Korean GP 2010 - Yeongam

[raymondu999]

Longer than Abu Dhabi, I heard? Looks like the Red Bulls, even if they lock out the front row, will be under pressure all the way to Turn 3. Or is that 4 at the end of the "back" straight?

[wesley123]

From turn 6 to 18 seems to be good for RBR given the amount of medium and high speed corners.
RBR to lock out the front row, just.
However given the long straight at the start they are going to have a hell of a time keeping maccas and ferraris behind off the start. Maccas will be particularly quick off the start, although the ferrari should be just as good down the straights and the best in the breaking and traction in turns 3 & 4.

A bit like SPA IMO. RB's should be quickest, though I can't see them getting passed the maccas and ferrari's

Start of the race LH and FA to pass the Red Bulls. RB will suffer when they get within 1.5 secs of the car in front. The undercut from the new tires will be too much advantage to stay out on the softs and make up the time. Tough race for RB.

I think it will be very close between the top 3. There's sections of the track which suit each car. The long straights will help Mclaren, there are a number of heavy braking zones which suit the Ferrari, and there are also a number of longer medium speed corners which will suit the Red Bull. If Red Bull do end up behind the Ferraris/Mclarens, they will have a tough time passing them.

Also, Renault could spoil the party for one of the big boys.

No, as Suzuka had long straights too and the McLaren was nowhere.

I am sure of this track being an red bull track
After the 2 straights it is all just Red Bull territory with fast sweeping corners and medium speed corners. Even if McLaren gains half an second on the straights the red bull will gain one second on the rest of the track.

[raymondu999]

I wonder if karun chandhok's run in Korea would've given RB a headstart in terms of setup. Sure it wouldn't be much, but they'd have data from the telemetry, which they could then maybe extrapolate into a simulation, and at least get good data and calculations on optimum wing levels/gear ratios etc?

[Gerhard Berger]

From turn 6 to 18 seems to be good for RBR given the amount of medium and high speed corners.
RBR to lock out the front row, just.
However given the long straight at the start they are going to have a hell of a time keeping maccas and ferraris behind off the start. Maccas will be particularly quick off the start, although the ferrari should be just as good down the straights and the best in the breaking and traction in turns 3 & 4.

A bit like SPA IMO. RB's should be quickest, though I can't see them getting passed the maccas and ferrari's

Start of the race LH and FA to pass the Red Bulls. RB will suffer when they get within 1.5 secs of the car in front. The undercut from the new tires will be too much advantage to stay out on the softs and make up the time. Tough race for RB.

I think it will be very close between the top 3. There's sections of the track which suit each car. The long straights will help Mclaren, there are a number of heavy braking zones which suit the Ferrari, and there are also a number of longer medium speed corners which will suit the Red Bull. If Red Bull do end up behind the Ferraris/Mclarens, they will have a tough time passing them.

Also, Renault could spoil the party for one of the big boys.

No, as Suzuka had long straights too and the McLaren was nowhere.

I am sure of this track being an red bull track
After the 2 straights it is all just Red Bull territory with fast sweeping corners and medium speed corners. Even if McLaren gains half an second on the straights the red bull will gain one second on the rest of the track.

Mclaren wern't "nowhere" - Hamilton qualified 3rd (was the best of the rest if you like).

Suzuka's straights are not as long as Korea's. If you want a comparable track, you'd be better off looking at Spa (where Mclaren were very competitive).

[raymondu999]

I would've figured that Abu Dhabi was closer to Korea than Spa...

[MikeFromCanada]

I would've figured that Abu Dhabi was closer to Korea than Spa...

The difference is, Abu Dhabi is a very stop start circuit, with a lot of 2nd to 3rd gear turns (aside from the 2 long atrights). Korea has some flowing corners, like Spa, and long straights which will leave you as a sitting duck by running too much wing.

Certainly looks like the prototypical "F-Duct" circuit.

[Gerhard Berger]

I would've figured that Abu Dhabi was closer to Korea than Spa...

It is similar in a way, but i think Abu Dhabi lacks the longer, medium speed corners.

[747heavy]

sorry slightly off topic, but still related

Raymondu999 mentioned a possible head start for RBR, and said wing levels and gear ratios.
Now, with the gearbox rule, I was under the impression, that teams have to use the same gearbox/ratios for 3 GP´s. Is this the case or I´m seeing something wong here.
If they have to, that would mean, that they have to select there ratios for 3 races which could be on very different tracks. Maybe some of the easy overtaking we saw in Spa was down to that (some people choose a different compromise).

If this is the case, could L.H. have an advantage at the next race, because he/McL could chosse gear ratio´s better suited for this track and then use them in Brazil as well, compare to somebody which may still has to use the Suzuka ratios?

[raymondu999]

Actually, they have to use the same gearbox, but not the same ratios. That is my understanding of it. Remember that Monza is just before Singapore

[747heavy]

Thanks, yes I remember, and it did get me thinking, as of how much a compromise people would have to make.
It also goes a way to explain, that McL think they don´t need to change the g/box to fix their 3rd gear/dog ring problem, as this would be ratio related.

But if that is the case (which maybe is, thats why I ask), the whole rule is a bit senseless IMHO.
Which parts will remain, the housing, the diff and the selector mechanism, not too much cost saving then?
I thought (maybe wrongly) it´s similar to the engine, and it remains sealed, so you can´t touch it, change the oil and the filter and that´s it.
F1 is a funny sport (has some funny rules) in some ways.

Thanks for the reply - apriciated

[747heavy]

Raymondu is correct, I just read the relevant rules:

d) At each Event seals may be broken once, under supervision and at any time prior to the second day
of practice, for the sole purpose of changing gear ratios and dog rings (excluding final drives or
reduction gears). Competitors must inform the FIA technical delegate which ratios they intend to fit no
later than two hours after the end of P2.
Gear ratios and dog rings (excluding final drives or reduction gears) may also be changed under
supervision for others of identical specification at any time during an Event provided the FIA technical
delegate is satisfied there is evident physical damage to the parts in question and that such changes
are not being carried out on a systematic basis.

[Sean H]

I just hope the track stays intact.

Other than that, RBR vs Scuderia again.

[ringo]

ferrari is third best now. The Mclaren seemed to improve since suzuka.
If anything the ferrari and Mclaren will be slightly equal with Alonso or Hamilton making the difference.
I honestly don't know what to expect from korea. Chandock was going too slow for me to get an understanding of how demanding the twisty sections are.
It's posible the redbull drivers may be hindered by traffic or even pressure from behind. There are a lot of unknowns on a new track, so it may not be a walk by redbull.

[donskar]

ferrari is third best now. The Mclaren seemed to improve since suzuka.
. . .

Odd comment, given the results of the last few races?

I do hope you are correct about this NOT being a Red Bull parade. I'm looking for Newey to make whatever changes required to keep RBR at or near the front from here on out. And I don't see Webber being beaten for the WDC. (What WILL RBR do about driver ranking then?)

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Throughout the course of the season I would say Mclaren have had the 2nd best car.
Ferrari only got going from Germany(Bahrain apart).