Infinite Improbability Drive of the Race - 2013 China

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:41

based on the assumption that, at any moment in time, there is a non-zero probability that even the slowest, most inexperienced and least reliable of underdogs might win the race. That under every rock, there might be a gold nugget. This is the award for that first podium that we all celebrate, for the overtake no-one was expecting, for Charles Pic's first win. This is the award, in short, for the driver or team that makes you go "Woah! Where did THAT come from?!".

Just remember: this is a feel-good award, that will focus on nothing but track action.
Usual rules: everyone gets two votes. First vote is worth 10 points, the second 6.

Post your results until 19th, I'll do the results then.

Gerudo Dragon · Post by **Gerudo Dragon** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:42

Ricciardo.

Post by **tommykl** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:47

1. Nico Hülkenberg
2. Daniel Ricciardo

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:49

1. Ricciardo
I had a feeling that he will drop the ball hard like last year... but he didn't! Surprisingly good result.

2. Hülkenberg
At least he shows good leadership at Sauber... while his team-mate binned it into Sutil.

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:50

1.Daniel Ricciardo - Stunning driving all weekend, turned the tables on Vergne after two races of nothing.
2.Nico Hulkenberg - For passing Button, Ricciardo and Vettel in one lap! And for a lack of better others.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:51

1. Daniel Ricciardo - Don't let the smile fool you, this kid really wants a Red Bull drive next year. Several more drives like today and he'll probably get the gig too
2. Jenson Button - Managed to get that crapbox of a McLaren working for him to score a top 5 result on the two-stopper.

pi314159 · Post by **pi314159** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:56

1. Ricciardo
2. Button

the Masked Lapwing · Post by **the Masked Lapwing** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:59

1. Ricciardo
2. Hulkenberg

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:59

1. RICCIARDO
Even when his front wing got knocked off, he fought back and took a commanding 7th place. A great weekend for him, trounced his team-mate Vergne.

2. BUTTON
Dragged the McLaren kicking and screaming into the Top 5 against the faster Ferrari car of Massa.

WaffleCat · Post by **WaffleCat** » 14 Apr 2013, 08:59

1. Daniel Ricciardo--I don't think anyone expected him to be even near a points finish,let alone seventh.
2.Paul Di Resta--Now that was an Infinite Improbability Drive.

Post by **Ataxia** » 14 Apr 2013, 09:16

1) Daniel Ricciardo - Had a great weekend.
2) Jenson Button - Not many expected him to grab such a strong result as McLaren sort their teething problems.

HM: Hulkenberg (raced very strongly, but I don't know what happened to him in the end. Probably not a fair reward for such a good race.)

Meatwad · Post by **Meatwad** » 14 Apr 2013, 09:19

1. Daniel Ricciardo: Qualifying and finishing seventh in a Toro Rosso is impressive, especially considering that the team last had a top 6 finish in 2008 (with Vettel).
2. Paul di Resta: Not bad for a glass of milk. Too bad he had to pit at the end of the race.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 14 Apr 2013, 09:23

1. Daniel Ricciardo - didn't he have some front wing damage at some point in that race? Brilliant drive, he's done his career a world of good today.
2. Jenson Button - demonstrated why he is the master of all tyres. Was on the best strategy (IMO) and made it work wonders.

Boomstick · Post by **Boomstick** » 14 Apr 2013, 09:43

1) Daniel Ricciardo
2) Jenson Button

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 14 Apr 2013, 09:47

1) Ricciardo - On form all weekend, great pace from him, Vergne was no where in comparison. Even was fighting with Webber IIRC

2)Button - The Tyre Whisperer strikes again, great performance from Jenson to get that McLaren to 5th. Hopefully that doesn't give the team false hope.

rachel1990 · Post by **rachel1990** » 14 Apr 2013, 09:57

1) Daniel Ricciardo Fantastic drive from him. Could benefit big time from the Vettel/Webber drama
2) Jenson Button He is Flattering a very poor car.

johnnyCarwash · Post by **johnnyCarwash** » 14 Apr 2013, 10:29

1. Ricciardo - I half expected him to do a Bahrain from last year. Good solid race, best finish ever for him.

2. Button - Salvaging a good result from the race, managing a two stop strategy, finishing best of the rest!

honourable mentions - Hulkenberg (did well, shame on tyre strategy by Sauber) and Alonso for a supreme performance.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 14 Apr 2013, 10:32

johnnyCarwash wrote:Alonso for a supreme performance.

Is that really surprising, though? I mean, we all know Alonso is the best (or second best, depending on who you ask) driver on the grid.

johnnyCarwash · Post by **johnnyCarwash** » 14 Apr 2013, 10:40

BlindCaveSalamander wrote:
johnnyCarwash wrote:Alonso for a supreme performance.

Is that really surprising, though? I mean, we all know Alonso is the best (or second best, depending on who you ask) driver on the grid.

not really surprising, it deserved a mention though

considering China isn't considered one of his stronger tracks

SeedStriker · Post by **SeedStriker** » 14 Apr 2013, 12:27

1.-Jenson Button: Making the Mp4/28 looks way better than it is. Massive stint for the care master.
2.-Daniel Ricciardo: Just in case Red Bull jettison Webber, he pulls a hard drive like this.

Honorable mentions to Nico Hulkenberg (with better luck, The Hulk can win this year) and Seb Vettel's side of the Red Bull Garage (the only team that used the soft tire the right way)

The Clash of the Titans Award goes to Kimi Raikkonen for beating Lewis Hamilton on sheer speed

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 14 Apr 2013, 13:30

My picks:

1. Ricciardo. Very nice drive to finish in the top ten.

2. Button. Considering the MP4-28 is a piece of crap, that was absolutely brilliant.

My honorable mentions:

1. "The Incredible Hulk." Nico was able to pull slightly away from Seb at one point, and had a fairly good race.

2. Bianchi. His drive I don't think deserves IIDOTR, but he finished ahead of all the other backmarkers.

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 14 Apr 2013, 13:33

1 - Ricciardo
2 - Button

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 14 Apr 2013, 15:46

Ricciardo: genuinely surprising. It's taken him almost two seasons, but this might have been that watershed performance that the British press has been anticipating for years. Let's see if he gets his head and luck in order from now on.

I honestly don't have a second vote. I want to give it to Hulkenberg, but he fell to 10th in the end, or to di Resta, just to hear other fans squeal. But no go; they finished in their places.

Bleu · Post by **Bleu** » 14 Apr 2013, 16:37

1. Ricciardo
2. Button

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 14 Apr 2013, 16:58

1. Ricciardo
2. Button
Bianchi is my honorable mention, but he needs to be ahead of at least one Williams car now to convince me into putting him in my top two.

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 14 Apr 2013, 17:21

1) Ricciardo

2) Bottas - What the hell! Beat Maldonado and got the 3rd fastest lap. OK, it was presumably right at the end on a soft tyre short stint, but Williams need all the straws that they can clutch at.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 14 Apr 2013, 18:23

Ricciardo - If he does that on a regular basis, then that Red Bull drive could well be his
Button - I know he's great, but that McLaren is a bag of shite, so he done extremely well to finish as high as he did

HM to Hulkenberg

EDIT: Extra honourable mention to the backmarker teams, their lead drivers were only just lapped at the very end of the race, definitely some progress made by both Caterham and Marussia.

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 14 Apr 2013, 19:06

1. Ricciardo. He was seventh in a Toro freakin' Rosso.
2. Button. He was fifth in a McFreakin'Laren.

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 14 Apr 2013, 19:13

At the risk of sounding like a parrot, it's Daniel Ricciardo - I was expecting him to sink faster than the Titanic, but he stuck around in the points and finished there. Where did that come from? More like this if you will.

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 14 Apr 2013, 20:08

1. Riccardo: Had a great run all race long.

2. Hulkenburg: Held off well against Vettel, for several laps, and even lead at one point.

Honorable Mention - Jenson Button: Made those tires last way beyond than I could have ever imagined!

Divina_Galica · Post by **Divina_Galica** » 14 Apr 2013, 20:21

Going with the concensus -

Ricciardo
then
Button

DG

Hound55 · Post by **Hound55** » 14 Apr 2013, 20:53

1. Button - Hauling that miserably slow McLaren into 5th. Good job.
2. Ricciardo - He started and finished well. Remember last time he made it to Q3 and had any impact on the race? I sure don't.

Honorable mentions to the Hulk for a superb drive until he dropped back at the end and to di Resta for a pretty solid effort.

DidNotQualify · Post by **DidNotQualify** » 14 Apr 2013, 20:55

1. Ricciardo - Toro Rosso's best result since 2011. I didn't expect him to hold position to the end of the race, and I don't think many others did either.
2. Button - kept the front-runners honest and beat home the second Ferrari and Lotus.

Honourable mentions to Hulkenberg for his first half of the race and to Vettel for setting a fastest lap 1.2 seconds quicker than anyone else.

tristan1117 · Post by **tristan1117** » 15 Apr 2013, 02:54

Sticking with the masses...
1. Ricciardo
2. Button

wsrgo · Post by **wsrgo** » 15 Apr 2013, 05:17

1. Daniel Ricciardo: A few more performances like this and we could still have an Aussie in RBR.
2. Jules Bianchi: An off-weekend led to him still finishing ahead of the rest.
Honourable mentions:
1. Jenson Button: Making Sergio Perez look like Captain Slow
2. Nico Hulkenberg: Points in a crap car.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 15 Apr 2013, 09:17

I will go with Ricciardo first and Button second. I cannot stop thinking though, given that McLaren is notoriously difficult to set-up, of what Hamilton could be doing with that car... Oh, well, given Perez form, or lack of, we have to acknowledge that Button is making the most of the car.

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 15 Apr 2013, 10:19

1. Daniel Ricciardo. Got into Q3, qualified last of the 'soft' runners but was only beaten by Button and Vettel of the hard runners, finished within 2 seconds of Massa despite having a nosecone change, beat Hulk and GRJN. Good stuff!
2. Jenson Button. Not many other real contenders, hence why Ric will walk this, but Jenson did well on pace (relatively speaking) - had a plan, stuck to it, and it worked.

Benetton · Post by **Benetton** » 15 Apr 2013, 10:22

1. Daniel Ricciardo - He delivered big at just the right time. He is now in contention for the 2014 RBR seat.

2. Nico Hulkenberg - Very solid.

HM. Jules Bianchi

Ed24 · Post by **Ed24** » 15 Apr 2013, 16:58

1. Ricciardo
2. Hulkenberg

QuickYoda41 · Post by **QuickYoda41** » 15 Apr 2013, 17:49

1. Ricciardo
2. Alonso