Your Reject of the Race - China!

[Londoner]

Either has to be 'Bunsen Jetton' (another Murrayism) for the pit stop cock-up which cost him the race, or Pastor Maldonado. Absolutely nowhere in the race, and to get beaten by Kovalainen ON MERIT! Wouldn't be surprised to see him regularily finish behind both Team Lotus cars.

[AndreaModa]

Timo Glock - I'm getting the impression he doesn't care any more.

Would you give it your all when you're faced with the prospect of driving THAT crapbox week in, week out?

Then again being beaten by D'Ambrosio isn't the smartest thing you can do.

I'm getting the sneaking suspicion that d'Ambrosio is no di Grassi. I didn't know the guy from anywhere else, but he doesn't seem to put a foot wrong and is quickly catching up to Glock's pace.

I suspect Glock has lost some motivation too. I suppose the real test will be if future upgrades don't bring the performance he might have been expecting, at which point we might even see him walk. It would be a shame for the team, but it wouldn't surprise me. Rarely has he had anything good to say, he constantly seems to be moaning, and despite the brief run further up in the Singapore race, and out-qualifying the Lotus cars last year, he hasn't really done that much either. Granted we all know the car is the major limiting factor here, but nonetheless there are some on this forum and many more elsewhere that rate Timo as one of the better drivers in the field.

Now if this is the case then shouldn't we have seen the benefits of that by now? Clearly the technical and development experience of both Kovalainen and Trulli combined has been a real boon for Lotus who have justly reaped the reward. The same can also be said of HRT this year with Liuzzi on board who has driven for several different teams previously. Glock it has to be said, in my opinion, doesn't have the same level of technical experience due to having only two seasons at Toyota (and even then one wasn't even a full season) and a short spell at Jordan many moons ago.

As Carlos points out, D'Ambrosio isn't a slouch and despite coming from seemingly nowhere, is doing a respectable job in his rookie year at a struggling team. I certainly expect him to do a better job than Di Grassi last year. I also expect that if Timo hasn't already left before the season is out, he will at the end of the year. Rumours of Di Resta going to Mercedes to replace a potentially retiring Schumacher next year may leave a Force India seat open for him, though I admit I had Timo pinned down as Schumacher's replacement prior to Di Resta getting his drive this year.

It all leaves Virgin in a sticky situation though. Even if D'Abmbrosio turns out to be a lesser Kobayashi in terms of unearthed talent, he doesn't have the technical experience to move the team forward properly, which is what they desperately need. So if Timo did walk, who would they replace him with? Yamamoto's contract as third driver for the first three races is now up I believe, so they need to find a reserve driver for the European leg, and ideally it would have to be someone with a bit of experience, but there are few drivers available that fit that bill. A tough season could get that little bit worse if things don't work out at Turkey.

[mario]

Pastor Maldonaldo- Nearly everyone in a car today did something creditable at some point. The only thing I can remember him doing is driving very very slowly.

The Williams no longer this plucky former great struggling by on low funds. It's time to acknowledge they are a badly run terribly financed outfit displaying how to go from champions to losers in a way not seen since Lotus, but still putting this 'Oh Look We're So Ultra-Professional' front on. It isn't fooling anyone. You've been rubbish for ages, this is the worst car and driver combo you've produced for the past 30 years and you're letting all your fans down. You've been overtaken by several teams who have been in the sport for less than a decade from having been in the position of leading constructor. YOU SUCK.

Well, Williams are putting a lot of hope and emphasis on a couple of large upgrade packages coming in the next few races. They're promising new front and rear wings in Turkey, and a new floor in Barcelona after the one tested in the practise sessions in China ended up burning in spots, forcing them to revert to the Malaysian spec floor. They are hoping for a reasonably large performance gain, and on current evidence boy do they need it, because these next two upgrades represent their best chance of recovering some lost ground.

back to the issue of management, though; Williams had already been hinting at potential restructuring earlier this year, and Sam Michael has now come on the record to say that the team are looking at overhauling a large chunk of their work force. He's not afraid to make changes all the way up the management chain - including his own position within the team.

"What I would not be happy with doing would be not changing anything – even myself. Even if everyone said everything is perfect, I know it is not. So, I am not happy with the job that we have done as a group. I would review that anyway – including myself. I don't exclude myself from any of that.

"I, as technical director, have chosen the technical team that works for me – the aero team, the design team, the operations group, the vehicle dynamics, the KERS guys. They are all people that I have chosen to put in those positions, so if it doesn't work then it is my responsibility. That is what we are in the middle of at the moment."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90865

I guess it is something that has been said for a while - Williams needing new blood - and now it seems that the management have taken notice of that. Is it too little, too late though? It's a shame since there are still some gifted engineers at Williams - see the success of their alternative energy and engineering services sub division, which is doing well - but too few and far between, it seems.

[Ben Gilbert]

So if Timo did walk, who would they replace him with? Yamamoto's contract as third driver for the first three races is now up I believe, so they need to find a reserve driver for the European leg, and ideally it would have to be someone with a bit of experience, but there are few drivers available that fit that bill. A tough season could get that little bit worse if things don't work out at Turkey.

That is a difficult question. Who do we know of that has a well-proven development CV, has knowledge of the European circuits, is off-contract and has experience racing for teams entrenched at the back of the grid?

Is a second comeback for Luca Badoer possible?

No. Given that he has fully left his Ferrari berth, and I don't see him wanting to embarass himself for a second time in the eyes of everyone bar members of this forum.

Having said that, the other two former Ferrari testers of Gene and Fisichella could probably be decent seat fillers, with the former already having spent most of his career being that for Williams, but I can't see them willingly go that far down the grid. That only really leaves Christian Klien.

[JohnMLTX]

I know this goes against what many people are saying, but to me, the Jenson Button thing looked intentional. From my perpective, the McLaren mechanics had set up further back than normal, and the Red Bull mechanics further forward. The gap between was pretty small, and IMHO he probably just didn't want to risk it.

[KL-racer]

I think the Reject of the race is the toro rosso pit crew! First off, you can't put on a tire correctly and then Jaime had to retire from the race and he's the only one to not finish?
Honorable mentions: Sergio Perez, for running into Sutil and Jenson button for accidently going into the red bull pits instead of the mclearn pits!

[dinizintheoven]

For what it's worth at this stage, I'm throwing in another nomination for Pastor Maldonado. Sure, it hasn't worked out for Lotus the way they were saying it would in testing, but even they were less noisy than Williams about their chances of moving forward. Here comes a car that's supposed to be revolutionary, and for what? China was cited as another race where Lotus' inability to get heat into the tyres was going to make them look like it was 2010 all over again, and in qualifying it was true, but come race day, there's Heikki Kovalainen eight seconds ahead of Pasta at the finish, and it's not as if Pasta had any undue dramas such as a long pit stop, spinning off, having a nose cone changed - not that any of us saw, anyway. At this rate, Williams will find themselves with 18 and 19 on their cars next season, or, perish the thought - 20 and 21, falling behind Lotus who still can't get out of Q1. If there's something to be said for Rubens in the other Williams, at least he stayed on the lead lap, but there's going to be some grim faces at the factory in Grove.

I suspect Glock has lost some motivation too. I suppose the real test will be if future upgrades don't bring the performance he might have been expecting, at which point we might even see him walk. It would be a shame for the team, but it wouldn't surprise me.

I heard it somewhere (maybe here, maybe on the BBC website, maybe somewhere else): Virgin needs Timo more than he needs them.

Rarely has he had anything good to say, he constantly seems to be moaning, and despite the brief run further up in the Singapore race, and out-qualifying the Lotus cars last year, he hasn't really done that much either. Granted we all know the car is the major limiting factor here, but nonetheless there are some on this forum and many more elsewhere that rate Timo as one of the better drivers in the field.

Pretty much every "rank the drivers for 2010" list had Heikki Kovalainen in the top ten for the job he did with Lotus last year. Autosport's list of drivers over all racing categories put Timo ahead of Heikki, for dragging that reticent Virgin into places it had no right to be - Singapore being a fine example.

It all leaves Virgin in a sticky situation though. Even if D'Abmbrosio turns out to be a lesser Kobayashi in terms of unearthed talent, he doesn't have the technical experience to move the team forward properly, which is what they desperately need. So if Timo did walk, who would they replace him with? Yamamoto's contract as third driver for the first three races is now up I believe, so they need to find a reserve driver for the European leg, and ideally it would have to be someone with a bit of experience, but there are few drivers available that fit that bill.

Earth calling Jacques Villeneuve, we have a job for you... and don't you go moaning that the car is hatefully slow, you were going to race for Stefan!

[Klon]

That is a difficult question. Who do we know of that has a well-proven development CV, has knowledge of the European circuits, is off-contract and has experience racing for teams entrenched at the back of the grid?

We need Ralf Schumacher to rescue Virgin. Oh wait, that development thing could become unhandy for him.

...

Never mind that shite, I want Ralf.

[Walsh_e]

Reject of the race shortlist:

1. Williams
2. Williams
3. Williams

Seriously, they were awful all weekend, its time for major changes at the team, Sam Michael's and co have had 5 years now, what have they done in that time? Time to get shut and start again.

A mention to Tm O'Glock but he had trouble throughout the weekend which seemed to hamper getting the car sorted, if he starts getting beat by his teammate every week then it will be a worry.

[watka]

That is a difficult question. Who do we know of that has a well-proven development CV, has knowledge of the European circuits, is off-contract and has experience racing for teams entrenched at the back of the grid?

We need Ralf Schumacher to rescue Virgin. Oh wait, that development thing could become unhandy for him.

...

Never mind that shite, I want Ralf.

For once, I agree with you on a Ralf Schumacher related matter (but only if Glock was to find a better drive).

[stupot94]

Bits falling off Toro Rossos

[Dj_bereta]

Pastor Maldonado: off-pace, finished behind kovalainen in normal conditions, rejectful.
Sergio Perez: A andrea de crasheris race.
Toro Rosso: Qualify Heroes, Race zero.
Two-Stops Strategy: Fail. One more lap and Webber catch Vettel.

[TomWazzleshaw]

Actually I've just come up with a theory as to why the two stop strategy was so ineffective. From memory the track temperature on Sunday was much higher than it was at any other point during that weekend and from memory Pirelli have said that their tyres go off faster in higher temperatures.

[DanielPT]

Actually I've just come up with a theory as to why the two stop strategy was so ineffective. From memory the track temperature on Sunday was much higher than it was at any other point during that weekend and from memory Pirelli have said that their tyres go off faster in higher temperatures.

True. If we look at the recovery Webber made in his three stop Red Bull, being stuck behind people and such, we see how much Vettel lost in the race by going with two-stops. Yes, he had less rubber than Webber, but still, Vettel should've won if they had got the strategy right. This adds impredictability to the race and that is good in my opinion!

[Yannick]

Is this another of those rare occasions where Reject Of the Race needs to be awarded by default? To Toro Rosso because of not being able to turn Top 10 grid positions into results and turning out to be the only retirement of the race (Alguersuari) because of a mistake in the pits? Or are the other contenders even eligible like Jenson Button who stopped at the wrong garage?

[Archie2K]

I'm definitely going for Vettel and Ferrari two-stop strategy. Two-stops wasn't the way to go, and they lost out to people they should have beaten comfortably. In terms of rejectfulness compared to expectations they must win comfortably.

[LionZoo]

Lewis Hamilton's beard. It's ghastly.

[James1978]

Lewis Hamilton's beard. It's ghastly.

I actually don't think I've said anyone as I was an idiot for saying Webber after Qualifying - but I'll say whoever it was at Mercedes who underfilled Rosberg's car - him having to back off towards the end could have cost him his first win, and definitely a podium. It's not like 2010 where once you have track position it's very hard to pass, you need good pace towards the end with the new tyres and DRS.......

[Rocks with Salt]

I'm definitely going for Vettel and Ferrari two-stop strategy. Two-stops wasn't the way to go, and they lost out to people they should have beaten comfortably. In terms of rejectfulness compared to expectations they must win comfortably.

No, you fool, the strategy battle between the three-stoppers and the two-stoppers was one of the highlights of the race; it was a worthy gamble, and in the end the two-stoppers paid the price. However, that doesn't mean that they deserve the ROTR because of it; I think that would be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, mate.

[Myrvold]

but I'll say whoever it was at Mercedes who underfilled Rosberg's car - him having to back off towards the end could have cost him his first win, and definitely a podium. It's not like 2010 where once you have track position it's very hard to pass, you need good pace towards the end with the new tyres and DRS.......

Tbh it looked like it was the tactic they had. Schumacher was also low on fuel, they both used a bit coasting under FP, to save fuel, without loosing much time. Remember that less fuel means less tyre wear as well, it is a balance act, Mercedes might have been further behind if they had filled both drivers up.

[Archie2K]

I'm definitely going for Vettel and Ferrari two-stop strategy. Two-stops wasn't the way to go, and they lost out to people they should have beaten comfortably. In terms of rejectfulness compared to expectations they must win comfortably.

No, you fool, the strategy battle between the three-stoppers and the two-stoppers was one of the highlights of the race; it was a worthy gamble, and in the end the two-stoppers paid the price. However, that doesn't mean that they deserve the ROTR because of it; I think that would be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, mate.

Rejectful behaviour usually produces the most excitement.

[SuperAguri]

Button for wanting to fill his car up with Total fuel so he could collect points to get a set of cut glasses.