2016 Petronas Malaysian GP Raceday **Spoilers**

Setting aside everyone's personal opinions on the 2 Merc drivers for 2 possible scenario's, (1) Would it not be ironic if LH recovers the deficit to Nico in next few races and then has "another" engine related issue? (2) Nico himself has some "engine related" issues which effect to equalise the points status coincidentally? Would certainly make the last few races very interesting and might increase viewer interest and revenue at the end of the season? Anyway lets hope for a close season finale and may the best driver win.

 

More Merc PU failures seem highly likely. Merc are clearly being forced to turn up the power levels in quail and the race to maintain their lead over the RBs. Merc have no choice if they want to win as the car is not good in turbulent air, so victory requires starting at the front and staying there. I wonder if they might change this stance now that the WCC is virtually theirs and de-risk the PUs from further failure, but potentially force their drivers to race in the pack a bit more?

 

Controversial !
Merc to ask their drivers to race amongst other cars instead of solo hillclimbs ?

 

Dum dum dum da da dum da da dum......... I always looked way cool in black leather, ask er indoors... And she will tell you, I have a massive sword hehehehehe

 

Dark lord of the Sid, I love it. Not sure I will be using a voodoo doll to influence things, we get called racist for less. I'll just use the force!

 

Struggling with irony and humour paddy? Don't worry, so does Elton..... I put a force mind lock on him, these aren't the turbos you are looking for!

 

That's exactly what I think Andrew, the works team is always more on the limits as they are testing essentially as they develop, while customers only get the tried and tested versions, so are a little away from the hair trigger of the works engines

 

Who's the guy that did the film about the twin towers, I suspect Elton is on the phone to him right now, ready to do the film about this years conspiracy of a championship. I hope it's set in space, the dark lord of the Sid could play the chief conspirator! Just as well I get a mask, as I have the perfect face for ....... Radio! Hehe

 

Kanye to play Elton.

 

Bela Lugosi could come back and play kyvat, Roland rat as Niki Lauda, will Ferrell as Toto Wolff, marky Mark walhberg as Seb Vettel, joe Pesci as Jean todt, Britney Spears special guest starring as Nico rosberg, Oliver Reid as an old Kimi, reminiscing about the past over a few vodkas, Liam neeson as an older, narrating lil' Maxie 'I don't care, I have skills, and I will use them, and you will be blocked' with Nico rosbergs son playing the current day lil' Maxie, although I'm told he will be prevented from using his pacifier as much as max does as his mummy says he shouldn't pick up bad habits.

 

It would make sense for Mercedes to restrict customers engines to preserve reliability.
There are maybe financial penalties when a customer engine break?

Hamilton may punish his engines more than Rosberg, hence more breakages?
The data at Mercedes should show who pushes his engine harder.

 

I don't think this is the case. Given the fact that he is the only driver with PU problems, you'd think they'd make an adjustment to minimize blowing up his engines were that the case. Also, he hasn't been known to grenade engines over the previous years of his Merc tenure, so I think it's just ****ty luck.

Unfortunately, that just happens sometimes...

 

In fairness, I'd be pissed too if my championship bid was being undone by car reliability issues...and I was the only driver of 9 with that engine suffering the problems.

I would freaking lose it, to be honest. He's more media-savvy than I am...I would want to punch someone.

 

IMO the Mercedes factory team does push their engines more so it should be 1 of 2. They also have the more upgrades AFAIK, hardly see any of the non factory teams use upgrades.

 

I'm not sure Nico will be a worthy champion. Poor passing attempt that was amature a best. To be honest I'm not sure Vetted ever was too as it has been clearly demonstrated that he's nothing special.

I also think Elton has more than his talent deserves. Alonso and Ricci should be getting them if based on driver talent.
Pete

 

I've had to watch the race in segments as I'm swamped with some software issues at work, finally up to lap 40.

What I love about Red Bull, their cars get to race eachother these days it seems even when it counts in the overall picture. They've moved on as an organization from Multi 21.

 

Let's talk again when the race for WDCs.

Nonetheless, their battle was breathtaking.

 

Good read.
https://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2016/04/insight-how-mercedes-supplies-its-customer-formula-1-teams-with-engines/

Again, I think the customers get 4 engines for their deal and then have to fork out extra cash thereafter.

 

In a year or two Vettel will be gone from Ferrari. I have never found him to be great. He is good at only one thing. Leading from the front in a vastly superior car. As soon as there is pressure he starts wilting. I still don't understand why Ferrari got him....

 

Vettels going to be resigned through 2019 rumor has it.

 

Pete

 

Well, to be honest, he was the only "veteran but not too old" driver available. I wish Ricciardo wasn´t under contract back then. Maybe in one or two years, when he clashes with Verstappen.

 

Ferrari had been trying to get him for a while. Schumacher recommended him in 2009 I believe when Ferrari was after Alonso.

I don't think it's a mistake. The car is slow(er), that's no fault by the drivers. Vettel knows the only chance at a good result is to be ahead on the first corner, otherwise it's 300km of studying the rear end of the Mercedes.

Vettel took a risk and it didn't pay off. He doesn't have a championship to fight for, and no one cares about finishing 2nd or 3rd in the WCC.

 

I agree.

Vettel is trying to bring a result higher than the car itself is capable, and that leads to more mistakes. Kimi was at times doing the same thing in 2014 and 2015, but seems to have finally leveled off into business.

For Vettel, the Ferrari is just close enough in performance to the other cars to be a very real carrot to chase after in terms of seeing if 100% is actually farther than it should be. The result has been a lot of contact, but he's also put the Ferrari into a very decent finishing position multiple times over this season and the last. Ricci is an incredibly fit for the image Red Bull wants. I can't see them giving him up.

Riccardo will move where he thinks he can get a WDC, if that isn't Ferrari, he won't be there.

Vettel is still far above most drivers on the grid in his abilities.

Throughout the Alonso years I really wanted to see a Torro Rosso driver replace Alonso, they could of done what Vettel has, or more, at a far lower price tag. Unfortunately for Ferrari, those guys are now big names with much bigger price tags and team's quit interested in keeping them under contract.

 

I've finally finished the race, and Hamilton's interview really doesn't seem that odd at all. He still speaks highly of his mechanics and engineers, the doubts seem to be primarily on the hurried replacement engines he acquired and whether or not those will make it. It just seemed he was a bit human.

Congrats to Ricci. Amazing job. Verstappen got a little hosed by there being one pit crew only in F1, but such is a team sport. Poor Kimi got slammed by a move that could of been really bad and shouldn't of been done at all. Perhaps after being taken out by a Ferrari Nico wasn't thinking to kindly of the other red car either. I'm really hoping the Ferrari's and make it through and both finish for the Japan GP, I love that venue and really want to see Ferrari excel there. A Kimi, Seb, and Danni podium would be nice for Japan.