Chinese GP 2017 - Race Thread

[nani_s23]

A word around the Paddock according to Sky commentators is we seem to have alot of downforce. Could that be the reason Merc is ahead in qualy trim as they have less drag than us ?

It's true, it was already disclosed yesterday after quali.
Ferrari were carrying more downforce than mercs & RB.
May b it's a set-up for the wet race. But still they did have good straight line speed. Which shows the potential of the car. That's why I keep on repeating this year car is very competitive straight away.
Today I was little disappointed because win was possible & 5th was not our position, getting beaten by RB's where they don't have strong package yet.

[bondilad]

It is unfortunate not to have kimi on the third step. Not very often you'll see bottas making a mistake and when he did we werent there to capitalise. We gave a way good points which might make the difference at the end of the season for the WCC. Looking forward to the next race now.

[nani_s23]

It is unfortunate not to have kimi on the third step. Not very often you'll see bottas making a mistake and when he did we werent there to capitalise. We gave a way good points which might make the difference at the end of the season for the WCC. Looking forward to the next race now.

Fight for win & postion 3 was gone when Kimi was not able to pass ric & seb was not able to pass Kimi.
Which gave ham & max to maintain a gap.

[Ed Harley]

too bad we can't turn the clock back 10 years, would be great to have Seb + the 2007 version of Kimi in this car.

That would mean that most people on this forum would be just about seven years old.

[alfa84]

No. The chance was there if Kimi pitted before VER and RIC

[fronaldo]

[bonzo]

So with all what Seb went through throughout the race he still managed to fined 6.5 seconds behind Ham who wasn't exactly cruising himself. I'd say our Car is definitely quicker than Merc on Race trim

I think this is most important - an extra pitstop (23 sec+) and still finished 6-7 sec behind Ham! This means we have a faster car.

[zike]

I think this is most important - an extra pitstop (23 sec+) and still finished 6-7 sec behind Ham! This means we have a faster car.

But if we do, we need to capitalize on it

[FerrariSteve]

I'm no Kimi 'hater' but seriously, Kimi needs to wake up or step out of the car for a hungry driver.

[fmatiasii]

Seb's move on Ric

[fronaldo]

Overtake of the day

[Ferrarichamp]

That would mean that most people on this forum would be just about seven years old.

[bondilad]

It seems like we need to work on our race starts. The mercs get off the line Fairly quickly while for some reason we haven't had the starts like in the past.

[sxviper698]

We didn't lose because of the vsc or the safety car! we lost because Kimi was to slow in qualiy and wouldn't get any faster in the race. He should have let Seb pass not for team orders but because it would have just been the right thing to do. So 10 laps behind kimi, ric and ver cost seb the race. once vet passed kimi he made quick work of the red bulls in 4 or 5 laps on beat up tires. Fresh tires he would have passed the bulls and been on ham's rear quicker and challenging for the win. I was shocked when vet came out of the pits on yellow tires and not red ones. Our strategy and not clear order on if you are slow and your teammate is faster you let him pass even if it's kimi faster then vet. I don't think it helped having the big boss there at the race due to not wanting to make a big mistake so they made a bunch of little ones instead. we have a very fast car and we can run behind other cars where as the merc's and the bulls can't! ham let us know last race and ver let us know this race. no complaints from seb the whole race. I can't wait for the next race. Merc should be very afraid.

[KimiBot]

1 S. Vettel Ferrari 43 GER
2 L. Hamilton Mercedes 43 GBR
3 M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing 25 NED
4 V. Bottas Mercedes 23 FIN
5 K. Raikkonen Ferrari 22 FIN
6 D. Ricciardo Red Bull Racing 12 AUS
7 C. Sainz Jr Scuderia Toro Rosso 10 ESP
8 F. Massa Williams 8 BRA
9 S. Perez Force India 8 MEX
10 K. Magnussen Haas 4 DEN
11 D. Kvyat Scuderia Toro Rosso 2 RUS
12 E. Ocon Force India 2 FRA
13 N. Hulkenberg Renault 0 GER
14 R. Grosjean Haas 0 FRA
15 A. Giovinazzi Sauber 0 ITA
16 S. Vandoorne Mclaren 0 BEL
17 J. Palmer Renault 0 GBR
18 M. Ericsson Sauber 0 SWE
19 F. Alonso Mclaren 0 ESP
20 L. Stroll Williams 0 CAN




1 Mercedes 66
2 Ferrari 65
3 Red Bull Racing 37
4 Scuderia Toro Rosso 12
5 Force India 10
6 Williams 8
7 Haas 4
8 Renault 0
9 Sauber 0
10 Mclaren 0

[stefa]

I'm no Kimi 'hater' but seriously, Kimi needs to wake up or step out of the car for a hungry driver.

Well said. Here also same thoughts from team supporter.

[mizf1]

I'm no Kimi 'hater' but seriously, Kimi needs to wake up or step out of the car for a hungry driver.

I couldn't agree more, Everyone who is moaning about the VSC costing us the win can't see the bigger picture.

Vettel was about 16-17secs behind Hamilton just before the safety car with 20 required for a pit stop so therefore Hamilton needed to find 3-4 secs on Vettel who at that time got his tyres to to temperature and no doubt lapped faster then Hamilton, Hulk was on slicks and was the fastest car at that point. This would have forced Merc into pitting Hamilton as he would have lost too much time on the inters making him come out behind Vettel, also Hamilton would have had cold slicks and vettel would have warmed up his slicks so I think without the SC Vettel would have been a good few seconds ahead of hamilton.

[stefa]

I couldn't agree more, Everyone who is moaning about the VSC costing us the win can't see the bigger picture.

Vettel was about 16-17secs behind Hamilton just before the safety car with 20 required for a pit stop so therefore Hamilton needed to find 3-4 secs on Vettel who at that time got his tyres to to temperature and no doubt lapped faster then Hamilton, Hulk was on slicks and was the fastest car at that point. This would have forced Merc into pitting Hamilton as he would have lost too much time on the inters making him come out behind Vettel, also Hamilton would have had cold slicks and vettel would have warmed up his slicks so I think without the SC Vettel would have been a good few seconds ahead of hamilton.

All this is what should have been if, scenario. It is over. Let it go. Move to next race. Good thing is we have a good car, at least in hands of SV.

[mizf1]

1 S. Vettel Ferrari 43 GER
2 L. Hamilton Mercedes 43 GBR
3 M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing 25 NED
4 V. Bottas Mercedes 23 FIN
5 K. Raikkonen Ferrari 22 FIN
6 D. Ricciardo Red Bull Racing 12 AUS
7 C. Sainz Jr Scuderia Toro Rosso 10 ESP
8 F. Massa Williams 8 BRA
9 S. Perez Force India 8 MEX
10 K. Magnussen Haas 4 DEN
11 D. Kvyat Scuderia Toro Rosso 2 RUS
12 E. Ocon Force India 2 FRA
13 N. Hulkenberg Renault 0 GER
14 R. Grosjean Haas 0 FRA
15 A. Giovinazzi Sauber 0 ITA
16 S. Vandoorne Mclaren 0 BEL
17 J. Palmer Renault 0 GBR
18 M. Ericsson Sauber 0 SWE
19 F. Alonso Mclaren 0 ESP
20 L. Stroll Williams 0 CAN




1 Mercedes 66
2 Ferrari 65
3 Red Bull Racing 37
4 Scuderia Toro Rosso 12
5 Force India 10
6 Williams 8
7 Haas 4
8 Renault 0
9 Sauber 0
10 Mclaren 0

so after 2 races, We can't really complain as we are joint top in WDC and 1 point behind in WCC. My only concern is when 1 of the Mecs have a bad race (Bottas today) we don't capitalise enough as Kimi should have had both Red Bulls

[jgonzalesm6]

Ferrari believed Raikkonen could beat the Red Bulls if he avoided pitting, but their driver wasn’t convinced.

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, Shanghai International Circuit, 2017

Raikkonen demanded another pit stop
Raikkonen: “Why didn’t you stop when I asked you? Then if we know that we’re going to stop two times probably everybody else apart from me.”
“We think this is the best chance is to go to the end. Copy on your message though.”
Raikkonen: I have so poor front end [censored by FOM] they’re just going to catch me so easy. I cannot push in the front. So where are we going to finish? I have no front end and it’s 20 laps to go. So…”
“Our current prediction is P3 if we don’t stop. We think Seb’s going to come through but the others will be behind.”

Raikkonen: “How much faster the guys are behind?”
“So Vettel did 36.9.”
Raikkonen: “We’re almost three seconds slower and you still think it’s good to stay out? It’s only going to get more worse.”
“Understood. Verstappen 37.6, Ricciardo 37.6.”
Raikkonen: “It’s still 18 laps to go and the front is already seriously bad. Really bad on the left front.”
“Understood Kimi, understood.”
Raikkonen: “Because somebody else behind even the Red Bulls will pass us we don’t stop. Come on.”
“Box this lap, Kimi, box this lap.”


It's evident Kimi was relaying to his team about issues as to why they did not pit him sooner.....the team definitely has to capatilize on these "mishaps"

[KimiBot]

so after 2 races, We can't really complain as we are joint top in WDC and 1 point behind in WCC. My only concern is when 1 of the Mecs have a bad race (Bottas today) we don't capitalise enough as Kimi should have had both Red Bulls

I am surprised and happy. Never thought that we are so close. Only if Kimi can keep Bottas behind, then it is up to Seb to make fantastic year.

[jgonzalesm6]

“P2 Sebastian. Well done, solid race. Nice moves out there.”
“Yeah I enjoyed that one. Grazie a tutti. Grande lavoro. That was a bit unlucky. I think we did the right thing but obviously there was the Safety Car straight away. But it felt like in the mixed conditions it felt like we were the quicker. We were the quicker, man, we were the quicker! But we couldn’t prove that one. Next time we will. Grazie.”
“Bravo Sebastian, bravo bravo bravo

[mardyrt]

Just my 2 cents. Heindsight is always better. When the first vsc came, my thought was to pit. Hamilton stayed out. Then sauber crash, so all came through the pits. Only thing was Seb did not or was not able to close up on after vsc restart, probably becayse he did not have temp in the tyers, and also maybe he didnt push, (I known there is a time safety car lap time limit drivers have to stay to) so Seb lost to Ric and Max and Kimi. The team should have told Kimi, if he has a problem, let Vet past. Then they should have pitted Kimi as soon as Red Bulls pitted or 2 or 3 laps after. Then, at least we can use the fresher tyers to get Kimi to finish higher. They did not calculate it right. Kimi would not have stayed in front if he didnt pit and he probably would have lost to Bottas too. So this is where we need to improve massively. This is an area where we can loose a lot of races.

[hakanabi]

From Autosport:

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Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne wants his Formula 1 team to sit down for talks with Kimi Raikkonen after the Finn's second consecutive difficult race in the Chinese Grand Prix.

While Ferrari's car proved a match for main rival Mercedes this season, Raikkonen has yet to finish on the podium - although he pointed out that his strategy compromised his race in China.

Marchionne expressed some frustration with the failure of Raikkonen to get past Daniel Ricciardo in the early stages of the race, at a time when Vettel was also behind him.

As well as this costing both Ferrari drivers time, Vettel was able to overtake Ricciardo shortly after passing Raikkonen.

"I talked about this with Maurizio," said Marchionne.

"Maybe they should sit around a table and he should talk to him.

"Today he seemed to be busy with other stuff. Vettel was more aggressive."

When asked if it was fair to suggest that the 2017 Ferrari F1 car is more comfortable for Vettel than it is for Raikkonen, Marchionne said: "Absolutely no."

Marchionne added that the safety car, which was brought out after Antonio Giovinazzi crashed on the start-finish straight, probably cost Vettel victory.

"Without the safety car the story of the race should be different," said Marchionne.

"I can confirm that our choice to change the tyres of Vettel was correct.

"It was a nice race, we [finished] second, we are second in the constructors' championship by one point and Seb has the same points as Hamilton. That's not bad after two races."

[Tony]

I think this is most important - an extra pitstop (23 sec+) and still finished 6-7 sec behind Ham! This means we have a faster car.

We need to be careful drawing conclusions from this race. Hamilton was out front managing his tyres. He knew he had the race in the bag.

[Rosso Corsa]

Some solid old school racing from the racers today. Loved it! A bit out of position with the safety car but that's racing. Car superb, team superb. Can't wait for Bahrain.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[jgonzalesm6]

We need to be careful drawing conclusions from this race. Hamilton was out front managing his tyres. He knew he had the race in the bag.

yup....flawless race by Elton and his team

[Aberracus]

yup....flawless race by Elton and his team

This is the best Formula 1, great and quality overtakes, good racing, different strategies, a great race, congratulations to the team and Sebastian, we have a winner. Let's hope development would be good during the year


Enviado desde mi iPad utilizando Tapatalk

[Red is Best]

Today's race confirmed that, in the hands of Sebastian, this car is an absolute monster.
I mean think about it. If it wasn't for Giovinazzi crashing in the main straight, forcing Race Control to deploy the SC and making everyone go through the pit lane, Sebastian could have won this race.
He was able to pass Kimi and both Red Bulls on track and still pull a 20-sec gap by the time he took the checkered flag.
And all this in the kind of cold conditions that used to make us struggle for pace this last few years.
I'm really looking forward to the Bahrein race, where the warmer temperatures and our superior tire management should make us the clear favorites.

[Hills]

Enough of this Kimi nonsense now - time to sit him on Blackpool beach (UK) with a large ice-cream and give a young keen lad his seat.