Chinese GP Predictions
(4 posts) (4 voices)-
Who do you think will perform well in Shanghai?
Hamilton has performed well in the last two races without neccessarly getting the major points he deserved, think he may nick a podium this weekend.
Unless the weather plays havok I can't look past another Red Bull win given their performance last time out, but maybe Webber will get the better of Vettel this time!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Craig
MemberHamilton and Button will only do well if they qualify well and get in front of at least one Red Bull. Same with the Ferraris but their engine problems need to be fixed to have any chance.
I'll go for Webber to get the win this weekend. He looked good for the race in Sepang and only made one mistake at the start, it's a shame it cost him the race!
Weather may play a part in the race again as the forecast has rain up until Friday practice. Even if it stays dry the rain would wash most of the grip away from the track meaning issues with traction throughout practice.
Posted 2 years ago # -
If it is a dry race, it'll be another Red Bull victory. With McLaren's F-duct, I can see them being the most entertaining team and be overtaking quite a bit.
However, if it rains anything can happen. I remember a wet Chinese Grand Prix in 2006, when a certain M. Schumacher started sixth and won in wet conditions. I'd love it if he could do the same again.
Also if it rains, I wouldn't rule out Robert Kubica. He's been very impressive so far and with a bit of rain to even it up, who knows what he can do?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Red Bull are definitely the team to out pace but maybe not the team to beat. Assuming their reliability woes are behind them they should make a good showing on the podium. But the best driver/car combination doesn't always win so I would not go so far as to say that any one driver will win.
But I do have questions about the ideological approach to car design with the the flying bulls after this mornings double front wheel failure of Buemi's Toro Rosso. There doesn't seem to be enough of an intrinsic mind set of reliability with the designers. Yes Toro Rosso is now designing their own car separate from Red Bull but the teams are still connected to some extent. And they are the two most failure prone teams of the front runners. And as Trulli has proven throughout his qualifying career anyone can be fast over a lap or two but you must get to the end of the race to have a chance.
Now assuming Mclaren have put their qualifying brain farts behind them they should show well on the podium too. And if it's a wet race we may have good battles between Vettel, Hamilton and Schumacher, the three best rain drivers in the field in my opinion.
However I expect this race to be a bit closer to Bahrain in that most of the beginning season jitters with drivers and teams are out of the way so I don't expect many surprises. Mclaren's F-duct, and everyone elses F-duct for that matter, won't play an enormous role in passing, despite the two big straights, as most of the top drivers will start near the front and the front runners are just damn fast. The Red Bulls will gain ground on the Mclarens through the twisties only to have the Mclarens catch them up on the two big straights just in time to go into turn one and start the whole inch worm all over again.
Though I am pulling for Hamilton I am keen to watch Vettel as he has never really had to face adversity yet. The mark of a great champion is one who can not only win from 1st but from 5th, 8th or even further back. Hamilton, like Schumacher of old, is a tenatious fighter when things take a bad turn. The question is if Vettel has misfortune can he claw it back. Or will he be more like Massa who dominates oppressively when he's in 1st but becomes stagnate when he's back in the pack. A champion won't allow his qualifying, misfortune or car condition to hold him back. And on that thought I must give respect to Alonso for his driving in Malaysia. That wounded F-10 was no better than a three legged dog with clutch problems front the start and he remained competitive when others would have have slipped into the abyss up until his engine finally let go.
Posted 2 years ago #
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