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

stormybadger8 said:Mark Webber is starting from the back.
I’m just hoping they let him start from the pit lane with some "minor adjustments"😁 like they did for Sebastian Vettel in Dubai...

The team handled that potential on-track mess pretty smoothly.😬

stormybadger8 said:Because they totally blew qualifying again.🤣
They dumped everything into qualifying this time, which means they're definitely going to be slower during the race than usual...
This time Ferrari won't have the best car on the track, and considering they'll get stuck in traffic after just a few laps, that's not exactly a huge win either...

Red Bull's tactics were spot on and Sebastian Vettel is in a great spot. The only issue is Jenson Button, who needs to be dealt with right at the start, then a win is basically in the bag.😁

But man, Red Bull really screwed up with Mark Webber, that's no small thing.🤦
And word is Vettel's brakes gave out too.🙂
Looks like someone might have been messing with each other's cars.😬 🤣

BTW, these tires are an absolute disgrace.👎
This isn't qualifying, it's embarrassing... just wait until we see what happens in the races when they bring out the supersofts.🤦

Sebastian Vettel wins, and he wasn't even in the top two rows🤣 😂

stormybadger8 said:I bet those guys in red would love to cash in on a fight between the two bulls🤣
It just wouldn't happen... we can bicker until we're blue in the face, but our underdogs will still come out on top against the Ferrari crew🤣

What an incredibly precise prediction—absolutely nothing happened! 🙏

One driver starts from 9th while Mark Webber is stuck at the very back (well, obviously ahead of the Ferrari cars😂).

At least within Ferrari, there isn't a need to sabotage one teammate just to prevent them from overtaking the other, effectively ensuring they can't even finish Q2 by making it to the pits.

Tyler Bennett5 said:Mark Webber might be the only one with a realistic shot at getting both Force India cars into the pits.
I honestly think Red Bull will find themselves just chasing shadows in those DRS zones.
And it isn't just about Force India—none of the other teams are going to let anyone breeze past them on a DRS run quite that easily.

Not if he starts last. But if they mess with his gearbox or tweak other parts of the car and he starts from the pits, then sure, he might have a chance..
We already saw in Dubai that Red Bull has plenty of top speed to make passes, but clearly, they struggle in qualifying, so they probably don't use it that often...

2012. Maldonado 1'36"283
2013. Maldonado 1'37"139

Honestly, Williams really dropped the ball this year. They missed the mark completely.
At this point, it feels like they didn't even bother working through the winter—they probably just sat on their budget and focused all their development on the FW36 for 2014 instead.

neonfalcon16 said:Red Bull 🤦 🤦
Some folks might say there was some kind of outside interference at play here. Either way, that qualifying session was a total disaster.

When you fuel up for two other drivers, then head out for two warm-up laps... you're either being incredibly reckless, or you're doing it on purpose.
And with Red Bull, it could easily be either.

Tyler Bennett5 said:2012. Maldonado 1'36"283
2013. Maldonado 1'37"139

Honestly, Williams really dropped the ball this year. They missed the mark completely.
At this point, it feels like they didn't even bother working through the winter—they probably just sat on their budget and focused all their development on the FW36 for 2014 instead.

I'm leaning towards thinking it's a tire issue

I highly doubt they'll pull that same tactic on Mark Webber that they used on Sebastian Vettel in Dubai—mostly because he's basically just the second driver and doesn't really need the points anyway.

stormybadger8 acting like a single news portal... suggesting Vettel and Mark Webber will take first and second after the race? That is some serious optimism right there. 🙏

Even a doctor couldn't make such optimistic predictions; you're clearly just working in Red Bull marketing, so of course you think everything is perfect. ☕

I find it hard to believe Vettel can actually secure a win—maybe a top five finish at most, but nothing more. And as for your ironic little comment about Fernando Alonso crashing into the back of Kim... isn't that just a sign of how nervous you are that Alonso might actually pull off a victory?

What kind of hollow victory is that, profiting from someone else's misfortune? They’ll probably just go find a way to engineer a "multi-22" situation within Red Bull alongside Bernie Ecclestone to ensure they look better on track.

As I have already stated, I am expecting a victory for Fernando Alonso and a podium spot for Massa.

It seems highly improbable that Sebastian Vettel will manage to catch up to Hemić on a track that clearly favors him, regardless of the car he's driving. As for Ferrari, I suspect they might actually perform quite well. Is that merely wishful thinking from fans? Perhaps. However, one shouldn't overlook their impressive showing during practice sessions. Furthermore, since Grandpa departed, they haven't sacrificed their race pace just to chase a single qualifying lap. That said, their joker tires could play a decisive role; so far, Ferrari has been rather cautious with them, whereas Red Bull has failed to make them work for some reason. Contrast that with Lewis Hamilton, whose tires always look like they are on the verge of disintegrating, yet he consistently manages to finish the race—and often high up in the standings.
To add my two cents to the other discussion: these tires are unnecessarily sensitive. There is simply too much technical clutter—KERS, DRS, and the like—which artificially inflates the number of overtakes while somewhat diminishing the raw, individual talent of the drivers.

Susan Alvarez94 said:It seems highly improbable that Sebastian Vettel will manage to catch up to Hemić on a track that clearly favors him, regardless of the car he's driving. As for Ferrari, I suspect they might actually perform quite well. Is that merely wishful thinking from fans? Perhaps. However, one shouldn't overlook their impressive showing during practice sessions. Furthermore, since Grandpa departed, they haven't sacrificed their race pace just to chase a single qualifying lap. That said, their joker tires could play a decisive role; so far, Ferrari has been rather cautious with them, whereas Red Bull has failed to make them work for some reason. Contrast that with Lewis Hamilton, whose tires always look like they are on the verge of disintegrating, yet he consistently manages to finish the race—and often high up in the standings.
To add my two cents to the other discussion: these tires are unnecessarily sensitive. There is simply too much technical clutter—KERS, DRS, and the like—which artificially inflates the number of overtakes while somewhat diminishing the raw, individual talent of the drivers.

I find myself increasingly convinced that Formula 1 is missing a vital element: the spectacle of mid-race refueling. Is there truly no room left for such high-stakes drama? ☕
During those golden eras of Formula 1, tire degradation wasn't the only variable that dictated the outcome; fuel load played an equally critical role in determining a car's true pace. One had to consider how much weight was being carried in the tank at any given moment, as that significantly altered the vehicle's handling and acceleration. It’s why we used to see such unexpected shifts in performance during a race—surprises that could completely upend everyone's strategic predictions.

It appears even the local forums have decided to malfunction today, leaving us to dwell on this absolutely disastrous performance from Red Bull Racing. Is anyone else finding this level of incompetence just impossible to stomach? One can only lament such a pathetic showing from the team.

It appears we have reached a point where neither aerodynamic efficiency nor raw engine power carries any real weight anymore. Instead, the entire outcome seems to hinge solely on which driver can limp along for an extra two or three laps on dying tires. It’s nothing more than a circus at this stage.

The CEO of Pirelli says there aren't any issues with the tires 🤦
I don't know if he's blind, but it's pretty obvious those Mexican components can't even last a single lap.
They probably should have just put on supersofts for China xD
As for Sebastian Vettel's strategy, it might actually pay off since everyone else will be hitting the pits within two laps at the latest.

Forget about Vettel, Mark Webber, or Jenson Button... they might grab a spot on the podium, but honestly, it’ll probably just be Hamilton and Fernando Alonso swapping places up there. Vettel might manage to snag a spot next to Massa, but let's be real, that's his ceiling...
Red Bull Racing really needs rain to stand a chance, like that crazy result they pulled off in Malaysia. On a dry track? It's either Fernando Alonso or Kimi Räikkönen taking it all

Samuel Ruiz4 said:Forget about Vettel, Mark Webber, or Jenson Button... they might grab a spot on the podium, but honestly, it’ll probably just be Hamilton and Fernando Alonso swapping places up there. Vettel might manage to snag a spot next to Massa, but let's be real, that's his ceiling...
Red Bull Racing really needs rain to stand a chance, like that crazy result they pulled off in Malaysia. On a dry track? It's either Fernando Alonso or Kimi Räikkönen taking it all

Or maybe what helped Sebastian Vettel pick up points in Dubai and Brazil. An SC.

Let's just watch the race first—we’ll all be smarter for it. It might not be one for the history books, but it could actually get interesting.

The top 10 might have a shot at the podium thanks to the tire situation...
Tomorrow's gonna be... "killing me softly." 😁

Lewis Hamilton is going to have a hard time pulling off a win here... I can already see him getting that notification during lap 2: "your tires aren't going to last."
I’m putting my money on Fernando Alonso...

Missed Q1 and Q2. What the hell did Kimi do to get hit with a penalty?

Brian Campbell36 said:stormybadger8 acting like a single news portal... suggesting Vettel and Mark Webber will take first and second after the race? That is some serious optimism right there. 🙏

Even a doctor couldn't make such optimistic predictions; you're clearly just working in Red Bull marketing, so of course you think everything is perfect. ☕

I find it hard to believe Vettel can actually secure a win—maybe a top five finish at most, but nothing more. And as for your ironic little comment about Fernando Alonso crashing into the back of Kim... isn't that just a sign of how nervous you are that Alonso might actually pull off a victory?

What kind of hollow victory is that, profiting from someone else's misfortune? They’ll probably just go find a way to engineer a "multi-22" situation within Red Bull alongside Bernie Ecclestone to ensure they look better on track.

As I have already stated, I am expecting a victory for Fernando Alonso and a podium spot for Massa.

Don't go expecting too much. You'll only end up disappointed.☕
Just giving you guys an early heads-up: don't go blaming Fernando Alonso when he fails to crack the top five. It’s not his fault if the weather doesn't cooperate. 😉
You can blame the geniuses at Pirelli and Bernie Ecclestone for that one.🙄

These tires have barely done five laps... and that’s if you count the guy who actually had the guts to push them for five.

Of course, nobody's talking about this. Everyone's too busy listening to British journalists drone on about Red Bull.
So, drivers are driving like complete garbage instead of focusing on their tires. But hey, that’s totally irrelevant, right? Not at all.

If Sebastian Vettel actually pulls off a win, I’m officially going on a total social media blackout until the next race.

darkmarlin16 said:If Sebastian Vettel actually pulls off a win, I’m officially going on a total social media blackout until the next race.

I'll hold you to that.😁

They really ought to be handing out more soft tires—these ones just feel way too hard...

If we aren't seeing at least six pit stops per race, then it’s just not quite hitting the mark for me...