Official Round 09 - British Grand Prix - Page 2

**chunterer** · 9 Jul 2011, 16:18 (Ref:2924172)

Entertaining qualy overall, it did seem at one stage that some fancied guys were going to get hung out to 'dry' by the weather having not set times when it was starting to rain again etc...

Great jobs by Di Resta and Maldonado it must be said, bit disappointed with Perez, he ought to have outqualified Kobayashi on a circuit he knows, for the most part, fairly well.

The McLarens looked like they were massively off the pace, are we to believe that their race pace will be as poor relatively speaking?

Finn · 9 Jul 2011, 18:01 (Ref:2924203)

I believe Mclaren will be stronger tomorrow as per normal.

However I can't see them challenging for victory unless the rain comes or the leaders fall off.

Whitmarsh has just commented Mclaren haven't responded well to the new rules.

I think they should look at replacing Whitmarsh as he's no Ron Dennis or Ross Brawn. It was reported the wrong wing and ratios were used on Hamiltons car at Canada, that's not exceptable at that level.

Good qualifying though. Well done to Webber and Diresta.

Hopefully we can have a good close race at the front.

**Adam43** · 9 Jul 2011, 18:15 (Ref:2924208)

Get rid of Whitmarsh? By the reasoning there, every team should get rid of their team principle except Red Bull and Horner. This isn't football.

JeremySmith · 9 Jul 2011, 18:16 (Ref:2924209)

Martin Whitmarsh *will not* and should not be used as the sacrificial lamb at McLaren.

The grid is so tight when you look at the times, please get real with your posting in this forum...

Sodemo · 9 Jul 2011, 19:18 (Ref:2924261)

Ive thought for the last two season's that the McLaren looks really horrid to drive. It looks mega stiff, which can't be doing it any favours in the wet. It also is probably one of the longest wheelbase cars on the grid, which makes it look rather leathargic and clumbsy in slow corners. Contrast that to the 2009 car which was well renown for being complient and accepting bumps and kerbs well etc.

Marbot · 9 Jul 2011, 19:44 (Ref:2924273)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Contrast that to the 2009 car which was well renown for being complient and accepting bumps and kerbs well etc.

It was also very slow for most of that season.

Not too long ago, the McLaren was the fastest car in race trim. Now it looks well off the pace, and they aren't too puzzled or perplexed as to why that is.

Meanwhile, over at Red Bull...........

JeremySmith · 9 Jul 2011, 19:53 (Ref:2924274)

Wonderful intro Frostie! Thank you....

JeremySmith · 9 Jul 2011, 19:55 (Ref:2924276)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

I do like Damon Hill, probably more now than when he was racing. Make no mistake, he's done a great deal for British motor racing.

Thanks, Frostie, for the excellent circuit map. Looking at that I can see where the circuit goes. The one in Autosport this week is useless as it's totally out of proportion.

I agree 100%...

JeremySmith · 9 Jul 2011, 19:57 (Ref:2924278)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

It was also very slow for most of that season.

Not too long ago, the McLaren was the fastest car in race trim. Now it looks well off the pace, and they aren't too puzzled or perplexed as to why that is.

Meanwhile, over at Red Bull...........

They love this long wheel base car? what do I know in the grand scheme of things? bugger all..

**Adam43** · 9 Jul 2011, 19:58 (Ref:2924279)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Ive thought for the last two season's that the McLaren looks really horrid to drive. It looks mega stiff, which can't be doing it any favours in the wet. It also is probably one of the longest wheelbase cars on the grid, which makes it look rather leathargic and clumbsy in slow corners. Contrast that to the 2009 car which was well renown for being complient and accepting bumps and kerbs well etc.

I'm not really disagreeing with this, but at least three of their wins in the last two seasons have come in the wet.

tux · 9 Jul 2011, 22:16 (Ref:2924346)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finn

I believe Mclaren will be stronger tomorrow as per normal.

However I can't see them challenging for victory unless the rain comes or the leaders fall off.

Whitmarsh has just commented Mclaren haven't responded well to the new rules.

I think they should look at replacing Whitmarsh as he's no Ron Dennis or Ross Brawn. It was reported the wrong wing and ratios were used on Hamiltons car at Canada, that's not exceptable at that level.

Good qualifying though. Well done to Webber and Diresta.

Hopefully we can have a good close race at the front.

Whitmarsh has no role to play in car setup, the wing and ratio decison would have been between Lewis and his engineer.

strider · 9 Jul 2011, 23:21 (Ref:2924361)

Just a few random thoughts ahead of the race.

Martin Whitmarsh is effectively the spokesperson for McLaren and as such does a pretty good job. I don't believe he has much input into the technical area. That would be Paddy Lowe and others.

It's absolutely true that one of the hallmarks of the McLaren in the past was that it was brilliant at riding kerbs, e.g Monza, but that seems now to have been abandoned in favour of a very stiff set-up. At some of the earlier races it was so stiff that front wheels were lifting, which is very rare.

It's a random fact that after 2007, when the McLaren and the Ferrari were overall pretty evenly matched, McLaren copied Ferrari and went for a longer wheelbase, whereas Ferrari went the other way and opted for a shorter wheelbase.

So far as this weekend is concerned, I don't think Red Bull were particularly worried about a lack of performance because of the new regulation, but they are worried about a loss of reliability. The race may show if they were right.

Finally, don't expect McLaren to make a great leap forward in the race. Pre-season they were plagued by overheating exhausting problems. Bits on the car were melting all over the place. At the last minute they found a solution, basically by copying Red Bull, so clearly they have been relying on hot air exhaust blowing for performance. Now that's been taken away, they're hurting.

Marbot · 9 Jul 2011, 23:50 (Ref:2924364)

Unfortunately for McLaren, it all seems to have gone a bit pear shaped ever since Mike Coughlan got found out. He's now Chief Engineer at Williams.

Tourer · 10 Jul 2011, 02:05 (Ref:2924384)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finn

I believe Mclaren will be stronger tomorrow as per normal.

However I can't see them challenging for victory unless the rain comes or the leaders fall off.

Whitmarsh has just commented Mclaren haven't responded well to the new rules.

I think they should look at replacing Whitmarsh as he's no Ron Dennis or Ross Brawn. It was reported the wrong wing and ratios were used on Hamiltons car at Canada, that's not exceptable at that level.

That supposed wrong wing & ratios was in Canada where they optimized the ace for wet race conditions which hurt them in qual - one of their drivers had a bit of a moan about it which is what you may be remembering - worked OK for the team in the race though didn't? No points for qual, just for the race.

McLaren did look like they were struggling in qual here but it was a weird weather session & they went out on used softs for their first (& only as it turned out) runs. They may actually look better in the race if they've optimized their setup for the right conditions.

Suggesting Whitmarsh should go is pretty silly.

JamesH · 10 Jul 2011, 07:18 (Ref:2924417)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tourer

That supposed wrong wing & ratios was in Canada where they optimized the ace for wet race conditions which hurt them in qual - one of their drivers had a bit of a moan about it which is what you may be remembering - worked OK for the team in the race though didn't? No points for qual, just for the race.

McLaren did look like they were struggling in qual here but it was a weird weather session & they went out on used softs for their first (& only as it turned out) runs. They may actually look better in the race if they've optimized their setup for the right conditions.

Suggesting Whitmarsh should go is pretty silly.

I also am wondering whether they have decided to set up for wet conditions, as they did in Canada. Certainly worked last time, and I don't think the car can compete with the RB in the dry, so probably worth a punt!

This car was entirely designed by Whitmarsh, and he always tells the drivers and engineers what settings to use. He also make many of the parts himself. I believe he also drives the delivery lorries. And flies the plane the drivers use to get to the circuit. He should go. Now. Or not.

tux · 10 Jul 2011, 07:47 (Ref:2924419)

Well if they did set it for the wet then they must be dreading this afternoon because the chance of any rain is decreasing atm. Mother Nature needs to sort herself out!

AMP Marshal · 10 Jul 2011, 11:54 (Ref:2924491)

Wow I can't wait till this North American 6 race deal with Fox is done, Speed usually has a 1/2 hour pre race with Will Buxton, miss it to death, all we get is the F1 logo just before the formation lap, then the race, and that sucks.

**Adam43** · 10 Jul 2011, 11:58 (Ref:2924494)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

Unfortunately for McLaren, it all seems to have gone a bit pear shaped ever since Mike Coughlan got found out. He's now Chief Engineer at Williams.

Since 2008 (after he left) then they have performed at a level better than most years 2002-2006 (the years before Spygate where Mike Coughlan was there).

**bjohnsonsmith** · 10 Jul 2011, 12:05 (Ref:2924496)

So much standing water on the track.

AMP Marshal · 10 Jul 2011, 12:09 (Ref:2924497)

What is it with Webber's starts, not fantastic.

AMP Marshal · 10 Jul 2011, 12:24 (Ref:2924498)

Vettel is gone, quite a gap, he is so easy on his tires, it's always the ones that look slow, like Damon was, who are actually the quickest.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 10 Jul 2011, 12:30 (Ref:2924500)

Nice move Jenson!

AMP Marshal · 10 Jul 2011, 12:54 (Ref:2924503)

I went to the Loo and the lead changed, WTF happened.

dsg · 10 Jul 2011, 13:09 (Ref:2924505)

Those Redbulls don't seem to be able to follow very well.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 10 Jul 2011, 13:16 (Ref:2924507)

What happened to Button?

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