[Race] 2014 Formula 1 UBS Chinese Grand Prix.

[NinnyMan]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

The two Mercedes drivers haven't even exchanged a glance.

Not sure that Nico should have much to complain about this weekend. Being not able to "race" Lewis was his own doing.
He had a bad qualy 3. A slowish getaway from the lights. Banged wheels that should have caused more damage.
Team lost telemetry so had to rely to team. Dropped as low as 5th, yet still came home 2nd and good points.
I would be smiling with that effort : )

The fact he got pantsed by his team-mate in both qualy and the race is his own fault. If he's still aggrieved
from the last race, he needs to get over it and get on with it. In a straight-out fight, I think Lewis will beat
him more times then not. He doesn't look to have the temperament.

[Mystery]

Dull race. Lewis did everything asked of him. Not a bad comeback by Nico. Tyres seemed to help ruin the show for everyone.

[Knowlesy]

Yeah, the tyres were not good.

[nobster]

Compared to Bahrain this was not a race

[NinnyMan]

The Spanish GP is generally up there with the Bahrain GP (2014 race exempt) in it's lack of excitement.
I fear the 2 Merc's will just run away and hide, but the race for best of the rest should be interesting.....I hope!!!!

[Nicholosophy]

Apparently the chequered flag dropped a couple of laps early, so there is question marks over whether anything that happened after that is counted. The rules state no.

We're probably only talking about a pass between a Marussia and a Caterham but what if Ricciardo had gotten past Alonso on the last lap?

[321Go]

Well done Hamilton. On a roll that will see him become the 2014 champion. Sensed a tiny bit of needle between Nico and Lewis. Their friendship has been a little strained in the last week or so after Nico went to the press saying he had spoken with Lewis and "cleared the air" regarding the driving standards of Lewis at Bahrain. Then Lewis flat denied having any talks with Nico what so ever. *Slap*

Good to see Alonso up there again. Comprehensively beat his team mate. Again.

And Ricciardo once again beats the sooky la la. Who proved once again he is not a team player.
Go Daniel!!

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Ted Kravitz raised the point about him struggling without the blown floor. This is something I have mentioned a few times as well, it was notable in 2012 when Webber was outperforming Vettel until they sorted the floor out. Then Vettel whizzed away.

Originally Posted by nobster

A great champion can drive fast in every car!

Exactly my answer.

I think what the other drivers have been saying for the last few years has finally been proven true. Vettel "can only win in a good car". A four time champion should be beating his new - less experienced team mate - even if the car is not exactly to his liking. The car is not exactly to Ricciardo's liking either! So what... the four time champion cannot perform without being blown?? Oh please.

The races so far have undoubtedly proven that he is not as good as most think he is. Vettel is a driver who got lucky with a team that was doing right at the right time with the right personnel.

The real Vettel has been revealed. Showed up for the world for the to see. End of story.

[321Go]

Originally Posted by NickoGP

Apparently the chequered flag dropped a couple of laps early, so there is question marks over whether anything that happened after that is counted. The rules state no.

Correct. The results have gone back to the end of lap 54. The delayed radio message heard on the world feed from Hamilton was "I just got the chequered flag??" as he crossed the line at the end of lap 55.

Nothing much changes except for Bianchi now finishes ahead of Kobayashi.

[Razzzor]

Originally Posted by 321Go

Well done Hamilton. On a roll that will see him become the 2014 champion. Sensed a tiny bit of needle between Nico and Lewis. Their friendship has been a little strained in the last week or so after Nico went to the press saying he had spoken with Lewis and "cleared the air" regarding the driving standards of Lewis at Bahrain. Then Lewis flat denied having any talks with Nico what so ever. *Slap*

Good to see Alonso up there again. Comprehensively beat his team mate. Again.

And Ricciardo once again beats the sooky la la. Who proved once again he is not a team player.
Go Daniel!!




Exactly my answer.

I think what the other drivers have been saying for the last few years has finally been proven true. Vettel "can only win in a good car". A four time champion should be beating his new - less experienced team mate - even if the car is not exactly to his liking. The car is not exactly to Ricciardo's liking either! So what... the four time champion cannot perform without being blown?? Oh please.

The races so far have undoubtedly proven that he is not as good as most think he is. Vettel is a driver who got lucky with a team that was doing right at the right time with the right personnel.

The real Vettel has been revealed. Showed up for the world for the to see. End of story.

Gee, you really don't like Vettel do ya 321

[321Go]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

Gee, you really don't like Vettel do ya 321

I was really trying to be discreet about it. Was it too obvious?

[Zico]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

Gee, you really don't like Vettel do ya 321

I guess (like most of us) he has just been sick of so many years of crushing Vettel domination in the best car which was built around him.... that seemed to lead to many believing that somehow Seb was the new Senna.
He is good but so far with the new rules/clean slate he clearly doesn't look to be the racing God that a fair few on here worshipped.

I think Alonso, Hamilton and possibly Hulkenberg would be my top trio.
Alonso and Hulk because they have nearly always pushed their cars to the maximum of their capabilities on race day and Hamilton because he is arguably the quickest over a single lap.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Zico

I think Alonso, Hamilton and possibly Hulkenberg would be my top trio. Alonso and Hulk because they have nearly always pushed their cars to the maximum of their capabilities on race day and Hamilton because he is arguably the quickest over a single lap.

You got to hand it to Alonso. The car's way from perfect and has been for a couple of season's, despite the rule changes, yet he gets on with the job.

[MarkG]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Ted Kravitz raised the point about him struggling without the blown floor. This is something I have mentioned a few times as well, it was notable in 2012 when Webber was outperforming Vettel until they sorted the floor out. Then Vettel whizzed away.

It really seems to equalise things as far as he is concerned, relative to teammates.

Drivers having to drive now.

[MarkG]

Originally Posted by 321Go

Well done Hamilton. On a roll that will see him become the 2014 champion. Sensed a tiny bit of needle between Nico and Lewis. Their friendship has been a little strained in the last week or so after Nico went to the press saying he had spoken with Lewis and "cleared the air" regarding the driving standards of Lewis at Bahrain. Then Lewis flat denied having any talks with Nico what so ever. *Slap*

Good to see Alonso up there again. Comprehensively beat his team mate. Again.

And Ricciardo once again beats the sooky la la. Who proved once again he is not a team player.
Go Daniel!!




Exactly my answer.

I think what the other drivers have been saying for the last few years has finally been proven true. Vettel "can only win in a good car". A four time champion should be beating his new - less experienced team mate - even if the car is not exactly to his liking. The car is not exactly to Ricciardo's liking either! So what... the four time champion cannot perform without being blown?? Oh please.

The races so far have undoubtedly proven that he is not as good as most think he is. Vettel is a driver who got lucky with a team that was doing right at the right time with the right personnel.

The real Vettel has been revealed. Showed up for the world for the to see. End of story.

+1

"tough luck" Sebastian

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by MarkG

Drivers having to drive now.

#prayforvettel

[MarkG]

Originally Posted by Zico

I guess (like most of us) he has just been sick of so many years of crushing Vettel domination in the best car which was built around him.... that seemed to lead to many believing that somehow Seb was the new Senna.
He is good but so far with the new rules/clean slate he clearly doesn't look to be the racing God that a fair few on here worshipped.

I think Alonso, Hamilton and possibly Hulkenberg would be my top trio.
Alonso and Hulk because they have nearly always pushed their cars to the maximum of their capabilities on race day and Hamilton because he is arguably the quickest over a single lap.

There are still those who see Vettel as a racing god (playstation generation?).
Vettel is very very good, but he's not been the best F1 driver for 4 years, that accolade goes to either Hamilton or Alonso.

[Inigo Montoya]

What a race by Hamilton! I agree with Mark him and Alonso are in a class of their own. Ricciardo and perhaps Bottas represent the best of the next generation.

[MarkG]

Anyway, as for the race, I quite enjoyed it. Not for pure spectacle obviously, but because of a few factors.
WE can't expect all GPs to be race-fests, but in the F1 world each race has something to keep a true fan entertained and not necessarily always on the track.

[IceMan_PJN]

Originally Posted by MarkG

There are still those who see Vettel as a racing god (playstation generation?).
Vettel is very very good, but he's not been the best F1 driver for 4 years, that accolade goes to either Hamilton or Alonso.

I've gotta agree here. These are some really strong drivers and, unfortunately, things have usually conspired against them to keep them from having more championships than they've deserved. Either they end up in a car that just can't realistically win a championship or, as I've seen with Lewis, having a car with the performance but not the reliability to see him to victory. This season should have been lead by Lewis from the first race and it's just by dumb luck that his teammate has been listed at the top instead, and if Lewis fails to win 2014 it's because of his bad luck and not for lack of performance.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

What a race by Hamilton! I agree with Mark him and Alonso are in a class of their own. Ricciardo and perhaps Bottas represent the best of the next generation.

The forum has missed you Inigo and I am honoured to share your opinion.

[Zico]

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

What a race by Hamilton! I agree with Mark him and Alonso are in a class of their own. Ricciardo and perhaps Bottas represent the best of the next generation.

Agreed, Ricciardo has been both quick and near faultless, he hasn't put a foot wrong so far while Bottas looks a bit rough round the edges but he's certainly quick enough.

I can't help wondering what Hulkenberg would do in a top seat and can't understand why he hasn't got one yet.
Does the weight penalty/handicap he brings really make him that much less of an attractive proposition for the top teams?
Maybe they are missing something.. it may be less of a disadvantage than we think when you take weight distribution into account.

[Inigo Montoya]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

The forum has missed you Inigo and I am honoured to share your opinion.

Thanks for the kind words Knowles! Glad to be back for this exciting new era of F1!

[nobster]

Hulkenberg really deserves a top seat, maybe next year in place of Kimi at Ferrari?

[h4887]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Hamilton three wins out of four. But, thanks to a dodgy rubber seal, he still isn't leading the championship!

Also due to the current scoring system which penalises a DNF very harshly...

[Nikki Katz]

That chequered flag rule is stupid. Fortunately the only pass on the last two laps was for 17th and that didn't affect the standings in the slightest. But if they insist on staffing the venues with people who don't know what they're doing then they should at least consider scrapping the relevance of these flags and ending the race when it's supposed to.

They seemed to be randomly waving blue flags during the race also.