Jenson Button has won the Japanese Grand Prix after taking the lead through the second phase of pitstops. Fernando Alonso put up a late charge but came short 1.5s to win the race. Sebastian Vettel secured third place, good enough for his second consecutive World Championship. Well deserved!
Hamilton was considerably slower than Jenson the rest of the race. I think pirelli tyres doesn't suit Hamilton's driving (which is to drive at %100, %100 of the time) at all, either he has to adjust his driving for it (which is very unlikely) or wait until another tyre manufacturer arives on the scene. If he ever recovers, I'll be mightily impressed.Giblet wrote:He had a puncture as well mind you unrelated to his contact with Massa.
Immediately before his first pit stop – it's what allowed Massa to close up on him.raymondu999 wrote:Hamilton had a puncture? I didn't see that. When was that?
I think what's clear now is that the McLaren is faster than the Red Bull in race trim; looks after their tyres better; AND can still turn on the option and primes just as fast.
Closing gap, gap that isn't there also come to mind. Massa had 1 meter to go to the side as Button showed at the start with Vettel, just put 2 tires on the grass Massa boymyurr wrote:And had roles been reversed you would have been saying that the car on the outside was never going to overtake there so should have dropped out. You hate Hamilton - we get it...Traction wrote:Hamilton just has no awareness of anyone around him...
Yep, it's the Hamilton fanboys who make all the noise.LionKing wrote:I think Lewis forgot to use three tenths he had on Button and Vettel. Actually he forgot more than that...
He always bitches about Red Bull having the fastest car, McLaren was clearly the fastest one over here (in quite of bit of races in race trim this year too ) but did not do much with it.
The comparison of the two front runners showed that Button lost it all by not taking a shortcut from the chicaine to the line. He should have beaten Vettel.raymondu999 wrote:I think possibly the McLaren was also fastest over qualifying. Vettel was on the grass on the apex and exit of just about most corners on his qualifying lap to carry as much speed through all the corners as he could
I didn't see that. What exactly happened?beelsebob wrote:The comparison of the two front runners showed that Button lost it all by not taking a shortcut from the chicaine to the line. He should have beaten Vettel.raymondu999 wrote:I think possibly the McLaren was also fastest over qualifying. Vettel was on the grass on the apex and exit of just about most corners on his qualifying lap to carry as much speed through all the corners as he could
Button was minutely ahead for the entire lap (about a meter or so). At the triangle, Vettel cut the second apex slightly more, got on the power slightly earlier and shortcutted along the pit wall. Button took a tidy line and drove the normal racing line around the outside.raymondu999 wrote:I didn't see that. What exactly happened?beelsebob wrote:The comparison of the two front runners showed that Button lost it all by not taking a shortcut from the chicaine to the line. He should have beaten Vettel.raymondu999 wrote:I think possibly the McLaren was also fastest over qualifying. Vettel was on the grass on the apex and exit of just about most corners on his qualifying lap to carry as much speed through all the corners as he could
Basically, because it's further to drive. He drove probably a couple of meters further by taking that line – those 2 meters would have made the difference to grab pole.raymondu999 wrote:Ah I see. I can understand how cutting the chicane kerb would make you quicker; but would Jenson's line really disadvantage him though? Not saying it wouldn't though
True true, either way, it was all lost in the last two corners, Jenson should have had pole really there.raymondu999 wrote:Yes but Jenson would also have had less tyre drag from the front tyres though so it wouldn't be a dead cert for a bad decision.
