2013 Italian GP - Monza

[aral]

As far as Webber tomorrow,

KERS failure
Clutch problem

Take your pick.

Why not just add "brain failure"?

[Juzh]

The cars in front of him except the ferraris aren't particularly quick.

RB?

[ringo]

Well if you consider those Newey machines cars...
I'm of the opinion Vettel and Webber on the podium by default. So i didn't mention them.

I'd like to see him and Webber take each other out a la turkey 2010. but it aint gonna happen.

[iotar__]

Edit:
Leading developer driver came back to shorter-wheelbase, Lotus threw away FP1,2 data and went down like a brick, another success story.

The long and short wheelbase had the same performances, but they switched Kimi back to previous versions just to be sure. It performs the same way as the short one right out of the box and now it's a matter of squeezing that something extra from it. The LWB will return in Singapore.

It's not the first based-on-nothing tendentious post you make towards Lotus and I am not sure you are writing it because you are being hateful or a bit slow-minded to say the least.

I think qualifying proved my point And based on nothing? My point is factually 100% correct and based on what actually happened. Connection is mine but v. likely, I'll expand later. Yours on the other hand IS based on nothing: "The long and short wheelbase had the same performance". Zero evidence for that, not enough proper comparison. Where did you get that idea Mr Quick Minded or Mr "I have no argument so I go straight for petty personal attack"? Provide it or apologize and shut up. No one admitted that, none is bringing big update like that that brings no gains, check N. Chester Spa interview.

Monza was a special situation of course but that's what you get when Lotus is run as a one driver team. Was Germany strategy rational? Was testing schedule and updates distribution in first (!) and second (!) race rational? Nope. Maybe Monza was but I don't think so. Why? Look they give update they meant to run earlier but couldn't to one driver. That's their policy, can't afford two whatever. So they're running two independent programs, for "comparison". It's not the first time Lotus goes backwards on Saturday (same happened in Spa), here long pace was fine, one lap may have been questionable but overall OK. Check A. Permane after FP1-2 about it and also check what they said about running two different cars - NOTHING. That's normal too, they said nothing about team orders - it was "split tyre strategy" etc.

Later this is only thing we got: "the decision was taken because of a desire to be conservative rather than any issue with the long-wheelbase car, which Lotus is convinced is at least as fast as its predecessor." is this your "same performance" ? No one with a clue is throwing "same performance" claims. You do know what performance is? What would be reference point for this performance in Monza?

What is this "conservative"? Reliability? IMO doubtful. So despite being convinced of its performance they ditch it, basically based on "feeling" of one driver, throw away half the data, it's easy to assume that they modify the other half to accommodate their leading, chosen driver (that's my connection between facts) and end up losing ground to the competition. How is today's qualifying result not expected after something like that? What did YOU expect smart-one? Tell me when did you see some other team with that half-hearted (literally) approach to big updates? For good reason.

Edit: After FP1,2:
That was a fairly straightforward Friday for us with both cars evenly matched and both drivers happy. We've completed a good amount of low and high fuel runs as well as evaluating the two tyre compounds for race strategy. Romain was happy on longer runs whilst Kimi's afternoon session was slightly interrupted with an engine water pressure issue during his long run, but this was no big drama. Overall, the car looks quick, reliable and we're happy today."

[Hail22]

I see Vettel winning and the championship possibly over from this race...

[komninosm]

Sutil's been given a three place grid drop, the guy's a liability on and off the track. His grudge against Hamilton is bloody ridiculous seeing as he's the one who glassed a guy on the head.

Why does Sutil have a grudge against Hamilton?
And did he really hit a guy on the head with a glass?

[SectorOne]

As some of us expected, Hamilton damaged his floor early on in the session according to Brawn.
Apparently one of the kerbs caused it.

Lewis Hamilton's performance in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix was hurt by damage to his car's floor, Mercedes boss Ross Brawn has said.

The Briton failed to make Q3 for the first time since the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix, finishing down in 12th position after saying he had driven like an 'idiot'.

Brawn revealed afterwards that Hamilton had damaged his car's floor earlier in the session, and was losing performance as a result.

He said the team found the problem too late to fix it.

"Lewis was looking OK, but unfortunately he hit a kerb and damaged the car's floor," Brawn said after qualifying.

"We didn't realise the consequences of that until a bit later in the session.

"It was irreparable, so that was unfortunate as well. It just wasn't our day. We have to try to do a better job."

Brawn admitted it had been a poor day for Mercedes after Nico Rosberg had been hindered by a problem in Saturday morning's practice session.

"It definitely wasn't a great day for all of us today," he added.

"We had a reliability issue with Nico in the morning, which meant we lost most of the session, and to me Monza is always about confidence for the driver.

"I think losing that amount of time was always going to be difficult and it meant we didn't really have a great balance on Nico's car during qualifying. That wasn't great."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/109736

Hoping for Vintage Hamilton tomorrow, he can use some more highlight overtakes in the library.

[1158]

This may sound crazy but I think Lewis should replace the floor and start from Pitlane. He can optimize his setup for the race, especially if it rains. Monza is an easy place to pass, he would avoid the potential first turn scrum, and his car is plenty fast.

[SectorOne]

I think you are allowed to replace damaged parts given that you can actually prove it´s broken.

Now if it rains tomorrow, start from pitlane, full DF package and just go all out

[beelsebob]

I think it would be unwise to write hamilton off. Last time he started from the mid field he was able to just run a backwards strategy, do his own pace in clear air and as a result didn't cook his tyres and got a fairly good result.

Of course, this all assumes he makes the first corner, which at italy, in the mid field, can be... rather treacherous.

[komninosm]

As some of us expected, Hamilton damaged his floor early on in the session according to Brawn.
Apparently one of the kerbs caused it.

Hoping for Vintage Hamilton tomorrow, he can use some more highlight overtakes in the library.

Was it fixed for the race?

[langwadt]

Sutil's been given a three place grid drop, the guy's a liability on and off the track. His grudge against Hamilton is bloody ridiculous seeing as he's the one who glassed a guy on the head.

Why does Sutil have a grudge against Hamilton?
And did he really hit a guy on the head with a glass?

afaiu Sutil wanted Hamilton want to witness in the trial, Hamilton didn't (his team etc. probably told him to stay out of it)

Sutil got a 18-month suspended jail sentence and a €200,000 fine so it is probably safe to say he did something to that effect...

[1158]

I think you are allowed to replace damaged parts given that you can actually prove it´s broken.

Now if it rains tomorrow, start from pitlane, full DF package and just go all out

I know that you can fix broken parts, but I wasn't sure if it was limited in scope. For instance a damaged floor isn't necessarily a safety concern so I wasn't sure if FIA would say tough luck. The only times I can think of damaged parts being replaced were items that would cause a safety issue. I'm sure there are other non safety broken parts being replaced but I just can't remember them.

I just want to see Hamilton storm through the field.

[SilverArrow10]

Sutil's been given a three place grid drop, the guy's a liability on and off the track. His grudge against Hamilton is bloody ridiculous seeing as he's the one who glassed a guy on the head.

Why does Sutil have a grudge against Hamilton?
And did he really hit a guy on the head with a glass?

afaiu Sutil wanted Hamilton want to witness in the trial, Hamilton didn't (his team etc. probably told him to stay out of it)

Sutil got a 18-month suspended jail sentence and a €200,000 fine so it is probably safe to say he did something to that effect...

Its so stupid. If Hamilton had gone to the trial and told the truth odds are Sutil would be in even more trouble. Staying away and keeping his mouth shut was probably the best thing Hamilton could have done as a friend. Anyway off topic. Seeing a podium of Vettel Alonso and Hamilton in that order, with the latter two making it a grand prix to remember.

[ringo]

When alonso says he's expecting mixed conditions, how true is this up to this point?
I'm hoping for it and a safety car.
As for the sauber, can we say that sidepod design is paying dividends at this track?