2012 European GP - Valencia

[Nando]

Qual

Hamilton
Vettel
Alonso

Race

Hamilton
Vettel
Alonso

[zyphro]

Quali:

Tyres

Race:

Tyres

[SeijaKessen]

Odds on Igor trying to take out one of the walls on the circuit, only to find out the wall would rather take him out?

[raymondu999]

Nah. The walls are quite far!

However if you watched last year's race, he added a good bit of comic relief as when the camera was moving about the circuit, he could often suddenly come into camera sight from a runoff area slowly. Brundle said something like Maldonado was doing a tour of the entire perimeter. And what made it so funny was that you never saw Maldonado go off into the runoffs or stranded there. All you saw was suddenly him coming from off camera into view slowly, casually!

[SeijaKessen]

Nah. The walls are quite far!

However if you watched last year's race, he added a good bit of comic relief as when the camera was moving about the circuit, he could often suddenly come into camera sight from a runoff area slowly. Brundle said something like Maldonado was doing a tour of the entire perimeter. And what made it so funny was that you never saw Maldonado go off into the runoffs or stranded there. All you saw was suddenly him coming from off camera into view slowly, casually!

I would say Maldonado has to be a high favorite for causing some sort of accident...we haven't had any major shunts this season, I think Valencia is a track that lends itself well to it and with his style, I'm still waiting for more from him.

Looking at the layout...I just wonder how much better this circuit could be if they took out turns 2, 13, and 18.

[SeijaKessen]

Probably should add, if instead of 2, the track went right to turn 4.

12 went right to 14, and 17 went right to 19. Straighten everything out.

[QLDriver]

It would get awfully confusing on the commentary though. "And Hamilton chases Alonso out of turn 1 down the straight to turn 4!"

[Hail22]

Top 3 Qualifying:

Button
Alonso
Webber

Race top 5:

Alonso
Webber
Raikkonen
Button
Hamilton

[raymondu999]

That would be a hell of a comeback for Button to nab pole.

Personally here's what I think will happen.

Quali:
1. Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Alonso

Race:
1. Vettel
2-3 - Hamilton/Alonso

I can't make my mind up on who will be stronger in the race - Alonso or Hamilton. However while my head says that's what's going to happen, my head says it's not. Vettel, Alonso and Hamilton have never shared a podium before, and something always happens when they're on course for a podium together. Shame, really considering they're the 3 drivers I think are most talented among the current grid. If they did finally get to share a podium amongst the 3 - that is a race I will cherish forever, regardless of what order they come in.

So as a backup, in case something comes up to stop that podium from cropping up -

Vettel
Alonso
Webber
(identical to the 2011 podium)

the cornering speeds are not too high, except for the final sector, so degradation will be only slightly worse than in Canada.

I disagree. The track surface in Canada is very smooth, and in Valencia it's a higher grip, more abrasive surface that will cause higher levels of deg than the Canadian surface.

[godlameroso]

I think we've seen this year and the previous that the degradation comes more from high lateral loading than from rolling resistance.

[MrBlacky]

This is not a Schumi curcuit. Maybe his bad luck negates this.

Schumi for pole and win.

[SiLo]

Judging by the way Hamilton managed his tyres in the last couple of races I would put him infront of Vettel in the race. I get the feeling it may be a very similar story to canada actually, with those three very close throughout the entire weekend. Could we be on for another cracker? I hope so!

[zyphro]

This is not a Schumi curcuit. Maybe his bad luck negates this.

Schumi for pole and win.

[-o<

[SeijaKessen]

It would get awfully confusing on the commentary though. "And Hamilton chases Alonso out of turn 1 down the straight to turn 4!"

I'd like to think you know what I meant.

[QLDriver]

I'd like to think you know what I meant.

I know what you mean about preferring the track to be straighter, but I think realistically, with the limited amount of run off, such features are needed to keep the speeds down.