Review: Malaysian GP
I know WTF talk about being slow, but I'm bored so sorry xD
NOTE: this WHOLE post is on Formula 1
Qualifying/Saturday:
I would classify qualifying as pretty exciting and eventful, mostly because of the weather. It started raining towards the end of Q1, and many of the well-known drivers decided to wait, because its Q1, of course they're going to get through. No. Hamilton, Massa and Alonso waited quite late, and they made the wrong choice on tyres. I think they chose intermediates but as it started raining, they couldn't find grip and started spinning on the track, A LOT. I think Alonso spun 360 degrees three times in one lap. So it was very difficult to drive and post a good time, and the three of them didn't get through. Alonso, Hamilton and Massa only managed 19th, 20th and 21st respectively. It was disappointing for Hamilton because he did very well in Practice 1 and 2, coming fastest in both. People were even saying he would win the race. Anyway, P1 in Q1 went to Kubica =)
Q2 was more rain and more spinning. Q2 times were changing quite a bit because drivers who posted very fast times towards the start actually didn't or barely made it into the top 10 at the end. Some examples were Petrov, who topped the time sheets when Q2 started, but ended Q2 on 11th, and also Schumacher, who was getting top 5, but ended up just getting through to Q3 with 10th. I guess it was due to the change in weather; rain kept on stopping and starting. A near-miss when Glock started spinning and Vettel was right behind, marginally scraping past him. Also, Button had got himself stuck in a gravel trap in Q1 yet he had posted a time good enough to get him through to Q2, but he couldn't actually take part in Q2, and ended up with 17th. Vettel was fastest in Q2.
Q3 was much like the other two, but the rain got so heavy the session had to be red-flagged with around 7 minutes to go. Kubica pushed in the pit-lane queue at the start =D Rain was continually changing the conditions on the track, and Red Bull decided to make a gamble and send Vettel and Webber out on different tyres. Vettel's tyres were the same as the other drivers, and Webber was the only one on inters (I think inters). People were guessing that either one of them would do well, and the other would do horrible, probably spinning off. But both did well, and Webber was very very fast. He managed to improve his own time, which was already fastest, by 1.1 seconds, and he was more than one second faster than the 2nd fastest, Rosberg. So with that, Webber earned pole, Rosberg getting best qualifying result of his career on the front row and Vettel starting on 3rd.
Race/Sunday:
The start was very eventful. Lots of overtaking, De la Rosa didn't start due to an engine problem, Barrichello's car stalled, Hamilton's car jumped up half the pack, Massa followed him and did the same. Vettel started great and overtook Webber and Rosberg at the first corner, and Webber was unable to get the position back for the next couple of corners, and for the whole race. There were lots of retirements again, both the new teams and older teams with problems and accidents, most notably Schumacher on lap 10 and Alonso with an engine failure on the 2nd last lap. Red Bull didn't have any major reliability problems during the race, just a little one when Webber was changing the tyre, the front tyre gun wouldn't come off, but that only cost him less than 2 seconds, and it didn't effect his race much. And I guess it wasn't exactly a reliability issue like the ones they've had.
Top three were Vettel, Webber and Rosberg, and because I'm biased, Kubica was 4th =)
Drivers that drove well today:
-Petrov: Did a good job trying to defend against Hamilton, and trying the get his spot back from Hamilton, but sadly retired half way due to a gearbox problem.
-The two Toro Rosso dirvers: I wasn't paying a great deal of attention but I got the impression Alguersuari was fighting well to keep his spot and overtaking. Buemi, although had a few problems and ending on P11, had some fast lap times.
-Top 5 drivers: Notably Sutil, he maintained his spot and speed, and managed to hold off Hamilton for many laps. Same goes to the other 4, all didn't make massive mistakes, maybe with the exception of Webber, who gave Vettel the opportunity to pass him at the start. But Webber was very quick, and he earned fastest lap for the race.
I think that's it. Shanghai in two weeks, on the 18th of April. It's a suitable track for Red Bull due to the low temperatures in Shanghai at this time of the year. And maybe if their cars stay reliable, they can win again this year. In terms of the Championship, Massa is now on top with 39 points, since he had 2 podiums and is the only person in top 3 who has finished all races so far. I'm happy that Massa is doing well, its great after last season's accident. Alonso and Vettel are tied on 2nd with 37, and Button and Rosberg not far behind on 35. Hamilton is 6th with 31, and then Kubica with 30 points =)
See you in two weeks!! I'll try my best to post sooner next time but my LJ promises never stand xD
NOTE: this WHOLE post is on Formula 1
Qualifying/Saturday:
I would classify qualifying as pretty exciting and eventful, mostly because of the weather. It started raining towards the end of Q1, and many of the well-known drivers decided to wait, because its Q1, of course they're going to get through. No. Hamilton, Massa and Alonso waited quite late, and they made the wrong choice on tyres. I think they chose intermediates but as it started raining, they couldn't find grip and started spinning on the track, A LOT. I think Alonso spun 360 degrees three times in one lap. So it was very difficult to drive and post a good time, and the three of them didn't get through. Alonso, Hamilton and Massa only managed 19th, 20th and 21st respectively. It was disappointing for Hamilton because he did very well in Practice 1 and 2, coming fastest in both. People were even saying he would win the race. Anyway, P1 in Q1 went to Kubica =)
Q2 was more rain and more spinning. Q2 times were changing quite a bit because drivers who posted very fast times towards the start actually didn't or barely made it into the top 10 at the end. Some examples were Petrov, who topped the time sheets when Q2 started, but ended Q2 on 11th, and also Schumacher, who was getting top 5, but ended up just getting through to Q3 with 10th. I guess it was due to the change in weather; rain kept on stopping and starting. A near-miss when Glock started spinning and Vettel was right behind, marginally scraping past him. Also, Button had got himself stuck in a gravel trap in Q1 yet he had posted a time good enough to get him through to Q2, but he couldn't actually take part in Q2, and ended up with 17th. Vettel was fastest in Q2.
Q3 was much like the other two, but the rain got so heavy the session had to be red-flagged with around 7 minutes to go. Kubica pushed in the pit-lane queue at the start =D Rain was continually changing the conditions on the track, and Red Bull decided to make a gamble and send Vettel and Webber out on different tyres. Vettel's tyres were the same as the other drivers, and Webber was the only one on inters (I think inters). People were guessing that either one of them would do well, and the other would do horrible, probably spinning off. But both did well, and Webber was very very fast. He managed to improve his own time, which was already fastest, by 1.1 seconds, and he was more than one second faster than the 2nd fastest, Rosberg. So with that, Webber earned pole, Rosberg getting best qualifying result of his career on the front row and Vettel starting on 3rd.
Race/Sunday:
The start was very eventful. Lots of overtaking, De la Rosa didn't start due to an engine problem, Barrichello's car stalled, Hamilton's car jumped up half the pack, Massa followed him and did the same. Vettel started great and overtook Webber and Rosberg at the first corner, and Webber was unable to get the position back for the next couple of corners, and for the whole race. There were lots of retirements again, both the new teams and older teams with problems and accidents, most notably Schumacher on lap 10 and Alonso with an engine failure on the 2nd last lap. Red Bull didn't have any major reliability problems during the race, just a little one when Webber was changing the tyre, the front tyre gun wouldn't come off, but that only cost him less than 2 seconds, and it didn't effect his race much. And I guess it wasn't exactly a reliability issue like the ones they've had.
Top three were Vettel, Webber and Rosberg, and because I'm biased, Kubica was 4th =)
Drivers that drove well today:
-Petrov: Did a good job trying to defend against Hamilton, and trying the get his spot back from Hamilton, but sadly retired half way due to a gearbox problem.
-The two Toro Rosso dirvers: I wasn't paying a great deal of attention but I got the impression Alguersuari was fighting well to keep his spot and overtaking. Buemi, although had a few problems and ending on P11, had some fast lap times.
-Top 5 drivers: Notably Sutil, he maintained his spot and speed, and managed to hold off Hamilton for many laps. Same goes to the other 4, all didn't make massive mistakes, maybe with the exception of Webber, who gave Vettel the opportunity to pass him at the start. But Webber was very quick, and he earned fastest lap for the race.
I think that's it. Shanghai in two weeks, on the 18th of April. It's a suitable track for Red Bull due to the low temperatures in Shanghai at this time of the year. And maybe if their cars stay reliable, they can win again this year. In terms of the Championship, Massa is now on top with 39 points, since he had 2 podiums and is the only person in top 3 who has finished all races so far. I'm happy that Massa is doing well, its great after last season's accident. Alonso and Vettel are tied on 2nd with 37, and Button and Rosberg not far behind on 35. Hamilton is 6th with 31, and then Kubica with 30 points =)
See you in two weeks!! I'll try my best to post sooner next time but my LJ promises never stand xD