The F1 2015 thread…

Yup, not going to see anything this evening.

Did you see those two numptys sat out in the rain with just shorts, t-shirts and an umbrella each?

Menkul.

only 3 sets of extreme wet tyres for the weekend.

This seems like a crazy rule to me. What happens if it rains every day? The cars just stop running?

Yep

what a lovely show.. merc must have a super computer weather machine that told toto to stay home for the day

If your name was Toto and a hurricane was coming then you’d stay stay at home too. #wheresdorothy?

If your name was Toto and a hurricane was coming then you’d stay stay at home too

😆

Brilliant!

This penalty that Vettel has for the engine change… if the US GP is cancelled, does that penalty carry forward to Mexico?

Interesting question. I’m almost hoping not, given that it appears Red Bull were holding off on the upgraded engine and penalty to Mexico 😈

Is qualifying still on tonight then?

Can’t see anything to say it won’t go ahead yet.

No one seems to know but current talk is of FP3 deciding the grid, which would put it at LH – Hulkenberg – Bottas

Then Sainz – Kvyet – Ricciardo – Rosberg – Massa. Vettel came 2nd but has ten place penalty for engine change

My mind is still boggled by that 3 sets of wet tyres only rule. That’s just not enough, is it? There’s five sessions over a race weekend. The drivers will still risk going to the end of the race even if their tyres are knackered. Doesn’t seem that safe, does it?

thought if enough of the FP sessions are declared wet, then they get a bonus set of wet and/or intermediate tyres?

but even then, like they did last time out, they’ll sit out a session and not waste them.

I guess it’s all logistics. Do the sums for the total number of tyres that need to be sent to a race (and presumably Pirelli make a few extra for contingency). It’s a lot of shipping crates, for a tyre that probably won’t be needed at 80% of the races.

That wasn’t the implication of what I read – you’re probably right about it being a logistics thing, and they can’t suddenly magic up another set.

I presume to make 4 sets available would eat too much into Bernie’s profits.

Of course as it’s turned out here, 3 sets probably will be enough, though that clearly wouldn’t be the case if all practice sessions took place and all sessions needed Extreme Wets – especially if conditions in the race changed so they wore out a set as it dried but then needed a new set when it rained again.

still a bit moist.. I wonder when they are going to call it off. my guess the crowds would sue if they closed it early.
News that Jolyon palmer is the lotus second driver.. those doors are closing quickly..only manor and haas with free seats and maybe kvyat / sainz not confirmed.

Now gone back another half hour – I didn’t get the impression the weather looked like improving, if anything the best looking slot on the forecast has been and gone, so it doesn’t look promising (unless you’re LH with a pre-booked pole).

Woo, they’ve managed a qualifying session – and two Maccas through to Q2, one in the top 10.

Q3 abandoned?

Looks like it. Looks like it’s the right decision – they should have all known they were potentially racing for starting position every session, and there isn’t the same thing as normal with Q3 drivers having to start on the tyres they qualified on, so it simply gets rid of another random roll of the dice on who gets good track conditions.

mclaren even with the new engine in conditions that should negate some of the merc engine advantages are still way way off the pace. 2nd best chassis who are they trying to kid ❗

Fairly aggressive start from Hamilton, but he’s not putting distance between himself and anyone else. The change to slicks is going to be key I think

Rosberg to be swamped by the bulls

Edit: oof. There you go. Cue whinging..

Dry lines appearing, can’t be long for slicks now

Go Daniel

Here come the slicks

Exciting stuff

Hammertime

Ha ha well done Kimi

He’s just playing the PlayStation.

Kimi! That’s Sisu.

Got a love the fella.

It’s interesting racing when you get some changing conditions, overtaking, tactics and crashes. And a fair amount of luck for Lewis Hamilton!

Straight sprint.

too many safety cars for an open circuit and much too slow clearing the cars

the mid field racing is nuts, three abreast 🙂

well done lewis

Sounds like an epic race. Well done Hamilton – well deserved this year I’d say, certainly matured as a driver since 2014.

blimey.

and i bet there’ll still be a naysayer claiming procession

Well done Lewis – making Britain proud

That was a brilliant race

Nico looks might pissed off though!

What a tit!

Why do I get the impression that rosberg is going to complain?

Thing is he’s been hammered this season and a new father so I suspect he can’t get no sleep, from being hammered and the kid keeping him awake!
He’s a great driver but not in the elite band. No shame in that.