2012 Italian Grand Prix Discussion Thread

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 08 Sep 2012, 12:22

We at least got to see Pic and De La Rosa... who finished behind Karthikeyan. Wow.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 08 Sep 2012, 12:23

GwilymJJames wrote:Hulkenberg has had a problem, out of Q1, 14 minutes of irrelevance follows.

He's at least got the extra tyres, and its a circuit where you can overtake. He may score points yet.

Post by **mario** » 08 Sep 2012, 12:29

redbulljack14 wrote:
GwilymJJames wrote:Hulkenberg has had a problem, out of Q1, 14 minutes of irrelevance follows.

He's at least got the extra tyres, and its a circuit where you can overtake. He may score points yet.

It looks like it might have been a gearbox failure for him too (Di Resta has had to change his gearbox midway through this weekend and will therefore have to take a grid penalty), which is pretty unfortunate for Force India. On the upside, both drivers have looked quite competitive this weekend (both potential top 10 finishers) and have good straight line speed - and, ironically, it may be better for Hulkenberg to start towards the rear of the field rather than potentially being caught up in an accident in the first corner.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 08 Sep 2012, 12:37

mario wrote:
redbulljack14 wrote:
GwilymJJames wrote:Hulkenberg has had a problem, out of Q1, 14 minutes of irrelevance follows.

He's at least got the extra tyres, and its a circuit where you can overtake. He may score points yet.

It looks like it might have been a gearbox failure for him too (Di Resta has had to change his gearbox midway through this weekend and will therefore have to take a grid penalty), which is pretty unfortunate for Force India. On the upside, both drivers have looked quite competitive this weekend (both potential top 10 finishers) and have good straight line speed - and, ironically, it may be better for Hulkenberg to start towards the rear of the field rather than potentially being caught up in an accident in the first corner.

Plus Hulk can change his gearbox with no additional consequences.

QuickYoda41 · Post by **QuickYoda41** » 08 Sep 2012, 12:44

Maldonado 12th :arrow:

22nd, just the perfect position to do a Liuzzi from. :roll:

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 08 Sep 2012, 12:44

14 drivers within one second in Q2... di Resta finished 3rd, hopefully he can do a top 5 so he'll stay in the top 10. Webber out again in Q2.

GwilymJJames · Post by **GwilymJJames** » 08 Sep 2012, 12:46

mario wrote:it may be better for Hulkenberg to start towards the rear of the field rather than potentially being caught up in an accident in the first corner.

He's starting one behind Maldonado.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 08 Sep 2012, 12:48

GwilymJJames wrote:
mario wrote:it may be better for Hulkenberg to start towards the rear of the field rather than potentially being caught up in an accident in the first corner.

He's starting one behind Maldonado.

I'd rather be behind Maldonado than in front of him any day :lol:

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:01

And what IS Alonso doing!?

QuickYoda41 · Post by **QuickYoda41** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:02

Alonso FAIL

GwilymJJames · Post by **GwilymJJames** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:02

Massa out qualifies Alonso!

e; First since 2011 Korea.

Minardi Man · Post by **Minardi Man** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:03

Felipe, baby!

QuickYoda41 · Post by **QuickYoda41** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:04

What a qualifying session for the usual DBTMOTR/Q-contenders, Massa and Karthikeyan both beat their respective teammates for the first time this year.

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:05

Bizarre result for Ferrari, really - still, given what's happened previously so far this season, you possibly still can't count him out from there.

Has to be McLaren's to lose now, though, surely?

WaffleCat · Post by **WaffleCat** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:06

Di Resta looks solid this weekend.

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:08

Paul Hayes wrote:Bizarre result for Ferrari, really - still, given what's happened previously so far this season, you possibly still can't count him out from there.

Has to be McLaren's to lose now, though, surely?

I'm geting this awful feeling that Vettel is getting back into the title race

QuickYoda41 · Post by **QuickYoda41** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:08

I'm sorry but when was Vettel out of the title race?

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:09

QuickYoda41 wrote:I'm sorry but when was Vettel out of the title race?

True, what I meant to say is that he is closing more and more

SchumiTheMeister · Post by **SchumiTheMeister** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:13

What happened to Alonso? :lol:

Great to see a McLaren 1-2, and Massa and Schumacher 3rd and 4th after Di Resta's penalty (i think)
And Red Bull look poor :lol:

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:14

A Hamilton and Massa front row would have been epic. Ah well, shite may still go down going into turn 1.

QuickYoda41 · Post by **QuickYoda41** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:21

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC7-Qdcj7wQ

Something like this to happen tomorrow?

Post by **mario** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:39

Wizzie wrote:
GwilymJJames wrote:
mario wrote:it may be better for Hulkenberg to start towards the rear of the field rather than potentially being caught up in an accident in the first corner.

He's starting one behind Maldonado.

I'd rather be behind Maldonado than in front of him any day

At least you might have a chance of seeing who he is crashing into rather than being the person he crashes into...

Anyway, congratulations should go to Massa there for a very strong qualifying session - and SchumiTheMeister, according to Domenicali Alonso had a problem with his rear anti-roll bar in Q3, causing a handling problem. I still wouldn't exactly rule Alonso out in the race given Ferrari do still seem to have decent straight line speed and Alonso's long runs on Friday were pretty competitive - a win is now probably out of the question, but he'll probably pick up a reasonable number of points if he can make it through the first corner unscathed.
That question of getting out unscathed, though, is a big question given that there are often clashes amongst those running in the lower half of the top 10 at the start - another first corner clash that puts him out or down the running order, and that'll definitely tighten things up again in the WDC.

pasta_maldonado wrote:
Paul Hayes wrote:Bizarre result for Ferrari, really - still, given what's happened previously so far this season, you possibly still can't count him out from there.

Has to be McLaren's to lose now, though, surely?

I'm geting this awful feeling that Vettel is getting back into the title race

Vettel does seem to be a slight anomaly this weekend owing to their relatively poor single lap pace and straight line speed (and this has traditionally been a relatively weak track for Red Bull). 6th, which will become 5th with Di Resta's penalty, is a little higher than I'd have thought he could have done in qualifying, but he is surrounded by a number of cars that appear to have a straight line speed advantage over him (Schumacher seems to have a 10kph advantage down the straights).
With that straight line speed disadvantage, it is possible that Vettel may struggle to make up much ground in the race if he hits the limiter too early down the straights (something Webber had a problem with at Spa last weekend). We have seen that Mercedes are much more competitive this weekend (especially since this is the circuit where tyre wear is relatively low), and Di Resta is looking fairly competitive too, so a top six finish for Vettel would probably be considered to be a fairly respectable result.

Pedestrian · Post by **Pedestrian** » 08 Sep 2012, 13:44

This qualy session promises a very interesting race tomorrow, especially with regard to the championship battle.
BTW, there are rumors on other sites that Alonso might have suffered a mechanical failure at the end of qualy.

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:06

The big question will be whether He Who May Or May Not Be Made Of Custard can or cannot unrejectify himself in the upcoming event.

Apart from that, it's all business as usual.

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:10

Yannick wrote:The big question will be whether He Who May Or May Not Be Made Of Custard can or cannot unrejectify himself in the upcoming event.

Apart from that, it's all business as usual.

Considering that he was having trouble beating the Toro Rossos, I have my doubts.

solarcold · Post by **solarcold** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:14

Anyone - is it Kartikeyan finally being consistent or De La Rosa being slow? I can see Narain greatly progressing throughout previous races honestly.

WaffleCat · Post by **WaffleCat** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:15

JeremyMcClean wrote:
Yannick wrote:The big question will be whether He Who May Or May Not Be Made Of Custard can or cannot unrejectify himself in the upcoming event.

Apart from that, it's all business as usual.

Considering that he was having trouble beating the Toro Rossos, I have my doubts.

Who knows? If Maldonado pulls a Liuzzi,survives the impact and goes on his usual crashing spree,combined with clever strategy,he may pull it off.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:28

Epic commentary from the Speed team today.

David Hobbs: "Look at that rear wing, when its open. Frankly they might as well just take it off!"

Steve Matchett: "In a normal transmission when you select two gears at once, it locks up and nothing happens. Well, it explodes actually, but otherwise......"

I know its only Q1 but great lap by alonso in front of the tifosi! Only to strangely fade in Q3? Speed boys kept saying he was on a flyer, then the time came in and they were like wtf?

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:30

Wallio wrote:Epic commentary from the Speed team today.

David Hobbs: "Look at that rear wing, when its open. Frankly they might as well just take it off!"

Steve Matchett: "In a normal transmission when you select two gears at once, it locks up and nothing happens. Well, it explodes actually, but otherwise......"

I know its only Q1 but great lap by alonso in front of the tifosi! Only to strangely fade in Q3? Speed boys kept saying he was on a flyer, then the time came in and they were like wtf?

Hmm, I'd watch the Speed broadcast but TSN has live broadcasting rights in Canada and Speed blacks out their live broadcast in Canada...

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:33

Sky said Alonso had a rear anti roll bar fail, or something like that.

Eryx · Post by **Eryx** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:52

Congratz to Felipe he did well today

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 08 Sep 2012, 15:23

Shadaza wrote:Sky said Alonso had a rear anti roll bar fail, or something like that.

Ah, thanks mate. That makes sense.

Ubik · Post by **Ubik** » 08 Sep 2012, 18:14

Whoever it was at Ferrari that figured it would be a good idea to have the championship leader waste qualifying time bathplugging around towing his team mate needs a good kicking.

AdrianSutil · Post by **AdrianSutil** » 08 Sep 2012, 20:57

Taki Inoue twitter:
@takiinoue: From the spectators point of view, I miss Grojean big time. So only Maldonado can be expected something at start!

Seems Mercedes powered cars are going to be very quick tomorrow. Alonso and Webber have it all to do. Plus watching Maldonado steam up the field at the start to make up for his penalty should be worth a laugh...

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 08 Sep 2012, 21:26

Ubik wrote:Whoever it was at Ferrari that figured it would be a good idea to have the championship leader waste qualifying time bathplugging around towing his team mate needs a good kicking.

It was a solid strategy. You can't blame the strategists for a mechanical failure - who plans for that?

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 08 Sep 2012, 21:48

Maybe Alonso's playing tactics, being far enough back to avoid Massa taking out Hamilton, and far enough forward to avoid someone from the back (probably Karthikeyan) 'doing a Liuzzi'. Or maybe his car was knackered, which is more likely.

Looks like D'Ambrosio's only chance of major points is for mega carnage at the first corner (again)

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 08 Sep 2012, 21:58

Barbazza wrote:Maybe Alonso's playing tactics, being far enough back to avoid Massa taking out Hamilton, and far enough forward to avoid someone from the back (probably Karthikeyan) 'doing a Liuzzi'. Or maybe his car was knackered, which is more likely.

Looks like D'Ambrosio's only chance of major points is for mega carnage at the first corner (again)

I can see Alonso winning this race, despite McLaren and Raikkonen look fast. If Massa can get into the lead, perhaps Ferrari would use him to hold up Hamilton, Button, and Raikkonen - but Massa's qulai performance may be a fluke.

AdrianSutil · Post by **AdrianSutil** » 08 Sep 2012, 22:31

pasta_maldonado wrote:
Barbazza wrote:Maybe Alonso's playing tactics, being far enough back to avoid Massa taking out Hamilton, and far enough forward to avoid someone from the back (probably Karthikeyan) 'doing a Liuzzi'. Or maybe his car was knackered, which is more likely.

Looks like D'Ambrosio's only chance of major points is for mega carnage at the first corner (again)

I can see Alonso winning this race, despite McLaren and Raikkonen look fast. If Massa can get into the lead, perhaps Ferrari would use him to hold up Hamilton, Button, and Raikkonen - but Massa's qulai performance may be a fluke.

If Massa tried that, it wouldnt work. There's about 4 to 5 decent places to pass at Monza. Maybe during the stops if they run Massa longer, he may help Alonso for a lap or two.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 08 Sep 2012, 22:36

Barbazza wrote:Maybe Alonso's playing tactics, being far enough back to avoid Massa taking out Hamilton, and far enough forward to avoid someone from the back (probably Karthikeyan) 'doing a Liuzzi'. Or maybe his car was knackered, which is more likely.

Looks like D'Ambrosio's only chance of major points is for mega carnage at the first corner (again)

Maldonado hasn't been suspended, and he's starting near the back.

Also, Hamilton and Massa are very close.

Put them both together, and you have chaos.

tristan1117 · Post by **tristan1117** » 09 Sep 2012, 02:40

I'm excited to see what Force India does tomorrow. It's a shame that Hulkenberg got knocked out in Q1 because he would have easily made Q3. Di Resta was excellent on his qualifying run but that five-spot penalty sill hurt him considerably. I'm hoping that Force India somehow gets another good result tomorrow.