F1: Predictions for the German GP?

andyt11 · 07-18-2011, 07:40 AM

Anyone got any hot tips on who's going to score a points finish in Germany this weekend? I am in a pool and struggling! Could use some inside knowledge....

Paco Anton · Paco Anton's Garage

Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Button, Massa. Those are the first six spots. The finishing order may be good too.

s_wilwerding · s_wilwerding's Garage

I'd vote:

Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Massa, Button.

For those who haven't heard, the FIA has reversed their decision about blown diffusers, so everyone is back where they were in Valencia. Not that it mattered - Vettel would have won in Britain if not for the crummy pit stop.

rusnak · 07-18-2011, 10:54 AM

I'm going way out on a limb to say Vettel is going to win it.

One of the more interesting questions in my mind is how long will Ron Dennis let Whitmarsh continue to run McLaren.

Zeke · 07-18-2011, 11:01 AM

Blown diffuser? Red Bull? Not much odds in Vegas on that one.

rusnak · 07-18-2011, 11:46 AM

Blown diffusers are staying, so hand the title to Vettel.

andyt11 · 07-18-2011, 12:21 PM

what about the guys who are going to creep into the top ten?

Kobajashi? Barrichello? Maybe the Toro-Rosso cars?

legion · 07-18-2011, 07:26 PM

Vettel on pole. Vettel leads all but 2-3 laps due to pit stops. Vettel wins without any real challenge in clean air.

nota · 07-19-2011, 07:52 AM

after the top 3 teams you have Mercedes
then Renault-lotus
then force india and Sauber
then williams
then T R they do not share R B's speed

but a wet race is likely

911pcars · 07-19-2011, 11:25 AM

As Peter Sellers' character, Chauncy Gardner, said in the film, "Being There", "I like to watch."

The internet cops did a good job of blocking the free live streaming sites I visited for the British version. Anyone have a reliable connection they could share?

BTW, anyone see the article about Bernie's daughter who recently purchased the Aaron Spelling spread in BH? I have an urge to hijack a thread today.

Sherwood

Paco Anton · Paco Anton's Garage

Algersuari from Toro Rosso has scored a points finish in the last 3 races. Also count on Schumi wanting to perform well at home.

andyt11 · 07-19-2011, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paco Anton

Algersuari from Toro Rosso has scored a points finish in the last 3 races. Also count on Schumi wanting to perform well at home.

Thats the same conclusions I've been coming to.

In the pool we are in, you get points for picking drivers to get into the points. The less chance there is the more points you get, so picking a Virgin to come in in the top ten would score you way more points than just picking Button for instance. If he comes in. You get nothing for 11th.

legion · 07-24-2011, 09:52 AM

I'm glad I was wrong.

911pcars · 07-24-2011, 10:38 AM

I predict Hamilton, Alonso, then Weber. :-)

Sherwood

sammyg2 · 07-24-2011, 10:45 AM

A very good race, but once again Ferrari has manages to snatch defeat from the mouth of victory.

If alonzo had stayed out a lap or two more he would have prolly come out ahead of hambone. If the pit crew hadn't fallen asleep during massa's pit stop, he'd have finished ahead of vettel.

If Ferrari had a clue they'd simply watch the race on TV and listed to the announcers and do what they say, they obviously know a whole lot more about F1 strategy than the Ferrari team does.

legion · 07-24-2011, 12:42 PM

Thoughts:

Echoing Sammy, Ferrari was certainly in a position to win it, but didn't have the strategy of McLaren or the pit stops of Red Bull. Still, one slip up by Hamilton and it would have been Alonso in 1st.

Why was Red Bull so (relatively) slow? The guys on Fox (Speed) speculated that it was because Red Bull was running a "wet-weather setup". Certainly plausible, as I don't believe that McLaren and Ferrari have made enough progress to permanently relegate Red Bull to third-ran status. And what was up with Vettel? He doesn't seem to be able to drive well (lately) unless he has a clear track. If his car is not dominant, he doesn't win.

And then there's McLaren. It seems like the rare race that they have the winning strategy AND they execute it perfectly. This goes for the guys on the pit wall, the pit crew, and Lewis. For once he didn't cook is tires and kept a decent pace. He had a few fights for the lead and kept his composure and either retook his spot or coolly let his strategy take the position for him. Poor Jenson. He was in good position and I would have expected him to join the melee for second, but he never got there through no fault of his own.

Silly season speculation:

Webber moves to a different team. I think he's tired of being the clear number 2 driver at Red Bull.

Button moves to a different team. I think he's tired of being the perceived number 2 driver at Red Bull.

Massa moves to a different team. I think he's tired of being the clear number 2 driver at Ferrari, but not near as much as Ferrari is tired of him not performing closer to Alonso.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Good race.

Where would Webber or Button go? What teams are in a position to be competitive in 2012? I haven't been following Renault or Williams or etc closely enough.

legion · 07-24-2011, 03:10 PM

Renault may be shopping for a new driver next season, especially if Kubica doesn't recover well enough.

I see Massa and Webber following other drivers like Barracello: slowly moving down the pecking order as they try to prolong their F1 career. I'd expect a move to someplace like Williams or Sauber or some other mid-pack team.

nota · 07-24-2011, 06:20 PM

massa and button and webber are staying right where they are for 2012

vettel was on a wet set up
and trying not to lose the WDC
maybe trying too hard
but trying

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

If Ferrari had a clue they'd simply watch the race on TV and listed to the announcers and do what they say, they obviously know a whole lot more about F1 strategy than the Ferrari team does.

Would be even funnier if it wasn't so true.