Brazilian GP 2009 - Interlagos, Sao Paulo

[Ray]

On speedTV they played JB's cries/rants over the radio about Kobayashi, and very soon after Kobay pretty much let him thru... many people passed Kobay today, but JB took the longest to do it. He just does not have the balls to pass like FA & LH & KR do, and not just today when he didnt want to lose points because of this stupid points racing.

And yet even without points racing, he would have won because he had six wins, more than anyone else. What's your gripe? You can't have it every way possible. He had the opportunity to win a WDC and a WCC today, so what he was careful? Would you throw away two years worth of hard work by your team and ten years of your hard working career to pass a new driver whom you've never raced against in Formula 1 that was sliding around at the back, had already blocked another driver badly in the race for a single position? I sure as hell wouldn't. My career goals and life ambitions aren't worth worrying about someone elses opinion of my performance. He is part of a team, and I'm sure he was thinking about that during that race.

No he is not grid god, far from it [-X ; he is the grid boss though.

And unlike Rubens, Vettel and Jenson he had nothing to lose this season. So he can drive his ass off and be one of the top drivers on the grid. So he's not a grid God or any other kind of God, he's just had the ability to go for it and let his unparalleled talent shine.

A critical part was when Alonso, Sutil and Truli went out. These 3 would definitely put Button out of the points. After they went out the gates opened for noobieville and Button zipped pass grosjean, buemi, koboyashi and whoever else.

And that had nothing to do with Lewis finishing higher up? Not directed at you specifically ringo, it's just that one is lucky while the other isn't in the same situation. Lewis would have had just as hard a time as Jenson. Him not having anything to race for other than the win may have changed that though, he could have gone full attack without consequence.

Lewis/Rubens battle was a shame. Rubens closed the door but Hamilton went for it anyway. Considering Rubens had a problem anyway I think he would have been better off letting Lewis through.

He moved once. He moved left, Lewis stuck it in, and then Rubens moved right going towards turn 1. Nothing illegal and not blocking as per the rules, not insinuating you meant he blocked of course.

Considering Rubens had a problem anyway I think he would have been better off letting Lewis through.

I said the same general thing about Lewis crashing in Monza. I mentioned that he should have laid off and collected the points against Ferrari for the WCC and got comments about how that was crazy talk! Now they are still fighting for the WCC and they could be that much further ahead. And why would he let him go? He's fighting for a championship.

[Mr Alcatraz]

Congrat's to Button, Brawn, and their fans on a well earned championship!

[jamsbong]

Congratulation to Brawn GP. Their achievement of getting the constructor championship is no coincidence. In fact, it is a serious uphill battle right after their sponsors (Honda) pulled out. Ross Brawn made it look easy and that just prove to me how good he really is! I bow down to this man's great leadership!

Congrats to Button for the Driver championship. Button is not my fav driver and his terrible singing "we are the champions" is kind of like the copy of what Alonso did many years back, BUT he is a champion. He did the right thing when needed and he is a lot less inconsistent than Hamilton. He is not fast but usually faster and more consistent than his teammate. not my taste as a role model champ, but he gets the job done.

Oh well thats the end of 2009 championship and my interest ends here. Abu Dhabi would be like a parade around the track for me. I could be wrong though.... hehe..

[nipo]

In Kobayashi I saw Sato - aggressive defense that causes trouble for others.

But I prefer that to just letting someone go by. At least you have the fighting spirit... It was too heart-breaking to see two Ferrari drivers concede places at the pit lane exit this year...

So hopefully he has more drives in the future to let us see if he's really got potential. He surely impressed me despite his laptimes.

[ringo]

A critical part was when Alonso, Sutil and Truli went out. These 3 would definitely put Button out of the points. After they went out the gates opened for noobieville and Button zipped pass grosjean, buemi, koboyashi and whoever else.

And that had nothing to do with Lewis finishing higher up? Not directed at you specifically ringo, it's just that one is lucky while the other isn't in the same situation. Lewis would have had just as hard a time as Jenson. Him not having anything to race for other than the win may have changed that though, he could have gone full attack without consequence.

Yes I agree, it opened the door for all the other top finishers. I was just referring to making the race more exciting and extending the battle to the final race.

[myurr]

He moved once. He moved left, Lewis stuck it in, and then Rubens moved right going towards turn 1. Nothing illegal and not blocking as per the rules, not insinuating you meant he blocked of course.

I do have one gripe with Rubens though - earlier in the race when Lewis first caught up with him, Lewis had a run at him down the straight into turn four. Rubens definitely swerved at him causing Lewis to have to lift off, similar to what Kobayashi did to Taku.

That said there was nothing wrong with what either driver did down the main straight.

[gcdugas]

Has anyone heard or read anything about the bumps and the resurfacing? It seems like they were able to lower the ride height a bit when viewing the cars as they entered the main straight wizzing past the pit entrance area where there is a bit of a compression load.

The weather dominated the news Fri and Sat. On race day the only quotes I could find were about the events of the race itself.

[Giblet]

He moved once. He moved left, Lewis stuck it in, and then Rubens moved right going towards turn 1. Nothing illegal and not blocking as per the rules, not insinuating you meant he blocked of course.

I do have one gripe with Rubens though - earlier in the race when Lewis first caught up with him, Lewis had a run at him down the straight into turn four. Rubens definitely swerved at him causing Lewis to have to lift off, similar to what Kobayashi did to Taku.

That said there was nothing wrong with what either driver did down the main straight.

Taku?

[djos]

He moved once. He moved left, Lewis stuck it in, and then Rubens moved right going towards turn 1. Nothing illegal and not blocking as per the rules, not insinuating you meant he blocked of course.

I do have one gripe with Rubens though - earlier in the race when Lewis first caught up with him, Lewis had a run at him down the straight into turn four. Rubens definitely swerved at him causing Lewis to have to lift off, similar to what Kobayashi did to Taku.

That said there was nothing wrong with what either driver did down the main straight.

Taku?

He's having flashbacks to another season! it was Naka.

[tinhouse]

Once the cars go into parc ferme you can't change the rear wind angle regardless of the rain. That setting has to be used in the race, At least that is the way it has been. Did something change this year?

My understanding is that once on the grid for the sighting lap they can wind the car ride height up or down and adjust wing angles as the car is no longer in parc-ferme.

I had the same impression as Tazio. I also understood that changes in ride height were managed by the wet weather tyres having a larger rolling radius than dries, so the ride height autmatically increases when wets are fitted.

But again, I could be wring here, and google isn't helping me track anything down to prove or deny it.

Matt.

[ISLAMATRON]

You cannot change ride height or wing angles between qual & race. And yes the ride height is raised because he diameter of the rain tire is 670 mm versus 660 for the slicks. I think thats about a 5 mil increase on ride height.

[gcdugas]

You cannot change ride height or wing angles between qual & race. And yes the ride height is raised because he diameter of the rain tire is 670 mm versus 660 for the slicks. I think thats about a 5 mil increase on ride height.

I never said they could. On a bumpy circuit using a dry setup the ride height is more than a smooth circuit dry setup. Magny Cours was "billiard table smooth" and had a very low ride height. Monaco,previous races at Interlagos, required a greater ride height. The course at Singapore was bumpy last year and they smoothed out the offending sections this year but I remember them saying it wasn't a great improvement.

When asked how "dry" his setup was after the race, MW said "100%"... RK said "99%".... So I was asking if anyone specifically heard anything about the resurfacing and the bumps.

[vasia]

I'm expecting normalcy to return next season in terms of the usual suspects winning and being in the race. Brawn next season are a mixed bag, I don't think they'll be able to pull off what they've done this season though, remember they were helped hugely by Honda who really made a great car.

Correction; Honda poured huge amounts of money into developing the car, but what really made it a great car was Ross Brawn, because he has the experience and the talent to make a great car.

[Mr Alcatraz]

You cannot change ride height or wing angles between qual & race. And yes the ride height is raised because he diameter of the rain tire is 670 mm versus 660 for the slicks. I think thats about a 5 mil increase on ride height.

Of course your not referring to the front wing as these are adjustable by the driver on the fly under any condition this year!

[ESPImperium]

Just to think this was the scene last year:




We know the story from there on.