2013 Chinese Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (April 12-14)

I can't help but wonder: what would have happened if they had actually provided a super soft option? Instead, the only "choice" we were given was the soft tire. It’s the same old story—Felipe Massa burned through his stint way too early on those softs. You can see the evidence clearly when you look at Vettel's lap times toward the end, right as he was closing in on Hemić. This was precisely when there was maximum rubber on the track, the moment when a softer compound theoretically should have held up much better. Furthermore, I maintain that Bahrain belongs to no one. If things go smoothly, I think we might finally see Vettel and Fernando Alonso face off on equal footing. Perhaps then we can finally settle once and for all who the superior driver truly is. Up until now, it hasn't been possible to accurately measure who holds the edge because there have always been external variables interfering. And let's be honest, the primary variable has been that Adrian Newey has had a class above car all these years.

fadedwalker18 said:That puts Red Bull in a real tight spot on those medium tires. Fantastic!

Not really. All this shows is that Red Bull's top speed is a total disaster, which has always been the case...
Nothing new here.☕
The car is built to launch from pole position and it’s lightning fast in clean air, but that’s exactly why they struggle to pass or follow anyone when they're stuck in "dirty air"...

Olivia Martin12 said:Look, he explicitly stated they had to stick to that strategy or face an absolute disaster. At one point, he actually asked if he was cleared to race, they told him yes, and then—just two messages later—they backtrack and tell him no, stay on the old plan. It's obvious the junker just eats through tires and there's no fixing it. They better come up with something for the next race because watching this is pure torture.

It was honestly a pathetic scene to watch. One minute it's "Yeah, you're in a battle, go for it," and a few minutes later, two cars just breeze right past him.
We aren't used to seeing a defensive McLaren. Their whole philosophy in Formula 1 is built on attacking and fighting for the lead. I wouldn't exactly laugh, but I'm not crying over it either.
With a driver lineup like this, they're going to need some massive upgrades if they ever want to see a podium again.

Amanda Kelly said:My tweaks:

Alonso.
Hard to find a single thing to complain about here. He hunted down that win like a bulldog on a scent—not that he doesn't always drive like that. If you give him a decent car, like the one he had in China, beating Fernando Alonso is a tall order.

Kimi.
What an unbelievable guy. That Lotus look suits him so well that I’m actually getting worried about their pace. And with Kimi playing like this? Yeah, we're in trouble.

3. Vettel
I'm mostly on the same page as stormybadger8 here. Honestly, those pit wall calls probably cost him at least one position, if not two. To add to what stormybadger8 said, there's a good chance he could've jumped Lewis Hamilton if they'd just pulled him in for that final stop a lap earlier. It was likely right there for the taking.

Daniel Ricciardo.
Total shocker. They absolutely crushed it, from qualifying all the way to the checkered flag.

Looking at how things actually played out on the track, I honestly don't think it would be wrong to put Kimi or Ricciardo at the top of that list. Heck, they might as well just split the championship title between everyone.

I don't think that would've worked...
honestly, I'm pretty sure those tires would've completely fallen apart if he'd stayed out an extra lap...
Vettel was pushing hard, but he was still losing a full second per lap compared to his usual pace.😉
Check the Soft tire times during that last stint...
Lap 1 - 1:36.808
Lap 2 - 1:37.256 (- 0.448)
Lap 3 - 1:38.211 (- 0.955)
Lap 4 - 1:40.051 (- 1.840)
That's what you call Pirelli 🙄

The tires were already toast. Sure, there was a 2-3 second gap to Lewis because his pace was dropping too, but nothing compared to how fast the Softs on Vettel's RB were dying.

Jason Campbell70 said:What was Webber's top speed on the straight during the race?

I can't find the data anywhere.

Everything you need is right here:
http://www.fia.com/championship/fia-...nt-information

And the speed trap data is here:😁
http://184.106.145.74/f1-championshi...eed%20Trap.pdf

Webber had just as much pace as Vettel did in Abu Dhabi.😳
Honestly, I don't get why they don't use this every single time they know they'll have to fight through the field.🤷
It's not like they didn't intend to start outside the top two, but rather towards the end of qualifying...

Brian Campbell36 said:So why don't Mother and Father RBR A. Newey just increase the speed trap for the Can, what seems to be the issue?

For years now, they have consistently been on the slowest end of the spectrum (among those slower cars), so these desperate theories of yours simply do not hold water... I find it somewhat laughable that a three-time world champion possesses a mere "compact car" while everyone else is driving "ferocious beasts." ☕

It's because the car is tuned exactly how it needs to be.🙂
Look, even if they had a slower car on the speed trap, they'd end up with a faster effective lap time when they're leading the pack and aren't relying on DRS during the race...

Sure, they could build a car that screams down the straight, but then they'd lose all their pace in the corners and ultimately end up slower on laps where DRS isn't an option.

The whole race tactic was basically trashed because he finished behind Hulkenberg. If that hadn't happened, he almost certainly would've been second—who knows, maybe he'd even be fighting for the win.
The entire strategy pretty much fell apart in that first stint.😢

Jerry Rogers6 said:That’s exactly why he should have just slammed him into the wall—even if it was just a little bit. Honestly, I think I hit the nail on the head there. 😬🤣
It’s over now—there just isn't any way to make this work anymore.
We really should have seized that window—that one specific moment where everything lined up—to finally put this whole mess to bed once and for all. 🙂

🤣

That German guy driving for the wrong team? Honestly, shame on him.😬

I was pretty much certain Fernando Alonso was taking the win—about 99% sure—right after that second pit stop.
It came down to two things: first, Alonso was absolutely dominating Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton under the exact same conditions. Second, it was already obvious that Vettel would be forced into a three-stop strategy. Given the delays we saw and the lap times he was hitting, catching up to Alonso seemed like a long shot.

Amanda Kelly said:I was pretty much certain Fernando Alonso was taking the win—about 99% sure—right after that second pit stop.
It came down to two things: first, Alonso was absolutely dominating Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton under the exact same conditions. Second, it was already obvious that Vettel would be forced into a three-stop strategy. Given the delays we saw and the lap times he was hitting, catching up to Alonso seemed like a long shot.

Honestly, it was obvious right after the first round of stops. Alonso sliced through the field while Kimi and Lewis were clearly struggling...
Even then, you could see he was right on the heels of Vettel and Jenson Button. The win was basically his...
It was a dominant performance, really—it just didn't look that way because the standings were a complete mess thanks to everyone's wild strategies...

stormybadger8 said:Everything you need is right here:
http://www.fia.com/championship/fia-...nt-information

And the speed trap data is here:😁
http://184.106.145.74/f1-championshi...eed%20Trap.pdf

Webber had just as much pace as Vettel did in Abu Dhabi.😳
Honestly, I don't get why they don't use this every single time they know they'll have to fight through the field.🤷
It's not like they didn't intend to start outside the top two, but rather towards the end of qualifying...

Sure, he was just as fast even if it was compared to the Ferrari. Nothing more than that.
And get this—Webber's rear wing is an absolute extreme when it comes to frontal projection.

I'm dying to see what the RB9's rear wing looks like when they hit Spa-Francorchamps, especially Monza—those high-speed tracks.

It could be a blast in Canada, too.
Even more exciting than last season. 😁

stormybadger8 said:I don't think that would've worked...
honestly, I'm pretty sure those tires would've completely fallen apart if he'd stayed out an extra lap...
Vettel was pushing hard, but he was still losing a full second per lap compared to his usual pace.😉
Check the Soft tire times during that last stint...
Lap 1 - 1:36.808
Lap 2 - 1:37.256 (- 0.448)
Lap 3 - 1:38.211 (- 0.955)
Lap 4 - 1:40.051 (- 1.840)
That's what you call Pirelli 🙄

The tires were already toast. Sure, there was a 2-3 second gap to Lewis because his pace was dropping too, but nothing compared to how fast the Softs on Vettel's RB were dying.

After the race, Vettel mentioned that an extra lap would have been enough to close the deal against Lewis Hamilton.

Jason Campbell70 said:After the race, Vettel mentioned that an extra lap would have been enough to close the deal against Lewis Hamilton.

From what I heard, he probably would've run out of gas if he tried to push for another lap.🤣

Whoops, I know, I know—you’re probably going to say we both promised to drop this topic once and for all

🙂

PS: For any of you hardcore fans out there interested in getting a real sense of his character—specifically the weight behind his statements (or lack thereof) and his overall credibility—do yourself a favor and catch that introductory segment airing on the BBC this Sunday.

It's quite an eye-opener.

Amanda Kelly said:My tweaks:

Alonso.
Hard to find a single thing to complain about here. He hunted down that win like a bulldog on a scent—not that he doesn't always drive like that. If you give him a decent car, like the one he had in China, beating Fernando Alonso is a tall order.

Kimi.
What an unbelievable guy. That Lotus look suits him so well that I’m actually getting worried about their pace. And with Kimi playing like this? Yeah, we're in trouble.

3. Vettel
I'm mostly on the same page as stormybadger8 here. Honestly, those pit wall calls probably cost him at least one position, if not two. To add to what stormybadger8 said, there's a good chance he could've jumped Lewis Hamilton if they'd just pulled him in for that final stop a lap earlier. It was likely right there for the taking.

Daniel Ricciardo.
Total shocker. They absolutely crushed it, from qualifying all the way to the checkered flag.

Looking at how things actually played out on the track, I honestly don't think it would be wrong to put Kimi or Ricciardo at the top of that list. Heck, they might as well just split the championship title between everyone.

you really have to be..☕😁

just like all the Ferrari and Red Bull fans... and everyone else who isn't strictly rooting for Kimi..☕

scenting a title out there..☕😁

Kimi: I am back!..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kcIWxDFTHc

nimblesurfer17 said:you really have to be..☕😁

just like all the Ferrari and Red Bull fans... and everyone else who isn't strictly rooting for Kimi..☕

scenting a title out there..☕😁

Kimi: I am back!..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kcIWxDFTHc

Don't you worry, we're going to steamroll this joke of a competition☕

Rebecca Fox4 said:Don't you worry, we're going to steamroll this joke of a competition☕

If the competition is a joke, I assume the winner will be too, right?

Rebecca Fox4 said:Don't you worry, we're going to steamroll this joke of a competition☕

It’s not exactly a cakewalk (if you even win), and calling this competition a joke is a stretch.
If Kimi actually pulls this off, I’ll personally bow down and offer my sincerest congratulations.

But let's be real, he won't.
Based on what I've seen lately, Alonso and Vettel are basically neck and neck, while Kimi is a notch below them. In my opinion, those three should be the ones fighting for the title.
Lewis is another step down from that group.

Besides, Kimi's being a total brat. He didn't want to drive like this back when he was at Ferrari. He just played the part of the lazy guy.

Amanda Kelly said:It’s not exactly a cakewalk (if you even win), and calling this competition a joke is a stretch.
If Kimi actually pulls this off, I’ll personally bow down and offer my sincerest congratulations.

But let's be real, he won't.
Based on what I've seen lately, Alonso and Vettel are basically neck and neck, while Kimi is a notch below them. In my opinion, those three should be the ones fighting for the title.
Lewis is another step down from that group.

Besides, Kimi's being a total brat. He didn't want to drive like this back when he was at Ferrari. He just played the part of the lazy guy.

He's a grown man now, and significantly more communicative, too....

Amanda Kelly said:It’s not exactly a cakewalk (if you even win), and calling this competition a joke is a stretch.
If Kimi actually pulls this off, I’ll personally bow down and offer my sincerest congratulations.

But let's be real, he won't.
Based on what I've seen lately, Alonso and Vettel are basically neck and neck, while Kimi is a notch below them. In my opinion, those three should be the ones fighting for the title.
Lewis is another step down from that group.

Besides, Kimi's being a total brat. He didn't want to drive like this back when he was at Ferrari. He just played the part of the lazy guy.

It looks like Rebecca Fox4 was having a bit of fun around 4:00 AM...😬
I have a feeling the phrase "this ridiculous competition" was actually picked up from the football subforum...😁 It feels to me like this all really started with that little bit of back-and-forth right there on the Real-Barac line—just some unnecessary tension at the start.😁

I agree—it’s definitely worth highlighting! 🤣
I honestly think there’s a massive connection here to the team dynamic and the overall vibe—you know? It feels like Lotus has this much more relaxed atmosphere, where they aren't constantly being squeezed by endless sponsor obligations and all that corporate noise. My gut feeling is that at Ferrari, he just felt incredibly frustrated—it really seemed like he was constantly battling against the organization itself.🙂

Regarding Boldt... I have to agree with you there. Having drivers like Alonso and Seb on the grid is definitely an advantage—but let’s be honest, that’s only because their budgets and development resources are leagues ahead of what Lotus is working with. It's a different ballgame when you're comparing those massive operations to a team like Lotus.

But we aren't giving up just yet...🙂

steelmaker83 said:If the competition is a joke, I assume the winner will be too, right?

Of course, this whole thing has been nothing more than a complete circus run by an 82-year-old man for quite some time now...

Amanda Kelly said:It’s not exactly a cakewalk (if you even win), and calling this competition a joke is a stretch.
If Kimi actually pulls this off, I’ll personally bow down and offer my sincerest congratulations.

But let's be real, he won't.
Based on what I've seen lately, Alonso and Vettel are basically neck and neck, while Kimi is a notch below them. In my opinion, those three should be the ones fighting for the title.
Lewis is another step down from that group.

Besides, Kimi's being a total brat. He didn't want to drive like this back when he was at Ferrari. He just played the part of the lazy guy.

Even if Lauda had managed to pull off that same feat two years after winning the title—which he absolutely didn't—he would have still done more than Fernando, despite how much you all seem to worship him... I don't even want to imagine who people would have blamed if Alonso had been behind the wheel of a Ferrari like Kimi's was back in 2009...

nimblesurfer17 said:It looks like Rebecca Fox4 was having a bit of fun around 4:00 AM...😬
I have a feeling the phrase "this ridiculous competition" was actually picked up from the football subforum...😁 It feels to me like this all really started with that little bit of back-and-forth right there on the Real-Barac line—just some unnecessary tension at the start.😁

I agree—it’s definitely worth highlighting! 🤣
I honestly think there’s a massive connection here to the team dynamic and the overall vibe—you know? It feels like Lotus has this much more relaxed atmosphere, where they aren't constantly being squeezed by endless sponsor obligations and all that corporate noise. My gut feeling is that at Ferrari, he just felt incredibly frustrated—it really seemed like he was constantly battling against the organization itself.🙂

Regarding Boldt... I have to agree with you there. Having drivers like Alonso and Seb on the grid is definitely an advantage—but let’s be honest, that’s only because their budgets and development resources are leagues ahead of what Lotus is working with. It's a different ballgame when you're comparing those massive operations to a team like Lotus.

But we aren't giving up just yet...🙂

Man, just explain it...