2018 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka, 5-7 October

[NathanOlder]

Having inters on meant they needed the rain. It rained 5mins later than what they needed. So they weren't far away from being perfect. If it started to rain on the outlaps they would continue and set a time on a damp track,

By the time the others went out on slicks and pitted for inters the track would be more wet and Ferrari would get 2 laps in before the others did 1. That was the gamble , it was rolling the dice and thats something they have to do now in the chamoionship.

They did it with both cars as they need a 1-2 to maximise the point gain on hamilton.

At the time I thought they had little to lose. If it dried out they could come in and get slicks, if it got worse they would be 1-2. The only outcome that could screw them was the track being drier than expected and the rain holding off for 4-5mins. Which is exactly what happened.

[saviour stivala]

Hamiltons engine smoking a few times today. Add the oil leak and hesitations the last race and without knowing all the facts, if it was me I would put a fresh one in.

They would not go into the race with a smoking engine which should not smoke normally. So I guess it’s a controlled smoking. Whatever the reason is.

Most probably number 44's engine got that virus from the FERRARI engine, but apart from that another fan-site in an affort not to be outdone was reported that mercedes found some power gains in Japan and it confused a lot of their followers who were asking, wasnit that FERRARI lost some power?

[GrandAxe]

Did Ferrari gamble? They didn't. Someone took their eye off the ball .

Each pitwall has a weather radar feed giving real-time trackside weather conditions and at least one individual doing calculations for local forecasts. The radar feed gives real-time wind directions, cloud cover, precipitation etc.

Merc too had inters on Lewis car and full wets on Bottas car, only swapping for sleeks just before they went out. Quite clearly, they (and I assume other teams too) saw at the last moment that rain would not come immediately and switched to the right tyres (sleeks).

Ferrari either didn't do a last minute check or they did a wrong calculation of where the patches of rain would be located or what their density would be and were the only team to send their guy's out on the wrong rubber.

[Restomaniac]

Ouch. That’s nasty from Verstappen there.

In case anyone missed it.

DC (David Coulthard) - You wouldn’t want to get in the way of the WDC battle would you?
MV (Max Verstappen) - Is it still a battle? I’m not sure!
DC - Fair point.

yeah nice comment from Max

As if there was a battle still going on anyway. Just more classic baiting from the british commentator (DC).

What rubbish. He was asking a genuine and valid question.

[NathanOlder]

But surely Ferrari thought, its going to get worse, we need to be at the front of the que. SO they rolled out in to the Pitlane well before it opened, Merc being at the end of the Pitlane saw ferrari outside and thought, we have nothing to gain, lets wait until the pitlane goes green, by that time the weather was holding out, and Merc then switched as everyone else did. Ferrari's gamble was, we need to put the inters on early to get to the front of the line. That risked going out on the wrong tyre.

[NathanOlder]

yeah nice comment from Max

As if there was a battle still going on anyway. Just more classic baiting from the british commentator (DC).

What rubbish. He was asking a genuine and valid question.

I agree, because it was Max, it was a valid question, as everyone knows Max is dangerous. So to him it was a valid question.

[GrandAxe]

But surely Ferrari thought, its going to get worse, we need to be at the front of the que. SO they rolled out in to the Pitlane well before it opened, Merc being at the end of the Pitlane saw ferrari outside and thought, we have nothing to gain, lets wait until the pitlane goes green, by that time the weather was holding out, and Merc then switched as everyone else did. Ferrari's gamble was, we need to put the inters on early to get to the front of the line. That risked going out on the wrong tyre.

Yeah, that's true, I remember now; Ferrari were really the first out, sitting one behind the other for quite a bit before the green light. That's surely the miscalculation of the season.

[Phil]

I am not concerned about Max - and i hope i wont get bitten for saying this - but Hamilton is smart. If he has a good start, he knows he will keep the lead. If he has a bad start, he will be careful and will not defend as if there is no tomorrow.

I hope he stays ahead of Bottas. I dont want to see another team order.

[Restomaniac]

It was a lap in dry conditions. We know he’s the best, but please stop overhyping.

i heard it was the tifosi's tears which made the track so damp in q3

Do you think you’re funny? Pretty classless and childish, just my opinion. And which tears are you talking about? The championship battle already ended in Singapore and the Tifosi know that.

Just a quick thing.

Wouldn’t it be some of the Tifosi/Vettel fans who have been calling for a Hamilton DNF to counteract the Ferrari/Vettel shortcoings? Hardly the bastions of fair and impartial racing them now are they.

[Restomaniac]

But surely Ferrari thought, its going to get worse, we need to be at the front of the que. SO they rolled out in to the Pitlane well before it opened, Merc being at the end of the Pitlane saw ferrari outside and thought, we have nothing to gain, lets wait until the pitlane goes green, by that time the weather was holding out, and Merc then switched as everyone else did. Ferrari's gamble was, we need to put the inters on early to get to the front of the line. That risked going out on the wrong tyre.

Yeah, that's true, I remember now; Ferrari were really the first out, sitting one behind the other for quite a bit before the green light. That's surely the miscalculation of the season.

Or Mercedes have had their pants down and bluffed Ferrari?

[siskue2005]

seems like Vettel made two mistakes , first in degner 2 and next in spoon when they touched the white line
Kimi only made the spoon corner mistake and very minimal when compared to Vettel
And Antony D claims the tract was better when Ferrari did their laps
Video below
https://streamable.com/6pdch

I thought only Ferrari team was to blame but seems the drivers were in it aswell

[Mansell89]

Good result on paper for Toro Rosso Honda in p6 & p7. However the time deficit suggests we still have a bit more needed from Honda. Interested to see their Spec3 in race trim tomorrow.

[GrandAxe]

But surely Ferrari thought, its going to get worse, we need to be at the front of the que. SO they rolled out in to the Pitlane well before it opened, Merc being at the end of the Pitlane saw ferrari outside and thought, we have nothing to gain, lets wait until the pitlane goes green, by that time the weather was holding out, and Merc then switched as everyone else did. Ferrari's gamble was, we need to put the inters on early to get to the front of the line. That risked going out on the wrong tyre.

Yeah, that's true, I remember now; Ferrari were really the first out, sitting one behind the other for quite a bit before the green light. That's surely the miscalculation of the season.

Or Mercedes have had their pants down and bluffed Ferrari?

Very possible, because if I recall rightly, when the camera swept through the garages; Lewis had inters, Bottas had full wets and ... Vettel had sleeks. However, Vettel went out on inters.

[siskue2005]

what is tomorrow's forecast? we need rain, otherwise it will be a borefest

[search]

what is tomorrow's forecast? we need rain, otherwise it will be a borefest

it'll be dry.

Any idea what the strategies will look like though? Is the Soft tire durable enough for a one stop or will everyone go for the medium on the 2nd stint?