2013 Japanese GP - Suzuka

[raymondu999]

With the results from Korea, Vettel can mathematically clinch the title at his favorite circuit - Suzuka.

He needs 23 points on Alonso, -5 on Raikkonen and -11 on Hamilton.

That means that Vettel will be champion, if he wins, and Alonso finishes 9th or lower.

[godlameroso]

This track only has two traction events, coming off the hairpin and the casio triangle. The rest of the lap is punctuated by high speed technical sweepers. It's a bit of a front limited circuit requiring a pointy but stable front end, however the rear right takes a pounding up the dunlop curve and exiting both the hairpin and spoon curve.

Pirelli is bringing the hard and medium compounds, and a two stop consisting of O O P or O P P.

[SamH123]

Mercedes really lost out in sector 1 in S. Korea

I think they will have a sniff at pole again because Suzuka seems to have the bits of Korea they were good at?

[SectorOne]

I think there will be quite the battle for pole again, possibly the Merc is more favored for Pole then Red Bull here.
You have fast high downforce corners and you have slow traction bits. Should be fun.

[raymondu999]

a pointy but stable front end

What would a "stable" front end mean? As opposed to? An "unstable" front end?

however the rear right takes a pounding up the dunlop curve and exiting both the hairpin and spoon curve.

Left rear, actually. Inside rears get hurt more than outside rears on traction. Traction management off the hairpin (having had the good fortune to have lapped at Suzuka before) is crucial. There is exceptionally low grip there. Braking for the hairpin is also dicey as you have to take care that you don't brake too hard initially (as that would unload the rears in the kink before the hairpin.

IMO it's better to stay wide in turn 1, because if you're tight in the first half of the double apex, you need much more rotation into the second apex.

Pirelli is bringing the hard and medium compounds, and a two stop consisting of O O P or O P P.

For once I agree with you!

[notApineapple]

however the rear right takes a pounding up the dunlop curve and exiting both the hairpin and spoon curve.

Left rear, actually. Inside rears get hurt more than outside rears on traction.

Why would the insides be more on the limit? They might have more traction force due to the diff biasing (though this is debatable) but the higher vertical and lateral loads will still be on the outside wheel, along with a significant traction force.

[raymondu999]

Because they're turning a tighter radius. When you get on the power, the outside rear is always under the traction limit because you're limited by inner rear wheelspin, so you're inadvertently always "managing" the outside rear on traction

[iotar__]

Everyone gave up on this season? No map or anything?

Sato to be Sauber’s reserve driver in Japan:
http://www.f1zone.net/news/sato-to-be-s ... pan/20627/
No, not Takuma - Kimiya.

[raymondu999]

I stopped bothering making the long thread start posts

[notApineapple]

Because they're turning a tighter radius. When you get on the power, the outside rear is always under the traction limit because you're limited by inner rear wheelspin, so you're inadvertently always "managing" the outside rear on traction

Well it would depend on how you have your diff setup wouldn't it? If you have it setup properly, you would have the inside slightly spinning just enough so that the outside wheel has more drive torque biased to it. This is something I've seen from my own experience (albeit not in F1). This puts the outside wheel on its traction limit and the inside wheel basically just follows (although its spinning faster, its transferring less torque)

So, I'd still say in this case, the lightly spinning wheel on the inside is under much less "abuse" than the outside which "should" have more torque, more vertical load and more lateral load passing through it.

I'm happy to be proved wrong though. Perhaps in F1 with such a low CG, the inside wheel is still sufficiently loaded. Do you have any experience with this or some more details to share?

[Mika1]

The WC is over, but even a different race winner is too much to ask.

[Juzh]

Suzuka is red bulls playground and I don't see anyone threatening them during quali or race whatsoever.
Vettel for pole by 1/2 second in front of webber, then mercs close behind. In the race vettel with do his usual stuff and win by ~20 seconds while ferrari will self-destruct in the midfield.

[ringo]

Webber has caught fire two races in row. Let's see what happens here.
As for Vettel, he's due some bad luck. A jammed wheel nut would be great. lol

[Shrieker]

Vetbull written all over it. Hopefully it won't be another yawnfest...

[Hail22]

Captain Snooze to nab pole / win.