Think Ferrari might have an answer for Mercedes this year. Vettel could make things very interesting..

 

I just made another 2015 F1 thread... I hadn't noticed this one.
Ferrari might have an answer for Mercedes this year. Vettel could make things very interesting.

 

Ferrari is not close enough to pose a real threat, yet.
Last year we were 1.8" behind, this year we only halved the gap. The race pace might warrant some wins under lucky circumstances but to the road is still uphill if the goal is to win a championship.
If we only still had nando

 

It was Vettel's two-stop gamble that paid off last race, when everyone else made three, and his good tyre management. (yes that is how they spell tyre in many F1 countries) In China Vettel was quick but Hamilton and Nico were quicker and finished 1-2, Vettel 3rd

 

The Mercedes team adopted a two tar (yes, that's how tire/tyre is spelled in one F1 country) stop strategy in China, matching Ferrari's winning trick in the previous race. Hamilton and Rosberg were faster than Vettel in both races.

Ken

 

Vettel is second place in points standings.

 

Mods, can we merge this thread with the other one?

 

Yes the Ferraris have advantage in tire wear on hot tracks. With a more abrasive and hot track this weekend, they may give Mercedes a run for the win. On most of the other tracks in moderate temps and with less abrasive asphalt, the Mercedes should have the advantage. (this comes from several F1 articles I had read this week)

 

Thanks

 

Hamilton edges Vettel in final practice - GPUpdate.net

I don't know how the cooler qualifying and race will play out for ferrari but it looks like they may have a chance to have their say.
This is the first year after many campaigns that we have 2 cars with entirely different characteristics race head to head. In the past it was about who was the fastest in absolute terms, this year both reliability and average pace play a bigger role.

Mercedes are fast but their drivers could be the problem given how sour their relationship is. They could end up holding each other from a clean drive. Ferrari, on the other hand, has a solid all around package that lacks pure speed but their drivers form a smarter duo.

Kimi also wants to renew his contract instead of retiring at the end of the season. This means that the whole team is working in the right direction. I feel sorry for Alonso but I hope this teaches him a lesson.

What really makes me happy is that Ferrari are an italian team that builds and designs the cars in house while Mercedes is a de facto british team. Based and the designed in the uk almost from the ground up, engine included. Winning some races around them would be a nice way to show the middle finger to that craphole of a marque and country after all it has done and is doing to us.

 

Its Hamilton first, and Raikkonen takes 2nd on penultimate lap after Rosberg error. The Mercedes had brake problems in the closing laps and that allowed a charging Raikkonen to pass Rosberg as his brakes faded. Hamilton slowed on the last lap due to some brake fade, but had enough to win. Mercedes boss says they must find out what happened with their brakes at the last two laps, because if there had been even one more lap Raikkonen possibly could have caught and passed Hamilton for the win. Vettel finishes fifth after a mistake that caused him damage his front wing and have to pit and change the nose. Ferrari has good speed and good drivers, and will certainly be a threat to Mercedes all year on any warm and abrasive tracks,such as Bahrain, and at any time the Mercedes cars make a mistake or have any technical difficulties.

F1 standings after today's race: Hamilton 93 pts; Rosberg 66 pts; Vettel 65pts; Raikkonen 42pts, then Massa.

 

I like where this is going.
Ferrari are actually breathing on Mercedes' back. If Hamilton doesn't push in the first laps then Mercs' biggest enemy will be him and Rosberg fighting against each other. Of course Ferrari will be happy to take advantage of any mistake it indirectly forces.

Raikkonen looked in his window today, the one where he's a beast. I hope Arrivabene keeps him motivated.
Vettel had a bad race but still managed to fight with Bottas 'till the end, despite losing more than 30 seconds during his wing change. I know I always spoke unkindly of him but still, after talking to some folks at Toro Rosso I think i have to change my stance on him and Nando.

 

Exactly. Ferrari head said after the race that they won't extend Raikkonen's contract right now, they want him motivated to keep driving hard this season.

My money is still on Hamilton if the cars keep holding up. Mercedes will keep Rosberg in check, with the tight points race this year, they won't let him ruin Hamilton's chances.

Many F1 knowledgeable folks have said that on temperate tracks with less abrasive track surfaces (which according to them are the majority of the F1 venues this year) Mercedes should still have the clear advantage, smaller as it is than last year. In hotter temps and more abrasive tracks, Ferrari can steal a win or two. Should be interesting for the fans.

 

Too bad their PU's are a whole lot of fail: McLaren MP4-30 - Racecar Engineering

 

Different approaches to the 2015 PU

 

Hon-duh has a log manifold? Lol.

 

YES YES YES!
Refuelling set to return from 2017 - GPUpdate.net

Refuelling!

 

This is good news, I remember when Massa lost a championship due to his
refuelling issue.

 

I don't see anywhere that refueling is a requirement. "Reintroduction of refuelling (maintaining a maximum race fuel allowance" I would like to see the option of refueling. Weight savings vs. time in pits.

 

Hamilton Gets $155 Million To Stay At Mercedes For Three More Years

 

What a lame-*** end to a race.

 

Lewis was completely pissed with his 3rd place finish!!!!!!

 

Mercedes' stupid pit stop call cost Hamilton the race ! If he loses the F1 championship in a close points battle with Rosberg, this will be the mistake that did it.

 

This was jsut as much Lewis' fault as it was MB's.
Mercedes Apologizes To Lewis Hamilton; Says There's No Team Favoritism
This article explains what happened.

 

It's funny to see the same mistakes that Ferrari made in the past repeated by a "great" team. I don't want to know how fast and under how much stress the engineers must think during a race. These are indeed silly mistakes but still, judging them by the sidelines is fairly easy. Just like judging a quarterback for his poor reads... when you don't have 350lbs behemoths who want your head running towards you!