Hey, A little surprised Fpiloto hasn't reported this! Merc have new side pods which required new front, side and Rear crash tests....... Unusual, but not a can't be done it seems. Cheers, Ian http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2012/869/968.html
Why would that even be necessary? I thought the car was the measure of the field? It only had a minor tire issue in the first couple of races but nothing serious and something that could easily be fixed. At least that's what I remember reading on here somewhere... All kidding aside it does speak for MB that they are serious. Motorsport-aktuell has currently two new articles dedicated to the team. One talks about them having had the fastest car in Monaco and the other starts to wonder what Nico's chances for the title are this year: He has scored enormous amounts of points since China and is the only driver to have been on the front row twice. As stated in another thread: Consistency and speed can lead to the title. Nico as WDC? Me likey.
Going down that route is a recipe for disaster. Many people said ugly things about the Ferrari and now they´re leading the championship.
I didn't think it was really all that worth reporting. So many teams are doing major major updates this season requiring new crash testing. This stuff is not budget friendly. Lotus also had new sidepods over the weekend requiring crash testing, but Merc's are certainly now the class of the field as their turning vanes sport minor upright turning vanes sprouting from the floor of the car further directing air around the sidepods. Willis' work is certainly not going unnoticed. Merc also has a new slightly wider nose, carbon fiber gearbox casing, new low mounted rear brake calipers, new rear suspension pickup point for the upper a-arm. They have done a massive amount to this car and they without a doubt have the best mechanical traction of the field as they were the quickest car at Monaco. I'll be surprised if they don't win at Canada or at least have pole. They will be in front of Ferrari and possibly Mclaren in a couple races time. No doubt. Lotus is moving nicely out there too but for some reason Merc are just on fire with the development race for their car this season. Now they just need to work on building Michael's car so it stops breaking. 4 races now, that's half the season, have had something broken on his car ruining his race, or for Bahrain, qualifying. Unbelievable. And for the other races he's in some sort of incident with only one being his fault. I really hope this crap stops as it kills me to think he would go out like this. He's driving so so well this season because the car is finally good. If Sebastian Vettel has shown us anything this season with his follies, it's that a fabulous driver has to at times have at least a good car under them to make it work.
MS can win in Canada, he's historically strong there but LH will be very good as well. It's going to be a fun weekend. The results have to come Michael's way soon, he's driving very well. Whatever the case, I won't forget that 69th pole position when he tought the best of the best a thing or two around the streets of Monaco at age 43. That made my season...
That pole really did make good for anything prior. Also during the race he was the quickest man on track by far to the tune of a second a lap when he finally came out of the pits and passed by dead weight Raikonnen. For a solid 10 or so laps there he reduced the gap to massa (who himself was just a few seconds from the leader and on their pace) from 23 seconds to 11 seconds and then his fuel pump broke. That was impressive driving, seriously.
I agree that Shumi was fantastic at Monaco, and he will be again at numerous upcoming races. I must say, however, that he seems to have exhausted his suppy of good automotive carma. Remember the year he retired ... was leading the race w/ about 2 or 3 races to go and his Ferrari engine let go (w/ huge clouds of smoke)? That cost him his eighth title (to Alonso), and he really hasn't had any luck since that time. If this is his swan song year (and I hope it isn't), I too would like to see him go out better.
