It has been a pretty good start to F1 2012 season with 4 different teams finishing in the top 3 in the last two races . It has been a pretty open season till now thanks to a rain affected GP at Malaysia.

Mercedes taking pole in China again reiterates this fact. Thanks to the extreme straight line speed in sector 3 of Mercedes negating the advantage of Mclaren in the other two sectors it was a thrilling qualifying to watch!

With competition getting tighter from Sauber and Lotus its an interesting season to watch out for. Hopefully Ferrari can catch up soon with updates coming in Spanish GP making things more interesting.

My pick for tomorrow,

___________
___________
___________


Ah! It's so tough. I really can't get my head around it. Only I think is that a McLaren should be winning. Which one? I won't bet.

Don't be surprised if you see a Japanese on the podium since Sato in US GP 2004.

virtually it is front row sealed for Mercedes as Lewis has a 5-place penalty for changing gearbox
and awesome Seb missed it on the Q2 ...so as Massa

so it is rosberg-schumacher-kobayashi to start tomorrow's Chinese GP

Neel Jani Says

12.30, pre race show. The main race will start at 1.30

Oops!! Very sorry, my mistake. The race itself is at 12.30

FIA has all but contacted the Kingdom officials and police. That is where the flaw is.

Secondly, FIA has washed it's hands off again like last year, leaving the final decision on the BIC authorities.

If you remember, last year FIA had said that it is safe to go to Bahrain. It was ultimately the BIC authorities that cancelled the race citing protests.

I don't expect the Bahrain GP to be peaceful. We will see protests probably in the grandstands and outside the circuit.

the FIA press release on Formula1.com says that it has assesed the safety situation in Bahrain and has decided to go ahead with the race as per the original schedule.

I'm not so sure about it myself, because :

1. Safety on a paper report is very different from implementing it on raceday. if something happens....to anyone, be it a driver, crewman, spectator, other personnel, it will only tarnish the sport's image irreparably.

2. It does seem morally incorrect to hold an obscenely expensive and high profile sporting event like Formula 1 in a small gulf country that is experiencing civil unrest and political upheaval......doesnt go along with the grand and celebratory atmosphere usually associated with F1 Grans Prixs

1. Bahrain GP will go ahead. The FIA has issued a statement.
   

I am though happy as a fanatic, that I wont have to wait for 30 days before the next Spanish GP but as human, I disapprove this race. I mean there are hundreds of innocent people getting killed, a Bahraini activist Abdulhadi Alkhwaja is on a hunger strike for the past 65 days. In such sensitive atmosphere, how can they go ahead with a race?

F1 is a sport and sport is meant to enjoy by the people but when there are people getting killed, what is the point of having a sport?

The primary reason is that the FIA and FOM have significant investment from the Middle East. The Crown Prince of Bahrain is the one who threw million and millons in order to have F1 there. FOM gets the sweetest of money pie from Bahrain in terms of race hosting fees. So, it is all about MONEY!!

If something goes wrong or a few F1 personnel gets killed, F1 will face it's darkest weekend since Imola 1994.



What do puys think? Is it morally right?

Mukulspock Says

At what time will the Chinese GP be broadcasted in India ?? i think around noon ???

12.30, pre race show. The main race will start at 1.30

Yeah, with in season testing severely restricted , teams that start a season on back foot take a full season or close to a full season to get back on track. Same is the case with the prancing horse
Unfortunate news if Bahrain GP gets scrapped.

The problem with Ferrari is that they are trying to be too clever.

In 2011, they had a very strong base of the F150 Italia. If you look back the British GP, they won on pure merit because that was the only race where the EBD was banned.

This year, they need not try and build a chassis with no relation to its predecessor. With EBD gone anyway, revolutionising was the mantra rather than a bold and dynamic 2012 model. They ended up being too clever and blew up their chances for a 5th consecutive year.

In contrast, Mclaren were struggling to find a proper base back in 2009 and 2010. Finally they hit the sweet spot in 2011 and that formed the basis in 2012.

Yeah, with in season testing severely restricted , teams that start a season on back foot take a full season or close to a full season to get back on track. Same is the case with the prancing horse
Unfortunate news if Bahrain GP gets scrapped.

Alonso has said that in the dry, Ferrari will fight to get into Q3. Technical director Pat Fry said that in normal conditions, Ferrari is 8 tenths behind the leaders. They have got 5 upgrades for this weekend in China which they have brought forward. The biggest upgrade is at the Spanish GP in 1 month's time.

Other piece of news is that the Bahrain GP is almost certain to be cancelled.

Mukulspock Says

hmmm..... hoping for a dry race that reveals whether ferrari can win in proper racing conditions

i dont think you need to have a dry race for that answer.

imo, mclaren, red bull, renault, merc are all quicker than ferrari in regular conditions

tamal220187 Says

the main race will be broadcasted at 12.30 in the afternoon on Sunday

hmmm..... hoping for a dry race that reveals whether ferrari can win in proper racing conditions

Mukulspock Says

At what time will the Chinese GP be broadcasted in India ?? i think around noon ???

the main race will be broadcasted at 12.30 in the afternoon on Sunday

At what time will the Chinese GP be broadcasted in India ?? i think around noon ???

Live streaming is difficult as in a few weeks/months they are pulled down legally. I would suggest you torrents. Especially Sky Sports or even better BBC. Their pre shows and post racing shows are great especially the BBC F1 forum.

Remember, BBC are broadcasting the Chinese GP live so you can enjoy their shows and see the difference between their shows and our very own Star Sports.

https://www.racingfor.me/

you will need an invite. I have 2 left with me so if you are certain to stick to the site for long I'll give you.

The F1 thread!!!

Haven't been able to follow much of this sport lately. Infact none of the sports... No access to TV

But finally have my very own high speed net and so was wondering would anyone be knowing any live streaming sites ? Maybe I can catch the season from the shanghai one. Any idea any one ?

: here sir.
for live streaming of any sports, I generally prefer livescorehunter or bet365 (bet365 is a betting site, just register and skip the betting option there)
I have few more sites in my bookmark, will edit this post when I find the links.

and as you know...google is always there :-P

The F1 thread!!!

Haven't been able to follow much of this sport lately. Infact none of the sports... No access to TV

But finally have my very own high speed net and so was wondering would anyone be knowing any live streaming sites ? Maybe I can catch the season from the shanghai one. Any idea any one ?

Just in case, somebody is not aware of this.

Official F1 2012 Australian Grand Prix Race Edit - YouTube
Official F1 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix Race Edit HD - YouTube

Yes. It is the most improved team since 2009 on the grid. Generally they start the year slow but they catch up due to their fastest developing rate. This year they are strongest on 1 lap pace and with their development rate, they have to be the favourites!

^^

well, it's good to see McLaren lead the constructor's championship now, out of their own merit.....they could really bag the title this year, i would put my money on them.....

i was a McLaren fan in the days of Mika Hakkinen, David Coulthard and then Raikko....but lost faith in 2007

but they're back now

Mukulspock Says

Actually, Alonso finished second in round 1 and won round 2, while Hamilton was on the podium for the first 9 races....i think they got two good drivers for the 2007 season as opposed to 2006 (an underperforming heikki kovaleinen and an uninterested raikko) which increased their racing form in 2007, i cant imagine their form being boosted so much by some technical info from ferrari....

Well in 2006 it was Kimi and Juan Pable/Pedro. Kimi put the car on pole twice (Germany/Italy) and was fighting for numerous podiums. So the question of drivers under-performing was not a question. As I said they won only 1 race pre-Monaco and yes, they got podiums but it were the Ferrari who had a faster car.

McLaren admitted after almost 4-5 months since F1 2007 season ended, that they had gained a lot from the Ferrari design which made them win races.

Mukulspock Says

Does anyone know the technical details of the leak ?? because i'm not able to picturise what technical info from a rival could be implemented into track results in just a couple of weeks !! is it possible ??

the main reason for espionage is the design of the car, the materials used, the results of testing done and knowing what your competitor is up to and emulate the same to save on testing and its cost...which in the long term is more detrimental to the chances of a team (Ferrari in this case)..

Inside the Scandal That Rocked the Formula One Racing World

read it whole(i knw its long )..and one really starts to hate mclaren...i agree no one is a saint...bt what happened in 2007 really crossed the line...

MiNdFrEaKz Says

the leak did boost their performance a lot...not to take away from the drivers..esp alonso..bt yes it was the major factor cos the car does play a major part doesn't it? no matter hw good a driver u are...u can win races consistently only with a good car :)

Does anyone know the technical details of the leak ?? because i'm not able to picturise what technical info from a rival could be implemented into track results in just a couple of weeks !! is it possible ??

Mukulspock Says

Actually, Alonso finished second in round 1 and won round 2, while Hamilton was on the podium for the first 9 races....i think they got two good drivers for the 2007 season as opposed to 2006 (an underperforming heikki kovaleinen and an uninterested raikko) which increased their racing form in 2007, i cant imagine their form being boosted so much by some technical info from ferrari....

the leak did boost their performance a lot...not to take away from the drivers..esp alonso..bt yes it was the major factor cos the car does play a major part doesn't it? no matter hw good a driver u are...u can win races consistently only with a good car

Neel Jani Says

I am sorry but I disagree. The reason they were disqualified was not a small one. Mclaren actually gained a lot from the Ferrari design information. A year back in 2006 they had one of their worse years with no victories and suddenly they started winning in 2007. The biggest clue was that McLaren became dominant on tracks like Monaco, Canada, US, Germany, Hungary. They picked up all their victories barring 1 from Monaco onwards and it was at this time when the info was exchanged.

Actually, Alonso finished second in round 1 and won round 2, while Hamilton was on the podium for the first 9 races....i think they got two good drivers for the 2007 season as opposed to 2006 (an underperforming heikki kovaleinen and an uninterested raikko) which increased their racing form in 2007, i cant imagine their form being boosted so much by some technical info from ferrari....

Mukulspock Says

I believe after the overly harsh treatment they received in the 2007 spygate scandal, McLaren deserve a fair and square Constructor's Title...... anyone share this opinion ???

I am sorry but I disagree. The reason they were disqualified was not a small one. Mclaren actually gained a lot from the Ferrari design information. A year back in 2006 they had one of their worse years with no victories and suddenly they started winning in 2007. The biggest clue was that McLaren became dominant on tracks like Monaco, Canada, US, Germany, Hungary. They picked up all their victories barring 1 from Monaco onwards and it was at this time when the info was exchanged.

Soham.B Says

I care heck who wins as long as mclaren is there at the top.. ;_..hope mcalren returns to the numero uno spot this year. :)..also merc team wud be strng tooo...

I believe after the overly harsh treatment they received in the 2007 spygate scandal, McLaren deserve a fair and square Constructor's Title...... anyone share this opinion ???

Soham.B Says

I care heck who wins as long as mclaren is there at the top.. ;_..hope mcalren returns to the numero uno spot this year. :)..also merc team wud be strng tooo...

Merc needs to work harder as they eat up their tires in the race more than their rivals. They need to find a solution and quick. I am sure the brains are working in Brackley!

agree with you mukul.... the comments vettel made to karthileyen were disgraceful.... he was happy go lucky person as long as he was winning, and everything was super easy... now suddenly not winning two races & he has started the blame game... unexpected from a double world champion...

vettel still has to come to india for the race.... get ready to face some boo-ya:biggrin:

I guess he's still a little young and immature at the big stage....but a talented driver nonetheless....this season, i want to see Vettel beat others by his driving prowess rather than technical superiority of machinery...
Because it's increasingly looking like McLaren have caught up or even surpassed Red Bull's performance levels.....They lead the constructor's standings....

MiniDrivers are back with their own version of Malaysian GP 2012 :biggrin:

check this out :

MiniDrivers - Chapter 4x02 - 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix - YouTube

I respected Vettel a lot in 2010 because of his can-do attitude and perseverance at such a young age, and he consolidated in 2011, with near domination, but it has to be said that he's had the best machine in the last 2 years....
Now the the rest of the field has caught up technically, it will be interesting to see if he can still defend his title....

agree with you mukul.... the comments vettel made to karthileyen were disgraceful.... he was happy go lucky person as long as he was winning, and everything was super easy... now suddenly not winning two races & he has started the blame game... unexpected from a double world champion...

vettel still has to come to india for the race.... get ready to face some boo-ya:biggrin:

exatly as NK was in dry compound at that time so off the racing line was a problem for me...imo he was trying hard maintaining the dry racing line, also making sure to maintain the blue flag...but may be he came too early to the racing line which causes the collision

but also Vettel should be aware of creating some space before coming to the racing line as everyone was trying to be in the drier part of the circuit...so both of them have their part in the incident imo

Yes, what you are saying is very correct. Both were to be blamed a bit.

Neel Jani Says

It is harsh but penalty is a penalty. Though not intentionally but Vettel's race was ruined. According to Stewards what he did was cut across Vettel although he actually was trying to save the car as he was running on the kerbs and the white line which were quite slippery.

exatly as NK was in dry compound at that time so off the racing line was a problem for me...imo he was trying hard maintaining the dry racing line, also making sure to maintain the blue flag...but may be he came too early to the racing line which causes the collision

but also Vettel should be aware of creating some space before coming to the racing line as everyone was trying to be in the drier part of the circuit...so both of them have their part in the incident imo

now I don't think Karthikeyan should be penalised for that...it sounds a bit harsh to me...

Karthikeyan penalised for Vettel collision - F1 Fanatic

video link :

F1 2012 - Sebastian Vettel crash - YouTube

It is harsh but penalty is a penalty. Though not intentionally but Vettel's race was ruined. According to Stewards what he did was cut across Vettel although he actually was trying to save the car as he was running on the kerbs and the white line which were quite slippery.

now I don't think Karthikeyan should be penalised for that...it sounds a bit harsh to me...

Karthikeyan penalised for Vettel collision - F1 Fanatic

video link :

F1 2012 - Sebastian Vettel crash - YouTube

So this means that more the area of contact between tyre and tarmac, better the grip, which means better cornering ability and better handling....did i get that right ??



So it's something that the engineers have come up with to increase straightline speed, a way to use slipstream air to provide downforce....did i get that one right too ???

Absolutely spot on mate!:cheerio:

Neel Jani Says

These types have different temperatures at which they perform their best.

So this means that more the area of contact between tyre and tarmac, better the grip, which means better cornering ability and better handling....did i get that right ??

It is not a McLaren but a Mercedes F Duct.

Here we can see the hole in the rear-wing endplate (purple arrow) that is exposed when the DRS is activated (inset, red arrow). Beyond that, the exact workings of the system are speculation. The most complex theory is that when the holes are 'opened', air is sucked into channels in the endplates and routed via thin pipes down to the beam wing and then all the way through the chassis until it reaches the nosecone. There it is channelled down through the two front-wing pillars to the front-wing flaps, where it is released, stalling the wing in F-duct fashion, cutting drag and boosting top speed.

Hope this helps mate!

So it's something that the engineers have come up with to increase straightline speed, a way to use slipstream air to provide downforce....did i get that one right too ???

Tire degradation is a primitive feature of the last 2 seasons since Pirelli returned to the sport. Tires are of different types namely Hard, Medium, Soft, Intermediates, Wet and Extreme Wets. These types have different temperatures at which they perform their best. The moment they go above those temperatures, the upper surface of the tire starts to break which are called 'marbles'. Since the tire starts to break, it breaks unevenly creating a rough surface and that results in less surface area. That is tire degradation.


It is not a McLaren but a Mercedes F Duct.

Here we can see the hole in the rear-wing endplate (purple arrow) that is exposed when the DRS is activated (inset, red arrow). Beyond that, the exact workings of the system are speculation. The most complex theory is that when the holes are 'opened', air is sucked into channels in the endplates and routed via thin pipes down to the beam wing and then all the way through the chassis until it reaches the nosecone. There it is channelled down through the two front-wing pillars to the front-wing flaps, where it is released, stalling the wing in F-duct fashion, cutting drag and boosting top speed.


Hope this helps mate!

Vettel seems a shadow of his former self when given a less competitive car.

Vettel used to be very chirpy and friendly when he was winning races in 2011 but when going gets tough, he really shows the true racer within him. I saw this trend in 2010 as well

I respected Vettel a lot in 2010 because of his can-do attitude and perseverance at such a young age, and he consolidated in 2011, with near domination, but it has to be said that he's had the best machine in the last 2 years....
Now the the rest of the field has caught up technically, it will be interesting to see if he can still defend his title....

It's great to find people to talk to about F1, especially on PG !! This is a great thread..... :clap:

My wishes for this season :

1. Close fight for constructor's title between McLaren and Red Bull, with a somewhat resurgence from Ferrari after a lacklustre couple of years....i guess that's happening already, McLaren have caught up with Red Bull after a couple of years of Red Bull domination....

2. Alonso can actually hold on to his championship lead, consolidate his position with more wins.....

3. the Iceman on the Podium !!!

4. New faces on the podium such as Perez was there today, but in fairer and drier conditions

Mercedes W duct system is strong in a 1 lap shootout but their tyre issues haunt them over the race distance.

its not schumi, its the tyre degradation that will put mercs challenge in jeopardy. even the wing issue. you never know when the fia decides to ban it. also, other teams will copy it if its not banned.

go mclaren!

Puys, im not quite up to speed with the technical side of F1...

Can anybody please explain Tyre Degradation and McLaren's w duct system ????

thanx

2012 Malaysian GP blunders list:

1. TWICE he said, "we take a short brake and return" but the brake never happened and the second time Chandok actually laughed

2. Alonso passed Webber on the outside and it was seen by all but Steve Slater did not see it until told by Chandok.

3. Webber passed Rosberg on the outside and it was seen by all but Steve Slater AGAIN did not see it until told by Chandok.

4. He said the Sauber has won only 1 race as BMW Sauber back in 2008 at Canada with NICK HEIDFELD!!



And watch this, Vettel middle finger

He used to be very chirpy and friendly when he was winning races in 2011 but when going gets tough, he really shows the true racer within him. I saw this trend in 2010 as well

Massa is an abject driver. He is not even capable of a no.2 Ferrari driver. An injured Kubica would be faster than a healthy Massa at Ferrari!

rakshitbehel Says

yes true..massa is turning out to be one of the most idiotic drivers since last year..i have never been much of a fan of him..but i do like ferrari..since he has had that terrible accident he hasn't been the same at all..put him under pressure & he will commit some hara-kiri..look at his duel today with a few mid rung drivers..though there has been a lot of talk about perez being the future ferrari driver..just think what a combination it shall be..if ferrari re-sign KIMI & pair him with alonso & give them a potent enough car...

massa should be kicked out....replaced by Perez....or in a more dreamy scenario, Raikkonen !!

But again, drivers like Raikkonen and Alonso deserve better cars than what ferrari have to offer right now...perhaps Lotus can better or Raikko can move to Mercedes or hey even Red Bull when Webber retires

and finally, what was Steve Slater thinking? How many blunders will he make? Today on Star Sports he said that Nick Heidfeld won the 2008 Canadian GP! Have you observed his blunders every race weekend?

specially agree on this part...he was more than in his usual form toady

fernando alonso wins the Malaysian gp for ferrari...have to say even ferrari wouldn't have expected it owing to their practice session race speed...thanks to the wet conditions...:biggrin:

also kimi raikkonen finishes up 5th after starting from 10th..sure the iceman is back with a bang..managing to put up such cool performances with lotus..also setting up the fastest laps for the race twice..:cheers:

a word of praise for sergio perez..amazing drive till that one mistake in the closing laps..kudos to him the way he was challenging fernando..sauber should be proud of him...:grin:

I think Ferrari just had the rain advantage, they still need to go a long way to iron out their chassis problems and consequent wear of their tyres to get the pace required in normal racing conditions. Alonso deserves a better machine.

Damn i missed the race , was out of town......
but great to see so many views on the PG thread :)

yea i read the report on Formula1.com, and it seems that it was the rain gods that smiled down upon Alonso today. it remains to be seen if Ferrari can prove themselves worthy of this win or if it was just a fluke, so hoping for a warm and dry race in China :)

Totally agree with the fact that 2 time champ Alonso deserves a McLaren or Red Bull....

Fantastic race. Best we have seen for years!!

It was Alonso and not Ferrari who deserved to win this race.
Mixed feelings for Sauber and Perez. Happy to see them 2nd but gutted to see him not challenge for the win.
Vettel was unlucky to have pushed out from 4th.
Senna was excellent
Massa is an abject driver. He is not even capable of a no.2 Ferrari driver. An injured Kubica would be faster than a healthy Massa at Ferrari!


and finally, what was Steve Slater thinking? How many blunders will he make? Today on Star Sports he said that Nick Heidfeld won the 2008 Canadian GP! Have you observed his blunders every race weekend?

MiNdFrEaKz Says

highly doubt if kimi will go to ferrari again....

i doubt it too..but the thought of this is very exciting..

rakshitbehel Says

yes true..massa is turning out to be one of the most idiotic drivers since last year..i have never been much of a fan of him..but i do like ferrari..since he has had that terrible accident he hasn't been the same at all..put him under pressure & he will commit some hara-kiri..look at his duel today with a few mid rung drivers..though there has been a lot of talk about perez being the future ferrari driver..just think what a combination it shall be..if ferrari re-sign KIMI & pair him with alonso & give them a potent enough car...

highly doubt if kimi will go to ferrari again....

Perez/Kobayashi/Grosjean can all be excellent replacements for Massa. He has to go imo.

MiNdFrEaKz Says

more concerning for Ferrari is the team pts...Ferrari=Alonso...Massa better step up...or risk loosing his place..

yes true..massa is turning out to be one of the most idiotic drivers since last year..i have never been much of a fan of him..but i do like ferrari..since he has had that terrible accident he hasn't been the same at all..put him under pressure & he will commit some hara-kiri..look at his duel today with a few mid rung drivers..though there has been a lot of talk about perez being the future ferrari driver..just think what a combination it shall be..if ferrari re-sign KIMI & pair him with alonso & give them a potent enough car...

just found this great thread guys....

fernando alonso wins the Malaysian gp for ferrari...have to say even ferrari wouldn't have expected it owing to their practice session race speed...thanks to the wet conditions...:biggrin:

also kimi raikkonen finishes up 5th after starting from 10th..sure the iceman is back with a bang..managing to put up such cool performances with lotus..also setting up the fastest laps for the race twice..:cheers:

a word of praise for sergio perez..amazing drive till that one mistake in the closing laps..kudos to him the way he was challenging fernando..sauber should be proud of him...:grin:

don't know about the constructor's championship but sure fernando alonso leads the driver's championship with 35 points...

more concerning for Ferrari is the team pts...Ferrari=Alonso...Massa better step up...or risk loosing his place..

its not schumi, its the tyre degradation that will put mercs challenge in jeopardy. even the wing issue. you never know when the fia decides to ban it. also, other teams will copy it if its not banned.

go mclaren!

amen! nevertheless an interesting season ahead

rags at work Says

a awesome race today !! would have loved if perez had won today. msc man after a great 1st race what happened to you. overall loved the race :)

its not schumi, its the tyre degradation that will put mercs challenge in jeopardy. even the wing issue. you never know when the fia decides to ban it. also, other teams will copy it if its not banned.

go mclaren!

I think Ferrari just had the rain advantage, they still need to go a long way to iron out their chassis problems and consequent wear of their tyres to get the pace required in normal racing conditions. Alonso deserves a better machine.

I feel Massa wouldnt be replaced in a hurry though.

Im dying to see MSC in full blow, he has been on the wrong end of the luck game in both the races.

a awesome race today !! would have loved if perez had won today. msc man after a great 1st race what happened to you. overall loved the race

Takeaways from Malaysia.
Mclaren top the constructors standings.
Vettel seems a shadow of his former self when given a less competitive car.
Interesting times ahead with lotus,sauber,ferrari,mercedes,mclaren and red bull all thrown at the upper end of the grid lane .

Mercedes W duct system is strong in a 1 lap shootout but their tyre issues haunt them over the race distance.

Williams,Sauber have outshone force india in the first two races.
Massa's misery continues with talks of perez(who is part of ferrari's driver prog) replacing him soon.

just found this great thread guys....

fernando alonso wins the Malaysian gp for ferrari...have to say even ferrari wouldn't have expected it owing to their practice session race speed...thanks to the wet conditions...:biggrin:

also kimi raikkonen finishes up 5th after starting from 10th..sure the iceman is back with a bang..managing to put up such cool performances with lotus..also setting up the fastest laps for the race twice..:cheers:

a word of praise for sergio perez..amazing drive till that one mistake in the closing laps..kudos to him the way he was challenging fernando..sauber should be proud of him...:grin:

don't know about the constructor's championship but sure fernando alonso leads the driver's championship with 35 points...

I hope it rains today to make things more exciting.

Mclaren looks favorite and glad to see Schumi/Mercedes doing well. My predictions -

1. Lewis
2. Vettel
3. Schumi