Nico Rosberg king of practice

[oddlycalm]

Fastest 7 of 11 practice periods this season and close in the rest, yet if you'd be a single dollar on him in any race so far you'd be a dollar down. I'd point the finger at race strategy but he's not qualifying all that well. He's raced well in the past so I'm left wondering if it's the team screwing things up. :confused:

oc

[Michaelhatesfans]

Yeah, that drop in the charts when qualifying starts is pretty ominous. You have to wonder if the team is giving him a good car off of the trailer, but then he's not setting it up well enough as the weekend wears on?

Or, as you say, maybe he's just the victim of goofy strategy on the team's part.

[Insomniac]

I'm never picking anything Williams again in the fantasy challenge.

[oddlycalm]

Yeah, that drop in the charts when qualifying starts is pretty ominous. You have to wonder if the team is giving him a good car off of the trailer, but then he's not setting it up well enough as the weekend wears on?

Or, as you say, maybe he's just the victim of goofy strategy on the team's part.

The reason I mentioned that is that some of their strategy calls have been, um, interesting choices. They did it again this week. He's fastest in every practice session then 9th in qualifying. Now we find out that he's got 22 laps of fuel which is 7-8 laps more than anyone in front of him except Vettel who has 5 laps less fuel than Rosberg. WTF...? They have a 2nd or 3rd row car but instead they fill up the tank enough to bury him in the middle of the grid but not enough to run a two stop race...:confused: :shakehead It's almost like Williams are intentionally taking a dive every week.

Driver Q3 time Weight Fuel Stop lap
1. Trulli 1:33.431 648.5 40.5 14.0
2. Glock 1:33.712 643 35 12.0
3. Vettel 1:34.015 659 51 17.9
4. Button 1:34.044 652.5 44.5 15.5
5. Hamilton 1:34.196 652.5 44.5 15.5
6. Barrichello 1:34.239 649 41 14.2
7. Alonso 1:34.578 650.5 42.5 14.7
8. Massa 1:34.818 664.5 56.5 19.9
9. Rosberg 1:35.134 670.5 62.5 22.1
10. Raikkonen 1:35.380 671.5 63.5 22.5
11. Kovalainen 678.5 70.5 25.1
12. Nakajima 680.9 72.9 26.0
13. Kubica 698.6 90.6 32.6
14. Heidfeld 696.3 88.3 31.7
15. Piquet 677.6 69.6 24.8
16. Sutil 679 71 25.3
17. Buemi 678.5 70.5 25.1
18. Fisichella 652 44 15.3
19. Webber 656 48 16.8
20. Bourdais 667.5 59.5 21.0

[oddlycalm]

I'm never picking anything Williams again in the fantasy challenge.

Ouch, that bad eh...? :laugh:

oc

[Insomniac]

Ouch, that bad eh...? :laugh:

oc

They look nice on Friday and then find a way to get worse over the weekend. Too much of a gamble. Guess I'll have to go with the tool.

[oddlycalm]

They look nice on Friday and then find a way to get worse over the weekend. Too much of a gamble. Guess I'll have to go with the tool.
The magic worked for them again. First in all three practice sessions then 9th in qualifying after loading the car with fuel and 9th in the race. :confused: Why load the car with that much fuel and condemn yourself to a mid grid spot when you have one of the top cars? The only other cars that ran heavier were those that handn't a snowballs chance in hell.

oc

[cameraman]

They might just be making ultralight fast practice runs just to keep their faces in the news. Once reality sets in they are just not that fast.

[nissan gtp]

I really wish Williams could do better.

[oddlycalm]

They might just be making ultralight fast practice runs just to keep their faces in the news. Once reality sets in they are just not that fast.
No doubt, but if they are fast enough to qualify 9th with 26 laps of fuel on board seems clear they would be fast enough to qualify top 5 with 18 laps of fuel. :confused:

It would sure make the season more interesting if there was another team fighting for the podium.

oc

[emjaya]

Rosberg never got a break all race.

Running light got Toyota third, why Williams does what is does is a mystery to me. :\

[oddlycalm]

Here we go again in what amounts to reverse futility the Williams is once again champion of practice. :laugh:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:21.588 43
2. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:21.740 + 0.152 40
3. Alonso Renault (B) 1:21.781 + 0.193 36
4. Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:21.843 + 0.255 39
5. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:22.027 + 0.439 37
6. Button Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:22.052 + 0.464 35
7. Vettel Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:22.082 + 0.494 45
8. Piquet Renault (B) 1:22.349 + 0.761 26
9. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:22.571 + 0.983 17
10. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:22.599 + 1.011 40

[cameraman]

And his times did not improve as much as the others.

Q1 1:20.745
Q2 1:20.256
Q3 1:22.558 9th place carrying between 13 and 23 kg more fuel than the cars in front of him:saywhat:

1. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 646kg
2. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 651.5
3. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 649.5
4. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 655
5. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 651.5
6. Timo Glock, Toyota, 646.5
7. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 655.5
8. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 645
9. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 668
10. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 660
11. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 676.6
12. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 677.4
13. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 676.3
14. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 683
15. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 678
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 673
17. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso, 669
18. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 657
19. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 675
20. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India, 656

[oddlycalm]

And his times did not improve as much as the others.

Q1 1:20.745
Q2 1:20.256
Q3 1:22.558 9th place carrying between 13 and 23 kg more fuel than the cars in front of him:saywhat:
Yeah, not sure who is making the strategy calls at Williams but they seem stubbornly daft. Same strategy every race and it's backfired every time. Why so much fuel...? The car may not be the fastest on the grid but it's clearly damn good and Rosberg is lapping very consistently, so why throw a boat anchor in...? We could have another guy contesting for podiums every race if it wasn't for the jacktard strategy.

oc

[cameraman]

Umm huh?


"I must say I am very pleased with today’s result because we weren’t looking good this morning. In qualifying, we struggled to get the tyres to work because the temperatures were only just about right. The tyres weren’t perfect on the first lap, but then they came together on the second. I managed to hook up a strong lap in Q2 which put me as high as P7, but I then didn’t have any tyres left for Q3. We did the best we could and we can be happy with the fifth row. We have a strong strategy so we have a good chance for the race tomorrow."


Director of Engineering: "We had a difficult morning in practice, mainly caused by traffic problems, but we also struggled with the tyres. In qualifying, Nico secured a good time in Q2 to enter Q3 and then take ninth. Kazuki unfortunately just missed out on Q3 but P11 is a good position to start from. Because we’d used all of our new tyres, we decided to take a more conservative direction with race strategy so we won’t be threatening the front runners in the early laps of the race."

[FCYTravis]

Buemi faster than Seabass, even with 9 kilos more fuel.

[cameraman]

Buemi faster than Seabass, even with 9 kilos more fuel.
They were not running those loads in q1 and q2.

[oddlycalm]

I stand corrected. There was a valid strategic reason, or at least a low percentage gamble, for running Rosberg with so much fuel. He was the reason why Button was switched from a 3 stop strategy to a 2 stop.

Tony Dodgins at Autosport
How Woobens lost in Spain (http://www.autosport.com/features/article.php/id/2160)

the problem was Nico Rosberg. As they crossed the line on lap 17, one before Jenson was due in, Nico, helped by the Safety Car, was still just 18.5s behind Jenson despite being fuelled to run to lap 25. Jenson was going to come out behind him and, this being Barcelona, wouldn't stand a cat in hell's chance of passing him. That was going to seriously hurt him and so the three-stopper was abandoned.

oc

[Insomniac]

I stand corrected. There was a valid strategic reason, or at least a low percentage gamble, for running Rosberg with so much fuel. He was the reason why Button was switched from a 3 stop strategy to a 2 stop.

Tony Dodgins at Autosport
How Woobens lost in Spain (http://www.autosport.com/features/article.php/id/2160)


oc

So they raced one guy to win and the other (who was in front) on another strategy. Yeah, Rubens lost because of Rosberg. :)

[oddlycalm]

So they raced one guy to win and the other (who was in front) on another strategy. Yeah, Rubens lost because of Rosberg. :)

Yeah, who knew....? :gomer:

oc

[cameraman]

After seven years of Schumi how the hell can you guys expect anything else? Braun is after the championship(s), nothing else matters.

[miatanut]

A budget cap in exchange for greater technical freedom? What's not to like. If the big teams want to bolt, screw 'em. F1 was great fun when it was mostly privateers running Cosworths.

[Methanolandbrats]

Techinical freedom with no money.........grate :gomer:.............which team will develop really trick shoe polish to judge tire wear and setup.

[Insomniac]

After seven years of Schumi how the hell can you guys expect anything else? Braun is after the championship(s), nothing else matters.

I don't expect anything else. But, Schumacher >> Button. He doesn't get passed by Rubens when his car is lighter and not broken.

[Insomniac]

Techinical freedom with no money.........grate :gomer:.............which team will develop really trick shoe polish to judge tire wear and setup.

I wouldn't say no money. Just not anywhere close to the $300-400M the top teams spend. I personally believe you can make a damn fast car with less rules and $20M. If they leave the rules the same for 3 seasons, then you can spend $60M over the life of the design to squeeze as much as you can out of it. Then start all over.

[oddlycalm]

After seven years of Schumi how the hell can you guys expect anything else? Braun is after the championship(s), nothing else matters.

The amusing aspect to me is that Brawn seems able do it with Button or Schumi. :laugh:

oc

[Sean Malone]

The amusing aspect to me is that Brawn seems able do it with Button or Schumi. :laugh:

oc

I've been giggling over that this year myself. I'm enjoying rooting for Button underdog but I think JPM's grandma could win in that car.

[oddlycalm]

I've been giggling over that this year myself. I'm enjoying rooting for Button underdog but I think JPM's grandma could win in that car.
It is a really good car but it's also worth mentioning that Button has been doing his job. Whatever his relative skill level his worst mistakes of the season have been getting beaten off the line a couple times and in Bahrain he passed Hamilton on the opening lap with a strong move. Of course the move wouldn't have been possible if the car wasn't able to make it stick...:D

oc

[miatanut]

Techinical freedom with no money.........grate :gomer:.............which team will develop really trick shoe polish to judge tire wear and setup.

I'm getting a bit bored with everything regulated, down to number of cylinders, "V" angle, and even bore spacing.

Come on! This is supposed to be the pinnacle of motorsport.

[gurneyfan]

Rosberg seems to be the king of early practice with the setup the team brings to the track.

It seems likely that he doesn't give them enough feedback to improve the car and it's a fair guess that Nakajima doesn't either.

With a slower car they aren't going to win except by a fluke.

Therefore they're trying weird strategies to get a fluke win while he gains experience.

It might work over the course of the season.

[oddlycalm]

And the streak continues....:laugh:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:15.243 45
2. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:15.445 + 0.202 34
3. Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:15.590 + 0.347 40
4. Button Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:15.774 + 0.531 35
5. Massa Ferrari (B) 1:15.832 + 0.589 41
6. Vettel Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:15.847 + 0.604 33
7. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:15.984 + 0.741 44
8. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:15.985 + 0.742 42
9. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:16.260 + 1.017 42
10. Piquet Renault (B) 1:16.286 + 1.043 42
11. Alonso Renault (B) 1:16.552 + 1.309 38
12. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:16.579 + 1.336 27
13. Sutil Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:16.675 + 1.432 37
14. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:16.915 + 1.672 42
15. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:16.983 + 1.740 47
16. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:17.052 + 1.809 47
17. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1:17.109 + 1.866 39
18. Glock Toyota (B) 1:17.207 + 1.964 44
19. Fisichella Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:17.504 + 2.261 44
20. Kubica BMW-Sauber (B) No time 2

[cameraman]

What's with the Kubica futility this year?

[opinionated ow]

What's with the Kubica futility this year?

Catastrophic Engine Failure.

[oddlycalm]

That reminded me of the comprehensive failures on the Honda a few seasons back. As David Hobbs is fond of saying KaBLAMMO.

oc

[Methanolandbrats]

Those things don't hook up too well coming off slow corners, should be interesting in a pack. Are there lots of cranes there? :D

[stroker]

Man, there's some major Toader/BMW suckage in Monaco qualies. Toyota can afford to piss away a few billion in sales and F1 programs, but BMW can't. I gotta wonder if they're going to be around next year if they don't get that sled moving...

[emjaya]

I gotta wonder if they're going to be around next year if they don't get that sled moving...

The rumours in the paddock, according to Brundle, say they won't be....