Malaysian GP 2011 - Sepang

[andrew]

He's gonna be sore tomorrow!

Just saw a rearwards view of Heidfeld's rear wing. It looks like it is not closing properly, but maybe this is just the wing design. Any ideas?

Nice win for Vettel!!

[Gerhard Berger]

so much for the idea that Massa is already Alonso's number 2.

[komninosm]

In fact since pitting and knowing the tyres only have to last 3 laps, he's still not quicker than the front runners... What's going on with that McLaren!?

Could be he has no reason to push.
IMO hard tyres were uber fail, much slower and not lasting any longer than soft.

[komninosm]

so much for the idea that Massa is already Alonso's number 2.

Excuse me but Alonso had an extra pit stop for the wing change. Massa is always slower.
Or did you mean that they didn't switch em with team orders?

[Giblet]

so much for the idea that Massa is already Alonso's number 2.

Excuse me but Alonso had an extra pit stop for the wing change. Massa is always slower.
Or did you mean that they didn't switch em with team orders?

Slow down guys, not the time or place.

[myurr]

In fact since pitting and knowing the tyres only have to last 3 laps, he's still not quicker than the front runners... What's going on with that McLaren!?

Could be he has no reason to push, or Alonso is slowing him down.

Had a big gap ahead. I agree he may not have pushed, but usually you'd see a driver rag it in case anything happens ahead so that they can be as close as possible.

[andrew]

Malaysian GP Lap Chart

[Ganxxta]

Now I lost my hopes for Mercedes GP
They failed again this year, 9th and lapped, without major incidents.

So they managed it to have a worse car than last year at this time.

[Gerhard Berger]

so much for the idea that Massa is already Alonso's number 2.

Excuse me but Alonso had an extra pit stop for the wing change. Massa is always slower.
Or did you mean that they didn't switch em with team orders?

Yep

[myurr]

Looking at the lap chart what strikes me as odd is that Hamilton's tyres lasted longer in the first sting than in the other stints despite more fuel and being the softer tyres. Definitely either something wrong or poor setup on the hards.

As to why he ran them after the second stop, he ran out of soft tyres that he could use. His only other set had a flat spot.

[volarchico]

In fact since pitting and knowing the tyres only have to last 3 laps, he's still not quicker than the front runners... What's going on with that McLaren!?

Could be he has no reason to push, or Alonso is slowing him down.

Had a big gap ahead. I agree he may not have pushed, but usually you'd see a driver rag it in case anything happens ahead so that they can be as close as possible.

Could also be that Alonso ran into his back side and caused damage! BBC reported the back had damage after Alonso fed his front wing to Hamilton's rear. A sad ending for Hamilton who lost place to his teammate because of a bad pit stop and went downhill from there.

[andrew]

Massa was around 10 seconds ahead and having a ding-dong with Webber when Alonso re-entered the race.

The old switcheroo would not have worked at all (thankfully), so any talk of it is out of place today.

[myurr]

Had a big gap ahead. I agree he may not have pushed, but usually you'd see a driver rag it in case anything happens ahead so that they can be as close as possible.

Could also be that Alonso ran into his back side and caused damage! BBC reported the back had damage after Alonso fed his front wing to Hamilton's rear. A sad ending for Hamilton who lost place to his teammate because of a bad pit stop and went downhill from there.[/quote]

Whilst that didn't help and damaged the strakes at the bottom of his rear wing, in that stint he'd already lost 17 odd seconds to Button in about 10 laps.

[komninosm]

so much for the idea that Massa is already Alonso's number 2.

Excuse me but Alonso had an extra pit stop for the wing change. Massa is always slower.
Or did you mean that they didn't switch em with team orders?

Slow down guys, not the time or place.

I think Berger made a good point, aren't team orders allowed this year?

[andrew]

Absolutely dire!!!!

How can a car that has been developed since the middle of last year be so bad?!

What a shambles!