2013 Chinese Grand Prix

[rage2]

I know it's only FP1 but damn Mercedes is looking good. Rosberg a second over the Bulls. Schooling Hamilton too. Rosberg for WDC haha.

[ottamania]

yea, he is pretty fast for sure. Perez went off but dunno if there was any big damage.

[Kramerica]

Was on the fence about buying a Mercedes or Lotus hat and ended up buying a lotus one after Kimi's win. Now Mercedes looks like the car to beat

Looks like its going to be a great race. Nice to see Webber setting better times than Vettel, hopefully that continues throughout the season

[phreezee]

Vettel's true nature comes out, what an ass. Goes from total denial/apologetic to "I would probably do the same.... He didn't deserve it."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/106631

[Inzane]

^ I disagree with Vettel's assessment that Webber didn't deserve it (the win). Webber had absolutely earned that win.

[diamondedge]

I can't wait to see how this race plays out.

[Kramerica]

Vettel's press interviews was probably the most incoherent babbling I've ever heard. This was basically what I understood his explaination to be:

"I didn't understand the order to not pass Webber so it's not my fault. But if it happened again and I did understand the message, I'd think it through, and do it exactly the same way. Because despite being infront of me, Webber didn't deserve to win as much as I did being behind him."

So he wasn't being a dick this time and it was all just a misunderstanding and he didn't mean to do it, but if he did understand it he would've still acted like a dick? and he's sorta sorry to the team about it?

[diamondedge]

Originally posted by Kramerica
Vettel's press interviews was probably the most incoherent babbling I've ever heard. This was basically what I understood his explaination to be:

"I didn't understand the order to not pass Webber so it's not my fault. But if it happened again and I did understand the message, I'd think it through, and do it exactly the same way. Because despite being infront of me, Webber didn't deserve to win as much as I did being behind him."

So he wasn't being a dick this time and it was all just a misunderstanding and he didn't mean to do it, but if he did understand it he would've still acted like a dick? and he's sorta sorry to the team about it?

Hahahahaha exactly. He's spoiled and will take advantage of it as long as he can

[ottamania]

He said he was faster than Webber so he took over. Thats BS. Rosberg should have passed Hamilton too in that case but he didn't. Hamilton still said it in the podium that Rosberg should have been up there instead and big thnx to him and will return the favour eventually.

[rob the knob]

2013 FORMULA 1 UBS CHINESE GRAND PRIX
Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps
1 10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:35.793 1:35.078 1:34.484 9
2 7 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault 1:37.046 1:35.659 1:34.761 11
3 3 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:36.253 1:35.148 1:34.788 12
4 9 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:35.959 1:35.537 1:34.861 9
5 4 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:35.972 1:35.403 1:34.933 12
6 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:36.929 1:36.065 1:35.364 9
7 19 Daniel Ricciardo STR-Ferrari 1:36.993 1:36.258 1:35.998 15
8 5 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:36.667 1:35.784 2:05.673 12
9 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:36.537 1:35.343 No time 13
10 11 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1:36.985 1:36.261 No time 11
11 14 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1:37.478 1:36.287 9
12 6 Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1:36.952 1:36.314 10
13 15 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:37.349 1:36.405 11
DSQ 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:36.148 1:36.679 6
15 16 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1:37.281 1:37.139 10
16 18 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Ferrari 1:37.508 1:37.199 12
17 17 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1:37.769 3
18 12 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1:37.990 5
19 22 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1:38.780 6
20 23 Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1:39.537 3
21 20 Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1:39.614 6
22 21 Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1:39.660 6
Q1 107% Time 1:42.498







2013 FORMULA 1 UBS CHINESE GRAND PRIX
Provisional Results
No Driver Team Grid
10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1
7 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault 2
3 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 3
9 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 4
4 Felipe Massa Ferrari 5
8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 6
19 Daniel Ricciardo STR-Ferrari 7
5 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 8
1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 9
11 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 10
14 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 11
6 Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 12
15 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 13
16 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 14
18 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Ferrari 15
17 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 16
12 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 17
22 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 18
23 Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 19
20 Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 20
21 Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 21
2 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault 22






Fuel sample penalty sends Webber to the back of the grid 13 Apr 2013

Red Bull's Mark Webber will start Sunday's 2013 Formula 1 UBS Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai from the back of the grid after the stewards found that he did not have enough fuel in his car for the mandatory one-litre post-qualifying sample.

The news compounds a miserable day for the Australian driver in which he had initially qualified in 14th place after being told over the radio to park his car midway through Q2.

Red Bull later confirmed that the stoppage was caused by a refuelling problem that led to 3kg of fuel not being delivered to Webber's RB9.

"The fuel bowser has been immediately quarantined for further investigation," said team principal Christian Horner, after stewards found just 150ml of fuel in Webber's car.

A similar problem forced Webber's team mate Sebastian Vettel to start the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from the back of the grid.

Under the regulations, any car that stops on the track during qualifying must have enough fuel left for the mandatory one-litre minimum sample, plus an additional amount proportional to the amount of fuel that would have been used in returning to the pits.










Qualifying - Hamilton charges to first Mercedes pole 13 Apr 2013

Lewis Hamilton will aim for a third Chinese Grand Prix victory in Shanghai on Sunday after taking pole position on Saturday with a best lap of 1m 34.484s in the final, Q3 qualifying session in which everyone minimised mileage in order to preserve their tyres.

The 2008 world champion was understandably delighted with his first pole position since joining Mercedes and will be joined on the front row by Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen, who had earlier set fastest time with 1m 34.761s. However, the Finn may be investigated after Adrian Sutil claimed that he impeded him during his final run in Q1.

Fernando Alonso finished third for Ferrari with 1m 34.788s, ahead of Nico Rosberg on 1m 34.861s and the other Ferrari of Felipe Massa on 1m 34.933s.

Romain Grosjean was sixth for Lotus on 1m 35.364s, and the final genuine time came from Daniel Ricciardo whose Toro Rosso was seventh on 1m 35.998s, after McLaren's Jenson Button did a tactical 2m 05.673s on the medium compound tyre for eighth.

Sebastian Vettel will start a lowly ninth for Red Bull, but with a free choice of tyres for the race after failing to log a time in Q3. The reigning world champion - who along with Button opted to run medium rubber in the final session - aborted his final run after a problem under braking at the hairpin. Nico Hulkenberg also failed to log a time and will start tenth for Sauber after tactically opting not to complete a flying lap.

As Hamilton dominated Q2, the session proved hugely disappointing for Mark Webber whose Red Bull apparently wasn’t fuelled sufficiently to make it back to the pits after he’d set what was at first the second-fastest time. The Australian may yet get penalised from an eventual 14th place if he fails to provide a fuel sample if required.

A late improvement from Daniel Ricciardo set the cat among the pigeons as he jumped his Toro Rosso to an eventual ninth overall. That meant that Paul di Resta was the first to be knocked out, after lapping his Force India in 1m 36.287s compared to the 1m 36.261s that got Hulkenberg through in 10th place. Sergio Perez didn’t make it either, the Mexican recording 1m 36.314s in the second McLaren.

Adrian Sutil did 1m 36.405s in the other Force India while Webber’s best was 1m 36.679s, leaving him on the seventh row. Behind Webber, Pastor Maldonado posted 1m 37.139s in the lead Williams, with Jean-Eric Vergne 16th in the second Toro Rosso on 1m 37.199s.

Unusually, there had been no immediate rush for drivers to get out for the start of Q1 as preservation of Pirelli’s soft tyres was uppermost in every mind. As Hamilton topped the times from Rosberg and Massa, the session weeded out Valtteri Bottas’ Williams, on 1m 37.769s, Esteban Gutierrez’s Sauber on 1m 37.990s, and both of the Marussia and Caterham drivers.

Until late improvements by the Toro Rossos, it seemed that Jules Bianchi was going to make Q2 for Marussia, but Vergne’s and Ricciardo’s final laps, and similar late improvements for Bottas and Gutierrez, left the order of the final quartet as Bianchi, 1m 38.780s; Chilton, 1m 39.537s; Giedo van der Garde, 1m 39.614s; and Charles Pic, 1m 39.660s.

[Kramerica]

Kimi and Hamilton on the front row

Shaping up to be an excellent race, nice to see Button spoiling Vettel's party by setting the slowest lap in the world.

[cloud7]

Tough break for Webber... I guess the team doesn't want him to start near Vettel.

[ottamania]

Originally posted by cloud7
Tough break for Webber... I guess the team doesn't want him to start near Vettel.

Something to do with the fuel pressure on his car but regardless poor Webber.

[DJ Lazy]

Originally posted by ottamania


Something to do with the fuel pressure on his car but regardless poor Webber.

He had 150mL of fuel for a sample... Simply under-fueled.

"The 36-year-old only had 150ml fuel left in his tank and Red Bull said "a fuel bowser problem caused an incorrect fuel measurement to be delivered to Mark's car". "

[phreezee]

Surprised about the qualifying positions with Massa and Rosberg dropping back after dominating practice. Kimi was a definite surprise, but a welcome one.

McLaren never had the backend grip all weekend, and Whitmarsh says it's going to take until at least after Spain to figure things out. Perez was off track twice in practice and it's no surprise he qualified where he did.

I think starting on the medium tire strategy will backfire on Vettel. He didn't have the pace of Mercedes or Ferrari on either tire and a very late pit will see him in 5th or 6th place. I hope Button can finish in 7th.

Hamilton is definitely the fastest, but Kimi is better at taking care of his tires so the first 5-6 laps will decide the race. It's anybody's guess what happens between Alonso, Rosberg, Massa and Grosjean.

[Kramerica]

Originally posted by phreezee
I think starting on the medium tire strategy will backfire on Vettel. He didn't have the pace of Mercedes or Ferrari on the either tire and a very late pit will see him in 5th or 6th place. I hope Button can finish in 7th.

Whether that strategy will work or not will be dependent on him getting past Button and Riccardo as quick as possible and taking advantage of an open track once the front runners pit. Otherwise he's just going to chew up those tires sitting in turbulent air.

Riccardo will move out of the way unless he wants to commit career suicide. I hope Button gives him a ton of hassle though.

[rage2]

Originally posted by phreezee
Hamilton is definitely the fastest, but Kimi is better at taking care of his tires so the first 5-6 laps will decide the race.

Don't forget that Mercedes was able to make those softs last the longest in the start of the race. It's all dependent on setup, and not driver.

[xnvy]

So, Webber is parked on the side of the track and his wheel is rolling along without him?

Is the whole world out to get him?

[DJ Lazy]

What a tight finish to the race. I was shitting bricks as Vettel was catching up!

[xnvy]

Originally posted by DJ Lazy
What a tight finish to the race. I was shitting bricks as Vettel was catching up!

Glad to see he didn't make the podium. I think the final margin between the two was something along the lines of ~0.2 seconds?