Well done the Hulk....

 

Getting in to Q3.......

 

 

Pretty good race today I thought. Almost the exact reverse of Melbourne between Hamilton and Vettel. Ferrari have shown some speed but can they keep up development? Last 2 seasons they have started strong but faded

12 hour shift but hope to see the highlights soon. Poor efforts rom Bottas and Kimi according to media.

Edited 9 April, 20179 yr by camelspyyder

Interesting Speed Trap figures from China....

 

POS NO DRIVER          KPH TIME OF DAY

 

1 19 F. MASSA               336.4 15:38:39

2 77 V. BOTTAS             336.0 15:20:40

3 5 S. VETTEL                335.1 14:37:27

4 31 E. OCON                332.7 14:26:13

5 7 K. RAIKKONEN         332.7 15:15:45

6 8 R. GROSJEAN           332.5 15:12:05

7 20 K. MAGNUSSEN      331.6 15:27:44

8 33 M. VERSTAPPEN     330.3 15:02:27

9 3 D. RICCIARDO         329.6 15:38:15

10 30 J. PALMER           328.0 14:28:03

11 11 S. PEREZ             327.6 14:37:41

12 27 N. HULKENBERG  327.6 15:13:44

13 55 C. SAINZ             325.3 15:04:19

14 26 D. KVYAT             324.3 14:26:13

15 9 M. ERICSSON        319.9 15:10:36

16 2 S. VANDOORNE     317.5 14:28:03

17 44 L. HAMILTON       315.5 15:00:11

18 14 F. ALONSO          309.0 14:05:03

19 36 A. GIOVINAZZI    301.9 14:05:07

 

Edited 10 April, 20179 yr by lol-lol

Looks like some of them didn't use DRS all afternoon...

 

or else the speed trap is right on the braking point and Hamilton/Alonso brake earliest of all?

 

Neither likely to be honest.

 

Statistics eh?

Forget the speed through a single point, it means diddly squat in the overall performance. A car is set up to achieve the fastest lap time. There is no point in being 5kph faster than anyone else through the speed trap if your 10kph slower through the corners. I remember the 'good old days' of 'grenade' qualifying engines, blitz the field in qualifying and come 10th in the race.

11 hours ago, moley said:

Forget the speed through a single point, it means diddly squat in the overall performance. A car is set up to achieve the fastest lap time. There is no point in being 5kph faster than anyone else through the speed trap if your 10kph slower through the corners. I remember the 'good old days' of 'grenade' qualifying engines, blitz the field in qualifying and come 10th in the race.

 

I found it interesting that team mates were so different, particularly Bottas and Hamilton.  

 

Max V was absolutely awesome in the damp conditions at the start of the race and great to see, finally after 3 dull seasons in the hybrid era, more close racing.  With Bottas and Räikkönen looking like weak partners, Bottas might come good I reckon though, it could make the constructor championship as well as the driver championship interesting.     

 

2017 CONSTRUCTOR STANDINGS

POS	TEAM	PTS
1	MERCEDES	66
2	FERRARI	65
3	RED BULL RACING TAG HEUER	37

  

 

Looks like JB might be racing in Monaco. 

 

Alonso seems to have a better offer 

Edited 12 April, 20179 yr by gadgetman

I just checked and Eric did say in Feb 2017 that Jenson is the nominated 3rd/reserve driver.

 

It's not the sort of place you'd drop a rookie into is it?

 

Robert Kubica is available though (having binned off his WEC drive with Colin Kolles).

Looks like everyone in the pitlane got broody. 

 

The Wolf's have just welcomed a baby, and now Claire Williams has announced she's expecting - due on the weekend of the US grand prix

JB to drive Monaco GP

 

Welcome back champ!

Nice one Valtteri, nice come back after last week. Hopefully the Ferrari's got a bit more race pace. 

Awesome job by Bottas. Pleased for him to get his first pole. Race should be fun today

More evidence yesterday of this year being Hamilton vs Vettel for the title. Thought Bottas would have more pace than that

What with Bottas speed deficency and MB's now regular tactical naivety, I wish I'd got on Vettel at 14/1 before the first GP

I never really expected Bottas to be fighting for the title BUT I'm not totally writing him off yet, I think yesterday he had tyre pressure issues from the start and surprisingly they (Merc) admitted their cars get through tyres quicker than the Ferrari. 

 

It will be good to see how well Merc function as a team when they are against other genuinely quick teams and not just themselves. Things like tactical decision are easier when you have a car capable of pulling a second or two on every lap over the rest of the field but it makes life harder without that in your pocket. 

Can we make sure that Ferrari don't have loaded guns in their pockets before hailing their new dawn?

Agree don't write 77 off yet. However, apart from the Bahrain pole lap (his only front row so far) when has he looked close to 44?

 

 

I think the emotion he was clearly bottling up, should help going forward. There is much pressure on him, being the new guy in the team and not a race winner yet. I'd be gob-smacked if he hadn't won one by the mid point. Maybe even canny to not be pole, removes the pressure a notch. Reckon he was not a happy bunny from lap#2 though, I thought he was being very canny, could of worked if it wasn't for the pesky tyres!

 

Once he's got really comfortable, team, cars, orders, ways then I think he'll come good. Quali is still a good measure of the minerals, and skills in diff alterations. But the car they have, they could be more strategic on tyres etc... just have to avoid the turn1 melee.

 

He's got a pretty good chance if he keeps his nose clean even with a few 3rds, as hamilton and vettle will be fighting over the same tarmac eventually, a couple of DNF's and pushed engines to go pop-tart will make it close.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 18 April, 20179 yr by ColinD

VJ Mallya arrested in London to be extradited over fraud and debts of around £900 million.

 

Maybe Sauber won't be the next team to go out of business.

Edited 18 April, 20179 yr by camelspyyder

oh lordy... SWMBO only knows one thing about this season.... where's the pink car.

 

Mind you arrested to being judged by peers is a long way to go.

1 hour ago, camelspyyder said:

VJ Mallya arrested in London to be extradited over fraud and debts of around £900 million.

 

Maybe Sauber won't be the next team to go out of business.

 

Whoops, it has been on the cards for a while though hasnt it? 

9 hours ago, ColinD said:

oh lordy... SWMBO only knows one thing about this season.... where's the pink car.

 

Mind you arrested to being judged by peers is a long way to go.

 

It isn't going to be a British court mind you...

A British Court just releases on Bail because obviously anyone with Millions of Squids at their disposal & a revoked passport is not a flight risk from the UK...

It being the place of choice for those evading the justice system in other countries.

Have plenty of money even if other peoples travel to the British Isles and have the protection of Her Majesty, just not at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

Even if I had a thousand pounds, england is soooo easy to get in and out of, wales just as much and scotland is a total doddle! Just need a boat.