2013 Malaysian GP - Sepang

[NathanOlder]

Did a pretty handy job in F3..

Sure. That and his DTM championship year. Now name another year he's done well?

To be fair, he didnt really race in anything other than F3 & DTM and he won both of those. In Formula Renault UK he still won a race in his 1st season in a single seater and won 20% of the races in the 2nd season he ran in.

And drove beautifully against Hulkenberg for most of the season.

I disagree. That was a struggling Hulkenberg, who hadn't yet adapted to the Pirellis.

I think the whole field had to adapt to the tyres, 7 in 7 (winners) is a good example, Hulk cant use this excuse.

I think Sutil is just better than Paul, or the car is better suited to Adrian.

[motobaleno]

Yes. Because he wants 3 new sets of hards for the race, rather than having 2 new and 1 used.

that's the only possible explanation so you have to be right
well.. a M H H H strategy for seb...if anyone could manage tyres enough a M H H M or M H M M would be the best
also because the rain menace...

[Clew]

P1. Vettel
P2. Massa
P3. Alonso
It's been some time since we've seen Ferrari start a race in first 2 rows with more than competitive cars ready willing a and able. I expect some M.Schumacher / Rubens déjà vu activity at tomorrow's race start.
Expect Alonso to follow Vettel down the straight with Massa trying to hold back Lewis et-al.

[Nando]

My guess is M - H - W - red flag - W - I

[Godius]

Do you guys also think that Mercedes could do a 2 stop strategy, which they obviously failed to do so in Melbourne. I think Mercedes has the car for it, although Hamilton's driving style is way to aggressive for a 2 stop.

[NathanOlder]

My guess is M - H - W - red flag - W - I

Now we all know, the Red Flag is followed by the safety car, which is followed into the pits by most of the field to change to a set of inters

[Gridlock]

I'll be amazed if anyone manages a 2 stopper, unless it starts inters/wets.

[Nando]

Has anyone heard anything of this?

Read a comment on a forum, here it is,

Of course, leave it to me to make excuses for Hamilton, but if he hadn't had gear selection problems at the start of HIS last lap (remember, he had just set the then fastest time and was the last one of the fast runners on track), I think he might have claimed pole. The moron commentators (Varsha, Hobbs, Matchett) had the same video feed I watched of Hamilton fumbling to find the right gear(s), but apparently were too busy talking to take notice. Even losing all that time at the beginning of that last lap, he was still only 2 sec off Vettel's time. Then Hobbs suggested Hamilton made a "booboo"... What a lovable idiot. Almost as lovably clueless as one Murray Walker...

[Clew]

I'm wondering which cars set up their aero for rain

[NathanOlder]

Has anyone heard anything of this?

Read a comment on a forum, here it is,

Of course, leave it to me to make excuses for Hamilton, but if he hadn't had gear selection problems at the start of HIS last lap (remember, he had just set the then fastest time and was the last one of the fast runners on track), I think he might have claimed pole. The moron commentators (Varsha, Hobbs, Matchett) had the same video feed I watched of Hamilton fumbling to find the right gear(s), but apparently were too busy talking to take notice. Even losing all that time at the beginning of that last lap, he was still only 2 sec off Vettel's time. Then Hobbs suggested Hamilton made a "booboo"... What a lovable idiot. Almost as lovably clueless as one Murray Walker...

Nope ? its new to me, Im sure if the feed was available, it would have been picked up by many. It would be a little concerning, as it could be gearbox problems. Also IIRC Lewis was a way off in the 2nd or 3rd sector. I think the tyres were just used.

[Neno]

Do you guys also think that Mercedes could do a 2 stop strategy, which they obviously failed to do so in Melbourne. I think Mercedes has the car for it, although Hamilton's driving style is way to aggressive for a 2 stop.

If is dry, only teams who can make 2 stops are Lotus and Force India, maybe Ferrari. Red Bull i see on at least 3 pitstop, specialy when Devil The Iceman from behind will hunt them and take their soul if they try 2 stops. Mercedes is definitly on 3, i dont see they will take another gamble with strategy on 2 stops like in Melbourne and lose pace.

[Juzh]

Raymondu +1. Nicely put. DiResta is getting really annoying with his constant excuses.

[Juzh]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnT30PbwC10[/youtube]

[kilcoo316]

Sepang is the team's 2nd home race. The team knows they have to perform in front of their title sponsor Petronas.

Oh aye.

Nothing like knowing that to make a team try to actually do well for once in a race weekend.

[kilcoo316]

I dont like PDR's attitude at the moment. He's being beaten by someone that should be slower than him and that has already got the team around him and he dosn't like it. Think he might have a Hamilton 2011 style meltdown later in the season if it carrys on.

He's weirdly still lagging behind teammates. Hulkenberg's understandable but Sutil thrashing him is truly surprising. Either Sutil is driving out of his skin at the moment or PdR isn't performing to the true nature of the Force India cars

IMO he's always been overrated.

He's lucky he's got Coulthard talking him up at every opportunity on the BBC.