2013 Malaysian Grand Prix Thread

[AndyL]

Pirelli are in a development race against the teams aren't they. As the teams get better at preserving the tyres, Pirelli have to develop even softer rubber. It seems they've got to the point now where even a brief lock-up can completely wipe off the tread of the tyre. Hamilton and Perez both had some pretty alarming tyre damage after lock-ups today.

[steveaki13]

F1 isn't half the sport it was 10 years ago backwards to 1950.

[A FONDO]

Please bring the tire competition back. I really like to see tires that are designed to win the race, not make a "show".

I really like to see drivers pushing all the time, pitting for a change as many times as needed. Last year was a total disgrace, top guns pushing for a total of 5 laps of the whole race and rest of the time cruising at 70-80%. And guys starting below P10 almost always tried one stop. Shortening tyres' life doesnt't solve the problem, just extends it, but is still something.

[Wasted Talent]

Well I'm happy with the tyres as they are....

Drivers and engineers are having to think about tyre usage during qualy and the races. Yes, things get mixed up a little at times, but this is much better than the bore-fest we used to get with long lasting tyres, no DRS and no KERS.

By mid-season the teams will be on the top of the tyres and by the end we will be back to one stops and the best driver/car combinations will be at the top of the championships - just like last year

WT

[rjbetty]

FORM GUIDE SO FAR

Here are the qualifying positions of all the drivers after 2 races, and their average position too. Now we are getting more of an idea of how things stand:

1.Vettel - 1st, 1st = 1.0
2.Massa - 4th, 2nd = 3.0
3.Webber - 2nd, 5th = 3.5
4.Hamilton - 3rd, 4th = 3.5
5.Alonso - 5th, 3rd = 4.0
6.Rosberg - 6th, 6th = 6.0
7.Raikkonen - 7th, 7th = 7.0
8.Button - 10th, 8th = 9.0
9.Grosjean - 8th, 11th = 9.5
10.Sutil - 12th, 9th = 10.5
11.Hulkenberg - 11th, 12th = 11.5
12.di Resta - 9th, 15th = 12.0
13.Perez - 15th, 10th = 12.5
14.Ricciardo - 14th, 13th = 13.5
15.Vergne - 13th, 17th = 15.0
16.Gutierrez - 18th, 14th = 16.0
17.Maldonado - 17th, 16th = 16.5
18.Bottas - 16th, 18th = 17.0
19.Bianchi - 19th, 19th = 19.0
20.Chilton - 20th, 21st = 20.5
21.Pic - 22nd, 20th = 21.0
22.van der Garde - 21st, 22nd = 21.5

[DexDexter]

I'm really getting fed up with Pirelli. Half the field can't make these rubber jokes work in the dry, while Kimi can, but in the wet Kimi can't make them work for toffee while suddenly Force India whoop everybody's arse when it's wet. So basically, it's completely irrelevant what sort of car you designed, Pirelli and the wheather will decide where you end up. It's a trucking favesty. *facepalm*

Pirelli are doing a great job. If the car is irrelevant, how come we have Red Bulls, Ferraris, Mclarens and Lotus at the front? Pirelli could produce a perfect tire, in which case we would see Red Bull winning most of the races easily and then everybody would complain how boring the races are. I've followed F1 since 1982 and IMO it's better than ever. I've seen way too many races were you know who is going to win even before the start.

I really like to see drivers pushing all the time, pitting for a change as many times as needed. Last year was a total disgrace, top guns pushing for a total of 5 laps of the whole race and rest of the time cruising at 70-80%. And guys starting below P10 almost always tried one stop. Shortening tyres' life doesnt't solve the problem, just extends it, but is still something.

We've had that era in F1 and that resulted in totally predictable races which would in this day and age turn people away from the sport and kill it.

Please bring the tire competition back. I really like to see tires that are designed to win the race, not make a "show".

With tire competition lap times would drop so drastically that the cars would become too quick in no time.

[rjbetty]

Somebody should tell Sauber and Williams that pre-season testing is over now and it's time to stop sandbagging.

[gloomyDAY]

I wonder how Ferrari are going wreck Massa's race this time. Like Ted said, Ferrari left Massa out on track "with his worn tires in his hand" at Australia before his second stop.

[steveaki13]

Somebody should tell Sauber and Williams that pre-season testing is over now and it's time to stop sandbagging.

I know.

As you said in jest in the FGP thread, Williams have built a real shed and the Sauber that looked so stunning at the launch and it seems the second worst car of the established teams.

Such a shame

[dj_bytedisaster]

I wonder how Ferrari are going wreck Massa's race this time. Like Ted said, Ferrari left Massa out on track "with his worn tires in his hand" at Australia before his second stop.

If nothing else helps they're going to do it as blatantly obvious as Germany 2010 or Austin 2012.