2019 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka, Oct 11 - 13

[foxmulder_ms]

This is one of those circuits Hamilton excels at but the Ferrari are going to be tough to beat without a wet race. Leclerc and Hamilton to fight it out once again is my prediction for the weekend.

And so it begins, every damn track is Hamilton's favourite .
No, it's not, he was outqualified by Rosberg three years in a row. If that's excelling what would you call being quicker?

Speaking of: is Verstappen favourite for pole like in Spa, Singapore and every second track until reality happens?

Yeah.. it is only natural when you have sooo many poles and wins.

[dans79]

And so it begins, every damn track is Hamilton's favourite .
No, it's not, he was outqualified by Rosberg three years in a row. If that's excelling what would you call being quicker?

Speaking of: is Verstappen favourite for pole like in Spa, Singapore and every second track until reality happens?

Man, I'd hate to be you!

[TAG]

This is one of those circuits Hamilton excels at but the Ferrari are going to be tough to beat without a wet race. Leclerc and Hamilton to fight it out once again is my prediction for the weekend.

And so it begins, every damn track is Hamilton's favourite .
No, it's not, he was outqualified by Rosberg three years in a row. If that's excelling what would you call being quicker?

Maybe you're right I was confused because despite Rosberg out qualifying him three times, Hamilton won two out of the three. Coming to think of it, he's only won in Suzuka four times, so you're right it's not one of his best circuits. How silly of me.

[Scorpaguy]

Not really sure what to expect...other than Toto stating it will be a modern day miracle and super human feat by Hamilton to even come close to competing with the Ferraris. Red Bull is my wild card...even publicly touting a "very special effort" for Honda's home turf (remember Horner not letting Max turn up the wick). However, Max has looked positively average for some time.

Sooo, will the Bulls shine? ...will Big Red remain resurgent?

Safe money would be on a very good weekend for Merc I suppose.

[PlatinumZealot]

Typhoon Hagibis is on it's way ...

https://twitter.com/sdietzf1/status/118 ... 38176?s=21

it worries me a bit, last time this happened we lost a driver because the race started despite the bad weather.
now that wasn't neccesarily the problem, but the problem was that because it started so late, it got dark and dangerous at the end of the race and the FIA should have simply red flagged the race much ealier and quite frankly, we wouldn't have to have lost a driver.

let's hope that it doesn't get that bad this time.

The weather wasn't that bad. The car was bad, the team communication was bad and the stewarding was even worse.

Racing conditions might have actually kept the tyres warmer.

[Andres125sx]

Suzuka is old, far from as safe as modern tracks, but IMHO best track no (layout) ever, even when with modern cars taking 130R flatout a big challenge has evaporated

Alonso passing Schumacher in 2005 at the outside will always be one of the best/most dangerous/impressive overtakes ever

Edit: take this as a cuadruple tribute to Alonso, Schumacher, 130R when it still was a corner, and that V10 sound

[Kaneda]

Typhoon Hagibis is on it's way ...

https://twitter.com/sdietzf1/status/118 ... 38176?s=21

it worries me a bit, last time this happened we lost a driver because the race started despite the bad weather.
now that wasn't neccesarily the problem, but the problem was that because it started so late, it got dark and dangerous at the end of the race and the FIA should have simply red flagged the race much ealier and quite frankly, we wouldn't have to have lost a driver.

let's hope that it doesn't get that bad this time.

The weather wasn't that bad. The car was bad, the team communication was bad and the stewarding was even worse.

Racing conditions might have actually kept the tyres warmer.

You're right. I was there, sitting at S-curve stand. Indeed it was just light rain during the race. It got a bit darker later in the race, so the visibility was not good though.

[izzy]

in 2014 Race Control let a 6 tonne crane go out trackside to exactly where one car had just slid off, under a local yellow. Same as Brazil 2003 but that time as nobody got killed they didn't learn anything from it. It was unbelievably stupid but they're not going to do it again, now the main risk is the spray and driving blind, and that has a lucky miss in Brazil as well, that was a miss so nobody paid any attention to it, again, so we just have to hope they all stay lucky

[mkay]

This is one of those circuits Hamilton excels at but the Ferrari are going to be tough to beat without a wet race. Leclerc and Hamilton to fight it out once again is my prediction for the weekend.

And so it begins, every damn track is Hamilton's favourite .
No, it's not, he was outqualified by Rosberg three years in a row. If that's excelling what would you call being quicker?

Speaking of: is Verstappen favourite for pole like in Spa, Singapore and every second track until reality happens?

HAM lost pole by 0.01s in 2016, and was faster on the final lap in 2015 until yellow flags were brought out.

[Capharol]

This is one of those circuits Hamilton excels at but the Ferrari are going to be tough to beat without a wet race. Leclerc and Hamilton to fight it out once again is my prediction for the weekend.

And so it begins, every damn track is Hamilton's favourite .
No, it's not, he was outqualified by Rosberg three years in a row. If that's excelling what would you call being quicker?

Maybe you're right I was confused because despite Rosberg out qualifying him three times, Hamilton won two out of the three. Coming to think of it, he's only won in Suzuka four times, so you're right it's not one of his best circuits. How silly of me.

TBH, he is right in some way, every race it's the same old song.... but you tend to forget the Ferrari's who has a better car now then Mercedes does and a driver that seems to be able to drive with that car .... that driver drove last year at Alfa Romeo and to me is the big favorit from now on until proven otherwise.....FYI times start to change...


(oh and i am defenitly not a Ferrari or Leclerc fan)

[Jester Maroc]

The weather forecast is not looking good.
https://twitter.com/sdietzf1/status/1181128720624562176

[MtthsMlw]

Race will be canceled, calling it now

[Wouter]

The weather forecast is not looking good.
https://twitter.com/sdietzf1/status/1181128720624562176

That was only 1/2 of his message. Here is 2/2.

https://twitter.com/sdietzf1/status/1181129996414443520

[djones]

Suzuka is old, far from as safe as modern tracks, but IMHO best track no (layout) ever, even when with modern cars taking 130R flatout a big challenge has evaporated

Alonso passing Schumacher in 2005 at the outside will always be one of the best/most dangerous/impressive overtakes ever

Edit: take this as a cuadruple tribute to Alonso, Schumacher, 130R when it still was a corner, and that V10 sound

What was the full story here?

It does not look like a fair overtake, more like the Ferrar is on worn tyres or something. The extra speed the Renault has in the built-up is ridiculous.

[GPR-A]

Suzuka is old, far from as safe as modern tracks, but IMHO best track no (layout) ever, even when with modern cars taking 130R flatout a big challenge has evaporated

Alonso passing Schumacher in 2005 at the outside will always be one of the best/most dangerous/impressive overtakes ever

Edit: take this as a cuadruple tribute to Alonso, Schumacher, 130R when it still was a corner, and that V10 sound

What was the full story here?

It does not look like a fair overtake, more like the Ferrar is on worn tyres or something. The extra speed the Renault has in the built-up is ridiculous.

It was the year 2005 when tyre rules were changed to use just one set for qualifying and the whole race! Bridgestone couldn't do as good a job as Michelin did and the new rules brought down Ferrari's all conquering 2004 form. All year long, Ferrari struggled for tyre performance. That's why Schumacher was so slow in that race (as with the whole season) with Bridgestones whereas Renaults and McLarens were miles ahead on pace who were on Michelins.