Singapore Grand Prix (Miami Grand Prix Circuit) - 09/23/2012

I wonder if Webber is rocking a helmet with an American design this weekend?
😁

Jason Campbell70 said:A slight tweak to the front wing.
Minor adjustments to the front wing mounts.
I’m also expecting some changes to the air guides under the nose.
Small modifications around the mirror mounts and air vanes.
The exhaust looks modified to me. 😕
A light modification to the rear wing.
A subtle change to the floor and diffuser.

I was hoping for a front wing with a massive flap and no Cascade.
But the Cascade is still there.
Does that mean they aren't struggling with downforce balance between the front and rear? Perhaps they anticipate the F2012 generating more downforce at the rear (given the new rear wing, exhaust, and diffuser).

I'll be waiting for more photos from Singapore so I can compare this version of the F2012 to the one from Canada. But work was definitely done.
The changes aren't revolutionary, though it wouldn't have hurt if they were.
The car is fast, and we're already halfway through the season.

With that new rear wing, it's hardly surprising we kept those cascades moving forward. 👋

Oh boy, did Massa hit the wall this time? 😁

cosmichawk12 said:Oh boy, did Massa hit the wall this time? 😁

Everything is within the scope of service. 🥳

smells like team spirit 🙂

And really, who else would you pick if not Senna? 😁

we’re looking pretty rough at the moment

stormybadger8 said:If that junk Italian alternator actually holds up this weekend, I’m expecting to see one or two Red Bulls at the front.😁

That Italian scrap alternator is basically just playing favorites with certain teams and drivers at this point.
I wonder...

Nathan Jones98 said:That Italian scrap alternator is basically just playing favorites with certain teams and drivers at this point.
I wonder...

MM mafia🙂

😍

The car is totally unbalanced... it’s making things really difficult for the drivers in the first two cockpits.
I'm thinking Fernando might finish somewhere around 5th to 7th... assuming the track stays dry.

Marc gen says they're also struggling with degradation issues.

Raymond Anderson4 said:The car is totally unbalanced... it’s making things really difficult for the drivers in the first two cockpits.
I'm thinking Fernando might finish somewhere around 5th to 7th... assuming the track stays dry.

Marc gen says they're also struggling with degradation issues.

I really wonder who actually won't run into degradation issues, especially with those rear tires.

Maybe Red Bull... I haven't heard anything about them having issues with tire degradation.
I know Perez, di Resta, Ricciardo, and Rosberg were all complaining about technical issues... meanwhile, Lewis was told to stay out on track just to see exactly how long it takes for the tires to start showing significant degradation.

I heard things regarding Red Bull; apparently, Vettel was told that the other drivers are struggling with tire degradation.

tire degradation is hitting hard
might see some overtakes because of it—but with those heavy overtakes happening, pitting multiple times is just too risky
then again, staying out on old rubber is a massive gamble too
damn Pirelli and this track, honestly
looks like some drivers got an even set while others didn't get quite the same distribution

Raymond Anderson4 said:Lewis was also told to stay out on track to see how long it takes for the tires to start degrading significantly.

Yes, during his race-simulation run, he was being careful with the rubber, but the rest of the FP sessions were pure torture for those rear Pirellis. Every acceleration resulted in noticeable rear-end sliding. Mind you, everyone was sliding, especially at the start. I suppose that's just what happens on a street circuit. 🤷

And I didn't quite catch that bit of team radio from Vettel. At first, I actually felt a bit relieved to hear that he was struggling with tire wear too. 😁

Honestly, nobody actually got better rubber than everyone else... the tires feel softer than they did in years past, but there are so many variables that dictate tire life and how they hold up during a stint.
That’s such a cheap theory... it just sounds silly to me. 😁

Nathan Jones98 said:tire degradation is hitting hard
might see some overtakes because of it—but with those heavy overtakes happening, pitting multiple times is just too risky
then again, staying out on old rubber is a massive gamble too
damn Pirelli and this track, honestly
looks like some drivers got an even set while others didn't get quite the same distribution

Someone could pull off a miracle toward the end of the race, much like Perez did at Monza. 😁

Now, the question is... who?



😁

Raymond Anderson4 said:Honestly, nobody actually got better rubber than everyone else... the tires feel softer than they did in years past, but there are so many variables that dictate tire life and how they hold up during a stint.
That’s such a cheap theory... it just sounds silly to me. 😁

It isn't Supersoft. 🍿

Raymond Anderson4 said:Honestly, nobody actually got better rubber than everyone else... the tires feel softer than they did in years past, but there are so many variables that dictate tire life and how they hold up during a stint.
That’s such a cheap theory... it just sounds silly to me. 😁

The supersoft is the only tire that hasn't changed compared to last year. Everything else is softer.
Not to mention that what was the medium last year has basically become this year's hard tire...

Right, right... I always forget about the softs. Thanks for the reminder. 😉
And I actually wasn't aware of that medium-hard strategy.

Regarding Seba, this was what came through over the team radio: "so far the options are starting to show degradation in other cars as well".
So, it looks like he was dealing with those issues too.

Nathan Jones98 said:That Italian scrap alternator is basically just playing favorites with certain teams and drivers at this point.
I wonder...

And what are those? Caterham. 🤣
So, they've totally fallen apart this season:
Renault R30 (Pirelli testing) x1
Pirelli ) x1 Lotus-Renault E20 x2 Williams-Renault FW34 x1 RB8 x2
Williams-Renault FW34 x1
RB8 x2

Just the usual crowd on the BBC and Sky...
They said the Williams struggled at Monza too, and that the old Renault from 2010 blew up during the Pirelli tire testing...
Hopefully they don't completely lose their minds before they actually figure out what's causing these breakdowns based on those two points.

So far, the only car that hasn't completely crapped out is the Caterham-Renault.🙂
And that could be a sign that Kovalainen has already signed. 😬