The F1 thread

Boromedic

Bottas quickest, and although they've sandbagged in other P1 sessions Ferrari well off the pace. Worried about their trick paddle being spotted perhaps, and potential penalties? One theory is it's exhaust blowing for aero improvements.

chillidoggy

Better he does it in practice than the race.

Fretwired

Boromedic said:

Bottas quickest, and although they've sandbagged in other P1 sessions Ferrari well off the pace. Worried about their trick paddle being spotted perhaps, and potential penalties? One theory is it's exhaust blowing for aero improvements.

More information here: http://www.marca.com/en/more-sports/2018/04/24/5adf5d66e5fdea2d2e8b46aa.html

Could be they switched it off for practice so as not to stress the engine. This would explain the difference in performance from FP1, 2 and 3 and Q2 and 3.

Boromedic

Yeah probably likely whatever it is, heck of a performance deficit if it is just exhaust blowing. Although I'd expect it's an engine boost with exhaust benefits like the article suggests. Explains Vettels speed too, he was master of corner entry and exit speeds with the Red Bull at the height of exhaust blowing.

Fretwired

Max whacks the wall again but keeps going .. :-)

not_the_dj

Non F1 news.....Jenson Button’s entered the WEC driving for SMP in the LMP1 class, he’s missing Spa so his first race will be Le Mans! 

sinbaadi

He's doing the full Super GT season for Honda also.  2nd place in the opener.

Heartfeltdawn

sinbaadi said:

He's doing the full Super GT season for Honda also.  2nd place in the opener.

And here he is. Nice to have a complete in-car stint.

chillidoggy

Looks more like bumper car racing to me.

Heartfeltdawn

chillidoggy said:

Looks more like bumper car racing to me.

Okayama is like that as a circuit. Having two different racing categories around one circuit is a bit tight. 

Fretwired

So yesterday in FP Ferrari were nowhere. Today they are magically much faster and 1 & 2 thus far. Party mode engaged ...

Fretwired

It will be worth watching the start tomorrow .. how Kimi will regret his wobble ...

Dodge

Fretwired said:

It will be worth watching the start tomorrow .. how Kimi will regret his wobble ...

Gutted for Kimi - that was looking like some lap.  I always get the feeling if Kimi gave a shit, he'd be up there with the quickest guys.

Garthy

Vettel's magic paddle slowed Kimi down...

Boromedic

Definitely something on that car which adds a power boost and is then blowing the exhaust. Coupled with Friday engine preservation possibly due to the new rules. Hell of a performance difference Fri to Sat at all GPs with Baku being the largest. Thought Kimi was gonna have it at the end there! 

Seb needs a stable car that's predictable and he is then super quick, same as at Red Bull. This paddle may just be giving him that stability. Let's see if the FIA take any action after they've had a closer look, might just be that Ferrari have found a loophole in the regs, a la Brawn. Still with Todt in charge and the former Ferrari tech director in scrutineering........

Race should be chaos as usual, expect Verstappen in the wall at some point.

Heartfeltdawn

The AverageBot beats the Kimi again despite Ferrari now being appointed 'best car 2018'. 

Did anyone see Bernie Ecclestone on Sky F1? He looks like a cross between a Jazz Club performer and a just prior to regeneration Time Lord. 

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24181/11346949/lewis-hamilton-is-not-the-racer-he-once-was-says-bernie-ecclestone

Fretwired

Heartfeltdawn said:

The AverageBot beats the Kimi again despite Ferrari now being appointed 'best car 2018'. 

Did anyone see Bernie Ecclestone on Sky F1? He looks like a cross between a Jazz Club performer and a just prior to regeneration Time Lord. 

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24181/11346949/lewis-hamilton-is-not-the-racer-he-once-was-says-bernie-ecclestone

AverageBot didn't beat Kimi ... Kimi out braked himself pushing hard. AverageBot is average so will sometimes seem to do well when the top guys overdo things trying to push. The hare and the tortoise. I doubt he'll be at Merc next year It will be interesting tomorrow as on paper Hamilton is faster than Vettel on super soft and the cooler temps should favour the Merc.

Heartfeltdawn

Fretwired said:

AverageBot didn't beat Kimi ... Kimi out braked himself pushing hard. AverageBot is average so will sometimes seem to do well when the top guys overdo things trying to push. The hare and the tortoise. I doubt he'll be at Merc next year It will be interesting tomorrow as on paper Hamilton is faster than Vettel on super soft and the cooler temps should favour the Merc.

So AverageBot makes a mistake in Australia during qualifying and you nail him. Kimi fucks up here and he's still one of the 'top guys'. If he ever wins a race for the Prancing Horse, I think a national holiday should be called for. Max and Kimi on the same row should be fun tomorrow. 

Garthy

Fretwired said:

Heartfeltdawn said:

The AverageBot beats the Kimi again despite Ferrari now being appointed 'best car 2018'. 

Did anyone see Bernie Ecclestone on Sky F1? He looks like a cross between a Jazz Club performer and a just prior to regeneration Time Lord. 

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24181/11346949/lewis-hamilton-is-not-the-racer-he-once-was-says-bernie-ecclestone

AverageBot didn't beat Kimi ... Kimi out braked himself pushing hard. AverageBot is average so will sometimes seem to do well when the top guys overdo things trying to push. The hare and the tortoise. I doubt he'll be at Merc next year It will be interesting tomorrow as on paper Hamilton is faster than Vettel on super soft and the cooler temps should favour the Merc.

Bottas vs Massa:

2014, 6 podiums, 17 points finishes and 186 points vs 3 podiums, 11 points finishes and 134 points.
2015, 2 podiums, 13 points finishes and 136 points vs 2 podiums, 13 points finishes and 121 points
2016, 1 podium, 15 points finishes and 85 points vs 13 points finishes and 53 points.

Raikkonen vs Massa:

2007: WDC, 6 wins, 11 podiums, 15 points finishes, 110 points vs 3 wins, 10 podiums, 14 points finishes, 94 points
2008: 2 wins, 9 podiums, 12 points finishes, 75 points vs 6* wins, 10 podiums, 13** points finishes and 97 points

* -Includes Belgium which is a truly disgusting moment in motorsport.
** - Includes Fuji where Ferrari International Assistance triggered the new stewarding rules for subsequent seasons and T1L1 rules being amended.

There isn't much between Kimi and Massa. Bottas is a step above Massa.

Fretwired

Garthy said:

Fretwired said:

Heartfeltdawn said:

The AverageBot beats the Kimi again despite Ferrari now being appointed 'best car 2018'. 

Did anyone see Bernie Ecclestone on Sky F1? He looks like a cross between a Jazz Club performer and a just prior to regeneration Time Lord. 

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24181/11346949/lewis-hamilton-is-not-the-racer-he-once-was-says-bernie-ecclestone

AverageBot didn't beat Kimi ... Kimi out braked himself pushing hard. AverageBot is average so will sometimes seem to do well when the top guys overdo things trying to push. The hare and the tortoise. I doubt he'll be at Merc next year It will be interesting tomorrow as on paper Hamilton is faster than Vettel on super soft and the cooler temps should favour the Merc.

Bottas vs Massa:

2014, 6 podiums, 17 points finishes and 186 points vs 3 podiums, 11 points finishes and 134 points.
2015, 2 podiums, 13 points finishes and 136 points vs 2 podiums, 13 points finishes and 121 points
2016, 1 podium, 15 points finishes and 85 points vs 13 points finishes and 53 points.

Raikkonen vs Massa:

2007: WDC, 6 wins, 11 podiums, 15 points finishes, 110 points vs 3 wins, 10 podiums, 14 points finishes, 94 points
2008: 2 wins, 9 podiums, 12 points finishes, 75 points vs 6* wins, 10 podiums, 13** points finishes and 97 points

* -Includes Belgium which is a truly disgusting moment in motorsport.
** - Includes Fuji where Ferrari International Assistance triggered the new stewarding rules for subsequent seasons and T1L1 rules being amended.

There isn't much between Kimi and Massa. Bottas is a step above Massa.

I agree with you .. I'm merely pointing out how things get reported in F1 as in 'Hamilton's mistake at the last corner gifted Vettel pole' ... :-)

I think with the top three teams are so close that they need drivers who can hustle a car around the track to make an extra 3/10ths that the car hasn't got. Hamilton can do it (he did it yesterday) as can Vettel, Alonso and Vestappen. Kimi was doing the right thing and was on for pole, but screwed it up. Bottas was nowhere. It's the difference between a good driver and a great driver.

Bottas is a great wing man but he's been shown wanting and whilst Woolf wouldn't openly criticise him there's a general view that if Hamilton had been behind Vettel at the last race he'd have got past. Bottas was too timid and tentative chasing a car with seriously worn tyres.

There are rumours that Ricciardo is likely to go to Mercedes next year - when asked he just smiled.

The race should be interesting tomorrow with at least one safety car so Mercedes better have their strategy right for once or the Bulls and Ferrari will pounce.