Race pace vs Qualy pace ?

[Zico]

Hamilton lost the lead through pit-stop problems but admitted he had not been able to keep pace with winner Fernando Alonso and runner-up Sergio Perez.

"We're still competitive but, in the race, I have to go and look at the pace of the other people," he said.

"We need to improve our race pace, I think our race pace could be better."

BBC Sport - Lewis Hamilton says McLaren need to improve race pace (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17505682)


I've found it quite fascinating that McLaren in particular have a clear qualifying pace advantage over the other teams yet in the race seem to be no faster than anyone else. Why are they not setting up their car more towards race pace or is there a lot more to it than that?

Is it still too early with just three test sessions and two races to have a full understanding of the accumulated data... or..... maybe they also have a DRS dependant front wing system like Mercedes?

[driveace]

Something odd there as Lewis has now had two poles in 2 races,but has not converted either to a win.And when he was behind Perez he was losing time ,not making time .The commentators said that McLaren were sure that Lewis could catch and pass Perez in the last 12/13 laps,and Perez just drove away from him .

[steveaki13]

I hope China is a normal dry race, becuase round 1 is always strange, i.e Schumi breaking down, and Rd 2 the wet. I want to see how Schumacher goes once he is up front and able to have a trouble free run.

[Zico]

Could it be the tyres? ie; that if your car can make the tyres work well in qualifying it will have the opposite effect (overheating?) in the race?... I know Mercedes have this problem but wasn't aware that McLaren had such issues.

[Mark]

I think Buttons problem was a lack of heat in the tyres?

[wedge]

Could it be the tyres? ie; that if your car can make the tyres work well in qualifying it will have the opposite effect (overheating?) in the race?... I know Mercedes have this problem but wasn't aware that McLaren had such issues.

More so the way the cars work their tyres.


I think Buttons problem was a lack of heat in the tyres?

Yep, same old problems for Button.

[Tazio]

I think Buttons problem was a lack of heat in the tyres?
Hail Mark

http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/140/d4d827c14b0b4aafb9e912e06dc67814/l.jpg

[Zico]

Hail Mark

http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/140/d4d827c14b0b4aafb9e912e06dc67814/l.jpg


What does that pic have to do with anything being discussed on this thread?

[jens]

I can't remember a season, when cars could have such a big difference in qualifying and race pace. And I can't remember a car that basically had the ability to take pole in qualifying, while was too slow to get even points in the race (like Mercedes W03).

[F1boat]

jens, in 2002 Williams-BMW was a match for Ferrari in qualifying, but always lost the races, except the Malaysian GP. Maybe McMerc and Merc are struggling with the race pace. Although last year Red Bull were also much faster in qualifying then in the race.

[jens]

jens, in 2002 Williams-BMW was a match for Ferrari in qualifying, but always lost the races, except the Malaysian GP. Maybe McMerc and Merc are struggling with the race pace. Although last year Red Bull were also much faster in qualifying then in the race.

I remember back in 2002 we also had special qualifying engines, which also played to Williams-BMW's strength. But Williams was never slow enough to drop out of the points in the race. :) At worst they were 3rd behind McLaren on some circuits.

[aryan]

I remember back in 2002 we also had special qualifying engines

Did we have special quali engines only back in 2002? Wow! Somehow even though I watched the 2002 season, I had completely forgotten about that.

F1 always changes of course, but the amount of change in the last 10 years has been staggering.

[F1boat]

I remember back in 2002 we also had special qualifying engines, which also played to Williams-BMW's strength. But Williams was never slow enough to drop out of the points in the race. :) At worst they were 3rd behind McLaren on some circuits.

Yes, the difference is not so obvious as now... well, I can hope for a pole for Michael. A win not really, but a pole would be nice.

[wedge]

2003 onwards with quali with race fuel onboad.

You'd get Alonso in 2003, Button in the mid-2000s qualify with low fuel for a good grid slot but go backwards because pitting early wasn't the optimum race strategy.