2012 Japanese GP - Suzuka

[Hail22]

Like some of my fellow Technical members...I sense this race is going to be a boring one start to finish concluding with finger jousting *prepares cutting tools*

[godlameroso]

It's the second turn in the essess. Traditionally you don't drift off to the left side of the road so you can carry more speed on the left hander, but this compromises your line into the understeery right hander that leads to the dunlop curve. What Vettel did was drift wide on the exit of the right hander, and took the inside on the third turn, this gave him an ideal line through the tight right hander. Like Raymondu said, it's very counter intuitive.

[raymondu999]

Possibly. Vettel took a very untraditional late apex in that long right before Dunlop on his lap:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsmVV3pxxFI[/youtube]

Compare it to last year, where he set his approach wrong and missed the apex all the way through:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCxcXsqjWdY[/youtube]

[godlameroso]

Look at 18 seconds into the first video, and 27 into the second one. Two different lines.

[JimClarkFan]

Stupid question: Why do they stay left coming onto the start/finish straight? Wouldn't it be shorter to stay right? Do they save that much speed by going wide/right?

Coming onto the pit straight they drift to the left side because if they stuck to the right, you'd lose a lot of speed by scrubbing it off as you put up a lot of steering lock.

Vettle: "Yesterday evening I wasn’t too happy as I was losing time in the first sector, but I found my mistake and in today’s practice session it worked straight away, I don’t know why I didn’t do it in previous years and it shows you never stop learning."

Does anyone know what he was "doing wrong"?

Source: http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2012/ ... -at-suzuka

I have a suspicion it's a line - basically he changed the racing line he took in a certain corner. He said the same thing in Spa last year. I'm thinking it's something that is quite counterintuitive in the line, because it doesn't seem to have come to him instinctively - look at Spa this year where he wasn't good (compared to Mark) despite learning it last year - and he also said in an interview "maybe I'll have to write it down so I remember for next year"

From looking at the video of his pole in 2011 and 2012 in the first sector I notice two things:

1- he appears to apex slightly later in 2012 in turn 1 and seems to aim the car to the outside curb rather than touching the curb at turn 1 at all. In 2011 he turns sooner, almost kisses the inside curb before heading out wide.

Looks to me like he is trying to shallow out the exit of turn 1 so his car is straighter for turn 2, he does this by having a more consistent steering angle throughout turn 1 rather than flicking it in early only to have to break harder and turn the car more vigorously later at the exit to make turn 2.





2- this year at the end to the S's at the exit of turn 6 he is going slower, positioning his car closer to the curb on the exit of turn 6 which allows him to get a better positioning for turn 7 thus also enabling him to put the power on sooner because he has a better line.

Notice the how much closer he is the inside curb at turn 6 this year compared to last, and notice that he is much further right on the exit of turn 6 which gives him a better line into turn 7. He is sacrificing turn 6 exit to gain on turn 7 and the short mini straight after.





Difficult to pinpoint what exactly is a genuine change in line, or as a result of errors or not having blown diffusers.

[thisisatest]

interesting about the changes in racing line. in GranTurismo5 (a game, i know, but some aspects are pretty well simulated IMO) ive found the same thing when racing a similar car at suzuka. it definitely pays off slowing a little more staying more outside in turn1 to better set up and exit quicker in turn2.

[ArchAngel]

How's the weather, so far? Any chance of a monsoon at any time during the race?

[pob]

Small shower last night and it's a little breezy, so track conditions will be similar to Friday practice except a bit warmer. There's only a tiny chance of rain.

[Kiril Varbanov]

According to AMuS, again, which are quite active in the paddock this weekend, Red Bull and Toro Rosso were not invited to FOTA meeting, as opposed to Ferrari and Sauber.

What's most interesting, however, is that the large advantage of Red Bull appears to be down to their version of DDRS!

[lukeaar]

What's most interesting, however, is that the large advantage of Red Bull appears to be down to their version of DDRS!

Newey seems extremely evasive with regards to any questions about this system. Whatever it is, it seems to be working!

[bhall]

It's definitely a Daffy Duct, and I think Red Bull's race pace is going to reflect that.

Kobayashi and tire management for the win?

[FrukostScones]

This race will be dedicated to the purists.


Grosjean tyre master.

[raymondu999]

Kobayashi and tire management for the win?

I don't see it. Sauber have yet to translate Q3 into tyre management or good results.

[zgred]

[clipsy1H]

let's hope no incidents in first corner but i;m not sure... someone i think will hit Michael.

i knew it !! sad for alonso mike and nico.