Valencia GP Thread containing Practice/Qualifying/Race spoilers

[Fernando]

Spoiler:

The Valencia Street Circuit will host the eighth round of the 2012 Formula One World Championship. Valencia has been home to the European Grand Prix since 2008. Following rounds in Monaco and Montreal, it is the third race in a row to be held on a ‘street’ circuit.

This track features four long straights but also more corners than any other current F1 venue, ten of which are taken in low gears. It requires teams to strike a difficult balance between high straight-line speed on the four 300kph-plus sections, and excellent low-speed grip and traction. It’s a circuit that rewards a good all-round car: every year the winning team in Valencia has gone on to lift the Constructors’ Championship.

As is often the case for street circuits, qualifying position will be at a premium: three times from the four races here the man qualifying in pole position has gone on to win the race. Pitstops have a role to play also. Pirelli are bringing Medium and Soft compound tyres, the same combination that featured last year. Unlike in Canada, where a one-stop strategy provided two podium finishes, the slippery surface in Valencia and the high-load corners tend to induce much greater tyre wear. Last year the strategy used exclusively by the front-runners was three equal-length stints on the soft tyre followed by a switch to the medium rubber at the end of the race. However, alternative strategies were successful lower down the order: Sergio Pérez managed a one-stop race that elevated him from 16th on the grid to 11th at the chequered flag, while Jaime Alguersuari was catapulted from 18th to eighth with a two-stopper.

The 2012 season has rewritten records so far, with the first seven races of the year producing seven different winners from five different teams and two very competitive championship tables. It is being hailed in some quarters as the most unpredictable season in the history of the sport.

Valencia Street Circuit

Length of lap:
5.419km
Lap record
1:38.683 (Timo Glock
Toyota, 2009)

Start line/finish line offset
0.000km
Total number of race laps
57
Total race distance
308.883km
Pitlane speed limits
60km/h during practice, qualifying and race


CHANGES TO THE CIRCUIT SINCE 2011


► Areas of artificial grass laid around several section of the circuit have been replaced with a more durable product for 2012. This follows problems in 2011, with the synthetic turf becoming detached from the surface to which it was glued.

European GP
Fast Facts
► The four European Grands Prix in Valencia have produced three winners: Felipe Massa won the inaugural race in 2008 for Ferrari, followed by Brawn’s Rubens Barrichello in 2009. The 2010 and 2011 events were won by Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing. Vettel is both the first driver to win this race and go on to become World Champion that season, and also the first reigning Champion to win here.
► This race has been won from pole position three times. The only exception being Barrichello’s victory in 2009 in which the Brazilian triumphed from third on the grid.
► Vettel and Lewis Hamilton are the only drivers to have been on the podium more than once. Vettel’s two victories are his only visits while Hamilton, never having won the race, finished in second place the first three times the race was run.
► Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are the only two drivers to finish in the points every time F1 has raced in Valencia.
► The Valencia Street Circuit has more corners than any other current F1 circuit, though some are corners only in name. However, the combination of long straights and ten turns taken in third gear or lower puts a heavy load on braking systems. Together with expected high ambient temperatures this creates issues for brake cooling.
► Unusually, this is F1’s first visit to the city of Valencia this year. The city’s permanent race track, the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a popular testing venue and has been used every year between 2000-2011. Its very smooth surface provides a direct contrast to the abrasive Jerez. In the modern era of limited winter testing it held one of the four tests each year between 2009-2011 but lost out when only three winter tests were held in 2012.
► Five circuits in three countries have held the modern incarnation of the European Grand Prix. The first of 21 runnings was held at Brands Hatch in 1983. Brands held the race again in 1985. The other British track to host the race is Donington Park (1993). The race was run 12 times at the Nürburgring between 1984-2007 before moving to Valencia for 2008. It also took place on Spanish soil in 1994 and 1997, when it was held at Jerez.
► Before the modern incarnation, the title ‘European Grand Prix’ was an honorific, grafted onto other races. In the Formula One era this practice (with exceptions in 1953, 1969, 1970 and 1971) was used between 1950 and 1977. The first winner of the European Grand Prix was Nino Farina, at Silverstone in 1950, the final winner was James Hunt, also at Silverstone, in 1977.
► The title was also used as an honorific before the creation of the F1 World Championship. The first European Grand Prix is recorded as being the 1923 Italian Grand Prix held at Monza. It was won by Carlo Salamano, driving for Fiat.

Race Stewards
Biographies
GARRY CONNELLY
DEPUTY PRESIDENT, FIA INSTITUTE; DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MOTOR SPORT SAFETY; F1 AND WTCC STEWARD; FIA WORLD MOTOR SPORT COUNCIL MEMBER
Garry Connelly has been involved in motor sport since the late 1960s. A long-time rally competitor, Connelly was instrumental in bringing the World Rally Championship to Australia in 1988 and served as Chairman of the Organising Committee, Board member and Clerk of Course of Rally Australia until December 2002. He has been an FIA Steward and FIA Observer since 1989, covering the FIA’s World Rally Championship, World Touring Car Championship and Formula One Championship. He is a director of the Australian Institute of Motor Sport Safety and a member of the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

PAOLO LONGONI
MEMBER OF THE ITALIAN MOTOR SPORT COMMISSION (CSAI); THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF MILAN
Paolo Longoni is a steward with more than 20 years’ experience. Milanese Longoni began his stewards’ training at his home circuit – Monza – in 1990 and was immediately ‘bitten by the bug’ of motorsport. While his early stewarding experience was based largely at Monza, since 2006 Longoni has been a national steward, officiating at rounds of the Porsche Supercup, Ferrari Challenge Championship, FIA Historic Championship, ETCC, WTCC, Formula Two and Le Mans Series events.


MIKA SALO
FORMER F1 DRIVER, ALMS GT CHAMPION AND TWICE LE MANS GT2 CLASS-WINNER
In a racing career now into its third decade Mika Salo competed in over one hundred grands prix between 1994-2002. After junior success in Britain and Japan, Salo made his Formula One debut driving for Lotus at the last two rounds of the 1994 season. Over the next eight years the Finn drove for Tyrrell, Arrows, BAR, Ferrari, Sauber and Toyota. He twice finished on the podium for Ferrari and scored points for Toyota in the Japanese manufacturer’s debut race. Post-F1, Salo has competed predominantly in sports cars, most notably racing in GT classes. He has GT2 victories at both Le Mans and Sebring, and in 2007 won the GT class in ALMS. He has also tried his hand in CART and Australian V8s. Mika is still a familiar face in the F1 paddock, working extensively as a presenter for Finnish TV.

I would bother putting a weather forecast up but it's going to be Sunny so not much point

Source: Fia.com

[mystiroakey]

nice..

[Fernando]

Practice results

1. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m40.890s 22
2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m40.973s + 0.083 21
3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m40.984s + 0.094 19
4. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m40.994s + 0.104 19
5. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m41.065s + 0.175 26
6. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m41.105s + 0.215 15
7. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m41.117s + 0.227 22
8. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m41.158s + 0.268 18
9. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m41.182s + 0.292 21
10. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m41.620s + 0.730 21
11. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m41.784s + 0.894 15
12. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m41.838s + 0.948 19
13. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m41.861s + 0.971 16
14. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m42.109s + 1.219 20
15. Jules Bianchi Force India-Mercedes 1m42.175s + 1.285 21
16. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m42.299s + 1.409 24
17. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 1m42.442s + 1.552 26
18. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m42.758s + 1.868 26
19. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m42.777s + 1.887 28
20. Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 1m43.209s + 2.319 19
21. Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 1m44.173s + 3.283 18
22. Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 1m44.996s + 4.106 15
23. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1m45.120s + 4.230 23
24. Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 1m45.338s + 4.448 7



Practice 2

1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m39.334 33
2. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1m39.465s + 0.131 32
3. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m39.595s + 0.261 20
4. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m39.601s + 0.267 27
5. Bruno Senna Williams-Renault 1m39.644s + 0.310 34
6. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m39.700s + 0.366 32
7. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m39.733s + 0.399 34
8. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m39.868s + 0.534 33
9. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m39.901s + 0.567 30
10. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m39.926s + 0.592 32
11. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m39.945s + 0.611 34
12. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m39.990s + 0.656 33
13. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m40.075s + 0.741 29
14. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m40.147s + 0.813 25
15. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m40.244s + 0.910 35
16. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m40.511s + 1.177 29
17. Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 1m40.963s + 1.629 20
18. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m41.121s + 1.787 32
19. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 1m41.197s + 1.863 38
20. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m41.263s + 1.929 29
21. Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 1m42.424s + 3.090 21
22. Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 1m42.958s + 3.624 30
23. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1m44.201s + 4.867 33
24. Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 1m44.260s + 4.926 12

[Guest]

If Canada is Hamilton's playground then this is Vettel's. The Red Bull has bought upgrades towards the rear and they've copied McLaren's fins on the sidepods. Was Hamilton stating he was disappointed that no upgrades had been bought to Valencia by McLaren? Certainly that session didn't look to promising. Vettel's my pick this weekend although I'm expecting something from Lotus in these conditions and high temps.

[Critical_mass]

now now john, you know not to make calls on practice, certainly FP1 and 2.. FP3 will give a clearer idea.

[SteveG]

From the reports it seems there are some setup issues which will be sorted overnight. We've seen this umpteen times with Red Bull - anoymous on Fridays and then Saturday BANG. So fingers crossed. It has to be said though Valencia and Mclaren will never be a match made in heaven and this is one of the few races on the calendar I'm usually glad to see the back of.

[monty junior]

I dislike this track with a passion, it has no character, no excitement. The Nurburgring is infinetely better, they should just keep it there every year.

[Fernando]

Well the top 15 are within a second of each other so could be a close race.

I think their alternative with Barcelona next season and we're back to Hockenheim this season

[Critical_mass]

i like hockenheim though prefer the old layout. valencia isnt brilliant but its not the worst either, its much better than bahrain.

[liverbnz]

Webber gone in q1!

[monty junior]

Webber was so slow he was outpaced by a Caterham

[monty junior]

ah Di Resta, you could have been on the front row

[Fernando]

It's not a surprise Webber went out early seemingly they spent most of yesterday and today fixing his car so he's got a major issue somewhere. Let's just hope Lewis can keep hold of Sebastien at the start or could be a fore-gone conclusion

[Guest]

Webber had no DRS plus a lack of running in practice like Jenson did in Canada so it was inevitable. Vettel just turned the wick up in Q3 and nobody had an answer, going to be tight into that first corner for Lewis on the dirty side (does he go for it, knowing how difficult it is to overtake or does he hold back and wait). Maldonando always makes me nervous and i'm expecting Grosjean to probably be Vettel's biggest threat. Button again out-qualified, he can't be a serious title challenger with this continual poor qualifying. Alonso should make a top 5 finish and expect Perez to one stop but it will be difficult for him to repeat Canada's result.

Prediction
head says -Vettel - Grosjean - Hamilton
heart says Hamilton win

[Fernando]

Ah we're doing predictions

Grosjean - Vettel - Maldonado = Hamilton to hit a back marker at the hairpin

[Guest]

I don't like your predictions Fernando. Anybody see Jenson's interview on BBC? He's in big trouble. Simply resorting to copying Lewis' setup was never going to work as their styles are completely different. In my opinion, I don't see how a turnaround in performance will turn him into a title challenger. His qualiying will always hinder him as he simply doesnt have the natural speed to compete with Lewis or Seb.

[Fernando]

With the street circuits style and a long straight its very possible and lets face it, It's the only thing that hasn't gone wrong for Mclaren yet

[The Special Juan]

Lewis has been called to the stewards to answer a charge of ruining Nico's lap..... You know what that means.

[Guest]

I remember seeing Lewis slightly holding Rosberg up and then seeing I think a Force India coming up behind them but I thought none of it as it didn't look that severe. Absolutely ridiculous if he's punished, basically allows Vettel to stroll away and of course helps Alonso. What kind of punishment are we looking at a five place penalty? Seeing as it's Hamilton that means back of the grid is more probable

[Dave.]

Maybe the FIA are thinking about assisting people with insomnia? Because tomorrow will send us all to sleep......

[The Special Juan]

I avoid Valencia at all costs because it is just so dire. I don't know what punishment Lewis will get (because he will get one knowing his luck) but I reckon a 10 place grid drop, just behind The Sneering Spaniard, allowing Good Ol' Seb to race off into the distance.

[Guest]

Latest tweets-
Ted Kravitz‏@tedkravitz - At other tracks that wouldn't be a punishable offence, but due to turns 21 to 25 being blind at VLC, drivers aren't allowed to go slow there

See point 10 from team managers meeting yesterday. Did LH drive 'unnecessarily slowly' thru T21-25?

I'm expecting the worst......

[The Special Juan]

No penalty

[Dave.]

Why did the BBC choose this over Canada?

[Dave.]

No penalty

Get down on your knees and start praying, the end is nigh!

[Guest]

No Penalty, shocked..........it feels like a win!

Now we can focus on the race!

[The Special Juan]

The BBC were royally shafted. They don't get Canada and they do get Monaco, Valencia and Singapore. I think the only good race they got was Spa.

[Gregers]

How was quali? Missed it completely.

Grosjean to win tomorrow methinks!

[Guest]

Qualifying was relatively exciting. Webber had no DRS and hardly any practice running and went out Q1 allowed Heikki into Q2 (mass celebrations for coming 16th )

Q2 was the most exciting when positions 1 to 12 were split by no more than 0.2seconds. Q3 Vettel just turned the wick up and took pole with ease followed by Hamilton and an impressive Maldonando. Button once again failed in Q3 after looking slightly improved. Grosjean looks impressive and with their long run pace will be a threat to Hamilton and Vettel for the win. Disappointing week for Perez with 15th and being called 'overly aggressive' by Ferrari. Once again we had a steward moment with Hamilton but that's to be expected, however he was found innocent as you are now probably aware.

Now to discuss the race...........

[Dave.]

The BBC were royally shafted. They don't get Canada and they do get Monaco, Valencia and Singapore. I think the only good race they got was Spa.

I thought they got to choose?

[The Special Juan]

The BBC were royally shafted. They don't get Canada and they do get Monaco, Valencia and Singapore. I think the only good race they got was Spa.

I thought they got to choose?

So did I but I read elsewhere it was an "agreement" between them and Sky which races the BBC got. (I think, I read the article a long time ago)

[Belgarion of Riva]

Hamilton escapes qualy penalty

In an official statement, the FIA confirmed:

'Fact: It is alleged that Car 4 Lewis Hamilton did not comply with the instructions of the Race Director, namely "cars should not be driven unnecessarily slowly between turns 21 and 25".

'Decision: The Stewards, having heard from both drivers and the team representatives, examined the video, audio and GPS evidence and telemetry data, decide to take no further action.'

'Reason: 1) The sector time for Car 4 was actually faster than a time set previously in that same sector by Car 8 Nico Rosberg, which is an indication that Car 4 was not being driven unnecessarily slowly between turns 21 and 25.

2) The smallest gap between Car 4 and Car 8 was 18 metres and 1.1 seconds.'

[Critical_mass]

Right lets put that one to bed now (and before AC turns up), telemetry says it all.

[SteveG]

Vettel nails it with one run in Q3. Didnt see that one coming after Q1 and Q2. Typical Red Bull - the biggest sandbaggers in F1. And Lewis - looking totally bored in the press conference while Vettel waffled on about struggling in Q2 before miraculously finding a balance 10 minutes later (yeah yeah heard it all before) no doubt agrees.

Still I'm happy Hami starts 2nd because after his first run in Q3 I feared the worst. And with no upgrades (again) to match their tyre woes in the heat Valencia was always going to be damage limitation for Mclaren. Roll on tomorrow. Lets go racing - if we can still call it that (I predict a 10 stopper ).

[SteveG]

Well its as we feared. Mclaren are absolutely tripe in the heat.

On a sidenote has Vettel actualy got a legal car ? The gap is just too stupid for words !! This better not be the start of last year all over again.

[harryspiv]

Well its as we feared. Mclaren are absolutely tripe in the heat.

On a sidenote has Vettel actualy got a legal car ? The gap is just too stupid for words !! This better not be the start of last year all over again.

I agree mclaren just do not have the pace and are totally dire in these conditions.

I would like Vettel's car to be checked thoroughly because the difference in lap times like you say is ridiculous and as I type this we have a safety car!! Come on grosjean!!!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Oh dear McLaren pit crew

[GSC]

McLaren's pit crew man sausage up again.

[GSC]

VETTEL OUT

Safety car incoming again I guess

Alonso leads

[GSC]

Wow at those stewards.

That takes balls

[Gregers]

Hahahahahaha

Vettel out, race on!

[GSC]

Hamilton will be peed.

Alonsos made some great overtakes, but hes been handed this position, with the pit stop, and Grosjean and Vettel having random errors

[GSC]

What on earth was Maldonado doing.

Hamilton will be absolutely fuming. McLaren cost him his place to Alonso, then Maldonado takes him off. Penalties coming for Maldonado I suspect

[Gregers]

What a race! Alonso is truly the best driver in the field.

Dotd nominations:

Alonso
Schumacher
Webber
Hulkenberg
Petrov

Totd nominations:

McLaran Pit team
All of us for saying that Valencia was always boring!

[SteveG]

Hamliton out !! one lap to go. Just cannot believe it. Might have been Maldnado at fault but if tyres are off a cliff why fight - just bring the rudy car home FGS and get some points.

[Gregers]

Agree Steve, Hamilton should have let maldonaldo go and just take 4th. Afterall 4th is better than getting no points.

[GSC]

Hamilton did nothing wrong, Maldonado was off track and just took him out.

The stars seem to be aligning for Alonso this season.

[Gregers]

GSC, it was Maldonaldos position by that point. Lewis unlucky but the tires had gone so should have let him go through.

What a drive by Alonso tho

[Guest]

The most important thing is that this McLaren car is woeful in these conditions. The pit crew are embarrasing and something has to be done. Button's performance was appaling.

I said after qualifying that Maldonando makes me nervous and I knew it was going to end in tears. How did Hamilton's tyres go off in clean air so quickly compared to Kimi's in dirty air........appaling car. Yes, Hamilton should of let him go but Maldonando should be punished, he was off track and just t-boned Lewis. Also he drove round with no front wing which is dangerous.

Let's not forget the original foul up of the McLaren pitcrew which cost Lewis the win in the first place. Lets' wait for Whitmarsh's excuses.

[Trebs]

Alonso was superb today,.

As for Hamilton, I think it will go down as a racing incident, as Hamilton forced Maldonado off the track and gave him no room at all.

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