Are we seeing a Vettel era?

[Mandrake]

@ mnmracer: I need a giant +1 button for your long post!

@ n smikle: Towards your DRS Barcelona discussion, you are mixing up the different rear wing philosophies of RedBull and McLaren. RedBull generates more Downforce with the whole car, being less dependant on rear wing downforce, whereas McLaren use more rear wing to generate the downforce required. That is why the RedBull can use DRS in qualy differently to McLaren and this is also why the cars are much closer matched in the race.

To say the RedBull has x% more df based on DRS activation is plainly ignoring a lot of other factors!

[MIKEY_!]

True, although Mclarens DRS would produce more DF than RBRs both in the open position, therefore in theory could activated more often.

[raymondu999]

Eh? Why would it?

[beelsebob]

Eh? Why would it?

Because the flap chord is longer.

[raymondu999]

Well was, anyways.

[PlatinumZealot]

@ mnmracer: I need a giant +1 button for your long post!

@ n smikle: Towards your DRS Barcelona discussion, you are mixing up the different rear wing philosophies of RedBull and McLaren. RedBull generates more Downforce with the whole car, being less dependant on rear wing downforce, whereas McLaren use more rear wing to generate the downforce required. That is why the RedBull can use DRS in qualy differently to McLaren and this is also why the cars are much closer matched in the race.

To say the RedBull has x% more df based on DRS activation is plainly ignoring a lot of other factors!

That is why the redbull is more aerodynamically efficient.
Engineers would kill to get a car body that can generate that much DF.

Not true. There is something called aerodynamic efficiency. Some cars are more efficient than others. The cars aerodynmic efficiency determines how much drag and downforce it makes.

So that's why the Red Bull's top speed was 6kph slower? The Red Bull definitely has an aerodynamical advantage -like McLaren has a top speed advantage- but that alone does not enable them to DRS through turn 16.

You have much to learn.
Vettel was not aerodynamically limited to 327km/h. He was gear limited to that speed, he was bouncing the limiter every lap. The RB7 clearly could have gone faster if Adrian Newey/Vettel wanted it to. It was simply a max acceleration/ top speed trade off, which was utilized by short gearing and it worked very well.

Is Heinz-Harald Frentzen a better driver than Michael Schumacher because he was faster in sports cars? Is Nigel Mansell an over-rated driver because he didn't lap his team mate from the first time he stepped into a car?

Does it even matter to you that in 2005, when he could focus all his efforts on Formula 3, Vettel was faster than di Resta? That in most people's views, and that coming second in the championship just 11 points behind does not constitute an 'ass whooping'?

I don't rate Michael that high in the first place. Frentzen Schumacher I don't really care much about those guys... But did you know that Peter Sauber thinks that Frentzen was more talented... bet you didn't know that? That is one the of secrets to sports; A guy can make up for a lot of talent with hard work. Maybe schumacher is just a hard worker? Mayber Frentzen could have done better with a better attitude? Anyway I don't care much for those guys.

Does it mean that Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell were average drivers?

Awww come on now.

If you feel that way, why are you trying to make Vettel out to be just an average driver?

Nope. It's all in the car. Remember Massa in 2008? I thought that guy was a top driver! But know we know it was the car. Also, my second point, Vettel has not faced a top driver (Just like schumacher - only an aged Nelson Piquet and now Roserg is dealing with his case). I know he is very consistent and intelligent, but he still has to face a top driver! He doesn't have that on his CV.

So yeah, right now I am on the RedBull band wagon you see. I support the car. I just have Vettel as my Avatar because he is holding the number 1 finger. Don't think he is number 1 though but I still would give him driver of the year if I had to vote.

[vall]

no question Vettel grew a lot since last year. But I do not think we are seeing Vettel's era. I think (and hope) the others will catch up next year. We all know that if you give a competitive car to Fred, Lewis, Rosbers, and even Botton, Massa, and (now old) Shu, they will beat Vettel. Nowadays in F1 the car is maybe 70-80%. The rest is the driver.

[raymondu999]

no question Vettel grew a lot since last year. But I do not think we are seeing Vettel's era. I think (and hope) the others will catch up next year. We all know that if you give a competitive car to Fred, Lewis, Rosbers, and even Botton, Massa, and (now old) Shu, they will beat Vettel. Nowadays in F1 the car is maybe 70-80%. The rest is the driver.

Match, maybe. Beat? Maybe, but it won't be easy for them

[MIKEY_!]

Only if the tires change a little and the RB8 has less of an advantage. Even then it'll be a struggle to match him given the form he has shown this year.

[PlatinumZealot]

It's all about the car guys. Always has been. The difference in raw speed between top drivers is very small.

[SiLo]

I feel that Vettel is just utilising the car a lot better than Webber, and that the RB7 is easily the quickest car, it's just that when Webber gets stuck in traffic or caught up with the Mclarens/Ferraris, it makes the car look inherently slower, when it is not.

[Mr Alcatraz]

Remember Massa in 2008? I thought that guy was a top driver! But now we know it was the car.

.....which follows to reason that Kimi just sucked, or what?

[MIKEY_!]

well he can't have cause he won the year before

[RB7ate9]

I feel that Vettel is just utilising the car a lot better than Webber, and that the RB7 is easily the quickest car, it's just that when Webber gets stuck in traffic or caught up with the Mclarens/Ferraris, it makes the car look inherently slower, when it is not.

As we've seen today in Singapore, the RB7 is absolutely geared for pole position and beyond. 10s lead in 10 laps!?!??!?!?!?! Now I don't know how different a car maybe set up between being designed for clean air and overtaking, but there is a marked difference between the RB7 being out front and when coping with other cars (i.e. Vettel vs. massa in....Hungary?).

I think the RB7 was geared for Vettel's driving, particularly since he is the lead driver after winning in 2010. With that in mind, Webber just hasn't had the best of year's compared to Vettel but he still has done very considering no GP wins.

Again, I reserve judgement of Vettel's "era" until after his 3rd WDC. Even if he doesn't win next year's (hopefully losing out to Webber [-o< ) a third will be more than anyone else on the grid (except for Schumi, of course) and real indicator of his ability to improve over time.

[MIKEY_!]

Perhaps RB7 is just more efficient as an aero device than the others in clean air vettel qualifies ahead and has no trouble with having to overtake people. Webber gets, say 3rd, and has one of his starts and drops to 5th by turn 2. Then the he is in dirty air where the car is particularly inefficient and struggles as a result. Of course vettel is still an incredible driver.