2013 Spanish Grand Prix Thread

[kfzmeister]

It's not as if Spain usually gives us countless passes during the race.

Yesterday there were 71 overtakes. Usually, they are measured in single digits. Lol

[LotusF1]

I was very happy to see a Ferrari/Lotus podium, and even more happy to not see Red Bull there.
I am pretty much in agreement with Hawkmoon. I haven't found the racing this year boring at all. The Schumaker years were the most boring for me.

[A FONDO]

Yesterday there were 71 overtakes. Usually, they are measured in single digits. Lol

Perhaps half of these 71 were against Merc drivers

[dj_bytedisaster]

Perhaps half of these 71 were against Merc drivers

That's a conservative guess at best.

[Don Capps]

If the current level of tire eco-runs tickle your fancy - be welcome. I think Pirelli is about to kill F1.

Correct me if I am wrong, but did not Pirelli develop the current tires per the direction and guidance from those running the F1 series?

Of course, that the F1 series has to use gimmicks such as the mandatory use of different tire compounds, DRS, and so on would seem to indicate that the knuckleheads running F1 do not need any help from Pirelli to "kill" what is already a dying sport.

I chanced upon the replay of the Spanish F1 Race and from what I saw, I was both very much underwhelmed and quite amused -- the latter because there was nothing to suggest that it was anything but a generic F1 race, there no sense of place, the cars are truly butt ugly, and as for the track, the less said the better.

[steveaki13]

Correct me if I am wrong, but did not Pirelli develop the current tires per the direction and guidance from those running the F1 series?

Of course, that the F1 series has to use gimmicks such as the mandatory use of different tire compounds, DRS, and so on would seem to indicate that the knuckleheads running F1 do not need any help from Pirelli to "kill" what is already a dying sport.

I chanced upon the replay of the Spanish F1 Race and from what I saw, I was both very much underwhelmed and quite amused -- the latter because there was nothing to suggest that it was anything but a generic F1 race, there no sense of place, the cars are truly butt ugly, and as for the track, the less said the better.

As sad as I am to say it, I must agree with your sentiments. F1 is quickly losing its soul.

I no F1 changes over the years, but I have loved my time thus far as an F1 fan and loved what I have seen from the past, however the things I have seen over the last 2 or 3 years is making me fear for F1 as a proper sport.

[kfzmeister]

Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Ferrari	318.8 km/h
Jean-Eric Vergne	Toro Rosso	Ferrari	318.0 km/h
Sergio Perez	McLaren	Mercedes	317.6 km/h
Daniel Ricciardo	Toro Rosso	Ferrari	317.5 km/h
Jenson Button	McLaren	Mercedes	317.1 km/h
Esteban Gutierrez	Sauber	Ferrari	316.4 km/h
Paul di Resta	Force India	Mercedes	315.3 km/h
Jules Bianchi	Marussia	Cosworth	315.1 km/h
Felipe Massa	Ferrari	Ferrari	314.3 km/h
Kimi Räikkönen	Lotus	Renault	314.3 km/h
Romain Grosjean	Lotus	Renault	313.7 km/h
Pastor Maldonado	Williams	Renault	312.6 km/h
Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	Mercedes	312.5 km/h
Valtteri Bottas	Williams	Renault	312.5 km/h
Max Chilton	Marussia	Cosworth	312.2 km/h
Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	Mercedes	312.1 km/h
Adrian Sutil	Force India	Mercedes	312.0 km/h
Nico Hülkenberg	Sauber	Ferrari	311.5 km/h
Giedo van der Garde	Caterham	Renault	311.4 km/h
Charles Pic	Caterham	Renault	310.9 km/h
Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull	Renault	306.0 km/h
Mark Webber	Red Bull	Renault	306.0 km/h

Obviously, the RBs are using the wrong set-up. Their high downforce set-up is clearly eating tires. I mean, look at these numbers. Dead last in top-speed down the straight!!

[kfzmeister]

Here's another interesting fact:

Alonso's total race time was only 7 seconds slower than Pastor's last year. And Pastor made only three stops!

[dj_bytedisaster]

Here's another interesting fact:

Alonso's total race time was only 7 seconds slower than Pastor's last year. And Pastor made only three stops!

Still doesnt change the fact that the "fastest" lap in the race was a massive 5.5 seconds slower than qualifying. In F1 terms, that's a week.

[zako85]

Still doesnt change the fact that the "fastest" lap in the race was a massive 5.5 seconds slower than qualifying. In F1 terms, that's a week.

The difference doesn't seem massive to me.

2011 fastest Q3 lap was 1:20.981
2011 fastest race lap was 1:26.727

2013 fastest Q3 lap was 1:20.718
2013 fastest race lap was 1:26.217

One issue is that on the last laps, most cars in most races are running with considerably worn out tires. Another issue is that quite often the finishing order is well sorted by the time of the last few laps. Pilots often get orders to hold the positions and bring it home. You don't always with a reason to deliver qualifying style laps at the end of race. One exception was in China when Vettel was trying to chase down Hamilton for P3 finish. That time, the fastest lap was only under 2.5 seconds slower than qualifying lap.