except that when teams chose tyre allocation for this race they had not done a single lap with the new compounds (it was chosen before testing)
Agree totally with first part. But I think the soft can be useful here. Remember tyres are one step softer this year, so the soft is the old SS. Which was the softest tyre anybody used in lasy year's gpJPBD1990 wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 14:03I agree that the tyre allocations are almost pointless at this point. All this means is Ferrari will run more ultras in practice, Vettel will run his one spare SS, raikkonen will run his one spare S - and the allocations will be exactly the same for the race, or at least they won’t be incumbered by the decision. As someone above said, likely 1 soft, 1 SS and ultras left for the race which gives them plenty of options.
Additionally, based on previous years, it’s likely the soft will be useless here.
I do hope so. It's already a great season but STR is another feel good story.
I don't think it's pointless. Safety car likelihood is extremely high here. We saw last year that this was anything like a straight forward race, although the inaugural race was completely incident free. But I think it's good to have extra option tires imo. This race likely won't be a pole and win race.JPBD1990 wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 14:03I agree that the tyre allocations are almost pointless at this point. All this means is Ferrari will run more ultras in practice, Vettel will run his one spare SS, raikkonen will run his one spare S - and the allocations will be exactly the same for the race, or at least they won’t be incumbered by the decision. As someone above said, likely 1 soft, 1 SS and ultras left for the race which gives them plenty of options.
Additionally, based on previous years, it’s likely the soft will be useless here.
What?Chuckjr wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 18:32Imo, Ferrari will do well this weekend. I see Merc continuing to struggle with their fickle car at a track that needs both low and high down force. I think Red Bull will do very well here as their chassis is the class of the field. This race may well be a championship reality check weekend for Lewis and Merc.
Class of the field based on what? brand new softs versus old worn out Mediums in the chinese GP?Chuckjr wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 18:32Imo, Ferrari will do well this weekend. I see Merc continuing to struggle with their fickle car at a track that needs both low and high down force. I think Red Bull will do very well here as their chassis is the class of the field. This race may well be a championship reality check weekend for Lewis and Merc.
1:39.8 because of the softer tires.figo wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 14:25Expectations about pole time?
In my opinion, Baku will be the only track of the calendar in which the pole time will not improve, because of heavier cars and increased drag due to halo device. Of course this year's cars have much more downforse, so i expect to be faster through corners, but probably the losses along that endless straight will not overcome the gains of the sector 1 and 2.
My guess is 1.41 flat and i expect a close fight between Mercedes and Ferrari with Red bull 0.5 behind.
Of course red bull has the best chassis. It is 50hp down on Ferrari and Mercedes and is right on their coat tales in qualifying. Sure they had better tyres at china but Hulkenberg was also on new soft tyres at the end of the race and he couldn't do anything about the top 6 cars except Vettel who had damage to car and tyres.giantfan10 wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 19:50Class of the field based on what? brand new softs versus old worn out Mediums in the chinese GP?Chuckjr wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 18:32Imo, Ferrari will do well this weekend. I see Merc continuing to struggle with their fickle car at a track that needs both low and high down force. I think Red Bull will do very well here as their chassis is the class of the field. This race may well be a championship reality check weekend for Lewis and Merc.
this myth really needs to die quickly... this is no longer the blown diffuser era when funny enough it was the engine and engine maps that gave red bull their dominance and not some super duper secret mastery of aero.
Christian Horner is not a reliable source.
If Mercedes goes from locking out the front row with a gap of over 1 second from P1 to P3 in qualifying to getting "walked" by Ferrari in 1 year, then I would also expect Mercedes to pull out of the sport permanently on Saturday night, because that would the epitome of embarrassment.digitalrurouni wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 14:01Ferrari have the 'sweeter' car and Mercedes has the 'diva'. I think Ferrari will walk this one.
Let me rephrase.F1NAC wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 18:46What?Chuckjr wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 18:32Imo, Ferrari will do well this weekend. I see Merc continuing to struggle with their fickle car at a track that needs both low and high down force. I think Red Bull will do very well here as their chassis is the class of the field. This race may well be a championship reality check weekend for Lewis and Merc.
Ferrari will have had no clue how their car treats the new compounds in 'anger' when they decided on this weekends tyre compounds.