Results from today's FP sessions:
Midfield close and also still closer to the top teams than last season which is good and hope they can keep up development race with top teams.
Add lay-out of the track and we should get fun Sunday!
And loved the new rear tire heating procedure from Mercedes :)
By Spengo Go To PostLooks like Red Bull sorted out the kinks they had in their car from Bahrain. Podium imminent.Their Bahrain test must have really helped them, they looked good on short runs (Max little error last corner cost him 2 tenths), but also on the long run. Shame Mercedes switched tire use order in the long runs, so it's harder to compare them to Max and Vettel. Ferrari still mega fast on the straights but they loose more in the slow/medium speed corners than last race, another engine issue (add the new ice electronic controls they use this weekend (Fer/haas)) for Leclerc must get worrisome for Ferrari.
Midfield close and also still closer to the top teams than last season which is good and hope they can keep up development race with top teams.
Add lay-out of the track and we should get fun Sunday!
And loved the new rear tire heating procedure from Mercedes :)
By Spengo Go To PostDidn't Mercedes change rear wings or something?their new fron wingt, similar to request by FIA to RBR/Williams last race weekend.
If I understood correctly the wing endplate had small cut out (for outwash) and not confirm this years FIA rules. Although hard time understanding exactly why (side vieuw of endplate and not being able to see the top flap), similar for teams otherwise 3 would not have done it, so I guess they want to keep spmething in check before it gets to crazy.
Gotcha.
Not sure if I'm going to get up at 5am this time. I watched like all of FP1, and still saw all the highlights.
Not sure if I'm going to get up at 5am this time. I watched like all of FP1, and still saw all the highlights.
No Albon and also Giovinazzi had an issue and did not a lap, so remaining usual suspects out. Leclerc had to do extra run due to mega traffic in first run, so he misses a set of reds compared to others and Max looses 6/7 ths in final sector :(
Top 5 through on the mediums, Renault ad Haas boys complete top 10 (Kvyat misses out on 12 hundreds) , McLaren struggling a bit more this weekend 14/15th, but maybe free tire choice will help them in the race
Between the two Mercs, 0,007 advantage Valteri 1st run, Max splits Ferrari's
Bottas Pole entire weekend better than Lewis so far Ferraris 2nd row and 4/5 cars miss the flag to slow outlap (both RBRs and Haas cars and a Renault??) unbelievable :oops: I see Vettel was not nice again, like last weekend, he will get that back. ALso guess people are pissed on Lewis his slow lap, but he has the right to do what ever he wants, but guess others might see that different, will be fun next few weeks and specially Monaco last sector.
Full session:
Bottas Pole entire weekend better than Lewis so far Ferraris 2nd row and 4/5 cars miss the flag to slow outlap (both RBRs and Haas cars and a Renault??) unbelievable :oops: I see Vettel was not nice again, like last weekend, he will get that back. ALso guess people are pissed on Lewis his slow lap, but he has the right to do what ever he wants, but guess others might see that different, will be fun next few weeks and specially Monaco last sector.
Full session:
Bottas is on a mission this year.
Max is crumbling under the pressure this year it seems without Riccardo there.
Max is crumbling under the pressure this year it seems without Riccardo there.
Phew so close, thought Lewis had but nice to see his car finally come together. I really like those long sweeping corners at Shanghai, tomorrow should be really good as I think Ferrari will make it competitive.
By Lunatic Go To PostMax is crumbling under the pressure this year it seems without Riccardo there.WTF?
Vettel and the Renault boys just basically broke the 'gentlemens agreement' that you shouldn't overtake in the second to last corner.
By Spengo Go To PostVettel and the Renault boys just basically broke the 'gentlemens agreement' that you shouldn't overtake in the second to last corner.when clock is ticking away, it is everyone for himselve so guess Max his engineer should have made that clear, but no doubt Max wil remember what happened with Vettel.
Great track to race and great corner to go two wide at the start, so race should be great if they let eachother live after the start. (exit corner 1) Midfield race with two diferent tire strategies sjould also ne great.
By Spengo Go To PostReturn of Mad Max? This one looks like it could be the closest battle so far.hehe you were right spin on cold tires ;) on outlap.
clean start, only 2 McLaren hit eachother and a TR, yeah Danill. Clean side guys gained a place
Kvyat oversteer into McLaren
Meh Mercedes got this easly, procession until the end of the race.
Daniil Kyvat is still a Fucken madman.
Daniil Kyvat is still a Fucken madman.
common Ferrari :(
If nothing hapens with tire wear this it is napping time, Max seams 1st one to start struging, nah just one bad lap.
Kimi on the yellows is going to get those in front
If nothing hapens with tire wear this it is napping time, Max seams 1st one to start struging, nah just one bad lap.
Kimi on the yellows is going to get those in front
By Spengo Go To PostLeclerc gets to know the Raikkonen strategy today.it is amazing that race 3 of the season and Ferrari is already making sure that drivers aren't going to be happy as Vettel was not quicker at the time and Charles get shafted by the strategy. Maybe he can salvage 4th, but keeping him out so long means gap to Max is unnecessary big.
Merc at it's dominant best and start decided race. Ferrari already shafting Leclerc will add unnecesary pressure to the entire team, they need to focus on fixing their low speed cornering grip. RBR needs 3/4 ths (more than others) from a Barcelona update if they want to get closer to the Mercs, only positive is Max again maximising points. Ghostly picks up an extra point by setting fastest lap, but need to find massive amount of pace.
DannyRic only starter from midfield on reds who keeps position, Perez/Kimi better startegy by missing out on Q3. And Albon from crash, pits street start to a point, quality drive.
And midfield already lapped by Mercs in Race 3 of the season, so much for gap is closing :P
RBR last few season always had minimal/simple rear wings (compared to for example McLaren), I think it is mainly down due to lower drag (down on HP and already lot of downforce from floor/diffuser).
Would not be to shocked now Honda has delivered, that we will see something different in Spain (or even Monaco).
Would not be to shocked now Honda has delivered, that we will see something different in Spain (or even Monaco).
This weekend it is the Azerbaijan GP, time for another 1-2.
Last years completely bonkers race highlights for those that missed them:
Track:
Last year:
FP1 - Bottas - 1.44.242
FP2 - Ricciardo - 1.42.795
FP3 - Vettel - 1.43.091
Qualify - Vettel - 1.41.498
Race - Hamilton - 1u43min44.291
Fastest Lap - Bottas - 1.45.149
Team tire Selection:
Last years completely bonkers race highlights for those that missed them:
Track:
Last year:
FP1 - Bottas - 1.44.242
FP2 - Ricciardo - 1.42.795
FP3 - Vettel - 1.43.091
Qualify - Vettel - 1.41.498
Race - Hamilton - 1u43min44.291
Fastest Lap - Bottas - 1.45.149
Team tire Selection:
By Kidjr Go To PostIs this a Ferrari or mercedes track? Looks like a like more straight than bendsIf Ferrari with their lowdownforce set-up that you need at this track get a bit better balance than in China yes, but otherwise they will loose to much to Merc in the 2nd sector to make up on the mega long straight.
But I expect it to be close and the team that get tire temp best under controll, lot of 90 degree corners not much load/temp, to come out on top.
Or just lets have a last year repeat :P
FP1 session was over before it really started. Leclerc drove over drain cover, loosened it a bit and Russel was the next one to drive over it and hit it.
Than recovery car with crane, did not lower crane enough and hit bridge, destroying crane and that started leaking oil on to the Williams and they needed another car to get it off the recovery car :P
Bonkers ;)
Than recovery car with crane, did not lower crane enough and hit bridge, destroying crane and that started leaking oil on to the Williams and they needed another car to get it off the recovery car :P
Bonkers ;)
By Spengo Go To PostSo I didn’t miss anything? Lap times?no running other than two Ferrari laps
By Spengo Go To PostHeheTwo more red flags so far this afternoon, which will not help teams at all to get enough running.
1st Stroll early in FP2:
And now Kvyat with another red flag...happy Birthday Danill ;)
Also lot of this......lock-ups and straight through.
By markao Go To PostTwo more red flags so far this afternoon, which will not help teams at all to get enough running.I was at work fyeah
FP2:
Messy day meant that being on the track at the wrong moment messed up your lap, so don't read to much in the order.
Ferrari did look better on single lap, Mercedes on long run, Max just behind the Mercs on his run on the reds.
Leclerc just got away with his hit:
Kevin vs Lewis....yep this is FP2 :P , hitting each other.
Gasly locking up under yellow, for .....
Messy day meant that being on the track at the wrong moment messed up your lap, so don't read to much in the order.
Ferrari did look better on single lap, Mercedes on long run, Max just behind the Mercs on his run on the reds.
Leclerc just got away with his hit:
Kevin vs Lewis....yep this is FP2 :P , hitting each other.
Gasly locking up under yellow, for .....
By Spengo Go To PostGasly retire bitch.Also reported to the stewards for failing to stop for the "weight bridge"
DannyRic destroyed both his medium and softs with lock-ups so no long run for him, Helmut's RBR talent pool needs an update ;)
Leclerc almost beating last years pole time, Ferrari pace is stunning. Big(ger) rearwing and even without tow the fastest last sector. Other teams tried slightly more downforce, compared to yesterday, set-ups (to heat tires better/more load) but the gap Ferrari now has, I'm curious if they return to yesterday's levels. Max got better tow than Mercs, otherwise just behind them, but who cares when you are over 1 second of the Ferrari's.
Perfect tow out of the last corner is worth 5/6 tenths and seeing how close things are, specially midfield, you need some luck #doicare.