2015 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai

[PURE PASSION]

Let's hope it's the Mercs! Than we can have 1-2's for the rest of the season Sorry if Iam a bit overexcited...

Who isn't???

[Nand0Nand0]

I think the fuel flow changes for this race are being overstated. They will have little impact on the race with perhaps a slight chance to impact qualifying.

When thinking about our performance improvement, we have rightly focused on how well we did in the extreme heat of the race, but remember how well Seb did in Q. So I'm fully expecting us to be competitive in China. In fact, I hope for a lot of changing conditions over the weekend and practice sessions. What we do know for sure is that the SF15-T is easy to setup and "play with". It seems the Merc is definitely not like this. So the more the conditions change the harder it will be for them to get a setup they like.

[WS6TransAm01]

I honestly think a 2-3 finish is possible. Hamilton is still strong and the Merc is still the fastest but Nico looks mentally fragile. He seems to be constantly asking for coaching which he can't get and his interviews are awkward and self deprecating. I think if Seb and Kimi but him under real pressure he will fold like a cheap beach chair.

[Nero Horse]

China Grand Prix Preview: Shanghai, April 9-12, 2015

FORMULA ONE HEADS TO CHINA WITH MEDIUM AND SOFT TYRES:
THE SAME CHOICE AS THE SEASON-OPENER IN AUSTRALIA

ONCE AGAIN, AFTER MALAYSIA, TYRE STRATEGY IS SET TO BE CRUCIAL
ALSOIN THE COOLER CONDITIONS OF SHANGHAI

VARIABLE WEATHER AND FLOWING CORNERS PERFECTLY SUITED
TO THE MOST VERSATILE TYRES IN PIRELLI’S RANGE

The Chinese Grand Prix has become well known for providing some exciting races characterised by tyre strategy in recent years. With fast corners, a smooth surface, and plenty of overtaking opportunities, the P Zero White medium and P Zero Yellow soft tyres should be well suited to the conditions, which are generally temperate.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director: “The weather tends to be quite unpredictable in China, although generally we can expect to see temperatures that are significantly cooler than those we experienced in Malaysia. Last year we had reasonably stable weather conditions in China whereas in previous years it has been more up and down – so this throws in a very interesting variable. The front-left tyre is the most stressed in Shanghai, while the traction demands of the circuit also give a lot of work to the rear tyres. Although we haven’t actually yet seen a very hot Chinese Grand Prix during our time in Formula One, if you look at the weather history there is potential for this to happen as well. This would make things very difficult for the tyres – Shanghai is a big, open circuit and if you add in heat, it creates a lot of energy – but we’ve seen from Malaysia that these tyres will rise to the challenge. As Shanghai is a large circuit there’s plenty of opportunity for overtaking and big on-track battles. Strategy-wise, we’d normally expect a two-stop race.”

The biggest challenges for the tyres:
Around 80% of the lap in China is spent cornering, which means that energy is nearly always going into the tyres. The frequent acceleration out of the corners means that the drivers have to guard against wheelspin. Downforce levels run by the teams in China are generally medium, in order to maintain optimal top speeds through both the corners and straights.

Cool weather means that graining can be an issue with both compounds, which accelerates both wear and degradation, especially at the front. Plenty of forces go through the front tyres due to the number of high-energy corners – such as turn one, which is almost a full circle – and the heavy braking areas, which causes weight to transfer towards the front of the car.

The P Zero White medium is a low working range compound, while the P Zero Yellow soft is a high working range compound. This pairing ensures the capability to work effectively under a wide range of conditions: one reason why the combination has proved to be so effective.

Throughout the banked Turn 13, with maximum downforce pushing onto the car, the contact patch of the tyre can increase significantly compared to when the car is stationary.

Last year’s strategy and how the race was won: Lewis Hamilton won the race using a two-stopper last year, with a soft-medium-medium strategy. As is the case this year, the race lasted for 56 laps. Hamilton made his first stop on lap 17 and then stopped for more mediums on lap 38. The top 15 all stopped twice, with the longest stint on the medium tyre lasting 27 laps and the longest stint on the soft tyre being 17 laps.

Expected performance gap between the two compounds: 1.2-1.4 seconds per lap.

Expected weather conditions for the race: Temperatures between 11 and 15 degrees centigrade, partially cloudy, with a 10% possibility of rain on race day. Conditions can vary though.

The tyre choices so far this year:

[Forzi]

Been a while since i had a serious wish of a 1-2 for Ferrari before the weekend started. It's a track with long straights, lots of similar characteristics to Malaysia. High, might well be THE highest tire deg having track this season. All of these do play to our strengths, maybe even more than Malaysia.

Rosberg will be strong here, knowing how he usually does here, though the same goes for Seb. He does seem to like the track.

Might be another one to remember

[Tony]

I'm still not expecting Ferrari to beat Merc on outright performance this race... would be very shocked to see that actually... I think Ferrari are a lot closer than originally expected, but still slightly slower than Merc... I hope they prove me wrong though!

[gvera]

I'm still not expecting Ferrari to beat Merc on outright performance this race... would be very shocked to see that actually... I think Ferrari are a lot closer than originally expected, but still slightly slower than Merc... I hope they prove me wrong though!

+1

[ferrari4life]

I'm still not expecting Ferrari to beat Merc on outright performance this race... would be very shocked to see that actually... I think Ferrari are a lot closer than originally expected, but still slightly slower than Merc... I hope they prove me wrong though!

I'll be happy if we qualify right behind them and stay there and close throughout the race. put the pressure on and hope for a mistake. that will be spectacular.

[mark p]

Good thing is before Malaysia gap looked large and there were thoughts Merc had even more in hand. Even if Malaysia was partly down to the heat Merc will want to make a statement. I doubt they will run heavier in practice and hide pace. I think they will aim to smash everyone in every session so we have a more representative track than Melbourne and more representative temperatures than Malaysia. If there is a gap Ferrari will know exactly what they have to work towards. Malaysia may have forced Mercs hand.

[Fabulous]

I'm still not expecting Ferrari to beat Merc on outright performance this race... would be very shocked to see that actually... I think Ferrari are a lot closer than originally expected, but still slightly slower than Merc... I hope they prove me wrong though!

^

[Dino]

Good thing is before Malaysia gap looked large and there were thoughts Merc had even more in hand. Even if Malaysia was partly down to the heat Merc will want to make a statement. I doubt they will run heavier in practice and hide pace. I think they will aim to smash everyone in every session so we have a more representative track than Melbourne and more representative temperatures than Malaysia. If there is a gap Ferrari will know exactly what they have to work towards. Malaysia may have forced Mercs hand.

Mercedes cannot bluff now!!They know both their cars will have problems with the left front tyres.
Ferrari must come up with a setup that is easier on the fronts and it's game on again.[Wear and graining]
And if the Mercs turn up with the drag/downforce they had in Malasia we will get them on the straights.

[fmatiasii]

I'll be happy if we qualify right behind them and stay there and close throughout the race. put the pressure on and hope for a mistake. that will be spectacular.

Yes I agree. I do hope we beat them again but purely on performance and not on mistakes.

[mirafiori]

For me the most important thing for Ferrari is for both cars to finish with a decent amount of points, with Vettel only three points behind Hamilton and with a lot of development to come it's important we stay in touch with the Mercedes team. Can't wait for Sunday.

[Sriharsha]

I think we need to rattle merc more by putting them under pressure. Their strategy is their key weak point. And our 100% priority must be having both drivers have clean weekends and finishing ahead of /splitting/ right behind mercs

[fmatiasii]

I think we need to rattle merc more by putting them under pressure. Their strategy is their key weak point. And our 100% priority must be having both drivers have clean weekends and finishing ahead of /splitting/ right behind mercs

believe me they are already rattled.

[vcs316]

Mercs are bringing in quite a few aero updates for China.

[Rishu]

I think we need to rattle merc more by putting them under pressure. Their strategy is their key weak point. And our 100% priority must be having both drivers have clean weekends and finishing ahead of /splitting/ right behind mercs

They already have our attention. I read they have advanced all their planned upgrades for this season in order to stay in front.

[fratelliferrari]

Mercs are bringing in quite a few aero updates for China.

Read that too

[vcs316]

Here is the article:

LONDON, England - Mercedes will bring aerodynamic improvements to the 2015 Chinese GP after a full analysis of why the F1 world champions lost out to Ferrari in Malaysia, according to technical head Paddy Lowe.

Sebastian Vettel triumph at Sepang, in the Ferrari after leaving Red Bull, ended a run of eight successive wins for Mercedes.

The victory was Ferrari's first since 2013 and dispelled fears that Mercedes were so far ahead they could win every race in 2015.

WEAKNESSES IDENTIFIED

Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff said that Malaysia had been a "wake-up call" for his team after world champion Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had chalked up a comfortable one-two in the Australian season-opener.

Lowe said in a team preview of the April 12 race in Shanghai: "We've spent time analysing the weekend in Sepang to identify areas for improvement. The most significant weakness was our tyre management during long runs.

Lowe said exceptionally high temperatures in Malaysia had helped Ferrari and worked against Mercedes but it was essential to have a car which performed at all circuits and in all conditions.

Lowe said: "So there is work to be done on that front.

"It is now clearer than ever that there is serious competition for this world championship, so we will continue to work flat out for performance gains. We have a range of new aerodynamic developments for Shanghai and are targeting an improved performance from Malaysia."

[zike]

Here is the article:

No way that they can identify and update in two weeks time, either he is laying or they had the update in pipeline

[Sriharsha]

believe me they are already rattled.

They already have our attention. I read they have advanced all their planned upgrades for this season in order to stay in front.

Im not saying they aren't rattled they are now its time to make them even more rattled. Let them bring the updates and with our decent upgrade package we heard which will debut in china if we are closer to them again that will make then even nervous. As i said Their strategy is key weak point of Mercedes. So the closer we are the better points we can get from them

[Frank Dhont]

Should Ferrari invite Hamilton, Rosberg, Wollf & Lowe to the Ferrari technical briefing on Friday?

[fmatiasii]

No way that they can identify and update in two weeks time, either he is laying or they had the update in pipeline

you're right. I also doubt it if they were able to develop an update for china that soon, but nevertheless we will also have an update for our car i heard.

[F1 Dream Team]

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ca...des-in-china/?

Ferrari fans will be praying that the heat is turned up this weekend in Shanghai – just as it was at Sepang – to cause the Mercedes challenge to wither.

The key to Sebastian Vettel's victory in Malaysia was partly great driving, partly superior race strategy but mainly fantastic tyre management that allowed him to make one less pitstop than the Mercedes.

And that relied a lot on the track temperature that came with the high ambient temperatures.

Now we arrive in Shanghai: a very different prospect. The ambient temperature is forecast to be 19C – pleasantly warm, but nowhere near the sticky heat of Kuala Lumpur. The track surface is highly unlikely to be anywhere near as hot as a result.

Two very different tracks

The circuit, too, has a very different characteristic. Whereas the casual F1 fan believes that all 'Tilkedromes' are the same, Shanghai is poles apart from Sepang as – in terms of tyre wear – it is front-limited as opposed to rear.

Mercedes' problem in Malaysia stemmed from a lack of balance: its rear tyres were degrading faster than the fronts, meaning the back of the car was difficult to control.

In Shanghai, the degradation is harsher on the fronts, due to it's unique high-to-low speed Turn 1, the medium-speed Turns 7-8-9-10 switchback sequence, and the punishing banked acceleration zone of Turn 13 that appears to go on forever.

This means you'll first lose grip from the fronts, rather than the rear – remember Kimi Raikkonen dropping like a stone in his Lotus a few years back? A tyre gamble here, like Vettel managed at Sepang, can be truly disastrous.

Straightline speed is key

It also boasts a monster of a back straight, which could also play a part. From what we saw in Malaysia, the Ferrari isn't short of top-end speed, but the Merc still holds sway in the torque stakes.

With DRS in play on two of the straights, this could also play a huge factor in the outcome if it boils down to a late-race duel.

Bear in mind that this was where Nico Rosberg scored the first of his eight grand prix wins for Mercedes in 2012.

But recall too that Fernando Alonso won for Ferrari here in 2013, and Lewis won last season…

And while it might not guarantee another thriller like we enjoyed a fortnight ago, at least we go into a race not 100 per cent certain of the outcome at the front.

And you don't have to be a Ferrari fan to rejoice at that.

[Rob]

you're right. I also doubt it if they were able to develop an update for china that soon, but nevertheless we will also have an update for our car i heard.

all updates are done weeks before, like the Barcelona updates are all ready now. If Merc hard on the tyres, its something you can not really fix, unless build a whole new chassis. Can design new suspension, but that means they would have to redesign the whole car to work with new suspension.

[zike]

all updates are done weeks before, like the Barcelona updates are all ready now. If Merc hard on the tyres, its something you can not really fix, unless build a whole new chassis. Can design new suspension, but that means they would have to redesign the whole car to work with new suspension.

Yes, just Merc PR talk

[Sriharsha]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118384

Ferrari's winter engine improvement has been credited as a major factor in its turnaround.
Allison said that programme did not begin in earnest until the middle of 2014, and that work on this year's aerodynamic concept had actually come first.
"The aero programme was around about early January 2014, the engine programme much later," he said.
"Work was going on, but the real momentum of the engine programme was late May [2014]."

[Kristof_F40]

all updates are done weeks before, like the Barcelona updates are all ready now. If Merc hard on the tyres, its something you can not really fix, unless build a whole new chassis. Can design new suspension, but that means they would have to redesign the whole car to work with new suspension.

Perhaps they just mean they are going to use different set up of their Aero, since they ran a lot of downforce in Malaysia?

[zike]

Do you think the new fuel-flow measuring system will cause Mercedes orFerrari to lose pace?

[FerrariF60]

Do you think the new fuel-flow measuring system will cause Mercedes orFerrari to lose pace?

yeah, that is another KEY question...let's all hope it WILL affect Merc more then will affect Ferrari

all in all i have good feelings about this weekend...