Sepang Grand Prix - March 30, 2014

Let them try. Honestly, one Red Bull is all it takes to settle the next race. If their car breaks down or someone just clips them on the track, I won't be complaining...

Richard Walker38 said:Whatever. One Red Bull is basically a lock for the next race—unless the engine blows up or someone decides to play bumper cars with them, then I guess we'll see...

is this that whole thing about the neighbor's cow?

Terry Carter2 said:I check this thread and I'm just wondering why it smells so much like bad decisions and desperation!😕
Oh sure, because being 14 is some kind of massive achievement.
😁

Comment of the year 🙏🤣🤣🤣

Joshua Scott said:Lewis Hamilton was incredible today; he showed true championship form. Being nearly 20 seconds ahead of a teammate in the exact same car is just fantastic driving, and honestly, he could have likely extended that lead even further. It looks like this car is a perfect match for him since it’s gentle on the tires and fuel while remaining lightning fast—and we all know how much Hamilton respects those technical nuances.

Vettel was solid, though nothing out of the ordinary. Little Ric seems to have massive potential; he’s such a quick driver, reminding me of his days back in Formula Renault.

Alonso is nothing special right now, probably the most overrated driver on the grid. You have to wonder how much faster he actually would have been against Kimi if he hadn't suffered that punctured tire at the start and lost all that time—not to mention losing momentum afterward. Plus, the Ferrari is just so slow on the straights that even with DRS, they can't pull away from the backmarkers.

I might be totally off base with everything I just wrote. Kudos to you, Joshua Scott.
I suspect Kimi lost his motivation today; perhaps it would have been smarter to pull him in early to save the engine and gearbox.
I also think when Hamilton doesn't need to push, he knows how to drive smart and preserve the car (just look back at Spain 2012), which is why he used less fuel than Rosberg. And remember, Rosberg is generally the smoother driver, yet he wasn't tucked into anyone's slipstream like you can at Williams to save a little extra. To me, Hamilton looks incredibly motivated, and it shows. He helped develop this car, and you can see he's happy in it; more results will follow. Rosberg only really stands a chance if something goes wrong for Hamilton or if Hamilton fails to finish (though he is a great driver). Otherwise, this is how races should end.
As for Alonso, he's giving it what the car allows, but he doesn't seem as fierce or determined as he was back in 2012. Maybe frustration is setting in, and he's just tired of fighting with an inferior car. That said, the current Ferrari is closer to the front than it was at the start of the 2012 season. We might see a turnaround later this year.
I think Vettel, driving the best aero package (even if it's slightly behind the Mercedes as a complete package), has a real shot throughout the season. Once Renault gets closer to Mercedes—though I doubt they'll catch them—it’ll be a total toss-up. Vettel has a very talented and hungry teammate who is clearly eager to prove himself; I just hope these setbacks don't kill his drive.

These penalties feel pretty pointless (regarding #3). Why not just penalize Red Bull by stripping them of constructors' points instead? The team made the mistake, not the driver. The driver has already been punished enough...

shadowstag10 said:Where’s the skill in that?

If Ric hadn't run into issues, he would've finished right behind him. I don't see any massive achievement here worth celebrating.

He finished behind the fast cars and ahead of the slow ones. Period.

What race were you even watching? 🤣
Ricc was trailing Vettel by about 12-13 seconds before hitting the pits... since then, it's been a 13-second gap right up until the end. It's not magic that Vettel ended up ahead of Rosberg.😲🤣

Christian Harris11 said:I am not entirely certain about this situation regarding Vettel, as Ric was practically breathing down his neck... until things went south.

Here, perhaps you might study this so you are better informed next time:
http://en.mclarenf-1.com/index.php?p...el%20Ricciardo

The gap prior to Ricciardov's fateful pit stop (Lap 39) was 13 seconds.

shadowstag10 said:Free practice sessions are a terrible way to measure true pace.

But what kind of pace are we discussing? Are we referring to a single lap or sustained race pace?

If you mean race pace, then I would ask you to provide me with specific data regarding the stint durations.

And if, by some chance, you are implying qualifying pace, then one must investigate whether the track conditions were truly identical during both practice and qualifying.

I simply do not have the inclination to continue debating such trivialities on such a beautiful, sunny day; my best regards to you.👍

While I do not possess the exact data for the stints, it seems quite clear that in terms of a single lap, Ferrari was certainly performing at the level of Red Bull, if not perhaps even exceeding them. As I previously mentioned, the margin of difference there is much narrower than the gap separating Mercedes from the rest of the field.

Anyway, please go and enjoy this lovely day! 👍
I intend to do the same. 😁

Valtteri Bottas and Daniil Kvyat absolutely blew me away. You've got a 19-year-old kid scoring points in his first two F1 races, and Bottas is clearly just getting started—he's going to be a force to be reckoned with. Even with that run-in with the wall and the penalty, he’s driving like a total beast.

Richard Walker38 said:Let them have it. One Red Bull car is all it takes to settle the next race—unless the engine decides to give up or someone manages to clip them on track. Then I’ll be happy enough...

But honestly, where is the glory in winning when you don't even have a rival capable of pushing you? You think Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic—or even the likes of Ivan Lendl, Stefan Wilander, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, or Goran Ivanišević—felt any real satisfaction from beating an injured opponent? Or walking away with a trophy just because someone else had to retire? I doubt Ivanišević would be celebrating a Wimbledon win on the Riviera if Patrick Rafter had simply conceded the match due to an injury without a fight...

brightwolf48 said:But where’s the real thrill in winning when nobody can actually push you? Do you really think guys like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, or even legends like Ivan Lendl, Stefan Wilander, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, or Goran Ivanišević felt that rush by beating someone who was injured, or just walking away with a trophy because their opponent had to retire? I doubt Ivanišević would be celebrating a win at Wimbledon on the Riviera if Patrick Rafter just handed him the match due to an injury...

Winning it all in 2011 was definitely a high for Sebastian Vettel, though let's be honest—his competition back then didn't have much to throw at him. Not that it's his fault, of course.

George Ramos15 said:Yeah, Vettel back in 2011 was a beast—honestly, his competition didn't stand a chance. Not that it was his fault, of course.

I’m not bringing up Vettel because I’m some kind of fan—I'm certainly not—I'm talking about the integrity of the sport itself. If he had it easy, that’s his situation, but I’m looking at this from a purely competitive standpoint. I don't obsess over any single team or driver; I just want to see a good race. I tend to root for the underdog, so my previous point was really just about not celebrating someone else's misfortune—I view this penalty on Daniel Ricciardo much like an injury in other sports—just to help whoever I'm pulling for climb the standings. Maybe I am looking at the sport through the wrong lens.🤷

@stormybadger8/">@@stormybadger8 You better get a thread started for the next race. Time is ticking 🙂. The second weekend is right around the corner 🙂

brightwolf48 said:Look, I’m not talking about Vettel here—I'm definitely not a fan of his—I’m talking about the sport as a whole. If he enjoyed it, that’s on him. I’m looking at this from a purely competitive standpoint. I don't obsess over any specific team or driver; I just want to see great racing. I usually find myself rooting for the underdog, so my previous post was really just about not celebrating someone else's misfortune (I view this penalty for Daniel Ricciardo much like an injury in other sports) just to help my favorite driver get a better result. Maybe I'm just looking at the sport through the wrong lens?🤷

Honestly, sorry if you felt attacked. That wasn't my intention at all. I actually feel terrible for Daniel Ricciardo, even though I'm not exactly a die-hard follower of the Red Bull Racing era.

Joshua Scott said:Lewis Hamilton was incredible, showing that true championship form; being nearly 20 seconds ahead of someone in the exact same car is just insane driving, and honestly, he probably could've pulled an even bigger gap if he wanted to. It looks like this car is basically tailor-made for him since it’s so easy on the tires and fuel while still being lightning fast, which fits his style perfectly.

Sebastian Vettel was decent, though nothing to write home about. Little Daniel Ricciardo seems like he's got massive potential, though—just a super quick driver, reminding me of how he used to be back in Formula 1 or whatever that junior series was called.

Fernando Alonso is nothing special, probably just the most overrated guy on the grid at this point. I wonder how much faster he would've been than Kimi Raikkonen if he hadn't dealt with that punctured tire and that ridiculous time loss at the start, especially since the Ferrari is so slow on the straights that even with DRS, they can't pass the backmarkers.

Fixed my typos☕

Patrick Bailey4 said:finishing third with the second fastest car is an art 🙏

Unfortunately for me, the second best car is Ferrari, not Red Bull Racing...

George Ramos15 said:Fair enough—sorry if you felt attacked. That wasn't my intention at all. Personally, I feel for Daniel Ricciardo, and I mean that sincerely, even if I'm not exactly a die-hard follower of the Red Bull Racing dynasty.

Look, don't sweat it; we're fine. I try to approach Formula 1 as a legitimate sport, though unfortunately, that seems to be getting harder by the day... You read these forums sometimes and honestly wonder if you've lost your mind. You see posts calling someone a "Finnish fraud," or some guy gets penalized for a collision, or he finishes dead last after limping an entire lap back to the pits on a broken rim... But what really grates on me is seeing a driver labeled a "fraud" just because he tried to win with a compromised suspension—risking a crash that eventually happened because the damn thing snapped—even though the man is a World Champion who has proven himself with every single team he's ever driven for. I'm talking specifically about Kimi Raikkonen. He proved his worth at Sauber, had a crash at McLaren that likely cost him a title, secured the final championship for Ferkan, did stellar work at Lotus, and now suddenly he's just some "Finnish fraud"... Honestly, forget these online message boards; half the discussions here are just pure nonsense.

stormybadger8 said:To my absolute heartbreak, the second best car is actually the Ferrari, not the Red Bull Racing one...

😂😂😂
It’s basically the same deal as Daniel Ricciardo being on equal footing with Vettel.🤣

dustycyclist19 said:I feel like we aren't even watching the same race.🤷
If you’re going to quote me, at least answer this: who's actually better, Kimi Raikkonen or Daniel Ricciardo?
So, here's Vettel's race: he loses a spot to Daniel Ricciardo at the start, recovers easily, and settles in behind Nico Rosberg. Behind Vettel, you've got Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso hovering just 2-3 seconds away for basically the whole race. That is, until Daniel Ricciardo hits some trouble... On the flip side, Kimi Raikkonen gets caught in a collision (behind Alonso) and spends the entire race stuck at the back.
Vettel drove a masterclass, while Daniel Ricciardo spent the whole time glued to his bumper (with some pretty suspicious "tire management" going on). 🤷 Kimi Raikkonen, supposedly a top-tier driver, was trailing at the rear all day. Mercedes is dominant (not like Red Bull Racing last year), then Red Bull Racing is second, and everyone else is just fighting for scraps. Ferrari definitely isn't better than McLaren or Williams. It's Fernando Alonso who's the real deal here.☕

What kind of fantasy world are you living in?
http://184.106.145.74/f1-championshi...rTimes_V01.pdf

http://184.106.145.74/f1-championshi...Speeds_V01.pdf

http://184.106.145.74/f1-championshi...stLaps_V01.pdf

Sure, Ferrari is slightly faster than Red Bull Racing, but we're talking tiny margins here...
Being right behind them is nothing special—it just means whoever started behind them couldn't find a way past. If you have even a basic understanding of Formula 1, you know a 0.100 gap per lap isn't enough to make a move.
But man, Fernando Alonso really pushed it 👍 and forced Red Bull Racing into an early pit stop. Even though Red Bull Racing seems super cautious with their tires, they clearly didn't have the guts to stay out on old rubber while Alonso was hunting them down on fresh ones...

brightwolf48 said:Honestly, I can't deal with it. I try to watch Formula 1 as a legitimate sport, though unfortunately, it feels like that's becoming harder by the day. You read these forums and start wondering if you're the crazy one. People posting stuff about some "Finnish fraud"—as if getting a penalty for a collision is a crime, or how someone finishes last after driving an entire lap to the pits on a rim is somehow a disgrace. But what really gets to me? Calling a driver a "fraud" just because he tried to win with broken suspension, risking a crash that eventually happened because the part snapped. This guy is a world champion who has proven himself with every single team he's ever driven for. I'm talking specifically about Kimi Raikkonen. He proved himself at Sauber, he would have won the title if not for that crash at McLaren, he took the final championship for Ferkan, and did incredible work at Lotus—yet now he's labeled a "Finnish fraud." Forget this forum and these discussions; 75% of the time, it's just nonsense.

I feel the exact same way. It’s pointless because everyone knows Kimi Raikkonen is an incredibly talented driver. They also know that when Fernando Alonso is being lapped, he isn't exactly a maestro. If people only call him a maestro based on that, then they're just insulting him, which is silly because Alonso is great too. Look, I’m a fan, so like 90% of the people here, I’m not perfectly objective, but there are certain facts that even a blind man could see.

jadeseal7 said:I was just about to type this myself. It’s honestly pathetic watching an Alonso struggle to catch a Force India before his tires give up, only to watch a Ferrari limp along using DRS just to stay somewhat competitive... what a disaster. They seriously need to take a hard look at what they're doing.

I'd argue it has nothing to do with Ferrari...
Have you even seen anyone actually make a pass using DRS lately? 🤷

This race is boring enough to drive you insane. Honestly, these new rules are a massive fail; they were supposed to spice things up and boost competition, right? 👎
Instead, Mercedes is even more dominant than Ross Brawn's 2009 crew, let alone any recent cars. Everyone else is stuck driving in a single file line with zero chance of attacking or doing anything meaningful...

At this rate, it looks like most races will just require sleeping through two to five laps near the end...