2013 Bahrain GP - Sakhir

[andartop]

What a beautiful race, in a yee-haw kind of way, just short of being suitable for a Hollywood remake if only there was a bit of drama at the top as well. Say Vettel losing a gear or two, droping to 15th and then storming back through the field to take victory or something.

I can't wait for an explanation to Massa's punctures. Suspect he hit some debris, as there was stuff flying all around the track. If not, Ferrari should file a complaint against Pirelli with the FIA for providing unsuitable equipment, risking drivers' lives and bringing the sport into disrepute.

Interesting to see Alonso overtaking without DRS. Maybe an indication we don't need it anymore with KERS and these fantastic tires?

[lizardfolk]

Alonso drove his heart out this race. It was certainly one of the most entertaining f1 races I've seen since this new car. Vettel getting better doesn't bode too well for the championship however.

[Mika1]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7Q1KxjqQrg[/youtube]

[vall]

Interesting to see Alonso overtaking without DRS. Maybe an indication we don't need it anymore with KERS and these fantastic tires?

My thoughts exactly! Now we know that the cars can follow each other closely and if you are faster it is down to the drivers' skills to overtake. With the DRS F1 became very prdictable - when you close the gap to <1 sec everyone knows what will happen. Honestly it is not fun watching it.

[CHT]

Interesting to see Alonso overtaking without DRS. Maybe an indication we don't need it anymore with KERS and these fantastic tires?

My thoughts exactly! Now we know that the cars can follow each other closely and if you are faster it is down to the drivers' skills to overtake. With the DRS F1 became very prdictable - when you close the gap to <1 sec everyone knows what will happen. Honestly it is not fun watching it.

I think the head wind at the track does play a part as well.

[Mandrake]

Interesting to see Alonso overtaking without DRS. Maybe an indication we don't need it anymore with KERS and these fantastic tires?

My thoughts exactly! Now we know that the cars can follow each other closely and if you are faster it is down to the drivers' skills to overtake. With the DRS F1 became very prdictable - when you close the gap to <1 sec everyone knows what will happen. Honestly it is not fun watching it.

The reason for Alonso being able to overtake without DRS was his massive speed advantage even with DRS closed. There was one situation where checo was very close to him and opened his DRS to get by. Alonso however just stayed ahead, maxing out at 308kph (readout of the info layer) while Checo with DRS open maxed out at 306kph. Had Alonso's car been as "slow" as the Macca without DRS, he would not have passed anyone on the straights.

[vall]

true, but it has always been hard for slower cars to overtake faster ones, no? You need to be faster to overtake anyway. I want overtakes using driver skill, not by pushing a button. What I am saying is that with the current aerodynamics/tire combination there will be enough overtakes even without DRS.

[CHT]

true, but it has always been hard for slower cars to overtake faster ones, no? You need to be faster to overtake anyway. I want overtakes using driver skill, not by pushing a button. What I am saying is that with the current aerodynamics/tire combination there will be enough overtakes even without DRS.

Also depends on tires as well as where the overtaking took place.

[Steven]

From my point of view, Bahrain was actually a pretty boring race in just about every sense of the word. Overtaking was ridiculously easy for most people (except Perez on Button and Hamilton on Webber), but other than that nothing really happened at all. All the action came from people having their tyres worn out and moving backwards, or drivers that had just pitted and flew past everybody else, only to see others pass again 10 laps later. I would prefer a more stable positioning with harder fights.

The call for the removal of DRS is way too early I think. Bahrain has always been a pretty good track for overtaking, and the head wind really played into that today. The problem however with DRS is to get the balance right, as making it too powerful creates this yoyo effect of people passing, and then being re-passed, only to pass them again the next lap.

Finally, I continue to be amazed by the Red Bull team. Even with stable regulations, they keep the upper hand in the aerodynamics department, creating seemingly more downforce than anybody else can find. Regulations are tight and constant, so I really wonder where they get it, and why others fail to catch up after 3 years.

[Kiril Varbanov]

When not on TV duties, the races are also exciting, but this was one of those which I have abandoned for a while, knowing that nothing interesting will happen, right after seeing Alonso off the winning bid, and Vettel scoring purple sectors.
Some tires switch situations, some DRS action, and that's all, folks, move along, nothing to see here.
4.5/10.

[Mika1]

From my point of view, Bahrain was actually a pretty boring race in just about every sense of the word. Overtaking was ridiculously easy for most people (except Perez on Button and Hamilton on Webber), but other than that nothing really happened at all. All the action came from people having their tyres worn out and moving backwards, or drivers that had just pitted and flew past everybody else, only to see others pass again 10 laps later. I would prefer a more stable positioning with harder fights.

The call for the removal of DRS is way too early I think. Bahrain has always been a pretty good track for overtaking, and the head wind really played into that today. The problem however with DRS is to get the balance right, as making it too powerful creates this yoyo effect of people passing, and then being re-passed, only to pass them again the next lap.

Finally, I continue to be amazed by the Red Bull team. Even with stable regulations, they keep the upper hand in the aerodynamics department, creating seemingly more downforce than anybody else can find. Regulations are tight and constant, so I really wonder where they get it, and why others fail to catch up after 3 years.

If this was a boring race, then you have to skip all the Bahrain races in the future. It won't be better than this.

[aral]

Interesting to see Alonso overtaking without DRS. Maybe an indication we don't need it anymore with KERS and these fantastic tires?

My thoughts exactly! Now we know that the cars can follow each other closely and if you are faster it is down to the drivers' skills to overtake. With the DRS F1 became very prdictable - when you close the gap to <1 sec everyone knows what will happen. Honestly it is not fun watching it.

And we have now had two races where considerable parts of front wings have been removed, yet cars were not slowed down. So there could be a question of the benefits of all the add-ons.

[Richard]

And we have now had two races where considerable parts of front wings have been removed, yet cars were not slowed down. So there could be a question of the benefits of all the add-ons.

Indeed. Armchair fans get all excited about a twiddly bit here or there. Some fans berate their team (yes, some people think of it as "their" team) for not bolting on a copy of the wing used by the most recent winner.

Then when it comes to the race we see cars run an entire race with missing end plates with little discernible difference.

[turbof1]

One should really not forget endplates are dimensionally mandatory. Most teams drive so called endplateless FW, where the FW becomes part of the endplate. Loosing a small plate and a mini-winglike cascade in the race isn't going to cost you alot. It will hurt ultimate pace though, so if someone looses a part in qualy, you can bet on it he will come in for a new FW.

[Mika1]

And we have now had two races where considerable parts of front wings have been removed, yet cars were not slowed down. So there could be a question of the benefits of all the add-ons.

Indeed. Armchair fans get all excited about a twiddly bit here or there. Some fans berate their team (yes, some people think of it as "their" team) for not bolting on a copy of the wing used by the most recent winner.

Then when it comes to the race we see cars run an entire race with missing end plates with little discernible difference.

In F1 a little difference is enough to put it on.