2018 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka, 5-7 October

[TAG]

Just saw Ferrari's new livery, I'd heard rumors that moral was low but are things that bad that they had top be reminded that the point is to Winnow?

[NL_Fer]

Hamilton AND his Mercedes are a solid combo in the rain. The rain naturally mitigates his cars tire hunger (create enough heat now) and traction on slow corner exits (makes it much more of a feel thing). Maybe the engines drivability also helps. In the rain even Williams/Stroll looks decent.

[godlameroso]

But it's not going to rain during the race. In fact I would take advantage as the rain is likely to come for FP2.

[GrandAxe]

Its still early days, but Mercedes on the hardest tyre is keeping pace with Red Bull (on softs) and Ferrari (on supers).

[Shrieker]

Its still early days, but Mercedes on the hardest tyre is keeping pace with Red Bull (on softs) and Ferrari (on supers).

Ye, and their run on softs is nearly a second faster than Ferraris on supersofts...

[cooken]

Yea FP1 was really not encouraging for Ferrari. Hopefully the colder temps and track evolution are closing things.

[JPBD1990]

Ferrari does look slow on face value - but a few things to consider:

They’re 10kmph down on Mercedes - which is very unlikely to be the ultimate pace of the car looking at recent history

Their high fuel runs were far more encouraging on pace (on supers) than Mercs laps on soft/mediums.

I think they will ultimately be behind Mercedes this weekend, but I think it’s MUCH closer than this. Just the usual Friday practice doomsaying.

[cooken]

Ferrari does look slow on face value - but a few things to consider:

They’re 10kmph down on Mercedes - which is very unlikely to be the ultimate pace of the car looking at recent history

Their high fuel runs were far more encouraging on pace (on supers) than Mercs laps on soft/mediums.

I think they will ultimately be behind Mercedes this weekend, but I think it’s MUCH closer than this. Just the usual Friday practice doomsaying.

Fair enough on speeds, but the same arguments were made last week about engine modes on Friday and nothing changed for qualifying. Merci will be on similar low power mode as well.

Not sure what times you were looking at, but I was looking at live timing and seeing Lewis (S) and to a lesser extent, but still, Bottas (M) lapping as fast and often faster than Vettel (SS). Furthermore these times were coming in with Vettel on much fresher tires.

[yelistener]

Ferrari is quite a few km/h lower than Mercedes in terms of top speed. Maybe they're betting on a rainy quali?

[JPBD1990]

Ferrari does look slow on face value - but a few things to consider:

They’re 10kmph down on Mercedes - which is very unlikely to be the ultimate pace of the car looking at recent history

Their high fuel runs were far more encouraging on pace (on supers) than Mercs laps on soft/mediums.

I think they will ultimately be behind Mercedes this weekend, but I think it’s MUCH closer than this. Just the usual Friday practice doomsaying.

Fair enough on speeds, but the same arguments were made last week about engine modes on Friday and nothing changed for qualifying. Merci will be on similar low power mode as well.

Not sure what times you were looking at, but I was looking at live timing and seeing Lewis (S) and to a lesser extent, but still, Bottas (M) lapping as fast and often faster than Vettel (SS). Furthermore these times were coming in with Vettel on much fresher tires.

It is starting to look like Ferrari has been hamstrung by some technical revelation behind the scenes... here’s hoping that isn’t the case so we actually get a championship fight.

Having said that, I wouldn’t put it past the FIA to ruin any chance we have of actual entertainment in the pursuit of a Mercedes procession out front.

[siskue2005]

Ferrari is quite a few km/h lower than Mercedes in terms of top speed. Maybe they're betting on a rainy quali?

they run old engines and lower modes on friday

[zac510]

I'm on my way to Nagoya now via Shinkansen. Looks like it's going to be raining for FP3 :/ But forecasts are for no rain (but maybe just cloudy) for the remainder of the weekend.

[Juzh]

Ferrari is quite a few km/h lower than Mercedes in terms of top speed. Maybe they're betting on a rainy quali?

they run old engines and lower modes on friday

This used to be true in middle part of the season, but since a few races ago (and russia in particular) mercedes just turned it up in a similar way to ferrari and the net result was the same in Q3 as in was FP1.

[Sevach]

Even on SS Vettel loses out of the chicane, what the hell did Mercedes find in terms of traction?

[Vasconia]

My favourite track ever!!

It was better when cars were able to chase each other, and specially when 130R was a proper corner where cars couldn´t go flat out, but still my favourite combination of different corners and straights in the calendar

Edit: Felt the need to watch Alonso-Schumacher overtake at 130R again, man I still feel the shock it was when watched it live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGdmWq4ooQo

From this one it looks easy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuDokYf2u94

I dont mean it wasn´t a good overtake but Schumacher was so slow at that moment. Look how the McLaren behind him wants to overtake him going left and right.

Everytime Schumacher got overtaken he was slow, something was wrong, tyres etc. it was never someone better.

About OP: Geez, there's no pleasing F1 crowd, cars are either not quick enough (slower than in good old days like 2004) or corners are flat out .

Speaking of 130R, Schumacher and overtakes my broken memory made me remember that Villeneuve on Schumacher happened there, turns out it was Estoril, wrong direction and side as well , this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp37Rl2J_fg

In fact the overtake in Japan was really made before the actual corner but lets leave it here.

Schumacher has been overtaken during his career as any other driver, no drama about it.