July 19, 2014
F1 Quals: Germany 2014
Nico Rosberg is a German driver, driving for a German team, at a German track. Yeah, he kinda wants this pole position really badly. Did he get it? Let's take a look:
Yup, sure did. You may notice, however, that his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, is in 16th place. This is due to a wreck in Q1. A previous lap was fast enough to get him into Q2, but Hamilton suffered a right-front brake failure that pitched him into the wall with some force. As it turns out, there's every chance in the world he'll be starting from the pitlane on Sunday. Consider: both he and Rosberg use Brembo brakes on their rear tires, but Rosberg uses Carbon Industrie brakes up front. Hamilton uses Brembo front brakes, and there's some thought that the team will force him to change for Sunday. If so, that'll mean a start from the pit lane. Before you ask, no, I have no idea what difference there is between the two companies.
The rest of the field is, more or less, what you would expect. Another nice job from the Williams boys, and it looks like they'll be well-positioned in case of a failure on Rosberg's car, but otherwise it's clearly the German's race to lose.
Well, we shall see, won't we? Race is in the morning!
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Yup, sure did. You may notice, however, that his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, is in 16th place. This is due to a wreck in Q1. A previous lap was fast enough to get him into Q2, but Hamilton suffered a right-front brake failure that pitched him into the wall with some force. As it turns out, there's every chance in the world he'll be starting from the pitlane on Sunday. Consider: both he and Rosberg use Brembo brakes on their rear tires, but Rosberg uses Carbon Industrie brakes up front. Hamilton uses Brembo front brakes, and there's some thought that the team will force him to change for Sunday. If so, that'll mean a start from the pit lane. Before you ask, no, I have no idea what difference there is between the two companies.
The rest of the field is, more or less, what you would expect. Another nice job from the Williams boys, and it looks like they'll be well-positioned in case of a failure on Rosberg's car, but otherwise it's clearly the German's race to lose.
Well, we shall see, won't we? Race is in the morning!
Posted by: Wonderduck at
02:10 PM
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1
How do you start from the pit lane? Does that mean he misses the first trip around the track, and starts from standstill when the pace car leaves the track? Essentially that means he starts in last position and well behind the pack, too, right?
Posted by: Steven Den Beste at July 19, 2014 04:39 PM (+rSRq)
2
Almost. Remember, F1 has standing starts. When the lights go out and the Blundering Herd begins to roll off the grid, someone starting from the Pit Lane has to stay at a stop until the last car passes the pit exit.
So, other than the pace car part, you were pretty much correct. They'll be in last, and moving slowly but accelerating, as the final cars are already past and up to speed. For a Mercedes, this is a disadvantage, sure, but not a huge one: chances are good he'll be past the backmarkers and into the midfield in a lap or two at most.
So, other than the pace car part, you were pretty much correct. They'll be in last, and moving slowly but accelerating, as the final cars are already past and up to speed. For a Mercedes, this is a disadvantage, sure, but not a huge one: chances are good he'll be past the backmarkers and into the midfield in a lap or two at most.
Posted by: Wonderduck at July 19, 2014 07:26 PM (ghTUs)
3
I thought I saw the beginning of a race which began with the field doing one lap behind the pace car, and the real start was when the pace car pulled over. Maybe I'm remembering a restart.
Posted by: Steven Den Beste at July 19, 2014 08:01 PM (+rSRq)
4
A bit more: I thought the purpose of that initial paced lap was to warm up the tires.
Posted by: Steven Den Beste at July 19, 2014 08:02 PM (+rSRq)
5
You almost certainly saw a restart, which IS done behind the safety car.
Now, there IS a formation lap before the start of the race. Ostensibly to make sure that the track is free of problems (animals, debris, wayward marshals, insane defrocked priests, that sort of thing), it's also used to heat up the tires as much as possible.
Now, there IS a formation lap before the start of the race. Ostensibly to make sure that the track is free of problems (animals, debris, wayward marshals, insane defrocked priests, that sort of thing), it's also used to heat up the tires as much as possible.
Posted by: Wonderduck at July 19, 2014 08:19 PM (ghTUs)
6
Presumably Hamilton doesn't get to participate, so his tires will be cold. Will that matter?
Posted by: Steven Den Beste at July 19, 2014 08:29 PM (+rSRq)
7
It can't help. Cold tires don't give anywhere near the grip levels expected, so the car might be squirming all over God's Green Earth for the first lap or so.
Or it won't, because Hamilton is a pretty decent driver. About the only advantage one gains from starting from the pit lane is a guarantee of missing out on the usual Turn 1 hijinks. But that's pretty much it.
Or it won't, because Hamilton is a pretty decent driver. About the only advantage one gains from starting from the pit lane is a guarantee of missing out on the usual Turn 1 hijinks. But that's pretty much it.
Posted by: Wonderduck at July 19, 2014 08:53 PM (ghTUs)
8
Wonderduck, what do you think about Kvyat? He seems not as crash-prone as most beginners, despite ridiculously young age.
Posted by: Pete at July 19, 2014 09:50 PM (RqRa5)
9
I don't really think that much of Kid Kvyat, through no fault of his own. There just hasn't been much reason TO think about him, other than his youth.
I have this... feeling... that Toro Rosso is being ill-served by their drivers at the moment, that the car is better than they're letting it be. Not a race-winner, not even a podium-getter, but something like 4th or 5th, instead of the 8th place Jules Vergne has gotten it up to. If so, then Kvyat isn't much of a driver at all.
But that's just me, and I have nothing to back that up, nothing to point directly to and say "see? Right there!"
I have this... feeling... that Toro Rosso is being ill-served by their drivers at the moment, that the car is better than they're letting it be. Not a race-winner, not even a podium-getter, but something like 4th or 5th, instead of the 8th place Jules Vergne has gotten it up to. If so, then Kvyat isn't much of a driver at all.
But that's just me, and I have nothing to back that up, nothing to point directly to and say "see? Right there!"
Posted by: Wonderduck at July 20, 2014 12:57 AM (mOdOJ)
10
After watching that insane priest try to get himself killed on the track (kudos to the worker who turfed the idiot), Youtube directed me to a video that helped make this year's rule changes much clearer to me:
Posted by: Mauser at July 20, 2014 09:35 PM (TJ7ih)
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