Malaysian GP 2011 - Sepang

[Jester Maroc]

A couple of people on this thread are saying that Ferrari might be able to jump to Mclaren's level and be the second fastest car. I think that in Malaysia we will still see a strong RBR-Vettel combination with Ferrari certainly in second position.

Mclaren cannot piece together their car the way they are doing and expect to be performing at the level of RBR. Most of all, we should not forget that Alonso put in the fastest and second fastest laps during the race in Melbourne. It shows that their car does have pace, only they failed to use that pace effectively. Bad start from Alonso, driving behind other cars, etc. cost him a podium. What do you guys think? Am I overestimating Ferrari or am I blindly dooming Mclaren?

[raymondu999]

Yes their race pace in Melbourne was good, but you're forgetting they had very fresh tyres then with 3 stops.

[beelsebob]

A couple of people on this thread are saying that Ferrari might be able to jump to Mclaren's level and be the second fastest car. I think that in Malaysia we will still see a strong RBR-Vettel combination with Ferrari certainly in second position.

Mclaren cannot piece together their car the way they are doing and expect to be performing at the level of RBR. Most of all, we should not forget that Alonso put in the fastest and second fastest laps during the race in Melbourne. It shows that their car does have pace, only they failed to use that pace effectively. Bad start from Alonso, driving behind other cars, etc. cost him a podium. What do you guys think? Am I overestimating Ferrari or am I blindly dooming Mclaren?

I think you're seriously underestimating McLaren here.

Vettel's pole lap was done by going purple in every single sector.
Hamilton's 2nd place lap was not done by going green in every sector - in fact, if you piece together hamilton's fastest sectors, you get him only being 0.5 (rather than 0.9) down on Vettel.

Couple that with McLaren having the least understood car of the field (bar the HRT), and being able to make sizeable leaps in performance simply from understanding parts of their car and it's conceivable that McLaren could be within a tenth or two of RedBull at Malaysia.

Of course we then have to consider that Malaysia is a more demanding track, and that I'm quite sure Ferrari will have figured out what they --- up in auz, so I'm sure we'll see a much closer battle at the top – but I very much doubt that Ferrari will have leapfrogged McLaren.

[raymondu999]

I don't think we can translate much in terms of findings from Melbourne pace to Malaysia. Both tracks are extremely different. The corners are a lot longer and faster, while Melbourne is a more stop-start track, which there isn't any of in Melbourne. Malaysia is a lot closer to Barcelona than it is to Melbourne in terms of track layout.

[andrew]

Emanuele Pirro is to be the guest race steward this weekend.

[raymondu999]

As will be at Shanghai. And he was at Abu Dhabi too IIRC. Isn't that slightly unfair? To have a driver judge the thing in rapid succession?

[Hangaku]

Hang on. Emanuele Pirro. He's Italian. Therefore, Ferrari biased race! OMG UNFAIR!

(yeah, it's no more realistic than anybody elses biased steward claims, but just poking that one in there...)

[raymondu999]

No no. I mean, personal bias. I wasn't even thinking of Italian bias. If there was really Italian bias he probably would've given Vettel a drivethrough or something in Abu Dhabi

It just seems to me rather unfair

[Richard]

Maybe he's good?

Although I agree I thought it was supposed to be rotating. Perhaps the FIA have found a handful who were genuinely effective while others may have been symbolic.

[Hangaku]

No no. I mean, personal bias. I wasn't even thinking of Italian bias. If there was really Italian bias he probably would've given Vettel a drivethrough or something in Abu Dhabi

It just seems to me rather unfair

I wasn't really responding to you, moreover, I was responding to claims of bias in the last race. But it's a good point. I suppose it all depends on availability. I don't reckon there is lots of ex-drivers queuing up for a stewards cap. I certainly wouldn't readily accept such a position.

[raymondu999]

But the car would not be balanced, with corner to corner lap to lap balance shifts due to varying use of the throttle, whereas the front wing is set in stone.

I was just thinking. An ignition overrun solution would put an end to this problem, surely.

[andrew]

The guest steward scheme is a joke. It should be the same team of steward for each race. At least that way there is a chance of some consistency.

[Richard]

The guest steward scheme is a joke. It should be the same team of steward for each race. At least that way there is a chance of some consistency.

That leads to accusations of a closed shop of bureaucrats isolated from reality with little experience of racing. It is often said that teh best referees/umpires are those who have played the game.

[Richard]

Hang on. Emanuele Pirro. He's Italian. Therefore, Ferrari biased race! OMG UNFAIR!

He's going to get really confused loyalties in any Fer/McL conflict having been a McLaren test driver for 4 years!

To be serious - his record is very impressive

During a motor sport career that has spanned almost 40 years, Emanuele Pirro has achieved a huge amount of success, most notably in sportcar racing, with five Le Mans wins, victory at the Daytona 24 Hours and two wins at the Sebring 12 Hours. In addition he has won the German and Italian Touring Car championships (the latter twice) and has twice been American Le Mans Series Champion.

http://fialive.fiacommunications.com/en ... ewards.pdf

[Just_a_fan]

The guest steward scheme is a joke. It should be the same team of steward for each race. At least that way there is a chance of some consistency.

In part I agree. But I'd say, have a "squad" of e.g. 8 stewards, all of whom have driven at a reasonable level. Use 4(?) at any given event with one on stand-by. Then rotate them so that each does a certain number of events. Publish the rota at the start of the season (allowing for last minute changes beyond reasonable control).