WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

Fri 15 September
Practice 1 05:30 - 06:30
Practice 2 09:00 - 10:00

Sat 16 September
Practice 3 05:30 - 06:30
Qualifying 09:00

Sun 17 September
Race 08:00

CIRCUIT INFO:

Lap data
Lap length 5.065km (3.147 miles)
Race laps 61
Race distance 308.828km (191.897 miles)
Pole position Right-hand side of the track
Lap record* 1’47.976 (168.871 kph) by Fernando Alonso, 2010
Fastest lap 1’44.381 (174.687 kph) by Sebastian Vettel, 2011
Maximum speed 296kph (183.926 mph)
DRS zone/s (race) Pit straight and straight to turn seven
Distance from grid to turn one 200m

Car performance
Full throttle 48%
Longest flat-out section 832m
Downforce level Maximum
Gear changes per lap 80
Fuel use per lap 2.3kg
Time penalty per lap of fuel 0.092s

Strategy
Quickest complete pit stop in 2012 29.117s by Red Bull (see full list)
2013 prime tyre**: Medium (2012: Soft)
2013 option tyre**: Super-soft (2012: Super soft)
*Fastest lap set during a Grand Prix
**Pirelli’s compounds are softer than those used in 2012

Data sources: FIA, Williams, Mercedes

 

Going for Fernando with a legitimate possibility of him pulling it off.

Others to not dismiss would include: Checo, Lando, Oscar, Lewis, George
Podium by Alex might happen? This time? Maybe?

Normally I'd put the WAGs in here, but Red Bull & Max have basically made that no fun, and much of the field have made life imitate art for me (in a very good way). . .
. . . also, no Kimi==nothing epically silly.

Okay, one (easy) WAG: Bottas will place higher in his next bike race than he does at the Singapore GP.

 

^ frozen engine regs has made this year considerably less entertaining.

 

I generally agree, but the aero antics from Merc and MacLaren have been worth watching.

 

^ teams are having to get "clever" with aero due to the engine regs. I'd suggest RBR have been the most clever with aero, always have been.

 

Voted Sainz
Can’t believe how well the Haas team qualified.

 

Genius drive by the Smooth Operator out thinking the pit wall and the Mercedes strategy team. This was a great race and edge of the seat stuff during the last 10 laps.

I always thought at some point there would be the odd race where Red Bull won't win and that it happened in such a way was very cool. I think Carlos has a very intelligent mind behind the helmet and I think at some point he is going to tip Ferrari over to giving him number one driver status.

 

I’m so confused: Sainz got to the last third on the backs of Ferrari’s initial strategy
Sainz finished the race in 1st by selecting his own strategy.

. . . Dang it Ferrari. . . (And well done Carlos)

 

Enjoyed this one as it wasn’t a foregone conclusion as to who would win. Great to see Carlos win, he earned it and drove a brilliant race.

 

It actually turned into a good race at the end. The most exciting F! finish I've in a long time. What's the matter with Max?