GP Sochi 2016 - Predictions/Weather

Good weather!! A bit cool. Interesting to see the effect on tires/choices https://weather.com/en-GB/weather/weekend/l/RSXX1430:1:RS

Nico vs LH - Interesting article from McNish -
Lewis Hamilton will struggle to break Nico Rosberg - Allan McNish - BBC Sport

Q - Nico
LH
Kimi - Seems comfortable with the car more than Vettel

R - LH - I think he has the start solved
Nico -
Ricci

 

This one will be hard to predict.

Rosberg is on a strong streak, Hamilton desperately wants to get a win in now. Ferrari with new combustion which should give them a decent bump in power, including a new front wing which will bring them closer in quali.

However, I expect Mercedes to still be well ahead in quali. They have an easy half second in pocket. For that reason I expect a Merc on pole and quite possibly alongside.

Kimi indeed does seem more comfortable with this car; so the F cars will share 2nd row.

The race though...it would be immensely satisfying to see lewham have another bad start/first corner misshap. If that happens Ferrari should be able to chase the sole remaining merc. With some luck they get ahead on lap 1 and one of the Ferrari's will win.

 

At this point, I JUST want to see a guy with red overalls at the top of the podium.

 

Qualifying: Mercedes front row, Ferrari 2nd row, Red Bull 3rd row
Race: Mercedes 1-2, Ferrari 3-4, one Haas car in the points

 

Russian GP talking points | F1 News

Nico actually appears to do well here.

Lets hope some improvement appears with Ferrari's upgrade!

 

Hearing that IF Kimi doesn't extend contract to 2017, Perez and Grosjean are prime replacement candidates.

As things stand, Ferrari are keen for him to stay on for another year.

 

Ferrari fast-tracks new front wing for Russia

 

What I've been saying all along, from that article:

 

Based on what?

I like Perez, but I don't think he is Ferrari material, IMO. I would have though differently a few years ago, but he hasn't impressed me at McLaren, or Force India. A very likeable individual, but no more than a journeyman, I think.

And it's too early to decide if Grosjean would be an asset to Ferrari. But I don't think so.

If I was Arrivabene, my attention would be on Ricciardo, Kvyat and I would follow how Vestappen develops this year. Anyone of them could be Number 2 at the Scuderia, to succeed Vettel when he leaves in 3 or 4 years,

 

I can see Grosjean. Not sure about Perez. Grosjean is not slow and has improved over his earlier times.

It still sounds like Kimi is the first choice. Im thinking there will be no changes at either Ferrari or Mercedes

 

A source.
I like Perez, but I don't think he is Ferrari material, IMO. I would have though differently a few years ago, but he hasn't impressed me at McLaren, or Force India. A very likeable individual, but no more than a journeyman, I think. [/QUOTE]

 

That's my perception as well.

But...has it occured to anyone that last season (= 2015) the "Reds" already had won a race at this point of the championship schedule...and nevertheless, some say that this year, Ferrari is closer to Mercedes than it was last year? Well, according to the "hard results" at least, they are not.

Rgds

 

I think both Nico and Lewis are due for a change in 'luck' ..so Lewis should win it ,would not be surprised to see Seb and/or Kimi also on the podium.Nico well down the points this time around.

 

I really like how Nico is this year. Great pic!! Take that Bernie!!!! LH never seems to be so fun oriented at all!

https://twitter.com/nico_rosberg/status/725385043879796736

 

I thought that way last year as LH kept winning.

LH kept winning lol

 

Senior engineer leaves Sauber F1 team, spares shortage at Russian GP - F1 - Autosport


Sauber's head of track engineering Tim Malyon has left the Formula 1 team after just over three months in the job, Autosport has learned.

The former Red Bull engineer joined the team in January as a replacement for Giampaolo Dall'Ara.

But his last race was the Chinese Grand Prix and he will officially leave the team at the end of the month.

It is the second high profile departure for the Swiss team after technical director Mark Smith left on the eve of season.

Malyon cited personal reasons for his departure.

Paul Russell, Felipe Nasr's former race engineer, moves into the role of chief race engineer on an interim basis.

Sauber has not paid its staff on time for the last two months because of cashflow problems, with boss Monisha Kaltenborn working to find more backers.

Marcus Ericsson's Swedish sponsors stepped in with an early payment to ensure staff were paid for the month of March, albeit eight or nine days late.

Kaltenborn has conceded the team's financial problems are holding up developments it has planned for its 2016 car.

However, funds were available to ensure Nasr will get a new chassis for this weekend's Russian GP having been blighted by handling problems so far this season.

The Brazilian said the problems were not evident in pre-season testing, when he used chassis 01, the one team-mate Marcus Ericsson has used since Melbourne.

But Nasr has struggled in all three of the races so far this season.

Sauber ran identical set-ups on Nasr and Ericsson's cars in China but the problems continued and as a result, Nasr has been given chassis 03.

It is understood the team is very short on spares.

 

Fair point, but Ferrari like hot weather and won last year's Malaysian GP (2nd Round) on a hot track.

Malaysia this year is Round 16.

Sochi will be cool.
Friday: 9°C -16°C
Saturday: 10°C -17°C
Sunday: 9°C -17°C

 

Ferrari will win..fai rand square...

 

smart money says Ferrari will not win at Sochi...it's like tennis, just because each set went to 7-6 tiebreaker doesn't mean it was a close match; each game could've concluded with a 40-0 lead

You need to buck the server more than a handful of times in order to beat him for it to be a close match; it's been a handful of times now and Ferrari hasn't shown they can do that...

 

A bit of luck to roll Ferrari's way, and we can break our duck in Sochi

 

Seems to me any match that involves any tie breaks is, by definition, a pretty close one. Particularly if every set goes that way.....

Cheers,
Ian

 

We will do it,Kimi will be fuelled with Vodka and he'll slay them all...

 

New wing:


New one is at the bottom
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Don´t think Vettel will notice the difference..

 

Insanity!.... They've no doubt spent hundreds of hours in the tunnel to do what?.... Add yet another element to the thing. (3 versus 2 'white' planes.)

I guess they believe it's better than the earlier version, but how much has it cost, & with how much benefit I wonder? (At least in the real world, not the computer.)

Seems that given the restrictions currently, that wing is about all they can screw with race by race; "A new front wing" seems to be announced by all of them every few races.

I get they're all looking for an edge, one of the reasons I follow 'em. But this 'fixation' with the front wing strikes me as crazy.

As already noted, limit both wings to no more than two elements & move on.

Cheers,
Ian