2019 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai, April 12-14

[Sieper]

VER ruins it himself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZa3vhwkRHc

"trying to be nice..." more like trying to get them deleted. (partially sucessfull)

or did VER have a prob with the car? pushed the wrong button in anger about VET overtaking him (or already before?)....
then maybe it was all VET fault maybe... anyway... the others just can't wait to have the clock run down... like poor GASly.

No, I think it is Horner's fault. Max was passed by the Ferraris and thought it was over ("We are finished right?") and Horner said "Yes we are done". But he was passed after that by the Renaults who still made a lap...

I think that was his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Guys. Those radio message are not live. This was what was spoken after he tried to start his run but the lights were on red already.

I plan by Mercedes that the rest of the pack let happen and in this case Max (who let a gap behind lec) suffered the worst as Vettel jumped him.

[Just_a_fan]

The two Mercedes are on different strategies, it seems. Hamilton starting on the medium, Bottas on the soft. Interesting to see which works out best. I can see Hamilton going backwards in the first lap or two if he can't get the tyre temps right on the formation lap...

[yelistener]

Q2 on Medium fastest lap: 1:31.637

Q3 on Soft fastest lap: 1:31.547

Q3 on soft is less than 0.1s faster than Q2.

Is there something wrong?

But only for Merc. The Ferrari and Redbull improved a lot on the softs. Merc for some reason seems to struggle on the softest compound

Yes Ferrari and RB improved more, but not that much, a bit under 0.4s and 0.3. They still suffered this problem, just less than Merc.

Q2 on Medium fastest lap: 1:31.637

Q3 on Soft fastest lap: 1:31.547

Q3 on soft is less than 0.1s faster than Q2.

Is there something wrong?

Soft just falling apart round here. The marbles on track during race runs on Friday were remenisent of 2013.

Well, last year's ultra didn't fall apart at Shanghai quali. I assume it has something to do with the thinner 2019 tyres?

Q2 on Medium fastest lap: 1:31.637

Q3 on Soft fastest lap: 1:31.547

Q3 on soft is less than 0.1s faster than Q2.

Is there something wrong?

Happens sometimes with these pirellies, remember spain last year?

Yes, I remember last year Ferrari struggled with SS in spain and used Soft in Q3, but Mercedes had no problem with SS. And that was heavily reported. I don't remember in this wknd that any team commented they didn't like the C4 tyre.

I guess either way it makes Pirelli look bad, again.

[zibby43]

The two Mercedes are on different strategies, it seems. Hamilton starting on the medium, Bottas on the soft. Interesting to see which works out best. I can see Hamilton going backwards in the first lap or two if he can't get the tyre temps right on the formation lap...

Aren’t the top 5 all starting on Mediums?

[yelistener]

The two Mercedes are on different strategies, it seems. Hamilton starting on the medium, Bottas on the soft. Interesting to see which works out best. I can see Hamilton going backwards in the first lap or two if he can't get the tyre temps right on the formation lap...

Bottas starts on medium too. He aborted in the middle of his 2nd Q2 lap.

[Juzh]

Vettel vs verstappen q3 lap:

[Partymood]

Pirelli also raised minimum tyre pressures which seems to always hindered Ferrari. Possible contributor to why they were slower this year than last year. Also track temp. Last year was V cold for quali from memory.

https://twitter.com/deadlinex/status/11 ... d3f2dae06e

That says a lot. Is the "Pilelli" made in Turky playing tricks AGAIN to favor MB? Surly not...

[cokata]

Vettel vs verstappen q3 lap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMcJVtm ... e=youtu.be

High speed is good T6 is easy flat, but T7 and the last corners it's almost a match for the Reb Bull. But the Ferrari gets destroyed in the slow speed stuff. Much bigger gap than it was in Bahrain. We have to see the Merc lap, but it seems to me that Ferrari are ok enough in the mid to high speed, but are loosing all the time on the slow speed section

[F1NAC]

It was T6, T11 and T14 all slow speed corners where Ferrari lost massively to Merc



Seems that indicators from Barcelona where right (weaker S3 vs Hamilton)

[MtthsMlw]

Vettel vs verstappen q3 lap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMcJVtm ... e=youtu.be

High speed is good T6 is easy flat, but T7 and the last corners it's almost a match for the Reb Bull. But the Ferrari gets destroyed in the slow speed stuff. Much bigger gap than it was in Bahrain. We have to see the Merc lap, but it seems to me that Ferrari are ok enough in the mid to high speed, but are loosing all the time on the slow speed section

Vettel and Bottas were almost equal at the apex of turn 14 but Vettel lost out on the way to turn 16 and again on his way to the finish line.
So yeah slow speed traction but at the end of the lap it is mostly likely a tyre related issue.

[etusch]

Vettel vs verstappen q3 lap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMcJVtm ... e=youtu.be

If we assume that true that Ferrari has best Engine, then Redbull is very close to Ferrari and they can be better than Ferrari with Barcelona update. After Honda engine update maybe a closer look to back design of mercedes. I think they are in a good shape. We need a few hp more Honda. Come on.

[cokata]

Vettel vs verstappen q3 lap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMcJVtm ... e=youtu.be

If we assume that true that Ferrari has best Engine, then Redbull is very close to Ferrari and they can be better than Ferrari with Barcelona update. After Honda engine update maybe a closer look tı back design of mercedes. I think they are in a good shape. We need a few hp more Honda. Come on.

We don't know how draggy the car is. But it seems already they fixed their fundamental aero issue that they had the first 2 races. Now they are on par with Ferrari there, but slay them in the slow speed. It's a profound difference.

Looks good for a first Honda powered pole in Monaco, given that Max keeps it out of the barriers this time

[matt_b]

I think the Bahrain testing came at the perfect time for Mercedes and this is the result. Today reminded me a bit of the Red Bull winning era, when your lacking on the straights you can more than make it up with cornering speed.

[mclaren113]

Vettel vs verstappen q3 lap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMcJVtm ... e=youtu.be

If we assume that true that Ferrari has best Engine, then Redbull is very close to Ferrari and they can be better than Ferrari with Barcelona update. After Honda engine update maybe a closer look to back design of mercedes. I think they are in a good shape. We need a few hp more Honda. Come on.

Keep dreaming!

[gandharva]

Vettel vs verstappen q3 lap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMcJVtm ... e=youtu.be

The Ferrari is a rocket on the straights, but it has huge understeer in slower corners. I think what Newey said about the old school fronwings Merc and RBR are running, might already come true here. More front downforce and more development potential. Could be a tough season for the winter test king if that trend develops further in that direction. Hopefully it's just setup related, as a 3-way fight would be nice for us fans come mid season.