2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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ParanoiD
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Joined: 05 Apr 2010, 17:42

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Time flies and here we are into summer break with Spa coming up at the end of it..
It's one of my favourite track. love the view from television.

Everyone says Kimi will win this one, and I really really hope he will be!Although can't really remember it for being a hot race (cmiiw).But I would also like to see all 5 WDC contender being really close to each other and only pit stop/strategy will make the difference. That would be intense to watch. :mrgreen:
Ay Carumba!

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godlameroso
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Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 21:27
Location: Miami FL

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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44 laps? Seriously I think it's entirely possible to go O P for the race, or for faster pace OOP. Spa will be quite a bit cooler than any of the previous races, and despite Pouhon, and Eau Rouge, the track doesn't put a lot of lateral loading on the tires, plus they have long straights to cool off. Seeing as how the track is composed mostly of sweeping turns, I expect McLaren to be mighty around here again, same with Ferrari. It seems to me that the Ferrari, is great at long sweepers and stop and go tracks, but not tracks that require a lot of throttle finesse and direction change coming out of corners. Despite everything though I think Lotus is winning this one, and if it's cooler I can see Mercedes up there, at least in qualifying.
Saishū kōnā

dxpetrov
dxpetrov
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Joined: 24 May 2012, 15:39

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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beelsebob wrote:
MikeFromCanada wrote:
beelsebob wrote:[
As we said earlier – because it won't be 40-45°C here, so his car will get him around 4th/5th, rather than around 2nd/1st
This.

The average temperature high in the Spa area is around 18°C for the late summer time into fall.

Frankly I'm having a tough time seeing any car other than the McLaren coming out on top here, at least in a dry qualifying pace. The Red Bull just can't seem to shed enough drag off the car for the straights and I don't see it having enough downforce this time around to make up for it in sector 2.
Even last year the McLaren was generating its DF so much more efficiently than the RBR that they were faster in sector 2. This year I expect a demolition. That said, I do expect Ferrari to challenge. I expect if it's dry, this is Hamilton's race, if it's wet, it's Alonso's.
Like last year, McLaren will be nowhere in SPA. They were lucky to win even in Hungary. 8)

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SeijaKessen
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Joined: 08 Jan 2012, 21:34
Location: USA

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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How were they lucky to win in Hungary?

Hamilton was the fastest man all weekend, and unsurprisingly he won the race.

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raymondu999
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Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 07:31

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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dxpetrov wrote:Like last year, McLaren will be nowhere in SPA. They were lucky to win even in Hungary. 8)
Missed pole by a smidgen, and ran P2 for quite a bit in the race (possibly could've won with Hamilton, considering Button's pace) - how were they nowhere last year?
SeijaKessen wrote:Hamilton was the fastest man all weekend, and unsurprisingly he won the race.
Lotus was arguably quicker in the race, but that doesn't mean much in Hungary given the "multitude" of ready overtaking opportunities
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Chuckjr
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Joined: 24 Feb 2012, 08:34
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Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Could it be that he's referring to Macca being a poor show in the cold? Macca sucks hard in damp/wet cond. Maybe their update addresses this, but there's no question Spa will be cold and most likely rain laiden so if Hammy / Button have any chance they gotta have resolved that major flaw. It will be interesting to see which teams can get heat in the tires in the cold...we all know Ferrari has no issue with that...but others?
Watching F1 since 1986.

zyphro
zyphro
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Joined: 02 May 2012, 16:33

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Chuckjr wrote:Could it be that he's referring to Macca being a poor show in the cold? Macca sucks hard in damp/wet cond. Maybe their update addresses this, but there's no question Spa will be cold and most likely rain laiden so if Hammy / Button have any chance they gotta have resolved that major flaw. It will be interesting to see which teams can get heat in the tires in the cold...we all know Ferrari has no issue with that...but others?
Mercedes (in Schumacher's hands), won't have problems getting the tyres working in the wet. Red Bull looked good too, but we haven't had a quali or race session, ever since the banning of that engine map. Maybe it'll effect them, maybe not.

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Cam
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Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 08:38

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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zyphro wrote:Mercedes (in Schumacher's hands), won't have problems getting the tyres working in the wet. .
Have you seen Mick perform in the wet the last 2 races. The 'slight scratches' on his ride might suggest he's struggling to get the tyres working?
“There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”
― Socrates
Ignorance is a state of being uninformed. Ignorant describes a person in the state of being unaware
who deliberately ignores or disregards important information or facts. © all rights reserved.

zyphro
zyphro
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Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Cam wrote:
zyphro wrote:Mercedes (in Schumacher's hands), won't have problems getting the tyres working in the wet. .
Have you seen Mick perform in the wet the last 2 races. The 'slight scratches' on his ride might suggest he's struggling to get the tyres working?
They had problems in Malaysia which have been resolved - see the wet qualifyings in Silverstone and at Hockenheim.

There's only been one wet race this year :wtf: , where did you get two from?

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Cam
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Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 08:38

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Not sure, think I saw Mick throw his car into the fence twice in the wet recently?
“There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”
― Socrates
Ignorance is a state of being uninformed. Ignorant describes a person in the state of being unaware
who deliberately ignores or disregards important information or facts. © all rights reserved.

zyphro
zyphro
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Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Cam wrote:Not sure, think I saw Mick throw his car into the fence twice in the wet recently?
I don't see how that has any relation to the performance of the car in the wet. I only remember him crashing into a fence in practice sessions.

Once because he touched the white line whilst on the radio, second time was because he was on completely the wrong tyres and was a passenger.

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Cam
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Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 08:38

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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zyphro wrote:Mercedes (in Schumacher's hands), won't have problems getting the tyres working in the wet. .
From all accounts Mercedes (in Schumacher's hands) has ended up in the wall, twice in quick succession. It seems like they're having problems getting the tyres to work. I just wondered why after he smashed his car twice in the wet, you would think they won't have further problems in Spa?
“There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”
― Socrates
Ignorance is a state of being uninformed. Ignorant describes a person in the state of being unaware
who deliberately ignores or disregards important information or facts. © all rights reserved.

zyphro
zyphro
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Joined: 02 May 2012, 16:33

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Cam wrote:
zyphro wrote:Mercedes (in Schumacher's hands), won't have problems getting the tyres working in the wet. .
From all accounts Mercedes (in Schumacher's hands) has ended up in the wall, twice in quick succession. It seems like they're having problems getting the tyres to work. I just wondered why after he smashed his car twice in the wet, you would think they won't have further problems in Spa?
Not really - has he dropped it in quali? Nope. Tbh, this seems like a blatant attempt at flame-baiting. You've been found out and you can stop now =D> .

Compare where Schumacher qualified in the wet compared to his team-mate. Why are you making a meal out of it (refer back to my aforementioned suspicioun :) )?

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Cam
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Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 08:38

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Silverstone wasn't really that wet in qualy and neither was Hungary - from what I can recall. I thought we were discussing his performance in the wet (you know, rain, puddles etc) and his ability to switch the tyres on in said wet conditions? From what I can see he hasn't done that great. Might be too early to call it a trend, but 3's a charm, as they say. If it's wet at Spa, we might find out :)
“There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”
― Socrates
Ignorance is a state of being uninformed. Ignorant describes a person in the state of being unaware
who deliberately ignores or disregards important information or facts. © all rights reserved.

bhall
bhall
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Joined: 28 Feb 2006, 21:26

Re: 2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

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Can I just say that it's the most wonderful time of the F1 year without veering off-topic? It's Spa!

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