At at the fabulous (!?!) Yas Marina circuit.



Laps: 55
Length: 5.554km

2010 Pole Lap: 1m 39.394s (Sebastian Vettel - RBR)
2010 Fastest Lap: 1m 41.274s (Lewis Hamilton - McLaren)

DRS Zones:

• Detection before T7, activation one-third of the way between T7 and T8.
  
• Detection after T9, activation at T10.
  

Stewards:

• Derek Warwick - F1 driver (1981-1990, 1993) and 1992 World Sportscar Champion.
  
• Vincenzo Spano - President of the Sporting Commission of the Automobile and Touring Club of Venezuela.
  
• Paul Gutjahr - President of the FIA Hill Climb Commission and 1960s F3 driver (for Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Lotus, Porsche, and March).
  

That Ferrari's front wing is just hilarious. It's like they're taking a piss on RedBull's flexi wing. Would be fun if it's fast and stayed sparing like that in the race.

Quote from N I K I :

That Ferrari's front wing is just hilarious. It's like they're taking a piss on RedBull's flexi wing. Would be fun if it's fast and stayed sparing like that in the race.

They're failing miserably to copy the concept. Having said that, I have a feeling that we'll see a high-rake design from Ferrari next year, with slightly less spastic front wings.

Red Bull look very low-key today. Are they sandbagging, or are the McLarens (and maybe the Ferraris) clearly quicker?

Hamilton beating last years pole in FP3, 1m 38.976

Quote from Formula1.com :

In the end Hamilton lapped in 1m 38.976s, leaving the Red Bulls of Vettel, Webber plus McLaren team mate Button in his wake with respective best laps of 1m 39.403s, 1m 39.427s and 1m 39.429s. Fernando Alonso was the final ace, taking his Ferrari round in 1m 39.661s.

Rosberg’s 1m 40.135s in the Mercedes stood up for sixth overall, ahead of Felipe Massa on 1m 40.183s for Ferrari, Force India’s Sutil’s 1m 40.429s and team mate Di Resta’s 1m 40.511s. Michael Schumacher again explored several run-off areas, while lapping the second Mercedes in 1m 40.939s to round out the top 10

This is just ridiculous.

Vettel just trolled everyone... again.

Quote from NSX_FReeDoM :

This is just ridiculous.

This is just near perfect performance, nothing else. McLaren was faster the whole weekend long so far, but it was due to Vettels skill that he put the car on pole.

Hamilton just plonked it. The pole should have been his.

Good on Vettel for snatching it. I wonder how Mansell's ego is feeling right now.

Quote from ATHome :

This is just near perfect performance, nothing else. McLaren was faster the whole weekend long so far, but it was due to Vettels skill that he put the car on pole.

No, Vettel is a sandbagger, it's him or Red Bulls choice to concede practice positions and then turn it on in qualifying, this isn't the first time Vettel has been down in FP1,2 and 3 and then still got Pole.

I'm not beating down on him, but it's obvious, so I wouldn't suggest it's skill getting on pole outright. Anyone can cruise around in practice, infact, because of high fuel-load testing in practice, the FP times are pretty irrelevant anyway.


Eitherway, it was interesting on the BBC feed when ex F1 drivers commented on Hamilton/Massa incidents. Mika Salo and Johnny Herbert are the only ones who seem to have a creditable opinion.

I lol'd when Sir Jackie Stewart commented that Hamilton used the kerb at the hairpin (Monaco) to pass Massa, when it was obvious (whether you agree with the move or not) that he only had room on the kerb, it was the only option after Massa entered the corner (way to early I'll add [as I said at the time]). I also lol'd when Niki Lauda was saying the Massa-Hamilton incident of late was Hamiltons fault, from what I remember of recent times, Lauda has said alot of random/stupid stuff.

Well that's another opinion, because fact is, we are all just speculating about what really happens inside the teams.

Quote from ATHome :

Well that's another opinion, because fact is, we are all just speculating about what really happens inside the teams.

Yea, true, but you can't honestly say the Red Bull is slower than the McLaren and Vettel had to drag every bit of performance out of the car, given the record RB have this season, and given the results they've had at Abu Dhabi.

Quote from BlueFlame :

Yea, true, but you can't honestly say the Red Bull is slower than the McLaren and Vettel had to drag every bit of performance out of the car, given the record RB have this season, and given the results they've had at Abu Dhabi.

You mean Vettel's Red Bull.

Assuming that Webber, if not a fantastic driver, still one that knows how to drive a F1 properly, has fallen behind the McLarens lately, the fact Vettel keeps beating everyone else can only be explained by his ability.

Quote from Yuri Laszlo :

You mean Vettel's Red Bull.

Assuming that Webber, if not a fantastic driver, still one that knows how to drive a F1 properly, has fallen behind the McLarens lately, the fact Vettel keeps beating everyone else can only be explained by his ability.

I think in 2010 reached his peak. Now it's his downfall, to say Webber is getting enough out of the Red Bull is false, a car (in the same team) doesn't make that big of a gap, unless a team WANTS it that way of course...

I think Webber is past hes best, last year it was hidden more by Vettels mistakes but really Webber is about 3 years past hes peak imo, the change of tyre manufactuer is highlighting this fact.

Not to say Vettel isn't good, hes probably the best but untill he has someone like hamilton in the same team it will be hard to judge who is faster.

Quote from Mustafur :

I think Webber is past hes best, last year it was hidden more by Vettels mistakes but really Webber is about 3 years past hes peak imo, the change of tyre manufactuer is highlighting this fact.

Not to say Vettel isn't good, hes probably the best but untill he has someone like hamilton in the same team it will be hard to judge who is faster.

Agreed. In a big way, it's foolish to compare Vettel to Webber interms of who gets more out of the car, Mark just isn't up to it but it hurts everyone to admit it because Webber is collectively everyones favourite driver.

Quote from BlueFlame :

...a car (in the same team) doesn't make that big of a gap, unless a team WANTS it that way of course...

Are you suggesting that RBR is allowing Webber's car to be off pace?

Quote from BlueFlame :

Yea, true, but you can't honestly say the Red Bull is slower than the McLaren and Vettel had to drag every bit of performance out of the car, given the record RB have this season, and given the results they've had at Abu Dhabi.

Actually you can.

Of the top four, Vettel and Button made improvements from Q2 to Q3, while Hamilton and Webber went slower. If Hamilton and Webber made the same proportional improvements that their respective teammates did, P1 would easily go to Hamilton, with Vettel in P2, Button in P3, and Webber would still be in P4. Even if Hamilton's Q3 time was on par with his Q2, he would still be on pole, followed by Vettel, Button, and Webber respectively.

So the numbers suggest the McLarens are faster (at least in qualifying trim) than the Red Bulls.

Quote from samjh :

Are you suggesting that RBR is allowing Webber's car to be off pace?

No, I was just throwing a spanner shaped, tin foil hat around.

Quote from BlueFlame :

No, I was just throwing a spanner shaped, tin foil hat around.

I was hoping that. It's hard to tell on the Internet!

Hamilton has warned Vettel that he won't be backing off in T1. Hopefully they'll have a race-long duel rather than a pile-up.

Quote from samjh :

I was hoping that. It's hard to tell on the Internet!

Hamilton has warned Vettel that he won't be backing off in T1. Hopefully they'll have a race-long duel rather than a pile-up.

I hope Vettel has a retirement, just cos... wahh it ain't fair 100% finish record and 100% finishes in the points... WAAAH

Quote from samjh :

I was hoping that. It's hard to tell on the Internet!

Hamilton has warned Vettel that he won't be backing off in T1. Hopefully they'll have a race-long duel rather than a pile-up.

Obviously a reference to Suzuka. I kind of hope the exact same thing happens and they both end up in the wall, actually. Just to see who they blame.

Quote from sinbad :

Obviously a reference to Suzuka. I kind of hope the exact same thing happens and they both end up in the wall, actually. Just to see who they blame.

You're not the only one!

Quote from samjh :

Hamilton has warned Vettel that he won't be backing off in T1.

And I bet Vettel shitted his pants... Cool, so we can expect crash in T1.

YESS, Something bad happening to vettel!!!!!!!

Conspiracy against Vettel I say, conspiracy!!

I don't usually talk in these threads, but YEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! Vettel's luck finally runs out.