2015 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai, April 10-12

[Edax]

Lewis (and Seb) must be pissing himself laughing at Nico's distress signals.

If you look at the body language of Hamilton and Seb during the interview session it seems more like compassion than malicious pleasure.

Not sure if many racing drivers are born with the ability to feel compassion.

Maybe compassion is not the word I'm looking for (not native english). But for me they clearly both were thinking that Nico was embarrasing himself and wish he wouldn't.

I think the pace that the Mercs had over the Ferrari's on the mediums was quite impressive. Everyone within a few seconds of each other up until the mediums went on, then the next thing I know Hamilton was 20 seconds down the road of Vettel. I think the reason they were closer on softs was simply Merc being sensible and just conserving their tyres in case Ferrari had the pace and longevity across the soft stints. Turned out they really didn't.

Wonder whether the Ferrari's were not too conservative with the tires, up to a point where they couldn't get the mediums switched on.

[SoCalWJS]

Re: Lewis not going as fast as he could and Nico complaining.

Win/Win for Hamilton. He doesn't have to drive as fast as he can which saves wear and tear on the tires, also allowing Nico to catch up a bit and run in more turbulent air, causing Nico to either risk increased wear on his tires or allowing Vettel to close the gap.

Nico needs to keep his yap shut and figure out how to push Lewis harder, or his season is going to be in jeopardy quickly (psychologically and the Team firmly perceiving him to be the #2 driver)

[windwaves]

Re: Lewis not going as fast as he could and Nico complaining.

Win/Win for Hamilton. He doesn't have to drive as fast as he can which saves wear and tear on the tires, also allowing Nico to catch up a bit and run in more turbulent air, causing Nico to either risk increased wear on his tires or allowing Vettel to close the gap.

Nico needs to keep his yap shut and figure out how to push Lewis harder, or his season is going to be in jeopardy quickly (psychologically and the Team firmly perceiving him to be the #2 driver)

indeed ! and LH is not just saving tires, he is also conserving the engine/PU, very smart. Rosberg's whining only points to his weakness at least mentally, at this stage. I would not however be surprised that he finds a way back in the fight, even though the attitude shown post race is not going to help him.

[Alexgtt]

I'm sorry to say this reinforces my view that Nico has lost the plot. Does he think this is Kindergarten or something. I'm really sad about this because I genuinely think Nico knows he can't beat Hamilton fair and square and I always rated Nico from the early days.

I don't think Seb could believe what he was hearing. Having said that I'm quite sure he's happy that when that Fezza is properly up there Nico is easy bait.

[MercedesAMGSpy]

First I thought it was just frustration during the race, but the whole saga/interview after the race were embarrassing to watch, Nico beaten on and off the track.

[iotar__]

Re: Lewis not going as fast as he could and Nico complaining.
Win/Win for Hamilton. He doesn't have to drive as fast as he can which saves wear and tear on the tires, also allowing Nico to catch up a bit and run in more turbulent air, causing Nico to either risk increased wear on his tires or allowing Vettel to close the gap.
Nico needs to keep his yap shut and figure out how to push Lewis harder, or his season is going to be in jeopardy quickly (psychologically and the Team firmly perceiving him to be the #2 driver)

Hamilton and dirty tricks? I don't believe it. Yesterday I thought it was all about the team result with saving tyres . Firstly, you need to decide version of events, did he do it on purpose or not? "He didn't but if he did...", "he didn't but he has every right to drive how he wants"?

'It's not my job to look after Nico's race' Fine, direct comparison: that's what Rosberg should have said after Austria when they gave Hamilton free position with a pitstop out of sequence. If it was up to drivers but it's not. It's Mercedes' job to control strategy, or send them too late in qualifying, or be silent about strategy in Malaysia. It's up to to them to pretend it didn't happen or potentially ignore something that compromises result for the other driver. Every man for himself? Fine, that's what happened in Spa and then there were cries and punishment for one driver.

[PlatinumZealot]

Nico showing clear signs that he was a spoilt rich kid that always got his way. Did he never learn that sometimes you have to fight to make things happem on your own instead of crying to daddy (Toto) to do it for you? I am actually surprised Nico compunded it in the press conference. Like Childish winge for the other kid to be punished because he is not playing the game like how you want.

[fets81]

Hamilton's post race

https://youtu.be/WNxwumKv_6s

[Traction]

Hamilton vs Rosberg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At6eR7w5yI0

Loved the little smile from Seb when Lewis responded..Nico is not only going to lose any remaining focus he has on the championship but he's also going to lose a lot of credibility with the team, the fans and with everyone in general if he keeps on like this. Lewis on the other hand is looking as relaxed as I have ever seen him...he's in a really good place at the moment and he'll keep gaining off Nico demise.

[Alexgtt]

Hamilton vs Rosberg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At6eR7w5yI0

Loved the little smile from Seb when Lewis responded..Nico is not only going to lose any remaining focus he has on the championship but he's also going to lose a lot of credibility with the team, the fans and with everyone in general if he keeps on like this. Lewis on the other hand is looking as relaxed as I have ever seen him...he's in a really good place at the moment and he'll keep gaining off Nico demise.

+1. There is such a thing as sportsmanship and Nico used to display it. What's wrong with rolling out the old "He was quicker than me. I need to work hard and get him next time".

I don't know who is advising him or if he is responsible for this himself but it's a a huge own goal and what's alarming is he doesn't seem to see it. Delusion springs to mind.

[dans79]

Loved the little smile from Seb when Lewis responded..Nico is not only going to lose any remaining focus he has on the championship but he's also going to lose a lot of credibility with the team, the fans and with everyone in general if he keeps on like this. Lewis on the other hand is looking as relaxed as I have ever seen him...he's in a really good place at the moment and he'll keep gaining off Nico demise.

I think Vettel was thinking to himself, "does he not understand this is how the game is played"!

[psychemedia]

To try to get a feel for what Nico might have been complaining about with respect to the way Hamilton drove his race, I sketched a battle map view of the race from Rosberg's perspective:



The numbers along the x axis are Rosberg's race position at the end of each lap. The chart shows the time to the car in the race position ahead (Hamilton, black labels, y>0) and the car in the race position behind (y<0, Vettel, black labels) as well as the closest intervening off-lap car in terms of track position ahead and in behind in red. The dashed lines at +/-1 show the DRS line.

(For more detail on the battlemap sketch idea, see http://blog.ouseful.info/2015/01/31/red ... attlemaps/)

[PlatinumZealot]

Hamilton's post race

https://youtu.be/WNxwumKv_6s

A very relaxed hamilton. Video says it all. He has Nico's ticket now. He knows Nico pace limit and now he knows Nico's cracking limits.. Nico is finished unless he can somehow mentally dismantle hamilton.

[turbof1]

I was hoping and genuinly believing Rosberg would start the season stronger and more of a challenge towards Hamilton. He is proving until now the contrary. Infact, Vettel is showing to be better competition even though his car is inferior.

I do hope Rosberg can strike back. He has the potentional to bring the fight to Hamilton, but he simply does not get it out.

[hattrick]

A replay of the race at the BBC, required Hola widget on the browser for those who is outside of the UK:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... ghts-china

____________

very interesting statistics .. cumulative sum of the best sectors. Vettel is very little behind Hamilton.



___________

I have the impression that in the Mercedes pits happen some kind of 'UFC' clash


https://twitter.com/nico_rosberg/status ... 2625491969 __________

2015 China - Post-Race Top 3 Press Conference

_________





Drama began .. Nico slowly bursting at the seams.
_________

Interesting Ham comment .. how much is still tires left.

Q: (Dan Knutson – Auto Action and Speed Sport magazines) Lewis, we only hear some of the radio transmissions on the TV. We heard the team asking you to speed up a bit and nothing more. Were there further discussions and did you speed up a bit?


LH: Well, there wasn’t really a time when I wasn’t... I mean I’m out there driving as hard as I can but within the constraints of the tyres. They kept coming on the radio and asking me to pick up the pace and I’m kind of ‘well, I’m trying to manage these tyres, I’ve basically got...’It’s like you have £100 and you have to spend it wisely over your stint and I was trying to make my stint go as long as possible and whilst keeping...

SV: ... how many pounds you had left at the end?

LH: I was hopefully still wealthy at the end of it.

Full transcript

______________

BBC Race Highlights

Official Race Highlights - China 2015

Top 3 interviewed in China

______________

Race Fastest Laps

Race History Chart

Race Lap Analysis

Race Pit Stop Summary

Race Best Sector Times

Race Maximum Speeds

______________

Technical Report Doc34 - Before/After the Race

Technical ReportDoc25 - Parc Ferme

Technical ReportDoc24 - D.Ricciardo

______________





Congratulations Lewis! =D>