2017 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai 07-09 April

[Andres125sx]

Nice race, at least first half. Verstappen race was awesome, despite the whinning wich is becoming a norm. This boy has some overtaking abilities!

Hamilton was very lucky with the SC after his non stop with the VSC, and Vettel unlucky.

Bottas mistake with SC.... OMG. Not what you´d expect from one of the drivers of the top team... or yes? I´m sure Mercedes hired him because he´ll not be a treat to Lewis, so actually, yes, he did what Mercedes was expecting for him

Sainz was the only one to start with slicks, wich proved risky with his spin and becoming last, but from there he did an asthonishing race to finish the best of the rest, easily. Heck he even was catching up the Ferraris at some point of the race!!

And Alonso, what a race for such a poor car. He said he was the fastest car in the corners... if real, maybe there´s some hope about the McLaren chassis

[ENGINE TUNER]

it grabbed my attention that mercedes qualy lap engine is always under 12.000 rpm

Just like every other engine since 2014...

YEAH but the rules permits 15.000 RPM
is 12.000 a sweet spot to fulfill the maximum fuel limit (105)?

No, they shift at 12k because that is the sweet spot for power. These engines use the same amount of fuel at 10.5k rpm or at 15k rpm. If you put any of the 4 engines on the grid Merc, Ferrari, Renault or Honda on a dyno at a steady 10.5k rpm or at 15k rpm or even going up and down between those two limits they will all run through 100kg of fuel in 1 hour. These engines do not perform like you are used to in the past where they increase fuel usage with increased rpm.

Also, contrary to popular belief, these engines have more than enough fuel to run at 15k rpm. If there is enough fuel to run at 10.5k rpm at 2 bars of boost, then there is theoretically enough fuel to run at 21k rpm with 1 bar of boost.

There is no advantage to running higher than 10.5k rpm in this formula, the only reason they run over 10.5k rpm is so that when they upshift the revs don't drop below 10.5k rpm. If they ran CV transmissions then they would pretty much run 10.5k rpm the entire race.

[Andres125sx]

so ALO broke the car because couldn't let go as some people speculate , the driveshaft sheered off becuase of his tring not to be overtaking shenigans? McLaren failed the "curb test" (the real one) ...?

Uh oh. You triggered the Alonso nut swingers. How dare you not speak only that he is a god!

I think Mclaren is aware that he "broke" the car on purpose...

I´m glad you express your point of view this clearly. This way I don´t waste my time reading any futher

[Andres125sx]

SO basically you can pass only McLaren with DRS today.. .

And without DRS too

[ENGINE TUNER]

Hamilton was very lucky with the SC after his non stop with the VSC, and Vettel unlucky.

Bottas mistake with SC.... OMG. Not what you´d expect from one of the drivers of the top team... or yes? I´m sure Mercedes hired him because he´ll not be a treat to Lewis, so actually, yes, he did what Mercedes was expecting for him

Vettel took a gamble and lost out, if he was more confident in his ability to pass HAM on track he would have no need to take a gamble.

VET was very "lucky" that BOT spun out in front of him because a) BOT didn't collect VET while spinning on the straight, and 2) VET did not have to pass BOT.

Regardless of VSC or SC VET was not going to beat HAM on pure speed, neither VET or his ferrari are good enough to do so.

[Shrieker]

I don't think Vettel took a gamble by pitting under the VSC. Actually, it's a no brainer to pit under the VSC because it's basically half a pit stop for free. I was surprised the Mercs didn't pit also under the VSC, and honestly thought they were gonna lose out to Vettel because of that. Vettel was unlucky only because the VSC was followed immediately by a SC period.

[Chene_Mostert]

Hamilton was very lucky with the SC after his non stop with the VSC, and Vettel unlucky.

Bottas mistake with SC.... OMG. Not what you´d expect from one of the drivers of the top team... or yes? I´m sure Mercedes hired him because he´ll not be a treat to Lewis, so actually, yes, he did what Mercedes was expecting for him

Vettel took a gamble and lost out, if he was more confident in his ability to pass HAM on track he would have no need to take a gamble.

VET was very "lucky" that BOT spun out in front of him because a) BOT didn't collect VET while spinning on the straight, and 2) VET did not have to pass BOT.

Regardless of VSC or SC VET was not going to beat HAM on pure speed, neither VET or his ferrari are good enough to do so.

What is "pure speed"?

[BanMeToo]

I don't think Vettel took a gamble by pitting under the VSC. Actually, it's a no brainer to pit under the VSC because it's basically half a pit stop for free. I was surprised the Mercs didn't pit also under the VSC, and honestly thought they were gonna lose out to Vettel because of that. Vettel was unlucky only because the VSC was followed immediately by a SC period.

Exactly, the VSC pit was a good decision. Can't see the future.

[SiLo]

To be honest the people running the dry tyres were still losing quite a lot of time in the last sector, the SC happened too soon for us to know if it was a great move by Ferrari or not.

[Mandrake]

Nice race, at least first half. Verstappen race was awesome, despite the whinning wich is becoming a norm. This boy has some overtaking abilities!

I'm not convinced he was racing so well.....the gap between the midfield and the RedBull is still massive, especially in damp conditions. In the beginning he was just doing what the Merc guys did the last seasons when they had to start in the pack.

Overall I think he had less race pace than RIC. He cooked his tires in both stints to an extent that he had to defend massively against RIC in the last laps. Obviously he was going fast in the opening laps of a stint, but his moves were also helped he was cooking the super soft (the better tire for the conditions at that point in time, just not as long-living).

Does that justify being driver of the race? For me not really. There were far better representations of him in races than this race.

[dans79]

To be honest the people running the dry tyres were still losing quite a lot of time in the last sector, the SC happened too soon for us to know if it was a great move by Ferrari or not.

Exactly!

[ENGINE TUNER]

Hamilton was very lucky with the SC after his non stop with the VSC, and Vettel unlucky.

Bottas mistake with SC.... OMG. Not what you´d expect from one of the drivers of the top team... or yes? I´m sure Mercedes hired him because he´ll not be a treat to Lewis, so actually, yes, he did what Mercedes was expecting for him

Vettel took a gamble and lost out, if he was more confident in his ability to pass HAM on track he would have no need to take a gamble.

VET was very "lucky" that BOT spun out in front of him because a) BOT didn't collect VET while spinning on the straight, and 2) VET did not have to pass BOT.

Regardless of VSC or SC VET was not going to beat HAM on pure speed, neither VET or his ferrari are good enough to do so.

What is "pure speed"?

If you have to ask maybe this is not the sport for you, maybe try bowling or darts

[Chene_Mostert]

Vettel took a gamble and lost out, if he was more confident in his ability to pass HAM on track he would have no need to take a gamble.

VET was very "lucky" that BOT spun out in front of him because a) BOT didn't collect VET while spinning on the straight, and 2) VET did not have to pass BOT.

Regardless of VSC or SC VET was not going to beat HAM on pure speed, neither VET or his ferrari are good enough to do so.

What is "pure speed"?

If you have to ask maybe this is not the sport for you, maybe try bowling or darts

No, please define "pure speed", or do you just like saying it cause it sounds "cool".

[ENGINE TUNER]

I don't think Vettel took a gamble by pitting under the VSC. Actually, it's a no brainer to pit under the VSC because it's basically half a pit stop for free. I was surprised the Mercs didn't pit also under the VSC, and honestly thought they were gonna lose out to Vettel because of that. Vettel was unlucky only because the VSC was followed immediately by a SC period.

Exactly, the VSC pit was a good decision. Can't see the future.

Since you can't see the future you have no idea if it was a good decision, it could have started raining again immediately, or they could have called a red flag instead of an SC(although this year I don't think they are still allowed to change tires under a red flag).

The inters may have still been faster for a couple laps after VSC period was done, or VET could have spun on the wet pit straight while pushing... you don't know because you can't see the future.

VET gambled and it didn't work out. If he was fast enough he would't have had to gamble.

[ENGINE TUNER]

To be honest the people running the dry tyres were still losing quite a lot of time in the last sector, the SC happened too soon for us to know if it was a great move by Ferrari or not.

Exactly!

yep