Chinese GP 2011 - Shanghai

[spadeflush]

Does anyone know where to find data regarding fastest lap times of every driver at the Chinese Grand Prix?

In the FIA mediacentre:
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/f1 ... _page.aspx

Thanks mate

[andrew]

If it was infrared though we wouldn't have seen the dot, unless it just has a basic pen laser in it to get an accurate spot.

That's what I think too. That there's a IR temperature meter but with built in laser to mark the spot at which the temperature is measured.

I used a similar device at university to establish surface temperatures for calculating heat loss rates. If I remember rightly, a laser is used as a guide, but this was 7 years ago and I have not used (or seen) one since.

[flynfrog]

I have a dream that one day race threads wont instanly degenrate in to fan boy pissing matches.

I have a dream that bans will handed to all.

I have a dream that F1 techincal will focus on the actual events of the race instead of who's favorite driver swerved 1.2987 times not the mandated 1.109832 times.

Seriously guys if you want to bitch or pump up the ego of your favorite driver there are other forums try autosport. The race threads are pretty much a waste of bandwidth at this point. Lets face it nobody cares how well you think (insert driver here) takes care of tires or doesn't. Prove it with some data show a graph with lap times dropping off do a little analysis. [-o<

[Giblet]

You sure you're posting in the right place? This isn't really happening on at least this page or the one previous.

[flynfrog]

I had it open from yesterday and forgot to refresh. that and maybe pints for lunch are not such a great idea.

[forty-two]

I used a similar device at university to establish surface temperatures for calculating heat loss rates. If I remember rightly, a laser is used as a guide, but this was 7 years ago and I have not used (or seen) one since.

Yep, you're bang on the money there. NORMALLY the visible light laser is used as a guide to where the temperature is being measured, just as ultrasonic distance measuring devices (which are painfully innacurate, but give you an idea) have a laser pointer built into them for the same reason.

In both cases however, I believe it would actually be possible to use the visible laser light to measure the surface much more accurately, but in the case of temperature, it would need to be calibrated for the surface being measured, and would likely be easily thrown out by surface damage causing refraction.

Similarly a laser distance measuring device could be far more accurate than an ultrasonic one but in order to work, it would have to contain extremely fast processing in order to be able to accurately measure the time taken from a pulse leaving the laser, to bounce off the target and make it back into a sensor (think police speed guns), and would also only be able to work off relatively reflective targets (think license plates which are in the civilised world backed with IR retroreflective surface).

For all the help the additional accuracy would be, it's probably a case of "good enough". I mean you wouldn't fill up your watering can with a 5ml pipette for accuracy now would you?

Presumably, this is similar hardware to what McLaren had embedded in their mirrors during last year's pre-season testing, although no sight laser would be needed because they could be mounted to always be pointing at the tyres. Clever stuff I suppose!

[archiebald]

Did anyone see if Vettel actually made any competitive overtakes in this race?

I know he jumped Button in the pits, but I can't remember seeing him actually overtake anyone.

The TV coverage missed an awful lot of other action, but considering the level of action, that is no surprise. If this continues, maybe they should triple the number of cameras and we'll all have to buy second TV's for "alternative angle" viewing.

[djos]

Cant say I do remember him making a pass on track - perhaps he needs to sit down and watch the last 2 races paying special attention to Marks overtaking moves!

[Tamburello]

He passed Hamilton just before he pitted behind Button on the first stint. He also passed Heidfeld, I think, after a pitstop. I don't remember if he to pass anyone else in this sequence? But he was leading most of the time so didn't really need to pass people.

[kakogohrena]

[djos]

Good catch, I forgot about that one.

[volarchico]

Didn't Vettel pass Button in the last few laps to take 2nd before Webber managed to get by Button for 3rd?

[beelsebob]

Didn't Vettel pass Button in the last few laps to take 2nd before Webber managed to get by Button for 3rd?

No, button never got passed Vettel again after the pit stops.

[beelsebob]

Just had a realisation about man of the race. It's not Hamilton, and it's not Webber.

Instead the "men" of the race are the McLaren mechanics who managed to change an airbox and fuel hose in 5 minutes!

[raymondu999]

Vettel was only ever right behind Button in the first stint. Then after that they were out of position running in different races. At times Vettel was behind, at times Button was behind, but never 1 place different