Vettel starts the GP of Malaysia on primes

[Pup]

Maybe. My point is that if you're a faster car, but stuck in traffic, then you're not able to take advantage of the options. So you may as well be on the hards, take it easy, and hope to either do the race with one less stop than the others, or at least save them for long enough that you can rip through some options once the traffic clears.

And rain or a safety car wouldn't hurt.

[raymondu999]

rain or safety car - in the right time. It won't help much if it comes at a time when everybody is in the same phase of their respective races

[GrizzleBoy]

Could these tyres being slower end up getting him caught up in some some high-midfield battles that could end up slowing him in the long run?

[NathanOlder]

Vettel has only ever won 1 race from 3rd or lower on the grid. So not looking like winning. He's super fast in the perfect car, but the RB8 is far from perfect. A podium at best is what im thinking. But I think Webber or Kimi will get 3rd if the Mclarens finish.

[Pup]

rain or safety car - in the right time.

Well we can probably count on a safety car about lap 2, to collect the HRT's.

[Pierce89]

Not for nothing, but there's a whole other thread for this kind of stuff. It's labeled Malaysian GP.

I don't think a separate circle-jerk for Vettel is needed.

You new here?

[Pierce89]

Not for nothing, but there's a whole other thread for this kind of stuff. It's labeled Malaysian GP.

I don't think a separate circle-jerk for Vettel is needed.

You new here?

[CHT]

rain or safety car - in the right time. It won't help much if it comes at a time when everybody is in the same phase of their respective races

If vettel finish his last stint with option while others on prime he should have a slight advantage

[NathanOlder]

Yeah, slight at most. Nothing like what some people have been saying. Remember he said he didnt like the softer tyre , or something like that anyway.

[CHT]

Yeah, slight at most. Nothing like what some people have been saying. Remember he said he didnt like the softer tyre , or something like that anyway.

Whether slight is good enough will depends on the curcumstances. If we have a sc period during the last 10 laps then the slight advantage will beime huge

[Miguel]

I don't think it will work. My (uncomfortable) armchair data tells me he's somewhat compromising the start, as well as a bit of grid position, just to run the options at the end of the GP. That is, if it doesn't rain. I doubt he can save a pitstop without a safety car at around lap 5.

On full tanks, both compounds seem to degrade massively. If his tyres are shot just two laps after the soft ones, not only he won't save a stop, but he'll get caught in the undercut by several drivers behind.

[AlexD0e]

I like Vettel's aggressive approach to the race starting on primes but you could visibly tell he was disappointed after qualifying. He's definately not happy starting where he is. Now he will need to defend hard going into the first corner because everyone around will have better grip and can get heat into their tires faster. Even when his car gets a tire advantage he still doesn't have the straight line speed setup to get passed people easily. If McLaren or Mercedes see the Vettel coming fast they'll just pit and (((BOOM)))) they will be 1-2 seconds a lap faster than Vettel.

Vettel has proven me wrong before, lol! I think a podium isn't out of the question but he's gonna have to earn it. It won't be a walk in the park like Malaysia 2011.

[raymondu999]

It won't be a walk in the park like Malaysia 2011.

Like I've said before, unless it rains between Vettel's and Hamilton's pitstop window!

(By that I don't just mean Hamilton. I mean the Q3 option runners)

I think looking at the qualifying results, the real beauty of Vettel's qualifying on the hards is that he doesn't seem to be affected by the direct penalty; which is usually losing qualifying positions. With him right next to Mark and on the clean side; you can't say that his qualifying could have gone much quicker. Even Martin Whitmarsh said that the delta in qualifying was small, and yet the primes were a good race tyre.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I like Vettel's aggressive approach to the race starting on primes

Fairly passive. Gave himself no chance of higher grid position to attempt an aggresive race

[AlexD0e]

I like Vettel's aggressive approach to the race starting on primes

Fairly passive. Gave himself no chance of higher grid position to attempt an aggresive race

Well, maybe aggressive isn't the right term but i just feel it's an aggressive approach because now he's made himself the dark horse of the race. He will probably attempt a more radical over a conventional strategy. Meanwhile, no one knows what to make of his qualifying strategy (that includes us and even Vettel, lol) and because of that they can't plan for it. He's going to have to push rather hard in the race if he wants a good result so i expect to see him on the attack all the way to the checkered flag. Although, I don't see him getting any higher than 3rd or 4th but that's no surprise with the speed of the McLarens being so great.

Regardless it's going to be a great race.