Korea GP Thread - Spoilers inside of Race/Qualifying

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

Round 16 of the 2012 Formula One championship sees the teams make a relatively short journey from Suzuka across the Sea of Japan to the South Korean port city of Mokpo and the nearby Korean International Circuit.

The circuit, completed just in time for the inaugural race here in 2010, presents some stern challenges for the teams, mostly centred around how to maintain the integrity of the tyres around its 5.615km distance. With the facility being used very infrequently, the Yeongam circuit is always dirty during the weekend’s opening sessions and is low on grip. To cope with this Pirelli has brought its softest compounds. However, the circuit also has a relatively abrasive surface and a mix of mostly medium and high-speed corners, so lateral loads are high and wear rates can be debilitating. The tyres take a beating as a consequence. Good management or rubber could be the deciding factor here in Korea.

Drivers’ Championship leader Fernando Alonso suffered a shock first-lap exit in Suzuka and the incident leaves the chase for the 2012 title finely balanced. Sebastian Vettel’s win in Japan has put the Red Bull Racing driver within touching distance of the Ferrari man’s increasingly fragile lead in the standings and Alonso has thus called the final five races of the season a “mini-championship”. If that’s the case then, with just four points separating him from Vettel, the Spaniard needs a big result in round one in Korea to keep his title hopes alive.

Vettel, meanwhile, became the first driver to score consecutive wins this season with victory in Suzuka and the momentum now seems firmly with the defending champion. But the KIC has been both cruel and kind to the German, with a DNF in the inaugural race being followed by victory last year. He’ll be hoping for a repeat of 2011 but if the teams and drivers have learned one thing this season it is to expect the unexpected and this race should be no exception. A fascinating weekend awaits.

CIRCUIT DATA


KOREAN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT



Length of lap:

5.615km

Lap record:

1:39.605

(Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, 2011)

Start line/finish line offset:
0.195km
Total number of race laps:
55
Total race distance:

308.630km
Pitlane speed limits:
60km/h during practice and qualifying, 100km/h during the race



Changes to the circuit since 2011
► A number of verges have been laid with asphalt and painted with green non-slip paint and drainage has been improved in the pit entry.
► The artificial grass on the exit of turn 13 has been extended as far as the end of the asphalt run-off.
► The “sausage” kerb on the apex of turn 18 has been lowered by approximately 30mm and the leading 1.5m chamfered linearly to zero.
► Higher debris fences have been installed on the right between turns 7 and 9.

DRS Zone
► The DRS zone on the main straight has been extended by 80m.


► This will be the third Korean Grand Prix. The race joined the calendar in 2010.
► Pirelli will bring its yellow-banded soft and red-banded supersoft tyres to this race. The low-grip nature of the surface here in Yeongam means this race will see the same compounds used as in Monaco, Canada and Singapore.
► The 2010 race saw Sebastian Vettel start from pole. Team-mate Mark Webber lined up beside him to give Red Bull Racing its eighth front-row lockout of the season. Neither driver finished the race, however. Webber crashed out on lap 19 and Vettel suffered an engine failure on lap 46.
► That inaugural race began under the safety car when heavy downpours caused the start to be delayed by 10 minutes. However, the conditions worsened and after just three laps racing was suspended. A 45-minute hiatus followed before the track became usable but again the race was started under the course car. After 17 laps the safety car departed and racing began. After 55 laps, as darkness fell across the track, the race was finally won by Fernando Alonso.
► Vettel has been on the front row for both his Korean GP starts, the German lining up behind pole position winner Lewis Hamilton last year.
► Hamilton, meanwhile, has finished both his Korean GPs in second place. In 2010 he rose two places from fourth on the grid but last time out was passed by Vettel on lap one of the race and failed to reel in the dominant Red Bull Racing RB7 over the course of the following 55 laps.
► Last year’s pole position for Lewis Hamilton was the only time in 2011 that a Red Bull Racing car was not at the front of the grid. Hamilton’s achievement was particular satisfying for McLaren as it was the team’s 700th grand prix.
► First and third places for Vettel and Webber respectively last year brought Red Bull Racing enough points to claim back-to-back Constructors’ Championship titles, with three races in hand. Vettel had claimed his second Drivers’ crown a week earlier in Japan.
► Jean-Eric Vergne made his race weekend debut here last year, appearing as a Friday driver for Toro Rosso. It was a tricky debut as the session was wet and there was little action for the first hour. Vergne ended the session with the 13th quickest time, lapping in 2:07.541, some 4.757 seconds adrift of Michael Schumacher’s timesheet-topping lap. However, his performance and further Friday appearances in Abu Dhabi and Brazil were enough to later convince the team that he would be a suitable team-mate for Daniel Ricciardo this year.
► The main straight at the Korea International Circuit covers 1050m, the fourth longest of the season, after Shanghai International Circuit (1170m), Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina (1140m) and Italy’s Monza (1120m).


Weather Forecast: Expected to be dry : http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/1841066
Source: Fia/BBC

[nasisillmatic]

Teams have different ways of working things though. At the start of the season Ferrari, for example don't have Number 1/2 drivers. They treat them equally until one driver has a clear difference in the standings, due to Felipe's bad starts to the season this has worked in Alonso's favour. It's something I think any team would do if one driver had a realistic chance of winning the title. However, McLaren's problem is that they don't do anything until it's mathematically impossible. If Ferrari were like that then last weekend would have been the first time that they'd have had number one/two drivers for Massa and Alonso. They would have let them race which would have been stupid given their positions in the championship. The two drivers race for the team, Hamilton (especially) and Button race for themselves.

I think the only time Ferrari have not had a certain number 1 driver is when Kimi & Massa were team mates, and that was down to Kimi not really performing to his standards. Make no mistake, Alonso is the main man at that team just like Schumacher was.

[Guest]

All i shall say is since Button joined the team.

Hamilton - 620 pts
Button 615 pts

This is one stat that is really, really getting up my nose! Hamilton's bad luck over the past few seasons has been quite frankly ridiculous and if you add in his disastrous 2011 season then you can see why Button is only 5 points behind Lewis. This season, once again, Hamilton has been plagued with bad luck.......
-Australia - Safety car called and McLaren pit Lewis and he ends up losing 2nd place to Vettel.
-Bahrain - I believe Hamilton was running second before the McLaren 'pit-stop horror show' began. His second stop was even worse and lost him a haul of points.
-Spain - Qualified pole. Once again a McLaren foul up with the re-fuelling ended his hopes of 25 points. Started race at the back of the grid.
-Monaco - Hamilton is clearly heard saying to his engineer, 'why did you not tell me to speed up and cover Vettel'. Resulted in frustration and lost points.
- Valencia - Debatable who's error this was (should he have let him go, like Alonso would.) Hamilton lost 15 points by colliding with Maldonado.
-Germany - Unbelievable bad luck. Only driver to get the puncture on the second lap going through the debris. Another big haul of points lost, seeing as McLaren had bought an upgrade which Button showed had worked.
- Belgium - Grosjean ended Hamilton's hopes with some shocking driving. Haul of points lost.
-Singapore - Leading comfortably. Gearbox issue, 25 points gone!
-Korea - Suspension problem cost him dearly. Could have challenged for 3rd but more realistic 4/5th.

Show me Button's bad luck........

I probably missed out a few scenarios where Hamilton lost points through pitstop issues or mechanical failures. 2011 he endured the same bad luck, Spain (where he crashed on the last lap I believe with a blow out) OR in Japan 11' when he had a gearbox issue and had to let Button pass. The points situation is laughable and doesn't reflect anywhere near the difference between these two drivers.

[Fernando]

All i shall say is since Button joined the team.

Hamilton - 620 pts
Button 615 pts

This is one stat that is really, really getting up my nose! Hamilton's bad luck over the past few seasons has been quite frankly ridiculous and if you add in his disastrous 2011 season then you can see why Button is only 5 points behind Lewis. This season, once again, Hamilton has been plagued with bad luck.......
-Australia - Safety car called and McLaren pit Lewis and he ends up losing 2nd place to Vettel.
-Bahrain - I believe Hamilton was running second before the McLaren 'pit-stop horror show' began. His second stop was even worse and lost him a haul of points.
-Spain - Qualified pole. Once again a McLaren foul up with the re-fuelling ended his hopes of 25 points. Started race at the back of the grid.
-Monaco - Hamilton is clearly heard saying to his engineer, 'why did you not tell me to speed up and cover Vettel'. Resulted in frustration and lost points.
- Valencia - Debatable who's error this was (should he have let him go, like Alonso would.) Hamilton lost 15 points by colliding with Maldonado.
-Germany - Unbelievable bad luck. Only driver to get the puncture on the second lap going through the debris. Another big haul of points lost, seeing as McLaren had bought an upgrade which Button showed had worked.
- Belgium - Grosjean ended Hamilton's hopes with some shocking driving. Haul of points lost.
-Singapore - Leading comfortably. Gearbox issue, 25 points gone!
-Korea - Suspension problem cost him dearly. Could have challenged for 3rd but more realistic 4/5th.

Show me Button's bad luck........

I probably missed out a few scenarios where Hamilton lost points through pitstop issues or mechanical failures. 2011 he endured the same bad luck, Spain (where he crashed on the last lap I believe with a blow out) OR in Japan 11' when he had a gearbox issue and had to let Button pass. The points situation is laughable and doesn't reflect anywhere near the difference between these two drivers.

You do realize that this was a reply to why their isn't a no/1 no/2 driver?

It doesn't matter about bad luck it's about points on the board you can say what you like but there is 5 pts between them over 2 and half seasons so it's hardly deserving of no.1 status. If Hamilton was as superior as you suggest John their would be a Massa/Alonso style gap regardless of issues

[mystiroakey]

1. hamilton is superior
2. button is better than massa,
3. alonson and hamilton are on par,
4. Massa is a no.2 driver and alosono is a no.1- that extends any gap that would exist if there were both treated the same.

button i basically a very good driver- and will make a very good no 1 at mclarean.

hamilton will make a good no.1 at mercedes

alonso and vettel are good no.1 drivers allready.

next year we will have 4 no.1 drivers and it will create a much better specticle, at present we have 2 in the top teams

[SteveG]

Hamilton - 620 pts
Button 615 pts

Stats can be used to paint any kind of picture without telling the full story. That's why politicians use them all the time.

[mystiroakey]

stats like the above steve are the be all and end all. manipulating data is easily done- but you cant manipulate 620 and 615- it is what it is

[Guest]

Those stats are ridiculous. If you look at Alonso's bad luck sheet......it's basically blank. That's the difference and tells you all you need to know about the performance of Ferrari, as a team, compared to McLaren.

Just because there maybe more no.1 drivers guarantees nothing. I don't think it will create a better spectacle at all, especially if a driver of Hamilton's ability is taken away from challenging Vettel and forced to drive mid-pack. Next season worries me. People expecting some kind of repeat of seven or eight different winners better think again, especially with no regulation change. Red Bull are dominant now and will almost certainly be dominant or at the front end come Australia. There wont be no time-lapse with Red Bull next season coming to the front as the evolution of this seasons car will be used for next season title bid. Hamilton possibly (hopefully not) taken out the picture, if anything, just makes Vettel's job even easier as he was a driver capable of upsetting his usual routine of grabbing pole. If Perez and Button showcase their poor qualifying next season, then I can see a repeat of 2011 happening all over again. It's evident already in the second half of the season how next season will unfold, relatively boring races and repeat winners. That's just the way F1 is, once the teams have come to terms with a regulation change and the unknown of the tyre performance.

[mystiroakey]

they are not ridiculas they are what they are.. pts is the be all and end all(well bar wins and WDC first)

but i admit the LH is by far the superior driver- not based on them stats though as accurate as they are!!

[SteveG]

Nobodys disputing the figures. What I'm saying is they don't tell the full story.

[mystiroakey]

of course not however if both were to stop there carrers tommorow- i would say bith were as succesfull as each other- potential is worthless..

[Guest]

when's the indian thread going up. Looks ominous this weekend already. Vettel stroll. Hope this season doesnt fade out into a procession but it looks that way. McLaren don't look good for the win, possibly a podium.

[Dave.]

When's the last time RB mechanics made a mistake? Because that's what I think needs to happen for Alonso to win the WDC. Red Bull are just a well oiled unit!

[Fernando]

https://www.606v2.com/t36539-indian-gp-thread-contains-spoilers-sponsored-by-vijay-mallya-s-bank-manager

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