[Official] Round 17: Indian Grand Prix

[QnickFTW]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

The BBC are showing the highlights just after 2:00pm, so I'm sure there will be plenty of more posts, during and after.

only very casual fans would watch it non-live (let alone non-live highlights)

[Catingaround]

I wish Vettel and Alonso could compete on the same team, but there is no way that Fernando would stand for it. Maybe we'll get to see Seb and Hamilton as teammates at RBR some day.

imho Seb is on track to becoming one of the all time greats, at the moment he is rising well above a field stacked with great drivers.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by QnickFTW

only very casual fans would watch it non-live (let alone non-live highlights)

Sometimes I have no choice as I don't have Sky and that can be said for die-hard fans too.

[nicanary]

I just watched it after recording the Beeb re-run on Sky+. I ended up watching virtually the whole thing on x6. Stops having to waste the afternoon.

Was that the worst air quality ever seen for a GP? I haven't seen anything worse east of Pontefract cooling towers.

I heard a news item on the radio on Friday to the effect that Bernie claims there will be fewer and fewer races in Europe, because so many people in Asia wanted to watch F1 . Is this man the biggest liar in the world? Why can't he just admit the truth - the Asians will pay more? Empty stands again.

[Lancsbreaker]

Originally Posted by QnickFTW

and you have 5000 posts? wow.
just for the record Alonso's car was good enough to beat Red Bull today (driven by a 9 times winner) and so was Massa's. Massa had an obviously better start than Alonso, it was very painful to see how he had to lift and leave Nando alone, but in an Alonso-less race it would have been Massa on the podium today.

OK, I'm obviously not a die-hard fan, as I was only able to watch the highlights as our Satellite signal here in Tenerife where I am on holiday doesn't have Sky F1, but for the record, the parts of the race I saw seemed to show Alonso finishing almost 9.5 seconds behind Vettel, with Massa some 35 seconds further down the road in , let's see, 6th place. How many places do they have on the podium in your world?

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by QnickFTW

only very casual fans would watch it non-live (let alone non-live highlights)

I don't have Sky so have no choice but to watch the highlights!

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by nicanary

I just watched it after recording the Beeb re-run on Sky+. I ended up watching virtually the whole thing on x6. Stops having to waste the afternoon.

Was that the worst air quality ever seen for a GP? I haven't seen anything worse east of Pontefract cooling towers.

I heard a news item on the radio on Friday to the effect that Bernie claims there will be fewer and fewer races in Europe, because so many people in Asia wanted to watch F1 . Is this man the biggest liar in the world? Why can't he just admit the truth - the Asians will pay more? Empty stands again.

Agreed. I can't believe they didn't cancel the race. We thought Korea was bad. I think I saw a couple of people in masks in the bleachers. Really quite horrible. Like I was saying about Korea, they need to get the air pollution issue under control. We, as the USA, have done part of our part to reduce air pollution and raise awareness. Europe and the Trans-Tasman region even more so. Now it's time for Asia.

The fact that the weather forecast read "smoggy" I found funny.

[AngusJ]

What was in the air? Smog? That was awful!

[Peter Mallett]

We used to call it pollution.

[Purist]

I think there were a few of the Mexican Grands Prix back in the 1986-92 run that were pretty bad for air quality.

So, the Red Bull is just that untouchable? Ok. So, Webber is just that bad a driver? Really?

[QnickFTW]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

OK, I'm obviously not a die-hard fan, as I was only able to watch the highlights as our Satellite signal here in Tenerife where I am on holiday doesn't have Sky F1, but for the record, the parts of the race I saw seemed to show Alonso finishing almost 9.5 seconds behind Vettel, with Massa some 35 seconds further down the road in , let's see, 6th place. How many places do they have on the podium in your world?

Massa has obviously lost momentum at the start, it's a tricky situation when you get your start bang-on only to find you are racing the wrong guy and doing something you are not supposed to. Since Korea I think the team more than made it clear to him they dont want him to interfere with Alonso's race in any shape or form. So its a whole different mindset he's forced to race with. Curiously the moment Alonso retired in Suzuka , Massa cruised from 10th on the grid to 2nd on the podium (being one of the 3 guys standing there) So much of the car Ferraris are in the race.

[rich07]

So any truth to the rumors that Webber walked out of the post race press conference?

Most interesting part of the race for me was watching McLaren replace Hamiltons steering wheel, try that in a roadcar!

[Razzzor]

Originally Posted by chunder

Alonso is absolutely spot on with his comments, if Seb wins this series, anymopre than any other it is Neweys.

He rarely misses the point to let us know, and in a season where it has been very unpredictable, for all of a sudden one car to be utterly dominant is the best way of putting it over.

This will be Newey's championship, just so happens Seb is driving, but anyone in the top ten would be doing similar.

Webber's not doing the same thing. And he's a very good driver.

In fact, if Vettel wasn't in this championship, Alonso would be champion in the next race provided Kimi doesn't outscore him by more than 5 points. In fact Webber was only 5th in points up until this race, despite less retirements than Alonso and Vettel.

I don't think anyone else in the top 10 would be leading the championship driving the RB. Maybe Hamilton if he'd been consistent, but I doubt it. This is the type of season where, with no standout dominant cars throughout the entire season, it's been up to the drivers to make the difference and get the best out of what they have. And that's what Vettel and Alonso have done. Remove a lot of those damp races, and I bet Alonso wouldn't have so many points.

RB are able to get good pace in qualifying, but it's only marginally faster in the race. Alonso was just as fast at India and only slightly slower at the last race. While it is surely Newey and the team that are finally getting the most out of the RB for their drivers, it's the same for everyone - Ferrari wasn't consistently the second best car in the field at the start of the season. Massa until this race has scored the 2nd most points of everyone since the break. That's not the drivers - that's the team improving the car, just like RB have done. The ONLY difference is Vettel has turned it into 4 wins in a row.

[beau1]

Another dreadfully dismal weekend for Mercedes. Does anyone else get the feeling that they are trying to do what Brawn did in 2009 by stopping all development on this year's car? They seem to be going completely backwards.

[Razzzor]

Originally Posted by beau1

Another dreadfully dismal weekend for Mercedes. Does anyone else get the feeling that they are trying to do what Brawn did in 2009 by stopping all development on this year's car? They seem to be going completely backwards.

Yeah beau1, they had no race pace at all, as usual. Di Resta, Kobayashi, Ricciardo were all lapping faster than Rosberg at the end - he was lucky to get 11th. Schumacher would have finished where he started - his lap times on new tyres weren't competitive at all.

At this point of the season, I wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes is the slowest car in the field (apart from the bottom 3 of course). Who would have thought this is the same car that dominated China and took pole at Monaco. They must have stopped development not long after this.

The usually end up in a battle with Williams, Toro Rosso, Force India, Sauber... and recently often finish behind at least some of them (most even). And you cannot tell me that Ricciardo, Vergne, Kobayashi, Di Resta, Maldonado, Senna are faster drivers than Rosberg and Schumacher. MS might be well past it, but Rosberg is fast driver and should be right in his prime. For those two to battling with those guys above, must suggest the car itself is slower.

Makes me laugh that Hamilton is going there next year. Wonder if he'll even get a podium? On current pace of Mercedes = no way in hell. Michael probably can't wait for the dismal season to end, it can't be fun for a 7 time champ driving your heart out to get 11th.

[FAS33]

Originally Posted by Purist

So, the Red Bull is just that untouchable? Ok. So, Webber is just that bad a driver? Really?

hes not bad, but hes not that good either.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

Yeah beau1, they had no race pace at all, as usual. Di Resta, Kobayashi, Ricciardo were all lapping faster than Rosberg at the end - he was lucky to get 11th. Schumacher would have finished where he started - his lap times on new tyres weren't competitive at all.

And you cannot tell me that Ricciardo, Vergne, Kobayashi, Di Resta, Maldonado, Senna are faster drivers than Rosberg and Schumacher. MS might be well past it, but Rosberg is fast driver and should be right in his prime. For those two to battling with those guys above, must suggest the car itself is slower.

I thought Rosberg drove a brilliant race for all that he got out of it, he was obviously oin a hiding to nothing yet never gave up. I don't think Nico is actually any better than the likes of Di Resta or, in a couple of years time JEV and Ricciardo. but when you're in a car that just won't use it's tyres properly I guess that doesn't matter it's all about getting the max out of the situation on the gtiven day, China, or India?

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by FAS33

hes not bad, but hes not that good either.

A perfect #2 perhaps ?

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Bononi

A perfect #2 perhaps ?

But, surely only perfection can be achieved at Ferrari?

Having said that, it's no good Massa getting in the way of the wrong guy for the entire race.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Marbot

But, surely only perfection can be achieved at Ferrari?

Having said that, it's no good Massa getting in the way of the wrong guy for the entire race.

Uhn, Massa perfect ?

It's never good anything he does...

[Purist]

Frankly, it's nought but sheer dumb luck at Interlagos that Massa wasn't champion in 2008.

And Ferrari ought to be careful with teammates; they don't exactly have a great record when they've tried putting two "stars" together: Pironi/Villeneuve and Ickx/Merzario, for instance (plus several more recent, blatant displays of team orders that have gone over badly). McLaren hasn't exactly been immune to that issue either: Prost/Senna and Hamilton/Alonso. Hell, even Renault has had a couple of those ugly teammate bouts: Prost/Arnoux and Alonso/Piquet.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by QnickFTW

only very casual fans would watch it non-live (let alone non-live highlights)

Some us us have other things to do in our lives - I've only just watched it. That doesn't make me a 'very casual fan'.

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Some us us have other things to do in our lives - I've only just watched it. That doesn't make me a 'very casual fan'.

You mad bro?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Purist

Frankly, it's nought but sheer dumb luck at Interlagos that Massa wasn't champion in 2008.

I'd agree with that.

Originally Posted by Purist

And Ferrari ought to be careful with teammates; they don't exactly have a great record when they've tried putting two "stars" together: Pironi/Villeneuve and Ickx/Merzario, for instance (plus several more recent, blatant displays of team orders that have gone over badly). McLaren hasn't exactly been immune to that issue either: Prost/Senna and Hamilton/Alonso. Hell, even Renault has had a couple of those ugly teammate bouts: Prost/Arnoux and Alonso/Piquet.

I never thought of Arturo Merzario as an F1 "star", though the best partnership Ferrari ever had was definitely Lauda and Regazzoni, imo,

[QnickFTW]

Im not sure if it deserves its own thread or not , but an Italian newspaper reports that Alonso came one "SEND" away from Twittergate II (quite possibly a bigger Twitter cock up than Hamilton's one earlier)

Apparently Fernando got so upset with the lack of updates in general and one Nick Fry interview in particular that a crisis meeting was held on Saturday evning, trying to calm a raging Alonso down, who allegedly had the following text typed in his mobile ready to tweet it

"I would like all my 1.2m followers to know, that the rear-wing on the car is still the same that we've used at the 5th race of the season in Barcelona, ...."

here is the story (if you use goggle chrome it will translate it to english for you)
http://www.lastampa.it/2012/10/29/sp...0L/pagina.html