Bahrain GP qualifying ***SPOILER***

Sorry to burst some bubbles but the Toyotas aren't that light.

Massa and Kimi though are VERY heavy.

Pitstop prediction:

Driver________Q3 time__Weight__Fuel__Stop lap
1. Trulli...........1:33.431...648.5....40.5....14.0
2. Glock..........1:33.712....643.......35......12.0
3. Vettel..........1:34.015....659.......51......17.9
4. Button.........1:34.044....652.5.....44.5...15.5
5. Hamilton......1:34.196....652.5.....44.5...15.5
6. Barrichello....1:34.239....649.......41......14.2
7. Alonso..........1:34.578....650.5....42.5....14.7
8. Massa..........1:34.818....664.5....56.5....19.9
9. Rosberg.......1:35.134.....670.5....62.5....22.1
10. Raikkonen....1:35.380....671.5....63.5.....22.5
11. Kovalainen....1:35.134...678.5....70.5.....25.1
12. Nakajima....................680.9.....72.9.....26.0
13. Kubica........................698.6.....90.6....32.6
14. Heidfeld......................696.3.....88.3.....31.7
15. Piquet.........................677.6.....69.6.....24.8

 

Glock will come in 7 laps before Vettel. That's pretty darn light in my book. Trulli is due 5 laps before Vettel.

 

Glock and RB are scheduled to come in on the same lap. Button's scheduled to come in one lap latter than Trulli. So Toyota and Brawn are about on the same strategy. Vettel will probably win but if the Toyotas can keep him behind until their stop, then hope he hits traffic, they might have a chance.

Also I'll take Ross Brawn's strategy over anyone's in the pit lane. IMO the Toyotas look good. They've show that they're quick, quicker than any car on the grid with exception of Vettel in the RB. But I'd put that down to Vettel than the RB. Quick over one lap is one thing, and it's another to maintain for full race distance. The Brawns have shown to be quick over the distance as have the RB. We'll see if the Toyotas can do the same this weekend.

I should be a fun race IMO.

 

Seems to me I would start race light, just to be up front and hopefully miss any potontial first lap, first turn mishap.

Even if I come early, assuming I am on a similar two (or three depending on the circuit) stop strategy, I take on enough fuel my first stop to make it last as long last as the other contenders. Actually I would once again want to be light my final stint assuming my car handles well light. Hopefully, I have not only avoided any mishaps, I have also built up a comfortable lead by starting light. The gamble being that once I come in for my first stop, those behind me might be caught up in traffic, and do not eat into my lead. Or not.

So whats the big deal about starting light, unless of course your car sucks anyway and sooner or later the better cars catch up? If the Brawns are still fast in the long run, I do not see how Vettel has an advantage, unless his car is just that much quicker no matter what the conditions. So far, he has proven to be faster in the rain. This weekend will prove whethter or not he is faster in the sand.

My point being, if cars are equal, starting light sure seems like the correct way to win a race. And avoid being taken out on lap one.

Yes? No? Why?

 

I think Vettel will walk away with this one if he has considerably more fuel at the start given his qualifying times

But, in response to Steve's comment re Hammy, I thought the drivers were forbidden from using KERS at the start of the race. Is that correct or not? The SpeedTV crew were making comments regarding KERS at the start of the race in China, and I'm pretty certain that that isn't permitted.

 

I believe I heard it mentioned in a broadcast of an earlier race that KERS is disabled at the start until the car reaches something like 100kph. So it can't be used at launch.

Cheers,
Kurt O.

 

How long do you think that takes in an F1 ???

 

Probably less time than it takes to read this sentence.

 

+1

 

I don't know the regs, but I'd think KERS wouldn't be all that useful below below 100 KPH+ due to the chance of wheel spin, especially on cold tires at the start of the race. I'd think that once the aero starts to work (+ 100 KPH? Anyone know?) then KERS could be used some 2ish seconds after green for some extra juice. Bahrain has a nice long straight from the start and cars are doing 300 KPH before they begin braking for T1, so KERS equipped cars could make a big run for the front.

 

I wonder if they're thinking that the super-soft tires won't last much more than a dozen laps or so, anyway, so they're hoping to get out light for their short stint on options and try to open a gap on the field, before coming in for fuel and primes.

 

Just as I predicted, 1st BrawnGT Button, second Vettel Red Bull.

 

Kimi used to be famous for being able to run heavy and still qualify well, using that to his advantage even back in his McLAren days and early Ferrari. Sadly this year he hasn't been able to make that happen.