Sebastian Vettel has won the Japanese GP after leading it from start to finish. With the DNF of Fernando Alonso, this also means that he was able to close the gap to Alonso to a mere 4 points in the championship standings. The remaining Ferrari of Felipe Massa finished in second place while home here Kamui Kobayashi joined the podium in third place.
JimClarkFan wrote: I was Alonso I would have kept the boot in, the spin happened just in front of Alonso and he would have had a reasonably chance of getting away with it./quote]
Doubt it. Remember when Vettel didn't close his DRS when Michael (only 7 tenths ahead of him) harpooned Bruno Senna? He got penalised, even though the DRS probably would've come down a tenth later by Vettel braking to avoid the DRS.
I'm not saying the rules are soundly written - but I don't think keeping his foot in would have worked. They seemingly don't allow any leeway for human reaction time
The stewards have been hard on Michael all season, shame really. His position in the WDC is not a fair representation of this actual performance. You're probably right, but I would have still chanced it.
godlameroso wrote:Vettel did make Alonso have to adjust his entry, if you notice, Vettel takes a much wider entry. Everyone knows that you hug the left hand side right before you trail break into the right apex of the chicane, then take as much curbing on the left as possible.
So , please explain how Vergne was penalised for keeping to the RIGHT!
Because some are missing the point. Impeding means your lap time was affected.
Alonso's lap time was affected earlier by the yellow flags, NOT by Vettel.The stewards would have told Vettel to back off earlier next time. They would have had to at least say something to Vettel or Alonso would have been doing a Flamenco in their offices to get his way...
Vettel reprimanded for blocking Alonso
Sebastian Vettel has been given a reprimand after qualifying for blocking Fernando Alonso at the end of Q3. Having taken pole, Vettel was called before the stewards for the incident which occurred at the final chicane at the end of Q3.With Kimi Raikkonen's spin causing yellow flags, Vettel had backed off in the final sector and ran wide at the chicane to allow Alonso through but having been on the racing line he slightly held up the Ferrari. Three hours after the end of qualifying, the stewards announced that Vettel had been reprimanded but would not receive a grid penalty.
All things considered...Alonso has repeatedly shown this year that he makes up positions in the race, usually has a solid strategy, very good pit times, and outstanding race pace.
Sauber often drops many places in the race, have slower pit times, and usually don't have better pace than first chair at Ferrari.
A number of people here have argued that RB will not do so well with tire management and may well drop into the clutches of lower grid positioned cars. Maybe maybe not but its not done yet.
Gros usually crashes or inevitably has car issues. He's a non issue in the WDC.
Macca is not really in the picture at this point as far as the WDC is concerned with Lewis stating he will suffer tomorrow, is in 9th, and way way way back in points. Jenson is a non factor for all intensive purposes in the WDC.
So, my guess is Fred will be just fine. Bring home good points and fight for more at the next race if not outright win tomorrow.
Chuckjr wrote:All things considered...Alonso has repeatedly shown this year that he makes up positions in the race, usually has a solid strategy, very good pit times, and outstanding race pace.
Sauber often drops many places in the race, have slower pit times, and usually don't have better pace than first chair at Ferrari.
A number of people here have argued that RB will not do so well with tire management and may well drop into the clutches of lower grid positioned cars. Maybe maybe not but its not done yet.
Gros usually crashes or inevitably has car issues. He's a non issue in the WDC.
Macca is not really in the picture at this point as far as the WDC is concerned with Lewis stating he will suffer tomorrow, is in 9th, and way way way back in points. Jenson is a non factor for all intensive purposes in the WDC.
So, my guess is Fred will be just fine. Bring home good points and fight for more at the next race if not outright win tomorrow.
That's the safest bet; granted, I've (we've all) seen stranger things happen.
Education is that which allows a nation free, independent, reputable life, and function as a high society; or it condemns it to captivity and poverty.
-Atatürk
Stupid question: Why do they stay left coming onto the start/finish straight? Wouldn't it be shorter to stay right? Do they save that much speed by going wide/right?
Vettle: "Yesterday evening I wasn’t too happy as I was losing time in the first sector, but I found my mistake and in today’s practice session it worked straight away, I don’t know why I didn’t do it in previous years and it shows you never stop learning."
Absolutelee wrote:Stupid question: Why do they stay left coming onto the start/finish straight? Wouldn't it be shorter to stay right? Do they save that much speed by going wide/right?
Coming onto the pit straight they drift to the left side because if they stuck to the right, you'd lose a lot of speed by scrubbing it off as you put up a lot of steering lock.
Chuckjr wrote:Vettle: "Yesterday evening I wasn’t too happy as I was losing time in the first sector, but I found my mistake and in today’s practice session it worked straight away, I don’t know why I didn’t do it in previous years and it shows you never stop learning."
I have a suspicion it's a line - basically he changed the racing line he took in a certain corner. He said the same thing in Spa last year. I'm thinking it's something that is quite counterintuitive in the line, because it doesn't seem to have come to him instinctively - look at Spa this year where he wasn't good (compared to Mark) despite learning it last year - and he also said in an interview "maybe I'll have to write it down so I remember for next year"
