Redbull had the double wishbone pullrod system with meant it took most of the season to get the double diffuser working right but once they got it bolted onto the car it did not make that much off a difference, now they have had over the winter to perfect it along with the blown exhaust system they are unstoppable on higher downforce tracks, with the 4 week summer break coming up it might help other teams get blown exhaust system to work and with some hope copy the flexible wings.
Correct me if my arithmetic is failing me, but that looks like Yamamoto is only within 109% of the pole time. From next year he wouldn't even be allowed to race. I think slow backmarkers could play a role into tomorrows win.
I don't know if it would be the actual pole or the Q1 time; if Q1, both HRTs would be out, if Q3, Di Grassi would also be out, and would not have a time under 107% from the whole weekend to fall back on.
1. Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 1.20,417
2. Mark Webber RBR-Renault 1.21,132
3. Robert Kubica Renault 1.21,159
4. Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 1.21,212
5. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1.21,278
6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1.21,299
7. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1.21,422
8. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1.21,455
9. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1.21,478
10. Vitali Petrov Renault 1.21,558
11. Nico Hülkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1.21,598
12. Vitantonio Liuzzi F. India-Mercedes 1.21,789
13. Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 1.21,840
14. Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1.21,891
15. Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 1.21,978
16. Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 1.21,982
17. Adrian Sutil F. India-Mercedes 1.22,080
18. Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1.22,222
19. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1.24,050
20. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1.24,120
21. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1.24,199
22. Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1.25,118
23. Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 1.26,391
24. Sakon Yamamoto HRT-Cosworth 1.26,453
Yeah, I agree in general, but Greybull made a good point about track conditions. What if it was raining in Q1 but dry in Q3? Seven or even fourteen cars could be out the race before it started.
Nah, the marshalls would have a look at Free Practice times I guess... Like how it was done at Spa 2001 for instance. 4 cars were out of the 107% due to heavy rain, but they were allowed to race on Sunday.
Was also interested to hear that Adrian describes tyres as the least understood compenent and that the data they are supplied in the form of a tyre model from the supplier is pretty 'simple'.
what i find interesting is how small the gap between the two HRT cars is, if as stated / thought by a lot of people (myself included) yamamoto is only there because of his sponsorship money rather than outright speed it either means that senna isn't that quick a driver either or the HRT is really easy to drive at its (low) limits or yamamoto is better than he's given credit for.