2017 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka, 6-8 October

[Restomaniac]

I'm not accusing anyone of bring underhand.
I just find it hard to believe that a car can leave the garage apparently fine and then in 1 parade lap develop a faulty spark plug with no warning. More so when consider that the parade lap isn't exactly going to stress the ICE.
Now consider last week.
Vettel's car develops a fault that's unfortunate but it happens it can't be helped. Raikkonen's car leaves the garage apparently fine and once again a parade lap stresses out a part of the car so much it fails. A part you would assume they would have tripled checked what with it being the same thing that had failed in the sister car.

Surely you have to ask questions of whoever is running the pre-race checks.

[F1NAC]

Yeah it was replaced under supervision from the FIA. It's one of the many things that teams are allowed to replaced with a like for like part in parc ferme.

It surely asks the question then.
How can Mercedes spot their spark plug issues yet Ferrari didn't? AFAIK the engines are not used between qualifying and setup on race morning.

Maybe Vettel's problem occured on lap to the grid not immediately after engine was fired up..

[Restomaniac]

Yeah it was replaced under supervision from the FIA. It's one of the many things that teams are allowed to replaced with a like for like part in parc ferme.

It surely asks the question then.
How can Mercedes spot their spark plug issues yet Ferrari didn't? AFAIK the engines are not used between qualifying and setup on race morning.

Maybe Vettel's problem occured on lap to the grid not immediately after engine was fired up..

And Raikkonen's the week before? The engines are not exactly being stressed on the parade lap are they.

[Vasconia]

Well, the final and worst conclusion is that the championship is over. I am pretty sure that Hamilton won´t have a double DNF in the next races. At least I hope Vettel can win some of them and give some emotion.

Hamiton did not have such a great advantage as expected but he was comforably in the lead until he had that problem. The most surprising fact was that he was stronger with super softs tyres rather than with the softs ones, contrarty to what it has been usual so far.

It was difficult to imagine how Max could have overtaken Lewis but the battle could have been much better. Sadly Alonso and Massa were there.

[F1NAC]

Well, the final and worst conclusion is that the championship is over. I am pretty sure that Hamilton won´t have a double DNF in the next races. At least I hope Vettel can win some of them and give some emotion.

Hamiton did not have such a great advantage as expected but he was comforably in the lead until he had that problem. The most surprising fact was that he was stronger with super softs tyres rather than with the softs ones, contrarty to what it has been usual so far.

It was difficult to imagine how Max could have overtaken Lewis but the battle could have been much better. Sadly Alonso and Massa were there.

Yes Massa and Alonso did --- there but IMHO I dont think Max would've got past Hamilton. Those straights are just too strong for them

[Jolle]

With the issues Ferrari had this season, it feels a bit like the eighties/early nineties for me again, when Ferrari's were fast but fragile and the crew generally in chaos. The pre-Jean Todt era. With the drilled operation from McLaren/Dennis and the opportunistic but cleaver approach from Frank Williams.

Thinking of it, maybe this is all part of the big liberty plan, bring back the past: MercedesAMG and RedBull have taken the place of McLaren and Williams very well.

Next up: The old master (Hamilton) with a young, even faster but wild contender (Verstappen) in the same team, winning almost all the races.

[Vasconia]

Well, the final and worst conclusion is that the championship is over. I am pretty sure that Hamilton won´t have a double DNF in the next races. At least I hope Vettel can win some of them and give some emotion.

Hamiton did not have such a great advantage as expected but he was comforably in the lead until he had that problem. The most surprising fact was that he was stronger with super softs tyres rather than with the softs ones, contrarty to what it has been usual so far.

It was difficult to imagine how Max could have overtaken Lewis but the battle could have been much better. Sadly Alonso and Massa were there.

Yes Massa and Alonso did --- there but IMHO I dont think Max would've got past Hamilton. Those straights are just too strong for them

I agree with you, that Renault PU doesnt help to much. But man, there was a moment when Max was so damn close!!.

[Phil]

It was difficult to imagine how Max could have overtaken Lewis but the battle could have been much better. Sadly Alonso and Massa were there.

All indications are that Alonso and Massa were the sole and only reason why it was that close in the first place, as a result of the Mercedes struggling in dirty air. Even Max said as much, post-race. If Alonso and Massa weren’t, it wouldnt have been that close.

[ChrisDanger]

If anyone missed this it's a real gem.

Japanese Grand Prix Driver Briefing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPr5khO86Eg

[F1NAC]

It was difficult to imagine how Max could have overtaken Lewis but the battle could have been much better. Sadly Alonso and Massa were there.

All indications are that Alonso and Massa were the sole and only reason why it was that close in the first place, as a result of the Mercedes struggling in dirty air. Even Max said as much, post-race. If Alonso and Massa weren’t, it wouldnt have been that close.

yes but again backmarkers are acting like fools. Alonso and Massa this year, with ALonso in 2 consecutive races screwing fights in front. Also Massa had his moments earlier in the season (Barcelona, Sochi)

[cooken]

It surely asks the question then.
How can Mercedes spot their spark plug issues yet Ferrari didn't? AFAIK the engines are not used between qualifying and setup on race morning.

Maybe Vettel's problem occured on lap to the grid not immediately after engine was fired up..

And Raikkonen's the week before? The engines are not exactly being stressed on the parade lap are they.

You are confusing parade lap (the one right before lights go out) with lap to grid (the sometimes multiple laps where drivers check the track and car on full fuel and make final wing adjustment, finally leaving their car on the grid when it's full of people - BEFORE the parade lap). Neither Raikkonen nor Vettel had their issue occur on the parade lap, it was before that. Now, during pre race build up, Rosberg confirmed that actually the drivers have to push a little bit to feel what the car is like on heavy fuel, so zero stress on the PU is probably not quite right.

Having said that, I could see a problem developing after qualifying, where the PU is turned up to the max, then shut down and everything cools down. Not inconceivable that on next startup some damage reveals itself.

[AnthonyG]

With the issues Ferrari had this season, it feels a bit like the eighties/early nineties for me again, when Ferrari's were fast but fragile and the crew generally in chaos. The pre-Jean Todt era. With the drilled operation from McLaren/Dennis and the opportunistic but cleaver approach from Frank Williams.

Thinking of it, maybe this is all part of the big liberty plan, bring back the past: MercedesAMG and RedBull have taken the place of McLaren and Williams very well.

Next up: The old master (Hamilton) with a young, even faster but wild contender (Verstappen) in the same team, winning almost all the races.

This year was the best championship run of the Scuderia in years and the first time someone gave Mercedes a run for their money in the V6 era. They have problems, yes, but I think we should see the positives.

[Restomaniac]

Maybe Vettel's problem occured on lap to the grid not immediately after engine was fired up..

And Raikkonen's the week before? The engines are not exactly being stressed on the parade lap are they.

You are confusing parade lap (the one right before lights go out) with lap to grid (the sometimes multiple laps where drivers check the track and car on full fuel and make final wing adjustment, finally leaving their car on the grid when it's full of people - BEFORE the parade lap). Neither Raikkonen nor Vettel had their issue occur on the parade lap, it was before that. Now, during pre race build up, Rosberg confirmed that actually the drivers have to push a little bit to feel what the car is like on heavy fuel, so zero stress on the PU is probably not quite right.

Having said that, I could see a problem developing after qualifying, where the PU is turned up to the max, then shut down and everything cools down. Not inconceivable that on next startup some damage reveals itself.

Oops. Yeah sorry about that. I still don't buy pushing a little bit should cause those kind of failures IF everything is checked properly.

Remember that a PU isn't sent out cold it has to be setup and prepared.

[cooken]

Probably should nip this here and defer to the Ferrari PU thread, where it seems some technical details have emerged.

[dren]

If anyone missed this it's a real gem.

Japanese Grand Prix Driver Briefing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPr5khO86Eg

Thanks!