2015 FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX

[FaultyMario]

Bottas and Alonso back. Manor have promised to make it to the start this time.

Maybe Jenson will not be alone at the back after all.

Snoozefest redux or something brilliant will come of it?

[MR2 Fan]

you missed the DVR option

[FaultyMario]

Alonso contradicted the 'wind' theory presented earlier by McLaren, he said something like "a hurricane couldn't have moved my car like that" and has stated that a steering lock up was the cause for his crash.

[FaultyMario]

you missed the DVR option

Can a $meremortal edit a poll to add the DVDA option?

[Alan P]

Manor have apparently fired up their car for the first time at the track earlier today.

[Freude am Fahren]

Alonso contradicted the 'wind' theory presented earlier by McLaren, he said something like "a hurricane couldn't have moved my car like that" and has stated that a steering lock up was the cause for his crash.

Yeah, I read his interview, seemed to finally add a sense of what actually happened. Steering broke/locked up took him into the wall. He was conscious, remembered skidding along the wall, and then shutting down the car/electrical so the marshals could touch it.


Q: The team was saying even up to a couple of days ago that there was nothing wrong with the car, and yet you’re saying the steering locked. How do those two statements work together?

FA: Yeah, as I said before, I think it’s clear that there was a problem in the car but it hasn’t been found on the data at the moment.

Q: But they have gone further and say there is no problem.

FA: Well, I don’t think that they say this any more.

Can't help but think of Senna with steering failures.

[Reynard]

I can't help but think of 2009. ;)


you missed the DVR option

Hell yeah. I don't think I've watched any race live for years since I've been dvr equipped. With my dislike for commercials it's both a godsend and a time saver. There are times (often with SX races on Sat. nights) where I'll start watching an hour after it's started and end up catching up to see the main event as it's live though. And I actually listened to the 1st SBK race from Thailand last week live on my phone... but yeah, dvr's FTW! Too much racing to watch and I ain't got an extra hour+ to waste watching adverts, plus I'm too old to be getting up at 3:30am on a Sunday anymore. :lol:

[Crazed_Insanity]

What a horrible start of the season for Alonso. Had he stayed with Ferrari, perhaps he'd have a shot at the championship. Now who knows how long it'll take Honda to get up to speed. By the time Honda's ready, Alonso probably will leave or be fired by McLaren...

Maybe by then Toro Rosso (Renault) will be ready. Maybe Alonso is only destined to win championships with Renaults.

[Freude am Fahren]

So I've heard the numerous rumors of Audi entering F1, even ones that involve buying a smaller, struggling team, but I don't think I've heard the Red Bull selling to Audi one before, though I have heard they've talked about leaving F1.

[IMOA]

Also forgot the 'you're at the track' option :)

Mercedes looked a clear step ahead yesterday in practice, after that the Williams, Ferrari and red bull all looked like their car was sorted at least in the handling department.

[LHutton]

Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams, Sauber, in that order, all season.

[LHutton]

Looks like rain affected play in Q3.


Malaysia GP: 3rd Qualifying
Circuit Name: Sepang International Circuit Circuit Length: 5.543 Kms
Laps: 56 Lap Record: 1:34.223 - JP Montoya (2004) Race Distance: 310.408 Kms
Date: 28 Mar 2015 Start Time: 10:40 Weather: T-storms Track Status: Completed
Pos No Driver Team TIME Gap Laps Grid
1 44 Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes 1:49.834 13 1
2 5 Sebastian Vettel GER Ferrari 1:49.908 +0.074 13 2
3 6 Nico Rosberg GER Mercedes 1:50.299 +0.465 13 3
4 3 Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull 1:51.541 +1.707 16 4
5 26 Daniil Kvyat RUS Red Bull 1:51.951 +2.117 16 5
6 33 Max Verstappen BEL Toro Rosso 1:51.981 +2.147 16 6
7 19 Felipe Massa BRA Williams 1:52.473 +2.639 17 7
8 10 Romain Grosjean FRA Lotus 1:52.981 +3.147 18 8
9 77 Valtteri Bottas FIN Williams 1:53.179 +3.345 14 9
10 9 Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber 1:53.261 +3.427 18 10

[FaultyMario]

No need to spoiler tag anything. We be grown ups about not coming to the thread if it somehow bothers us.

[FaultyMario]

Also forgot the 'you're at the track' option :)


Fuck, are you made of chocolate?

[LHutton]

Can't believe Hockenheim is gone this year. Some talk of Monza going in the coming years as well.

[XHawkeye]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBGT4u4WwAANSA7.jpg:large

Fernando Alonso ,Sepang Circuit on March 27, 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. #Alo14 #MalasyaGP #F1 #Getty

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBIajjpUMAAY2Bh.jpg:large

Daniil Driftyat #F1 #MalaysiaGP

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBI1AHKWgAAr1ht.jpg:large

It's Race Weekend!! #MalaysianGP #Sepang #F12015 #Formula1 #F1

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBLHmjRWYAE7-tO.jpg:large

uh oh! #F1 #MalaysiaGP

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2013 F1 Fans: Anyone but Vettel. (https://twitter.com/wtf1couk/status/581766289426919424)
2015 F1 Fans: Go on Vettel!

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Alonso was 1.5s slower than when he drove a Minardi. But he's happy with his move to McLaren: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2015/03/26/no-regrets-over-leaving-ferrari-alonso/ …

[Blerpa]

Do keep the spoiler tags anyway, it is good manners.
And McLaren-Honda will get better. Probably a transitory season, but it's okay if it means winning in 2 years.

[Freude am Fahren]

Can't believe Hockenheim is gone this year. Some talk of Monza going in the coming years as well.

Yeah, we very could well have no Italy, France or Germany on the calendar...

[LHutton]

Yeah, we very could well have no Italy, France or Germany on the calendar...
Damn... all we need next is for Spa and Monaco to go.

Mexico looks interesting though:

http://www.f1mix.com/images/circuits/autodromo-hermanos-rodriguez.jpg

[The359]

That's an old map. They're not running the full oval section.

[Freude am Fahren]

Spa's already had some troubles recently (it was gone for a year or two, wasn't it?), but luckily, I haven't heard any bad news in the last couple years.

I say we dump Bahrain, Hungary, and Russia, and add back in Germany and France. China could go too, but I suspect the manufacturers and sponsors want it on there, being a huge, growing market.

Let's also pick a better track in Spain, and bring back the European GP, rotating around various tracks every year.

[LHutton]

I was also thinking of dumping Dubai and adding in Fuji.

[Freude am Fahren]

I do think F1 should have one race in the middle east. A shit load of money in the series and industry comes from there afterall, and Yas Marina is probably the best circuit there for it. Japan doesn't need two races, and Fuji is a shadow of its former self. Suzuka is a much better track.

[LHutton]

Maybe but I've never liked Yas Marina as a track. What about La Sarthe?

[The359]

The full circuit? They'd have to completely repave all the street portions of the track, they're not smooth at all.

The Bugatti Circuit is too small and boring.

[Godson]

Maybe but I've never liked Yas Marina as a track. What about La Sarthe?

Good thing you pay for the advertising. You'd be a millionaire with those decisions...

[XHawkeye]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBMkWvNUwAESy_s.jpg:large

Mehri & Pippin will grid-up for Mordor GP
http://bit.ly/1BwlDHB #f1 #formula1 #f1chat

[FaultyMario]

“I think I didn’t pick up the best race, probably, to watch,”

[MR2 Fan]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBI1AHKWgAAr1ht.jpg:large

I just realized how phallic the track looks from that angle

[FaultyMario]

Seriously, how can you not fall for Maurizio?

He's the fucking definition of panty dropper.

[Rikadyn]

I just realized how phallic the track looks from that angle

i see a buttrfly

[overpowered]

Butterfly.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[overpowered]

So Vettel is looking like a genius for moving, much like Hamilton was a couple of years ago,

[LHutton]

Good thing you pay for the advertising. You'd be a millionaire with those decisions...
I'm a fan, not a businessman.

[MR2 Fan]

The U.S. broadcast said something about Red Bull buying the entire Formula 1 organization???

During the race they were surprised about Honda's lack of quality so far, but I think they're going back to when teams had regular engines...it's completely different these days, so I think we might be too harsh. They did have Button finish the last race, so that's something.

I missed the post-race, was Lewis a d-bag again?

[FaultyMario]

Both mcl retired, didn't they?

Ham said after the race that he was "unsure" of the early pitstop. Not what his team was expecting, i suppose.

[XHawkeye]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBQE2IAW8AAL-fg.jpg:large

If Vettel wins the race.....

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBRpX8nUQAQsJo-.jpg:large

The 'finger' is back! #Vettel #MalaysiaGP #F1 #Ferrari

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBQILJCWAAAVwJ9.jpg:large

Race over for Maldonado - he has never completed in the opening two races of any season in his career to date

[XHawkeye]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBQKPzWWYAAJkWl.jpg:large

The finger is back! #F1 #Vettel

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Vettel's only the sixth driver to win a race for #Ferrari as a previous world champion, after Farina, Fangio, Prost, Schumacher and Alonso.

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Karma Is a Bitch or it´s Murphy´s law RT @racinghumour: The TV in the background... #F1

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBRyPpHWQAA0ph0.jpg:large

I'm a big fan (https://twitter.com/GrandPrixDiary/status/582215892282556416) of @Max33Verstappen and @carlosainz's dads, so to see the @ToroRossoSpy pair doing so well is superb.

[XHawkeye]

Today's challenges (https://twitter.com/Stuart_Dent/status/582268185468108800): wake-up/stay awake for #F1 ☑️ Avoid a coronary during #MotoGP races ☑️ Suffer the sight of a hideous #Indycar field...

[XHawkeye]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBRQU-lVAAAHYgs.jpg:large

[MR2 Fan]

Both mcl retired, didn't they?

Ham said after the race that he was "unsure" of the early pitstop. Not what his team was expecting, i suppose.


both McL retired this time yes.

[overpowered]

People are making a big deal about Ferrari being so much faster than they were, and while they are, it looked to me like this race really came down to Mercedes making the wrong call on that first pit stop under the safety car and Vettel making the option tires run fast a lot longer than most people thought he could. He was still averaging slower per lap, but not by enough for the Mercs to make up for the extra pit stop that they had to make.

[Freude am Fahren]

I missed the post-race, was Lewis a d-bag again?

Nah, he actually seemed pretty upbeat, which was surprising given the result. He and Vettel seemed to be chumming it up. Nico kinda seemed like he might pull out a knife and just stab everyone.


Ham said after the race that he was "unsure" of the early pitstop. Not what his team was expecting, i suppose.

Yeah, I think they made the wrong call there too. He also didn't have a new set of mediums for the end of the race. That goes back to them using a set of the options during Q1, which was just perplexing, especially with rain almost a certainty at that point.

Granted Vettel is very good at this track, and it is early, it looks like we might have a battle here. Don't count Kimi out either. If he can manage to qualify well and not get in trouble on lap 1, he will be a force.

And how about them Torro Rosso boys (literally)!

[Godson]

See, Ferrari was fast. Kimi was the proof. He was outpacing the Germans for quite some time.

He was super lucky he got the pace car when he did. Without that I feel he wouldn't have gotten a top 10. I think this season is shaping up to be amazing.

[Blerpa]

People are making a big deal about Ferrari being so much faster than they were, and while they are, it looked to me like this race really came down to Mercedes making the wrong call on that first pit stop under the safety car and Vettel making the option tires run fast a lot longer than most people thought he could. He was still averaging slower per lap, but not by enough for the Mercs to make up for the extra pit stop that they had to make.

THIS.
And I want to see Kimi without bad luck. I'm betting he will show a thing or two to Vettel...
Superb drive by the Toro Rosso guys!
McLaren... well, it's going to be like this the whole season, probably. But F1 is such that tides turn over seasons...

[LHutton]

Vettel ran a good race and it's nice to see a two horse race (with one horse) for a change.

[IMOA]

Hamilton lost the race when he couldn't clear traffic after the safety car imo, that's when Vettel opened up the 10 second gap which he held to the end. I'm not a big fan of Vettel but he simply out drove the mercs and Ferrari executed perfectly whereas merc kinda crumbled under the pressure.

Impressions from the track. First up the storm in qualifying was awesome, it was kinda funny as while in TV land the wait for Q3 seemed to have annoyed people at the track everyone was absolutely loving the storm. Rain coming in sideways, massive wind, lightning strikes 20 feet from where we were sheltering, it was gates of hell stuff with F1 cars thrown in. Just fantastic.

The crowds are non existent. I'd say there are more people at suzuka at 8:30am on Friday morning than there was at Malaysia for the race. And of those people at the track at least 90% are non locals. It makes it very easy for getting in, out and around but it is a bit odd.

Sepang is a great track for spectating as you can see so much of it but the way they do the ticketing kinda sucks. At the other grand prix's I've been to you could walk most of the track and watch from different places but at Sepang they really restrict you to just your area and even on Friday when all stands are open its really difficult to walk the track. That's a bit shit really. Other surprising thing is food and drinks are much cheaper at Suzuka than Sepang, that kinda surprised me.

I spend a fair amount of time in Thailand atm and while everyone said that KL is very similar to Bangkok I have to say they're wrong, KL is miles better than Bangkok, absolutely no comparison imo. About the only thing Bangkok has over KL is the number of hookers but everything else KL is much better. As long as it stays at Sepang I think this is going to become another regular trip for me.

[Kchrpm]

About the only thing Bangkok has over KL is the number of hookers
Not enough?

*applauds himself on job well done*

[MR2 Fan]

Hamilton lost the race when he couldn't clear traffic after the safety car imo, that's when Vettel opened up the 10 second gap which he held to the end. I'm not a big fan of Vettel but he simply out drove the mercs and Ferrari executed perfectly whereas merc kinda crumbled under the pressure.

Impressions from the track. First up the storm in qualifying was awesome, it was kinda funny as while in TV land the wait for Q3 seemed to have annoyed people at the track everyone was absolutely loving the storm. Rain coming in sideways, massive wind, lightning strikes 20 feet from where we were sheltering, it was gates of hell stuff with F1 cars thrown in. Just fantastic.

The crowds are non existent. I'd say there are more people at suzuka at 8:30am on Friday morning than there was at Malaysia for the race. And of those people at the track at least 90% are non locals. It makes it very easy for getting in, out and around but it is a bit odd.

Sepang is a great track for spectating as you can see so much of it but the way they do the ticketing kinda sucks. At the other grand prix's I've been to you could walk most of the track and watch from different places but at Sepang they really restrict you to just your area and even on Friday when all stands are open its really difficult to walk the track. That's a bit shit really. Other surprising thing is food and drinks are much cheaper at Suzuka than Sepang, that kinda surprised me.

I spend a fair amount of time in Thailand atm and while everyone said that KL is very similar to Bangkok I have to say they're wrong, KL is miles better than Bangkok, absolutely no comparison imo. About the only thing Bangkok has over KL is the number of hookers but everything else KL is much better. As long as it stays at Sepang I think this is going to become another regular trip for me.

Interesting, I'd definitely love to go to KL and watch a race...I've loved the track's layout ever since I started playing F355 challenge years ago.