Vettel vs The world Korean GP

[Henry Schmidt]

I've been watching F1 for 35+ years and as a recovering degenerate gambler, I always check the betting odds (just for fun).
For the Korean Grand Prix this weekend. we have a little something different.
This week we have Vettel as the odds on favorite (as usual) but we also have a bet called "everyone else". This means you Vettel haters don't have to pick a winner, you just get to bet on "the field". Still even given "everyone else" Vettel has better odds.


A little side note: The race has been run for 3 years. 2010, 2011,2012 a total of 165 laps.
Of those total laps Vettel has lead all but 12 laps. 10 of the laps he didn't lead were in 2010 when his engine failed from the lead on lap 45.

[livi]

Feels like Schumacher all over again.

[matt f]

Deja Schu!

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by livi

Feels like Schumacher all over again.

except that vettel has actual real competition in terms of other drivers, and other cars.

[livi]

With all the new regulations, engines etc, perhaps next season will be more exciting in terms of less expected winners.

[Amail]

As long as Newey is designing cars and Vettel's driving them, "the field" has very little chance. I feel safe going out on this limb - unless the RB10 is substantially less reliable than "the field", little will change for 2014. The only way to beat that pair is to change the aero rules.

[javadog]

Anybody have an opinion on the noise being made behind the scenes on the supposition that Red Bull has found a way around the ban on traction control?

JR

[ZAMIRZ]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

except that vettel has actual real competition in terms of other drivers, and other cars.

So did Schumacher.

[motion]

Originally Posted by javadog

Anybody have an opinion on the noise being made behind the scenes on the supposition that Red Bull has found a way around the ban on traction control?

JR

I think he has something nobody's figured out yet. He can't be that much faster than Webber, especially in the early phases of the race when those things are handling like fat pigs (relatively speaking) and are down 7-8 seconds a lap because of the weight.

[Henry Schmidt]

Originally Posted by javadog

Anybody have an opinion on the noise being made behind the scenes on the supposition that Red Bull has found a way around the ban on traction control?

JR

Conspiracies and accusations about cheating abound when flashes of brilliance seem unexplainable. In this case a steady bright light.

[Noah930]

Granted Vettel's wiping the field this year and is going to steamroll his way to a fourth consecutive title, but last year was pretty interesting for parity with a different winner for each of the first, what, 7 races? As "boring" as the show may be, kudos to Vettel (and Newey and Red Bull) for their excellence. I prefer that to NASCAR's manufactured parity.

[lowyder993s]

Originally Posted by javadog

Anybody have an opinion on the noise being made behind the scenes on the supposition that Red Bull has found a way around the ban on traction control?

JR

Minardi does...

Minardi raises Vettel 'traction control' doubts | News | Motorsport.com

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Henry Schmidt

Conspiracies and accusations about cheating abound when flashes of brilliance seem unexplainable. In this case a steady bright light.

I suppose this sort of thing is the result of defective, out-of-round tires from Pirelli. Or, perhaps it was a misfire from some bad race fuel. Gee, could be mad Photoshop skills...

Wait, I know... it's a couple busted teeth on the ring gear. Yeah, that's it!

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by ZAMIRZ

So did Schumacher.

not seriously ... the Ferrari was clearly in a league of its own, the tires were cheater tires, and no one could match him in terms of drivers.

right now we have a record number of previous world champs on the grid, and vettel is frequently out qualified, showing he doesn't have a car that is fundamentally better then the brawn/merc car, or even the lotus, much less the Ferrari

he also has an pretty damn good teammate, who can't seem to get the car where vettel can. again proof its vettels driving.

[Turbo_pro]

Originally Posted by javadog

I suppose this sort of thing is the result of defective, out-of-round tires from Pirelli. Or, perhaps it was a misfire from some bad race fuel. Gee, could be mad Photoshop skills...

Wait, I know... it's a couple busted teeth on the ring gear. Yeah, that's it!

Or an eighteen thousand RPM engine bouncing off the rev limiter.............

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Turbo_pro

Or an eighteen thousand RPM engine bouncing off the rev limiter.............

That's possible. I have no idea how that function is programmed into the ECU. Nor do I have any idea if the use of a common EC makes that function the same for all teams. I haven't seen photos of other cars doing that. Then again, I haven't seen every photo taken of an F1 car this year, or last.

Scuttlebut has it that you can hear the difference in the engine note at trackside.

JR

[cockerpunk]

i have no doubt they are trying to run some kind of exhaust gas blown defuser, with the new exhaust location regulations, but thats not cheating. if everyone else could figure out how RBR was doing it they'd be doing it too.

like the flexi nose ...

[Noah930]

If Vettel had TC, would you expect Webber to keep quiet about it? He's got to have access to the telemetry when he compares his laps to those of Vettel post-race to see if something like that was going on.

[javadog]

I would think that Vettel and Webber have the same specs on their cars, whatever those may be.

JR

[Henry Schmidt]

Originally Posted by javadog

That's possible. I have no idea how that function is programmed into the ECU. Nor do I have any idea if the use of a common EC makes that function the same for all teams. I haven't seen photos of other cars doing that. Then again, I haven't seen every photo taken of an F1 car this year, or last.

Scuttlebut has it that you can hear the difference in the engine note at trackside.

JR

I like Jim's "rev limiter" explanation. Generally, drivers avoid sitting on the limiter (why you wouldn't see it often) but it's possible the an extraordinary situation caused Vettel (if that is Sebs car) to prolong his stay at the limit.
Here's a thought: Perhaps a shifting problem?
Oh that right, RB has been having gear box trouble lately.

BTW: The condescending tone of my post was meant to be humorous, I hope everyone takes it that way.