Chinese GP 2012 - Shanghai

[bhall]

Cars were slipping on STRAIGHTS because of all the marbles.

[banibhusan]

Yep. And they throw off so many marbles that the racing line becomes a veritable tightrope.

EDIT: I'm not one who really thinks pit stops make or break the quality of racing. But I understand that many do. The Pirellis are a response to this group of people. I'd just rather see pit stops induced in a way that doesn't destroy any possibility of good, hard racing. Tire durability and marbles do just that.

And besides, what's efficient about carrying a full fuel load from the start?

The only purpose I see is to take F1 to such a label that finally the viewers would get bored of this carefully manipulated racing and then call for a complete ban on motorsport. Go green. Save the environment!!

EDIT: Don't you pounce on me for this extreme reaction. I am entitled to my own view. I'll entertain comments only from Bhallg or anyone who can really understand what I am saying.

[raymondu999]

I agree to an extent that the cliff is over the top, but there still needs to be a strong decline at some point

Or it could just degrade at a constant rate. I don't mind that expired tyres are seconds off the pace - it's the abruptness that I dislike. Videos!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XdAJ8CRAyg[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDMG7Ui8M_M[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7OQmb76bHI[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlecVnR_AQA[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmMuwWz33nI[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwFYofCLBr4[/youtube]

[libano]

Rosberg continued to enjoy a 0.5 second per lap advantage over MSC during the race which cannot be explained by a difference in DRS system as neither one of them could use it.

[f1316]

I wonder whether Alonso would have really ran off track if not for those tyre marbles!!

I think he would have because that was simply the nature of the risk he was taking, but I also think the marbles he encoutnered really killed the tyres he was on, preventing him from getting back past the Williams'. It was a shame, because I actually think he was on for a possible 4th, 6th at worst, without that.

Also, interesting article from Gary Anderson on the BBC's site. Sounds as if Schumacher's strategy was to just drive as fast as the cars behind him, no faster, such was their trepidation about the tyres. It's a real shame we didn't get to see how his thoughtful strategy would have compared with Rosberg's more gung ho approach. With Schumacher stopping a little later on his first stop, you'd presume that would have continued with each subsequent stop, leaveing him with frsher tyres at the end, which could have lead to a similar situation as Hamilton/Vettel last year. Shame.

[Ral]

but to leave crumbs all around the racetrack is rubbish.

Baddum-tish!

(sorry, couldn't resist).

[blokkie]

Rosberg continued to enjoy a 0.5 second per lap advantage over MSC during the race which cannot be explained by a difference in DRS system as neither one of them could use it.

I don't read it like that .
I had the impression MSC was keeping a consistant 3sec behind ROSB .. but not loosing 0.5 sec per lap .

[f1316]

Rosberg continued to enjoy a 0.5 second per lap advantage over MSC during the race which cannot be explained by a difference in DRS system as neither one of them could use it.

I don't read it like that .
I had the impression MSC was keeping a consistant 3sec behind ROSB .. but not loosing 0.5 sec per lap .

Gary Anderson says that MSC was keeping a consistent distance in front of Button - i.e. doing no more than necessary in order to minimise degredation. Rosberg was just going for it, which would explain the difference in lap time.

[Nando]

It was the marbles that caused him to go off track, Grosjean made the same mistake and went off in the same spot.

[raymondu999]

but to leave crumbs all around the racetrack is rubbish.

Baddum-tish!

(sorry, couldn't resist).

Sorry I'm not catching the joke?

[bhall]

Essentially you said, "...but to leave rubbish all around the racetrack is rubbish."

[mix2mix]

Brawn also said that he was not too fearful of Jenson Button threatening Rosberg for victory if the McLaren's last stop had not been delayed.

"We were keeping a pretty close eye on him, and obviously it was a big relief that they had a slow stop and fell into that pack, because obviously they should have come out in front of it.

"It would have been much more of a race though. I haven't really spoken to Nico, but I have a feeling that he had a bit in reserve."

Nice point by Ross

[SiLo]

I thought Mclaren would shadow Nico's strategy as try and put him under pressure with what should be a quicker car and drivers, but alas, they moved to a three stopper. I think Button would of been able to manage his tyres easily to have a go at Rosberg on pure pace.

Last 25 laps of that race were thrilling though, and watching Webber overtake Vettel had me laughing out loud

[Richard]

Last 25 laps of that race were thrilling though, and watching Webber overtake Vettel had me laughing out loud

Yes it did rather turn overturn stereotypes:

- Rosberg can't win races
- Hamilton is the master overtaker
- Button can't scrap
- Webber doesn't have the talent to be a team mate to Vettel

[myurr]

I thought Mclaren would shadow Nico's strategy as try and put him under pressure with what should be a quicker car and drivers, but alas, they moved to a three stopper. I think Button would of been able to manage his tyres easily to have a go at Rosberg on pure pace.

Last 25 laps of that race were thrilling though, and watching Webber overtake Vettel had me laughing out loud

It's an easy trap to fall in to, think Alonso in Abu Dhabi 2010, where you worry too much about the car behind you. In both cases Webber pitted early and teams reacted to cover the undercut.

McLaren assumed that a two stop race would be marginal at the front, especially with that early first stop, and that Mercedes would also be doing a three stop race. In the end traffic got in the way and the Mercedes was better on it's tyres than the competition expected.