[Official] Round 12 - Italian Grand Prix

[frostie]

I've no preview for this weekend's race at the moment, might try and throw something together later though. But with FP1 underway thought it best to get the thread opened up!

Big weekend for the championship. Vettel has opened a huge lead and is heading to tracks that he loves so the only hope for the championship is for him to stumble this weekend. I think that Hamilton should have enough about him to take some points off Seb this weekend but he really needs the Ferrari's and Lotus' drivers to get amongst the action and take some points of Vettel.

[Bononi]

Thanks anyway, frostie !

[jsTrecu]

Still Friday, but Vettel's pace looked scary.

Surely Merc will be there again on qualifying and Ferrari will have a good race pace, but if Vettel manages to get on the podium, I fear his rivals will give up on this season.

[F1Pete]

I predict Vettel will stumble....

[Mike E]

Vettel in a class above in practice.

[andy666]

Cheers Frostie , Vettel scary fast again !

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Vettel looks like he's got it...

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Vettel looks like he's got it...

Yep. Fastest in final practice. Alonso and Webber next so in his current form he will be incredibly hard to beat. Its all going his way.
Alonso is quick but probably has nothing in reserve where as Vettel looks like he has plenty because the car looks so stable. Webber next up with Massa, Perez and Ricciardo close behind. Ricciardo and Vergne not too far apart but clearly the STR's fastest two through the speed trap. Button in 8th so McLaren may look OK after qualifying. We'll see how qualifying plays out, but no one will beat Vettel in a straight fight.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Vettel keeping up the momentum, fastest so far in Q1.

[jsTrecu]

Silly mistake by Hamilton...
With him and Kimi starting from behind, it'll be a little easier for Alonso and Vettel.
Lotus is really falling back in pure pace.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Hamilton fails to get into Q3. He ran very wide at the Parabolica and I wonder if that unsettled the car?

[canamman]

Hamilton - Oh well, it was bound to happen sooner or later in his first year with a new team. Looks like he got held up by Sutile This will make for a more interesting start.

Vettel will continue rewritting the record book.

[chunder]

Dear God lets hope that Mercedes really does have a huge power advantage nest year,. coz anymore of this will just make people turn off, what with Webbers car incessantly playing up and Vettels never, it reminds me so much of the mid noughties and Ferrari.

And sadly my saviour MotoGP was then, not now with another annoying little brat set to dominate for the nest 10 years

[jsTrecu]

Woah, my Hulk, he wants to impress Montezemolo
Great job.

Alonso behind Massa, another average qualifying for him this season.
Good pace for Ricciardo.





Grats Vettel, 40th Pole

[Teretonga]

Vettel, Webber, Hulkenberg, Massa, Alonso, Rosberg, Ricciardo, , Perez Button, Vergne.

Seb V in a class of his own all weekend. Do Sauber have a 3.5 litre engine? Hulkenberg surprises all, Massa beats Alonso? Perez beats Button. Hulkenberg does a brilliant lap and Hamilton didn't make the top 10 after an off.

Ricciardo and Hulkenberg are proving to be the coming men along with Perez. Those three are the best of the newcomers so we'll see if hulkenberg gets a top line drive next year.

Is Kimi ready to walk away or is he going to Ferrari? Grosjean still making too many mistakes here.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by F1Pete

I predict Vettel will stumble....

...to pole position.

[wolfhound]

Predictions of turmoil in Ferrari camp on BBC with one very unhappy Spaniard. Also next years second driver will be ex Sauber accorting to EJ.

[321Go]

Well done Hulk, great drive. Nico will be in P2 by the first corner because Webber will most likely have a clutch or KERS issue at the start. Web really needs to learn how to press and let go of a button.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

Predictions of turmoil in Ferrari camp on BBC with one very unhappy Spaniard. Also next years second driver will be ex Sauber accorting to EJ.

That'll be Esteban Gutiérrez, .

[stripedcat]

Originally Posted by Bononi

...to pole position.

CORRECT!!!! FINGERMAN!!!!!! Can anyone stop him?

He now has has 40 poles. He also has equaled old Ferret Face's record of wins with 31 - so now, he is officially the "new Mansell" to quote Lewis.

Speaking of Lewis, he didn't look happy. Sutil and his little disagreement spilled out on to the track. As well as him mucking up his qualifying.

Alonso wasn't happy. There are now a lot of rumours going around Ferrari about the new 2nd driver and whether or not Alonso will take a sabbatical.

Hulk was amasing. Good show from him.

I pray for rain tomorrow. Otherwise it might just be another easy victory for Vettel.

[wolfhound]

Don't forget Kimi, Massa, Kubica and Perez are all ex Sauber.

[321Go]

Alonso's radio message post Q3 translated: "So I'll have to let him pass? Really?? You all are stupid. Mamma mia guys!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1WacjgOnE0

Massa not happy to play ball??

[jsTrecu]

With Luca in the garage at that time it's not something you want him to hear. Could this have any consequences ? I guess not.

[321Go]

Listening to the team pit radios is a show in itself. Some interesting comments get said over the team radios. They couldn't possibly broadcast all the conversations because the radio's never stop. But I wish they would. It would open a few peoples eyes on some of the team politics and going ons. And then the teams also have a channel(s) that cannot be tapped/hacked into. Wonder what gets said over them??

[321Go]

Sutil will drop three spots tomorrow for making Hamilton angry.