2014 Malaysian Grand Prix - Sepang

[mnmracer]

Vettel was quicker than Hamilton in the speed trap. What will it take to put this "Mercedes are only winning cause of the engine" myth to bed?

Source: http://184.106.145.74/f1-championship/f ... ap_V01.pdf

I wouldn't say "only because of the engine", but Rosberg pulled 0.4 away from Vettel on the two grand-stand straights alone. Unless you think Rosberg is so good he can do all that in two corners -one of which a hairpin-, it's pretty clear the Mercedes engine is superior.

[Sevach]

Vettel was quicker than Hamilton in the speed trap. What will it take to put this "Mercedes are only winning cause of the engine" myth to bed?

Source: http://184.106.145.74/f1-championship/f ... ap_V01.pdf

If Hamilton had the chance to use DRS and overtake people these numbers would've been different, just look at the Williamses (granted the FW36 is 2/3 kph faster in a straight line than the W05).

[beelsebob]

Whats interesting for me is that if the fuel usage graphics are true then the teams had a margin, some over 10%, so why weren't they pushing harder?
I understand Lewis not doing so, since he didnt need to, but if you finish the race with 8 to 10% fuel left, you haven't managed it properly..

They had 10% *of the limit* spare. That doesn't mean they had 10% of their fuel spare. They may well have run with only 92kg in the first place.

One has to wonder if the ability to run harder more often is worth more than running slightly lighter and having to lift and coast more. Im sure they run the maths, but we all know the maths doesn't always match real world situations.

Absolutely it's worth more. 1kg of fuel will cost you about 0.05 seconds a lap, every single lap. That's 2.95 seconds over a whole race distance. Removing it at the start, and having to drive a couple of laps conservatively will cost *way* less than that.

[myurr]

Vettel was quicker than Hamilton in the speed trap. What will it take to put this "Mercedes are only winning cause of the engine" myth to bed?

Source: http://184.106.145.74/f1-championship/f ... ap_V01.pdf

I wouldn't say "only because of the engine", but Rosberg pulled 0.4 away from Vettel on the two grand-stand straights alone. Unless you think Rosberg is so good he can do all that in two corners -one of which a hairpin-, it's pretty clear the Mercedes engine is superior.

No one is denying that the Mercedes engine is superior. What's up for debate is whether or not it accounts for the whole difference. Many believe that Red Bull would be much faster than Mercedes were they to have the same engine. I believe they'd be within a tenth or two of each other and that Mercedes have built a genuinely quick car that is dominating because of the engine.

Hamilton's fastest lap was 1.2s faster than Vettels. The 0.4s on the two straights only accounts for a third of that. And even that isn't engine alone - both cars are set up to play to their strengths so Red Bull are running more downforce and therefore drag than they would otherwise be doing if they had the Merc engine.

[iotar__]

Regarding the Massa incident. I'm on my phone without WiFi, so I can't watch the interview, however, my feeling was that it was always unrealistic for Bottas to catch Button with four laps to go. Particularly, if he was unable to pass Massa, how was he planning on passing Button?

I had exactly the same thought, the chance was there but I don't think it's a straightforward case even from team's perspective, second race, gain of couple of points and problems with drivers.
Now they started talking about warmer engine, tyres and switchback plan (if Bottas can't get Button he gives place back). Maybe but seems too complicated to believe it's nothing more than damage limitation talk, same for "it's not team orders".

[ChrisM40]

Absolutely it's worth more. 1kg of fuel will cost you about 0.05 seconds a lap, every single lap. That's 2.95 seconds over a whole race distance. Removing it at the start, and having to drive a couple of laps conservatively will cost *way* less than that.

I think we have all seen situations in the last 2 races where the extra fuel might have got a driver past another or allowed a driver to defend more. I guess its a time of discovery for these teams, maybe someone will work it out differently and try it, it all depends where in the grid you are.

[FoxHound]

both cars are set up to play to their strengths so Red Bull are running more downforce and therefore drag than they would otherwise be doing if they had the Merc engine.

This.

Red Bull always point at speeds down the straight, completely forgoing apex speeds. If it was a drag race, then they'd have a point. But it's not, so there is no complete validity to the comparison.
Red Bull are down on some power perhaps, but not anywhere to make as big a difference as the Mercedes W05 is "all engine".
The W04 had the measure of the RB9 at some races last year. So with the change in engines and the lead team a factory team like Mercedes enjoy, they will have some inherent advantage. Especially when RB were developing the RB10 later than Merc the W04.

Red Bull just gotta suck it up and get on with business, the same as every team have had to do for the last 4 years.
There is only so much a team can say when it starts to become bleating.
First there was finger pointing at Renault. Then it was the fuel flow furore. Then Mateschitz tells the world Red Bull may quit. Now they can't win because Mercedes' engine is "too good".

C'mon, lets just go racing.

[thomin]

The hallmark of a good PU isn't just power output, but even more crucially drivability. I think that's one area where Mercedes engines started out ahead, but where Ferrari and Renault will definitely make up ground as the season progresses.

[FoxHound]

The hallmark of a good PU isn't just power output, but even more crucially drivability. I think that's one area where Mercedes engines started out ahead, but where Ferrari and Renault will definitely make up ground as the season progresses.

Certainly true and certainly true of the v8's from the previous gen.
The Renault hardware is fine. Software wise is a different matter, but these things can be changed and refined through a season....like a front wing or turning vane.

[Moxie]

Claire really dropped the ball today. That must have been humiliating for Massa. Bad call Claire, bad call.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdH1idgxNtU

She is bullsh*** all the way, come on, nobody believes that at all. As you said REALLY dropped the ball.

Probably the fakest interview I'v ever seen.

The whole thing was stupid. The idea that Massa would pull let any teammate pass after his time at Ferrari is just foolish. Especially after his comments earlier in the week. I think C. Williams recognized the stupidity of the order, and was just trying to bow out gracefully. I'm glad Massa refused to follow the order.

[Emerson.F]

Fred onboard start.
* Ricci has got some balls. =D>
* Nico almost lost it

[Just_a_fan]

just thinking out loud but the regs this year call for each competitor to nominate their forward gear ratios, so I assume when it states "each competitor" it means driver not team?

If so is it possible hamiltons gears were just better suited to malaysia than nico's & maybe this had something to do with how hamilton was able to use less fuel?

Rosberg had to be careful that Vettel couldn't get too close to him so he might not be able to coast as early and had to be on the power fully a bit earlier out of a corner. Hamilton, having made the gap, was able to do all of the fuel saving stuff perfectly.

Oh, and it's also possible that Hamilton was just 100% today whilst Rosberg was only 99%. That would be enough.

[kalinka]

What exactly happened to Ricciardo's FW?

[myurr]

Worth noting in that video that the Red Bull isn't down on power relative to the Ferrari. After a similar getaway, in the second phase the Red Bull was pulling away if anything. That engine isn't half as bad as they like to make out.

[iHpled]

Fred onboard start.
* Ricci has got some balls. =D>
* Nico almost lost it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImPVtKa00hw

Good start from the Ferrari until 100kph, Fernando shifts to the second gear and then it starts to make a really weird sound.. like its hitting max rev or something, anyway Alonso lost a lot of time in second gear.