Japanese Grand Prix 2016

[N4D13]

Since most of us are still trying to figure out whether Merc are deliberately trying to screw Hamilton (spoiler: they aren't), I'm just going to leave this open.

Now that was a close qualifying. Things look fairly rosy for Rosberg after beating Lewis in every session to date, but he still needs to make it to turn 1 unscathed. If he doesn't lose positions at the start, I would be very surprised if he didn't take the win here.

[Tazio]

Greetings :wave:
10pm race start on the west coast, any of ya'all boyz watching? Huge championship implications in this one. Hoping for a cracking race!

[steveaki13]

Morning guys.

Lewis chucking his championship away....

[steveaki13]

Pretty dull first 10 laps. You can see all the signs these days of races that will be less than thrilling.

[N4D13]

Lewis is looking quite poor right now. I hope for his sake he's saving tires, because otherwise he's done. He's even finding it difficult to stay within DRS range of Räikkönen.

[steveaki13]

All of a sudden Lewis screaming through the pack.

Passes Raikkonen in pits and breezing past Ricciardo and Massa. Up to a net 4th.

[steveaki13]

If you take out DRS and old tyres v new and how much racing between cars do we really have these days. The top 4 are all stagnant......

Even though cars are passing its all meaningless and boring. Where are two championship rivals racing wheel to wheel or the ability for Lewis to catch and pass the podium cars to turn the situation around. He cant because that will wear tyres too much. So the top 4 are almost set already..... very strange.

[N4D13]

That's a fair point, but actually, I don't think it would have been any different in the old days. It's not like overtaking in Suzuka was ever easy to begin with.

[steveaki13]

maybe not more passing but fair fights with cars in the same situations.

[N4D13]

It's impressive how Ferrari have thrown away a podium by pitting Vettel absurdly late instead of covering Hamilton's undercut. I wonder what prompted them to take this decision? It was fairly obvious that they would lose track position and that overtaking on the track would be practically impossible.

[N4D13]

Jesus, that Merc is mighty fast now. Lewis has just equalled yesterday's speed at the speed trap. It makes you wonder how much time Merc were losing over their "conservative" setup and how much of a real advantage they actually have over the opposition, but it looks really ominous.

Also, how many complaints over lapped cars have we heard today? They must have set a record now.

[steveaki13]

Hamilton cant get close now he is there......

Yes so many drivers moaning today.

[N4D13]

Well, we can't say that the WDC is wrapped up now, but Lewis is pretty much screwed. Nico can just settle for second in every race from now on and he'll be champion.

It's noteworthy that Verstappen managed to pull off a second place with the third fastest car today - he's my driver of the day. :-)

[longisland]

If nicos engine goes kaput in one of the next 4 races then it's game on again
Touch wood ahem

[AndyL]

I thought that was a really good race. The first 20 laps were pretty fighty, right through the field, and we got a good battle between Max and Lewis at the end. If DRS makes passing meaningless, then surely it makes defending like Max did at the end double-extra-bonus-amazing.