2015 Malaysian Grand Prix thread

Warren Hughes · Post by **Warren Hughes** » 28 Mar 2015, 10:31

Glad they delayed the start of the session because of the weather only for everybody to go out on inters... :roll:

Post by **mario** » 28 Mar 2015, 10:54

Miguel98 wrote:0.074. 0.074.

God damn it. Oh so close Vettel was. Hopefully he grabs the lead into turn 1 tomorrow.

I imagine that Rosberg will be getting a stern talking to from the team later today about his second flying lap - not only did he put in poor sector times that cost him a front row start, the disruption he caused to Hamilton's second flying lap almost cost him and the team pole position as well (the sector times suggest that Hamilton was improving on his previous best lap until he caught Rosberg).

As for Vettel snatching the lead tomorrow, well, it's not impossible - the track info makes it pretty clear that Ferrari seem to have gone for a lower downforce package that prioritises the first and last sectors at the expense of the middle sector. Vettel might fancy having a go at Hamilton off the line if he has a good start, although Hamilton has been making some very good starts in recent races.

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 28 Mar 2015, 11:14

Merhi was not below the 107% time in any session. However, here's hoping that the stewards will let Will Stevens start the race from the pitlane because he, indeed, was inside of the 107% in practise. Manor needs to get some mileage.

pi314159 · Post by **pi314159** » 28 Mar 2015, 11:59

Yannick wrote:Merhi was not below the 107% time in any session. However, here's hoping that the stewards will let Will Stevens start the race from the pitlane because he, indeed, was inside of the 107% in practise. Manor needs to get some mileage.

Merhi very narrowly made it within 107% in FP3. He was only 0.02 seconds faster than the 107% time, but I hope it is enough. Will Stevens was clearly within 107% when he was able to run, so it would be weird if he wasn't allowed to start.

gnrpoison · Post by **gnrpoison** » 28 Mar 2015, 11:59

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2015/03/28/manor-allowed-to-start-race-but-grosjean-penalised/ That is all

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 28 Mar 2015, 12:09

gnrpoison wrote:http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2015/03/28/manor-allowed-to-start-race-but-grosjean-penalised/ That is all

Jan Magnussen · Post by **Rob Dylan** » 28 Mar 2015, 22:26

I'm all supportive of Manor making it and all, but I'd prefer if they'd made it on their own terms. Rules are rules, and if the FIA aren't going to enforce it, what's the point of having a 107% rule?

I'd much prefer it if they were allowed to race having qualified within the 107%, as it would feel like a genuine achievement. This is just a sympathy vote.

Spectoremg · Post by **Spectoremg** » 28 Mar 2015, 22:43

Rob Dylan wrote:I'm all supportive of Manor making it and all, but I'd prefer if they'd made it on their own terms. Rules are rules, and if the FIA aren't going to enforce it, what's the point of having a 107% rule?

I'd much prefer it if they were allowed to race having qualified within the 107%, as it would feel like a genuine achievement. This is just a sympathy vote.

This is a very valid point. If there were 26 cars trying to qualify Manor would be excluded. It seems to me they're being allowed in to pad out the field. Time to stop going all dewey-eyed about the underdogs and ask ourselves what's Grand Prix racing and what isn't?

Valrys · Post by **Valrys** » 28 Mar 2015, 23:12

Spectoremg wrote:
Rob Dylan wrote: Time to stop going all dewey-eyed about the underdogs and ask ourselves what's Grand Prix racing and what isn't?

So basically the only way a team can ever come into the sport/be rescued from failure is if they're a manufacturer or backed by a very very large business? I don't think the sport would survive. Making sure Manor, and any other existing small teams at least get a chance to race (and get some airtime) as long as they're in 107% (which of course, they did both get in practice) means they have a better chance of securing sponsorship, and potentially being bought out by someone with enough money to make them a frontrunning outfit and thus eventually making the field more competitive.

You don't give them that opportunity, and you're soon faced with 12 car grids or manufacturers running 4 cars each. Anyone who thinks Manor isn't fit to be part of Grand Prix Racing as they are right now is clearly wearing very severely rose-tinted spectacles to look at both the sport, and the past.

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 29 Mar 2015, 00:49

Rob Dylan wrote:I'm all supportive of Manor making it and all, but I'd prefer if they'd made it on their own terms. Rules are rules, and if the FIA aren't going to enforce it, what's the point of having a 107% rule?

Okay, I am going to say this a bit louder, just so we do never have to see another question like this again.

THERE
IS
NONE.

The 107% rule was brought back to appease Ferrari because they had run into smaller teams a time or two and lost time.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 29 Mar 2015, 00:54

Spectoremg wrote:
Rob Dylan wrote:I'm all supportive of Manor making it and all, but I'd prefer if they'd made it on their own terms. Rules are rules, and if the FIA aren't going to enforce it, what's the point of having a 107% rule?

I'd much prefer it if they were allowed to race having qualified within the 107%, as it would feel like a genuine achievement. This is just a sympathy vote.

This is a very valid point. If there were 26 cars trying to qualify Manor would be excluded. It seems to me they're being allowed in to pad out the field. Time to stop going all dewey-eyed about the underdogs and ask ourselves what's Grand Prix racing and what isn't?

Manor did run within 107% in practice, so I think that's a valid enough reason to let them in. If a team can at least prove they are capable of running within the 107% time at any point during the weekend then by all means let them race. I don't see any harm in doing so.

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 29 Mar 2015, 03:29

Warren Hughes wrote:Glad they delayed the start of the session because of the weather only for everybody to go out on inters...

I'm start to thinking they learned the wrong lesson from bianchi's crash.

I fear if rains in the race, the red flag will show up.

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 29 Mar 2015, 07:10

Why is the luck so unbalanced between the drivers at Ferrari?! Safety Car!!!

Warren Hughes · Post by **Warren Hughes** » 29 Mar 2015, 07:11

Ericsson makes a strong early move for ROTR

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 29 Mar 2015, 07:34

At the moment, Hamilton isn't catching Vettel as quickly as I'd have expected. Let's hope it stays interesting!

Warren Hughes · Post by **Warren Hughes** » 29 Mar 2015, 07:50

Mercedes should have split their strategies; they seem to have totally messed this up putting both on the primes behind the early safety car.

If you'd told me 2 years ago that I'd be cheering Vettel to victory in a Ferrari...

Post by **Miguel98** » 29 Mar 2015, 08:48

Vettel! What a race by him. Will he fight for the title? It's hard, but not impossible. The Ferrari is really good on those tyres.

Laughing at Mercedes, and at Hamilton. What a bunch of morons.

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 29 Mar 2015, 08:48

I did not expect that! Well done Vettel!

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 29 Mar 2015, 09:02

Did Eddie Jordan refer to Ferrari as Scuderia Italia as he got out onto the podium?! :shock:

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 29 Mar 2015, 09:09

that combination of national anthems again....

sw3ishida · Post by **sw3ishida** » 29 Mar 2015, 09:15

dr-baker wrote:Did Eddie Jordan refer to Ferrari as Scuderia Italia as he got out onto the podium?!

I heard that too! So it's not just that I haven't escaped the 90s!

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 29 Mar 2015, 09:29

sw3ishida wrote:
dr-baker wrote:Did Eddie Jordan refer to Ferrari as Scuderia Italia as he got out onto the podium?!

I heard that too! So it's not just that I haven't escaped the 90s!

That's a moment I won't be forgetting soon :lol:

900th post!

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 29 Mar 2015, 09:32

Of course, there is a driver link between the two teams - Luca Badoer! But I doubt there is a driver who has driven for both Italian teams AND Jordan?

Valrys · Post by **Valrys** » 29 Mar 2015, 10:35

dr-baker wrote:Of course, there is a driver link between the two teams - Luca Badoer! But I doubt there is a driver who has driven for both Italian teams AND Jordan?

Can't find any, but there are a couple who get two out of three, surprisingly enough

James1978 · Post by **James1978** » 29 Mar 2015, 10:40

Oh GOD. Did NOT want to hear THAT celebration radio message this early in the season. It was refreshingly absent from last year!!

Jan Magnussen · Post by **Rob Dylan** » 29 Mar 2015, 11:22

James1978 wrote:Oh GOD. Did NOT want to hear THAT celebration radio message this early in the season. It was refreshingly absent from last year!!

Same, I don't particularly enjoy having to turn down the volume because of Vettel's loud celebration nonsense noises, but c'est la vie.

Warren Hughes · Post by **Warren Hughes** » 29 Mar 2015, 13:37

I alluded to it before, but Mercedes basically hoyed that race away at the safety car. I'd say they were beaten on strategy and not on pace - if either one of them had stayed out behind the safety car and done a 2 stop I think they'd have beaten Vettel.

Even so, isn't if refreshing to see somebody close enough to take advantage when Mercedes cock it up? I don't particularly like Vettel or Hamilton, but I'd rather see them fighting each other than one of them running away with it.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 29 Mar 2015, 13:49

As the lone Vetted fan on these boards, I'm obviously quite happy. Especially since RBR was mixing it up with the Mclarens :shock:

AND Only One Manor started.

Mad props to Versappen though. Youngest ever to score a point. Can we stop the "Is he ready?" crap now?

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 29 Mar 2015, 14:13

Wallio wrote:As the lone Vetted fan on these boards

Clearly you've never met Klon.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 29 Mar 2015, 14:28

Salamander wrote:
Wallio wrote:As the lone Vetted fan on these boards

Clearly you've never met Klon.

I could never figure out if Klon was being serious or if she was just screwing around...

FMecha · Post by **FMecha** » 29 Mar 2015, 14:54

Wallio wrote:As the lone Vetted fan on these boards, I'm obviously quite happy. Especially since RBR was mixing it up with the Mclarens AND Only One Manor started.

Read my signature.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 29 Mar 2015, 15:00

Salamander wrote:
Wallio wrote:As the lone Vetted fan on these boards

Clearly you've never met Klon.

Or Freezy, even if he isn't a regular on this forum these days.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 29 Mar 2015, 15:05

FullMetalJack wrote:
Salamander wrote:
Wallio wrote:As the lone Vetted fan on these boards

Clearly you've never met Klon.

Or Freezy, even if he isn't a regular on this forum these days.

I also find him to be a decent chap. Decent driver too (OK, he's a few steps above decent). Now that he's driving for my favourite front-running team I can only like him more, so count me in as well.

Spectoremg · Post by **Spectoremg** » 29 Mar 2015, 15:59

Valrys wrote:
Spectoremg wrote:
Rob Dylan wrote: Time to stop going all dewey-eyed about the underdogs and ask ourselves what's Grand Prix racing and what isn't?

So basically the only way a team can ever come into the sport/be rescued from failure is if they're a manufacturer or backed by a very very large business? I don't think the sport would survive. Making sure Manor, and any other existing small teams at least get a chance to race (and get some airtime) as long as they're in 107% (which of course, they did both get in practice) means they have a better chance of securing sponsorship, and potentially being bought out by someone with enough money to make them a frontrunning outfit and thus eventually making the field more competitive.

You don't give them that opportunity, and you're soon faced with 12 car grids or manufacturers running 4 cars each. Anyone who thinks Manor isn't fit to be part of Grand Prix Racing as they are right now is clearly wearing very severely rose-tinted spectacles to look at both the sport, and the past.

I started watching this lot properly in the old pre-qualifying days, I guess I'm just greedy for a 26 car grid. I look forward to seeing Gibraltar and Lichtenstein in the next World Cup Finals.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 29 Mar 2015, 16:32

Spectoremg wrote:Time to stop going all dewey-eyed about the underdogs and ask ourselves what's Grand Prix racing and what isn't?

If this is your view, I'm not sure this is the right forum for you...

Bleu · Post by **Bleu** » 29 Mar 2015, 16:50

Regarding Manors getting in despite failing to get into 107%. I'm OK with that but I wouldn't mind if there was a rule that every car's third failure he would not be allowed into race no matter what.

watka · Post by **watka** » 29 Mar 2015, 17:05

Well done Vettel. He might have his haters but you can't deny he's done a good job since moving to Ferrari. A lot have commentators have said he has brought an air of calm to the team; that's good news as it seems like the Vettel of old is back, not the guy who was stifled in the toxic atmosphere of Red Bull Racing.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 29 Mar 2015, 19:48

watka wrote: A lot have commentators have said he has brought an air of calm to the team; that's good news as it seems like the Vettel of old is back, not the guy who was stifled in the toxic atmosphere of Red Bull Racing.

Hang on, didn't he bring about most of that toxification himself? Either way, he and the team did a stunning job and I hope it continues. I'm really disappointed about Ericsson, though, he was doing so well once again.

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 29 Mar 2015, 21:30

FullMetalJack wrote:
Salamander wrote:
Wallio wrote:As the lone Vetted fan on these boards

Clearly you've never met Klon.

Or Freezy, even if he isn't a regular on this forum these days.

Too many commitments have meant my time here is a bit more limited but I try to be around when I can

It looks like F1 just got more interesting after the Australia horror show. My favourite part of of the Race has to be when Seb lapped both the Red Bulls late on. I'm sure that must have been a Sweet feeling. On the other hand the same moment must have been a punch in the gut for Ricky considering he was passing Seb for position many times last year. I did fear Red Bull would go backwards due to Newey's decreasing influence in design and the unpowered Renault engine but I never thought it'd get to the extent where the Toro Rosso's would be outperforming them aka the 2nd half of 2008. So much for the Hamilton vs Ricciardo fight some predicted before Australia because that is certainly not gonna happen.

The other man who'll be feeling like he's taken a hit to the stomach is of course Fernando Alonso given that he's gone from a clear top 2 Ferrari at this stage to the 2nd/3rd worst car in the McLaren. The Woking squad will certainly have more positives to take from Malaysia in that they mixed it with other cars before both dropped out. Give Honda some more time and I believe it'll be challenging the Red Bull come seasons end believe me

The other team in the bottom 3 cars for me is the Force India. I was watching the race in full after work and I lost count of the number of times a Force India was passed. It got to the point where I thought "Have the Force Indias actually passed another car at all?" Hulk and Checo were powerless to do anything and to prove the point of the cars who finished the Force Indias were only ahead of Mehri's Manor. It looks like they regressed back to the days when it was common to see Force India near the bottom of the timesheets

Spectoremg · Post by **Spectoremg** » 29 Mar 2015, 21:37

Salamander wrote:
Spectoremg wrote:Time to stop going all dewey-eyed about the underdogs and ask ourselves what's Grand Prix racing and what isn't?

If this is your view, I'm not sure this is the right forum for you...

No this is the perfect forum for me as I particularly enjoy being talked down to.