2012 Canadian GP - Gilles Villeneuve

[raymondu999]

Doubt it. I figure a 3-stop of OOOP is possible, or maybe a 2 stopper OPP. I am wagering that someone will do PPOO or POOO - someone like a Red Bull who might not have the out and out qualifying pace, but has race pace. That way they maximise their pace advantage at the end when others are on worn primes and they are on fresh options.

[Dragonfly]

With Pirelli you can't be sure. Sometimes I have the feeling they put the same color marks on totally different compounds.

[Gridlock]

It's a low wear circuit. Straights and slow corners, no punishing the rubber repeatedly. So the tyres will last, unless the temps are weird.

Anyway, we want the greens and blues

[raymondu999]

It's very high wear. Low degradation, but extremely high wear. The asphalt they use is of an interesting variant that is packed together very tightly, creating a supersmooth surface with low grip.

[Mr Alcatraz]

It's very high wear. Low degradation, but extremely high wear. The asphalt they use is of an interesting variant that is packed together very tightly, creating a supersmooth surface with low grip.

Yes this should be a circuit that is hard on tires. However this year has been so bizarre that there may be some surprises. As highly as they are touted I think this could be an issue with both Mercedes and McLaren (only one DRS zone this year). There appears to be a warming trend starting on Sun' then spiking on Monday according to my sources, but it is also a relatively small window. If Mondays forecast shows up early this could work to the advantage of the team formerly known as Renault, with a storybook ending for the French Candiens going wild as RG rides to victory, but I wouldn't bet on it. I think Red Bull will be very strong here, so hopefully I just put a hex on them.
This place used to be a real brake destroyer. 2004 stands out in my mind for a couple of reasons; both Williams and Toyota were disqualified due to brake duct irregularities, denying the Schumacher Bro's one two finish to stand. The other thing was the surprisingly stellar guest commentary of Townsend Bell who provided the color, and technical commentary for Speedtv. He really was a class act FWIW.

[Hail22]

Qualifying order:

1st - Alonso
2nd - Massa (I know right?!)
3rd - Raikkonen
4th - Hamilton
5th - Button
6th - Schumacher
7th - Rosberg
8th - Grosjean
9th - Webber
10th - Perez

[raymondu999]

If Hamilton can't pull a pole+win out of the hat in Canada.... I'm selling my Hamilton WDC betting slip

It will be interesting to see how the Ferrari performs in a traction + top speed circuit. It's been their weaker point over the season start, it seems.

The Lotus people apparently have a theory that it's the smooth asphalt in Monaco that caused their severe rear tyre destruction (as opposed to degradation) - and if that were true, then good luck for the race to Lotus.

I think actually the prime pole contender would be Schumacher, followed closely by Rosberg. Their super-DRS could see them in very good stead.

Red Bull I suspect will be great in Sectors 1 and 2, before losing out over Sector 3. Last year the DRS advantage was more than enough to offset the Red Bull's straightline disadvantage and help it overtake. It will be interesting to see whether or not that is the case this year, with the shorter zone.

[Robbobnob]

Red Bull 1 - 2, Doesnt matter which order.

[raymondu999]

Wow that's confident. How do you figure it'll be a 1-2 Robbobnob? Quite a claim for a team that has never won here. Albeit they had a 2-3 last year.

[Robbobnob]

Spa and Monza last year, not to mention Montreal itself.

Bahrain is low speed corner traction, straights and high speed breaking stability and Monaco low speed corner traction and a low traction surface. If you interpolate those characteristics it bodes well for Red Bull, though i am also wary of the Mercedes DDRS.

As this season is such a lottery could be anyone but i'm sticking with my call, Red Bull 1 - 2

[Gerhardsa]

If we go on Low speed corner grip, tracktion and top speed, i think we'll see something like this

1st - Schu
2nd - Ham
3rd - Ros
4th - Alo
5th - Webber
6th - Raik
7th - Groj
8th - Button
9th - Vet
10th - De Riesta

[f1316]

If we go on Low speed corner grip, tracktion and top speed, i think we'll see something like this

1st - Schu
2nd - Ham
3rd - Ros
4th - Alo
5th - Webber
6th - Raik
7th - Groj
8th - Button
9th - Vet
10th - De Riesta

I would not be at all surprised to see something very similar to this order in qualifying. I think this track is almost ideally suited to Mercedes and Schumacher has always been very good around here, even last year.

I would - and I might - put money on the top four being the same four you've listed, and very possibly in the same order.

[Mr Alcatraz]

Here is the way I have guessed the race will shake out:
N Rosberg
S Vettel
F Alonso
L Hamilton
M Webber
F Massa
R Grosjean
J Button
P di Resta
K Raikkonen
I prepared this list with only two tangible predictions, and a couple premonitions,
1) Red Bull seem to have the best balance
2) The artist's formerly known as Renault will suffer due to cool temps.
I put Alonso third just because he tends to finish in that general area. I may be putting him 2 places higher than he deserves but the man is on a mission.
Mike is snake bit and will suffer another unfortunate fate
Massa has gotten the gorilla off his back.
Hamilton is most likely going to exceed where I have put him, but he has to prove me wrong.
Nico has the mojo hand.
di Resta will put together a solid performance
Let me known when Kimi exercises his steering issues.
I'm hoping for Grosjean to pull off the victory so Quebec will have someone to talk about beside Jacques Villeneuve.

[raymondu999]

Alcatraz - better balance? Red Bull? How so?

[Mr Alcatraz]

Both pilots are on 73 points.Webber has upped his game The car seems to be relatively consistent in managing tire wear in fluctuating temperatures of the teams at the pointy end. Only Alonso in the F2012 can make a legit claim that his challenger can handle what is shaping up to be here to fore maybe the most temp. fluc. this season. There is a concern how effective their new "Tire Squirt" solution will be however.
On a separet note Finger boy is a guest on the David Letterman show recorded monday am and airing Monday PM. Letterman will be ruthless if Seb appears after having to say...