the incident is in turn 10, however. My belief is the safety car, the lights/flagging and the radio contact are ALL there because often times race car drivers are simply TOO willing to accept the danger in order to get ahead. If I misinterpret your opinion as "that's racing" and a dismissal of attempts at safety or an opinion of "Safety 2nd" I am sorry, I mean no disrespect.

[Insomniac]

Uhhhh, duly known and noted. Just trying to call attention to changes made over many long seasons to strike a better balance between competition AND safety. Would you argue NO safety car as before? Sure, the local yellow always works, especially when it's waved really hard! I clearly recall the days when Mario (or anyone else lucky enough to catch the yellow as they sped between 3 & 4 at The Mile) would dive down, accelerate along the pit lane at 120+ and pit just behind the "safety" car as it was pulling onto the track. Full tank, fresh tires, still in the lead when everyone else was just getting ready to stop and now maybe a lap on the field! Safe? Good for the "competition?" I don't think so. I know, lets race to the yellow at the S/F line. That's REAL racing. Too bad if the incident is in turn 10, however. My belief is the safety car, the lights/flagging and the radio contact are ALL there because often times race car drivers are simply TOO willing to accept the danger in order to get ahead. If I misinterpret your opinion as "that's racing" and a dismissal of attempts at safety or an opinion of "Safety 2nd" I am sorry, I mean no disrespect.

I'm really not sure if you're aiming your reply at me, but I don't see where you're coming from. As far as I can tell no one advocated NASCAR's racing to the S/F line when you have full course yellow/safety car.

All I said was that the safety car could pick the leader up more quickly by waiting at pit out rather than circling around the track. The cars already slow down as soon as the safety car is deployed. It doesn't matter where the actual incident is. It will always be quicker to get all the cars behind the safety car by waiting for the leader than to circle the track without the leader.