Formula One 2012

[260DET]

Thanks for clarifying that Harry, the report I read made no mention that Webber's lap times had increased before the last tyre change was made.

[sh@un]

Maldonado tries his hand at drifting during the F1 summer break

[Missileman]

...and like we all expected him to be good at it, his missus will catch on next

[Roy]

Thanks for clarifying that Harry, the report I read made no mention that Webber's lap times had increased before the last tyre change was made.

They didn't because they didn't. Harry is wrong!

Sorry to ruin yet another RBR Webber conspiracy theory with facts, but Webber's last 3 laps before that pit stop were getting consistently slower and the last was 2.2 slower than 3 laps earlier. I don't think they had any choice. They also 3 stopped Vettel 3 laps later and his lap times hadn't even started declining.

That's not right Harry. It was stupidity more then conspiracy to stop Webber.

I have live timing and the race saved on my computer and just went back and checked your numbers. These laps include lap traffic....I dont see a tyre problem emerging and certainly no 2.2 seconds off lap 52 (He pitted on lap 55)

Lap_______________Webber_________________Alonso_____GAP

45________________1.27.321________________1.26.963____7.1sec

46________________1.26.772________________1.26.999

47________________1.26.674________________1.27.026

48________________1.26.447________________1.26.977

49________________1.26.263________________1.27.288

50________________1.26.009________________1.27.087

51________________1.26.477________________1.26.923

52________________1.26.262________________1.26.768

53________________1.26.786________________1.26.437

54________________1.26.890________________1.26.439____12.0sec

55________________Pit_____________________1.26.600

So look at the actual times respective drivers were posting 10 laps before Webber's stop and, sure he had a diff problem but there was nothing in his lap times to suggest he was in trouble

Even if he was 2 sec a lap quicker, for the final 12 laps, and pit stops takes 17seconds...that is only a net gain of 7 seconds assumiong he doesnt lose time overtaking the 3 cars he lost position to....STUPID MOVE BY RBR!

[stR33ter]

Like Roy said

The laps leading up to the pit he was closing in on Bieber

[dezz]

They took a gamble, with both of their drivers. Neither of them are whinging about it.

Mark Webber (8th)

“We were hoping people would be in a bit more trouble with their tyres at the end. We were in fifth place and had a nice cushion, but we’ve had plenty of times this year where the tyres had stopped working towards the end of the race. Today it didn’t really work out that way and we lost places through trying something different. I was quicker in the closing stages, but it’s hard to overtake here and I couldn’t get the job done. Still, we moved up three places from the start, we have good points and it’s very open for the rest of the year.”

[hrd-hr30]

http://www.f1fanatic...x-fastest-laps/

yes, he was catching Alonso in that stint, but had a few laps of degraded performance before he pitted indicating he 'd burnt up that set of softs. Its been a pattern over this season that the Pirellis warning sign that they are about to drop off the cliff is 2 or 3 laps slightly slower than your current trend. RBR would have had more data like tyre temps and pressures as well to base their decision on. His last 2 laps of that stint were slower than Alonso, who seems to have just been managing the gap and his rubber to get to the end because he was faster than Mark even after Mark stopped for new tyres.

RBR did the same strategy for Seb 3 laps later, and his times hadn't tapered off. So its obviously not a conspiracy against Mark.

Edited August 1, 2012 by hrd-hr30

[Roy]

If you go back and look at the race footage those two laps had traffic. Look what happened to Alonso's pace when he hit the traffic that had held up Webber those fractions you are referring to.

Anyway, its not the point. The tyres were fine and they admitted as much post race. It was a mistake of RBR to pit, they thought the tyres were going to go off like in the past and they got it wrong.

[wolverine]

He could easily afford to drop a second a lap and still finish in front of Alonso. It was a dumb gamble.

[Granthem]

That was my opinion. Even if his tires were going to go - he had a good cushion, and could have gone defensive.

Look how long it took everyone else (eg Button) once stuck behind traffic to get past. Couldn't believe my eyes. Silliest move I've seen in a long time

[wolverine]

On a side note Jonathon Legard is commentating on indoor volleyball in London. He really sucks.

[Roy]

And we will be talking about it for 4 weeks as there is nothing else to do for the summer break...except cry that this is the best time to be touring around Europe and how awesome it would be to go to Spa.

[hrd-hr30]

Maybe it was a mistake for RBR to 3 stop their drivers. That's a very different argument to "RBR sabotaged Webber again".

But RBR's analysts and strategists had access to far more information on the state of their tyres than armchair experts watching it on the tube. They came out and said after the race they expected other teams to be in tyre trouble at the end.

I still reckon Pirelli quietly reverted to last years compounds a few races ago. We haven't seen any unexplainable randomness or falling off the cliff for a few races now.

[stR33ter]

Then with that take on things would the team then be more expecting the tyres to hold out if that was the results from the last few races

[wolverine]

Maybe it was a mistake for RBR to 3 stop their drivers. That's a very different argument to "RBR sabotaged Webber again".

But RBR's analysts and strategists had access to far more information on the state of their tyres than armchair experts watching it on the tube. They came out and said after the race they expected other teams to be in tyre trouble at the end.

I still reckon Pirelli quietly reverted to last years compounds a few races ago. We haven't seen any unexplainable randomness or falling off the cliff for a few races now.

It seems like you are trying to have it both ways. Either RBR had the data and the tyres were going to fall off a cliff or Pirelli reverted the compounds and RBR made a boneheaded mistake....or.....

....SV had nothing to lose by pitting after Webber. Webber lost track position to a number of cars. This hardly proves a conspiracy but it cost SV nothing and bought him a call option on the front running car's tyres falling off the cliff.

[ctjet]

everybody quick!

read into this way too much!

[JAS-25T]

Me first!

Looks like he is givng someone the thumbs up that he dropped the shoulder into him ahahahaha

[ctjet]

senna looks like he's giving him the nod

i knew i liked that kid

[zebra]

Ha would love for the beibs to start webber

[Roy]

Maybe it was a mistake for RBR to 3 stop their drivers. That's a very different argument to "RBR sabotaged Webber again". But RBR's analysts and strategists had access to far more information on the state of their tyres than armchair experts watching it on the tube. They came out and said after the race they expected other teams to be in tyre trouble at the end. I still reckon Pirelli quietly reverted to last years compounds a few races ago. We haven't seen any unexplainable randomness or falling off the cliff for a few races now.

The compounds are fixed for a season and you would have heard something from the teams if the compounds had changed. More likely everyone is driving around way off the pace conserving them and they are simply starting to understand how to set up the cars and get life out of the tyres. A few races ago RBR came out with a new rear end with different upper arm geometry to help tyre life. Others are no doubt doing something similar