2014 Spanish Grand Prix - Barcelona

[NathanOlder]

I'd like to congratulate Hammy on his second championship. It's gonna be a walk in the park for him this year.

This unequivocal dominance of one team is getting seriously unappetizing, and I hope some thread of equilibrium can be found in the off season reg adjustments--if there are any....Similar changes which dethroned the Ferrari-Shumi era hopefully can be identified this season and then implemented next.

So Ferrari and Schumi had a good 5 years of domination, Red Bull and Vettel had 4 years of domination, and now your whining about Mercedes and Lewis afetr 4 RACES !

come back and resume your rant/complaint in 2017

[Juzh]

I've got a small question: yesterday, when Ham was running his first flying lap in Q3, Vet stopped. I heard on radio that Ham asked Vet something and Vet said sorry to him due to his mechanical failure which messed Ham's lap up.

Correct me if Im wrong but I've just wondered why two drivers can talk to each other I think they can just talk to people on the pit wall. Is that right ? If they're able to do so, how ?

They can only talk to their own team on the pit wall. It was just coincidence that they both spoke on the radio about the incident around the same time and that Vet's comment sounded like a response to Ham's. It wasn't. Vet was just throwing an apology out there because he knew he'd compromised Ham's lap.

The session was red flagged shortly thereafter. So much for spoiled laps. If anything he spoiled rosbergs lap.

[Phil]

I thought hamilton was already up in the first attempt? Doesnt really matter - hamilton was always up in s1, but needed to get it together in especially s3. I dont quite see also how it spoiled nico more than lewis - both had two unintefered attempts after that. Perhaps nicos tyres had a bit less performance in them in that first full attempt after the redflag, but he got it together quite well in his 2nd. Lewis just eeked that much more out of it...

Still all to play for. Start is going to be very crucial.

[Waywardism]

Nico was much further into his lap and had used more of the life of the tyre when the red flag came out, so it compromised Nico's first run after the restart.

It's quite irrelevant anyway since they both did their fastest times at the very end on fresh rubber.

[Juzh]

Just watched gp2 sprint race and it was quite funny to watch tires going off left right and center towards the end. Such a "sprint" race indeed lol.

[zoro_f1]

* Sebastian Vettel is droping 5 place because of replacing gearbox.

[Waywardism]

Anyone know which side of the track is pole position here?

[markn93]

Left hand side, right as you look at it on tv. The racing line.

[NathanOlder]

Can anyone clear answer why the Red Bull (apparently best car in fast corners) gives up 0.5 of a second in sector 1 , 0.5 in sector 2. but only 0.2 in sector 3. I know Sector 1 and 2 have a straight, but sector 3 has a good 40% of the start finish straight in it. in sector 1 Turns 1,2 & 3 are all pretty fast. Sector 2, turns 4, 7, 8 & 9 are all fast. Sector 3 has only really got sector 3 only has the last turn thats fast.

Looking at this you'd say the Red Bull gives up speed on top speed, not acceleration, but doesn't have as much downforce as the mercedes. Maybe has more mechanical grip such as the nature of the last sector. This to me seems like the Aero on the Red Bull and Merc has switched from last year. Merc were good in the final sector and poor in the first 2 sectors. this year is roles reversed but Merc have the top speed as well.

If its just a case of taking downforce off for top speed compensation, why do we hear people track side saying the Red Bull looks mighty in the fast corners, yet the sector times dont back this up.

[SiLo]

Can anyone clear answer why the Red Bull (apparently best car in fast corners) gives up 0.5 of a second in sector 1 , 0.5 in sector 2. but only 0.2 in sector 3. I know Sector 1 and 2 have a straight, but sector 3 has a good 40% of the start finish straight in it. in sector 1 Turns 1,2 & 3 are all pretty fast. Sector 2, turns 4, 7, 8 & 9 are all fast. Sector 3 has only really got sector 3 only has the last turn thats fast.

Looking at this you'd say the Red Bull gives up speed on top speed, not acceleration, but doesn't have as much downforce as the mercedes. Maybe has more mechanical grip such as the nature of the last sector. This to me seems like the Aero on the Red Bull and Merc has switched from last year. Merc were good in the final sector and poor in the first 2 sectors. this year is roles reversed but Merc have the top speed as well.

If its just a case of taking downforce off for top speed compensation, why do we hear people track side saying the Red Bull looks mighty in the fast corners, yet the sector times dont back this up.

I was also wondering this. They weren't just being beaten down the straights, they were being beaten everywhere. Says to me that they don't have the best chassis on the grid like people seem to claim. Second best maybe, but not first.

[Phil]

Maybe that's some form of result of [Redbull] compromising their aero/packaging in order to get some more power or straightline performance. I think they have a very good package, but i think a power advantage with aero parity can take you a long way (i.e. you can make up small handling errors by through straightline grunt). My two cents.

[mikeerfol]

https://twitter.com/ScarbsF1/status/465456386588307456

[Steven]

Follow the race and chat along at http://www.f1technical.net/live/

[jz11]

WTB option to watch the race in thermal imaging mode, that real world light is so boring...

[zeph]

I may be a little paranoid, but two slow pitstops for Hamilton? Surely Merc aren't trying to artificially pump some excitement into this race?

And when did Alonso pass Raikkonen?