Japanese Grand Prix

Suzuka, 2-4 October 2009

Friday 2
First practice: 1000-1130 (0200-0330 BST)
Second practice: 1400-1530 (0600-0730 BST)

Saturday 3
Third practice: 1100-1200 (0300-0400 BST)
Qualifying: 1400 (0600 BST)

Sunday 4
Race: 1400 (0600 BST)

 

Quite some qualifying indeed !

Japanese GP starting grid

1. VETTEL Red Bull
2. TRULLI Toyota
3. HAMILTON McLaren
4. SUTIL Force India
5. BARRICHELLO Brawn
6. HEIDFELD BMW
7. BUTTON Brawn
8. RAIKKONEN Ferrari
9. KOVALAINEN McLaren
10. BUEMI Toro Rosso
11. ROSBERG Williams
12. ALONSO Renault
13. KUBICA BMW
14. GLOCK Toyota
15. ALGUERSUARI Toro Rosso
16. FISICHELLA Ferrari
17. NAKAJIMA Williams
18. GROSJEAN Renault
19. LIUZZI Force India
20. WEBBER Red Bull

I wonder if Buemi might not still get a grid penalty.

The mechanics are going to be busy tonight.

More of the same tomorrow ?

 

There's talk of investigation of drivers for not lifting off under yellow: Button, Barrichello, Alonso, Sutil, Rosberg

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79170

 

that would be a bit unfair.

quailifying only lasted about 3 seconds because of those crashes.

 

Interesting qualy. Will be interesting to see those weights, Toyota probably wont have much fuel on board as they go for a good position at their home GP.

Shame JB is a bit far down the order as it will turn into another weekend of damage limitation although it could yet go tits up

http://pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_it...es_art_id=39213

 

Button and Barrichello 5 place penalties for not slowing down under yellow flag conditions

Looks like they've finally made something stick on Teflonso too.

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,1895...604090,00.html

 

I hate to say it but they should get a penalty for not acknowldging the flag (and waving at it as per Mika Hakkinens tactic is no longer acceptable).

The rule is clear you have to slow for a yellow flag because you don't know what's happened normally and why that flag is out. There could well have been a marshall on the track or similar trying to recover the debris for example. Also the flag is out and if some people adhere to it and others don't you end up with the circumstances that Alonso is in where some people follow the rules and others haven't. Is it fair that you get penalised for following the rules? I'd say no.

The Jenson Button fan bit of me hopes they don't get penalised but I don't see how the stewards can't take some action even though there there were mitigating circumstances (i.e. half the grid wouldn't have set a time).

Expecting to see a few 10 place penalties/moves to the back of the grid

 

Hadn't seen that. Cheers

Shame but I agree with it. Interesting to see the number of people who've had to take a penalty of some description

 

Spices things up a little if, especially if Vettel wins and takes maximum points and Button and Barrichello don't score.

I still think it is a 2 horse race however.

Give over Fred, everybody knows that you are a lying cheating k unt.

 

With regards to the rules, what do the FIA expect?

The session has crashes left right and centre erroding all of the session time.

And then they expect 'Racing' drivers not to push it?

If there is a Red Flag situation in Qualifying, then 2 minutes should be added to the clock and any team out on circuit gets another set of tyres.

Doing that relieves the pressure to set a time caused by other drivers incidents.