Sinagpore GP - Friday and Saturday Practice thread

[Greig]

phew that was close Nando

[NJB13]

Well, if we are looking for someone who can park our car on track I may have to eat my words and admit Jenson could end up at Ferrari

[FerrariF60]

massa did a good lap, 2 tenths up on Vettel...but on SUPER SOFTS..

i think we're in trouble this weekend

[Greig]

car looked horrible in S3 as well

[Greig]

whoops

[Kyss4k]

car looked horrible in S3 as well

It did. And the is telling us all we (didn't) wanted to know. I think victory is imposible again.

[NJB13]

Nice lap Nando

[Hermann]

Half a second up for Fernando on the supersofts. Not enough for the RBs though, i suppose.

[Rishu]

I expect us to be 3-4 tenths down on RB

[Hermann]

I expect us to be 3-4 tenths down on RB

Optimistic but wrong.

[tifosi_kaka]

Don't forget Vettel's time was set on his second run on the super softs - And Fernando's second run is much slower than his first, 5 tenths off in S2, possibly due to deteorating tyres. So expect the gap to be just more than half a second from Vettel.

[Hermann]

So you mean we will be further down? We will see

No, my bad, didn't look at the lap times before i posted lol

[zeus2]

Lookin like another cakewalk for Vettel, managed to be 2 tenths quicker on his 3rd lap AND probably had more fuel than us as he ran longer. This is getting ridiculous.

[FerrariF60]

Lookin like another cakewalk for Vettel, managed to be 2 tenths quicker on his 3rd lap AND probably had more fuel than us as he ran longer. This is getting ridiculous.

yeah, that red bull is ridiculously fast this season, hopefully we'll stop them from this winning streak next year

[Hermann]

Lookin like another cakewalk for Vettel, managed to be 2 tenths quicker on his 3rd lap AND probably had more fuel than us as he ran longer. This is getting ridiculous.

But its ridiculous since the beginning of the season, no? Guess its time to stop dwelling on wellknown facts.

Lets just enjoy the weekend, including ignoring the Vettelhype will be upon us undoubtedly.

[FerrariF60]

we're horrible on heavy fuel too...2 sec down compared to red bull

[Rishu]

Almost 6 secs difference in heavy & light fuel loads. Thats a lot, & its for both us & RB

[prancing horse]

if it hadn't been for the Pirelli tires this season would have been the most ridiculously boring season in the history of motorsport.
And for all we know RB are already testing parts for their new car with this season's car as well.
I fear next season will be another procession as well, as in formula 1 teams that have a technical advantage usually carry it over for several season, unless there is a drastic overhaul of regulations.

[Kyss4k]

Long runs looking good tho We were quicker than Bulls and McLs in every lap so far.

[tifosi_kaka]

we're horrible on heavy fuel too...2 sec down compared to red bull

The BBC commentators said the following first lap times on super softs for the front runners on heavy fuel:
Alonso 52.3
Vettel 52.8
Massa 52.9
Webber 53.3
Hamilton 53.3

But they also questioned about whether the Ferraris are really on the same heavy fuel load as the RBs.

[FerrariF60]

I fear next season will be another procession as well, as in formula 1 teams that have a technical advantage usually carry it over for several season, unless there is a drastic overhaul of regulations.

there is...no more EBD; red cows....hmmmm bull get the most advantage from this; they use it up to 80% off throttle

next year they exhaust will be in the position b4 all this started...just like 2008 cars used to have the exhaust

i think we're gonna ROCK and blow every team away with our performance.

[NJB13]

Well, I'm nowhere near as pessimistic as some here. Only 2/10ths down and Vettel did his when there was a little more rubber down. I think Nando did his best lap on his first flying lap, and we don't normally get the best out of our tyres until our 3rd or 4th lap. Plus Seb has already been told to back off because of tyre and brake heat. I'm still thinking we are in with a chance.

[prancing horse]

yes, but the core of the issue is that RB have proven themselves to be far more adept at interpreting regulations and coming up with innovative solutions than Ferrari. i.e. They are smarter engineers

[Greig]

yes, but the core of the issue is that RB have proven themselves to be far more adept at interpreting regulations and coming up with innovative solutions than Ferrari. i.e. They are smarter engineers

yeah seems the way it's gone recent seasons, maybe Fry and Byrne can turn things around tho

[Rishu]

Vettel can take Pole, but if Alonso has a Monza kind of start, I doubt he'll fall back this time

[Ferrari Man]

Looking like a promisin weekend.....

[Paul Jones]

I'm holding out for a strong performance from the great Ferrari team. We don't have the most competative car right now, yet it is a Ferrari driver who now stands second in the drivers' table. I'm staying positive for this coming race, and anticipating a strong result

[NJB13]

yes, but the core of the issue is that RB have proven themselves to be far more adept at interpreting regulations and coming up with innovative solutions than Ferrari. i.e. They are smarter engineers

Well, before AD last year we were looking a little better. The changes this year seem to end up accentuating aero benefits.

[prancing horse]

it seems to me that experience is the essential element that a successful design team needs in f1 these days, given the testing restrictions and all the other cost cutting measure, as teams have less opportunity to identifying design flaws and rectifying them.

When we are talking about innovation, in fact we are talking about reintroducing previously used concepts, and making them work with a new car. So bringing Byrne back was as much a necessity as anything else.

[NJB13]

.... and I don't care how tricky others are, or how many loop-hole lawyers/designers they have, we are Ferrari (as PJ says) and I think we have a chance here at Singapore.

I think I got this right (although its hard following on small screen on my lappy and watching lap times) but I think both Nando and Seb ended the session on long runs. Nando's last lap was about 2/10ths faster than Seb both doing 1.52's.

Also as I mentioned earlier, Seb was told at least once that he had to back off and cool his tyres and brakes.