Official F1 2009 Round 3 - Chinese Grand Prix

Burnsie · 16 Apr 2009, 03:15 (Ref:2441900)

With less than 24 hours until the first Free Practice session starts in Shanghai, I thought we needed the Chinese GP race thread - so here it is!

After just five races since the 2008 Chinese Grand Prix, Formula One returns to Shanghai in what will be the track's first ever April slot. The change from its usual October date means that the temperatures will be cooler and, perhaps more significantly, the chance of rain will be higher. Bridgestone will be bringing the medium and super-soft tyres - the same compounds which were used at the Australian Grand Prix at the beginning of the season.

The controversial diffusers being used by the Brawn, Toyota and Williams teams have been declared legal by the FIA; and so there are to be no ammendments to the current championship standings - at least, that is, until April 29th, when the World Motor Sport Council meets to rule on the allegation that McLaren was in breach of the International Sporting Code in Melbourne.

Here are the "vital statistics" that you will need for the weekend ahead...

Formula 1 World Drivers Championship Standings

Pos.	Driver	Constructor	Points
1.	Jenson Button	Brawn Mercedes	15
2.	Rubens Barrichello	Brawn Mercedes	10
3.	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	8½
4.	Timo Glock	Toyota	8
5.	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	4
6.	Fernando Alonso	Renault	4
7.	Nico Rosberg	Williams Toyota	3½
8.	Sébastien Buemi	Toro Rosso Ferrari	2
9.	Mark Webber	Red Bull Renault	1½
10.	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren Mercedes	1
11.	Sébastien Bourdais	Toro Rosso Ferrari	1

Formula 1 World Constructors Championship Standings

Pos.	Constructor	Points
1.	Brawn Mercedes	25
2.	Toyota	16½
3.	BMW Sauber	4
4.	Renault	4
5.	Williams Toyota	3½
6.	Toro Rosso Ferrari	3
7.	Red Bull Renault	1½
8.	McLaren Mercedes	1

Shanghai International Circuit

Length	Direction	Turns	Laps	Lap Record
5.451km (3.387 miles)	Clockwise	16	56	1:32.238 (Michael Schumacher, 2004)

2008 Chinese Grand Prix

Pole Position (Time)	Fastest Lap (Time)	Winner
Lewis Hamilton (1:36.303)	Lewis Hamilton (1:36.325)	Lewis Hamilton

Previous Winners

Year	Driver	Constructor
2007	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
2006	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari
2005	Fernando Alonso	Renault
2004	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari

External Links

Internal Links

If we could keep discussion on past events to a minimum, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm not pretending to be a moderator, I'm just getting tired of reading about diffusers

There are already threads covering the diffuser controversy, the Hamilton/McLaren affair and the scheduled WMSC hearing - feel free to join in the debate there if you haven't already done so.

Paul

Burnsie · 16 Apr 2009, 03:18 (Ref:2441901)

I didn't want to clutter up the original post too much, so for UK viewers and listeners, here are the scheduled television, interactive and radio times for the race weekend...

BBC Television Schedule

Date	Time	Session/Programme
Saturday 18th April	0600 - 0815	Qualifying
	1300 - 1415	Qualifying (R)
	1900 - 2000	Jim Clark: The Quiet Champion
Sunday 19th April	0110 - 0210	Jim Clark: The Quiet Champion (R)
	0700 - 1000	Race
	1305 - 1505	Race (R)
	1900 - 2000	Race Highlights
Monday 20th April	0110 - 0210	Race Highlights (R)

BBC Red Button Schedule

Date	Time	Session/Programme
Friday 17th April	0255 - 0435	Free Practice 1
	0655 - 0835	Free Practice 2
Saturday 18th April	0355 - 0505	Free Practice 3
	0800 - Sun 0600	Qualifying (looped)
Sunday 19th April	0700 - 1000	Race
	1000 - 1100	Interactive Forum
	1000 - Mon 2300	Race Highlights (looped)

BBC Radio Schedule

Date	Time	Session/Programme
Friday 17th April	0255 - 0435	Free Practice 1
	0655 - 0835	Free Practice 2
	2130 - 2200	Grand Prix Preview
Saturday 18th April	0355 - 0505	Free Practice 3
	0655 - 0805	Qualifying
Sunday 19th April	0745 - 1000	Race

BLUE = Radio 5 Live / GREEN = Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

NB: Don't take all of this as being 100% correct! I did my best to ensure its accuracy, but the times are subject to change, and I am subject to making mistakes

Chatters · 16 Apr 2009, 03:26 (Ref:2441906)

The Formula 1 circus this weekend heads to Shanghai in China for Round 3 of the 2009 season. After two races, Jenson Button remains unbeaten with two pole positions and two wins. With the decision this week that the 'double decker' diffusers are legal, it seems this weekend may well be another Brawn-Toyota whitewash. Williams seem to have good speed over one lap, with Nico Rosberg setting the fastest lap in Australia, but so far have been relatively unable to use their car design to bring any success. Red Bull will once again be in the mix, as will the KERS equipped cars, with China's long back straight giving them a good chance to use their extra horsepower boost.

Of the 5 previous Chinese Grands Prix, no driver has won twice. Ferrari is the most successful team here, having won 3 GPs (Barrichello 2004, Schumacher 2006, Raikkonen 2007) The Shanghai International Circuit is not renowned for being particularly hard on the car, although the brakes do get a good test on a few of the tight hairpins on the Hermann Tilke designed track. Watch for chaos as the cars enter the first corner complex, with its tricky increasing-radius hairpin...

Another Brawn 1-2? That's the way I think it will pan out, barring technical failure. Lewis Hamilton has proved twice now that even with a substandard car he can still bring it home in the points, and this may well be the case again here. Can Felipe Massa improve from his poor effort in Malaysia? Top 10 perhaps... Expect Timo GlockDog and Trulli to feature in the Top 5 as well. Kubica or Heidfeld? Heidfeld has the advantage with KERS, but Kubica may have more raw speed then him. An interesting match, and one to look for during the race.

MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX - STATS

Formula 1 World Drivers Championship Standings (after Round 2)

Pos.	Driver	Constructor	Points
1.	Jenson Button	Brawn-Mercedes	15
2.	Rubens Barrichello	Brawn-Mercedes	10
3.	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	8.5
4.	Timo GlockDOG	Toyota	8
5.	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	4
6.	Fernando Alonso	Renault	4
7.	Nico Rosberg	Williams-Toyota	3.5
8.	Sebastien Buemi	STR-Ferrari	2
9.	Mark Webber	RBR-Renault	1.5
10.	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	1
11.	Sebastien Bourdais	STR-Ferrari	1

All Formula 1 smilies courtesy of Andy Blackmore Design

Shanghai International Circuit

Length	Direction	Turns	Lap Record (Driver, Year)	Map
5.541km (3.387mi)	Clockwise	16	1:32.238 (Michael Schumacher, 2004)

2008 V Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix

Pole Position (Time)	Fastest Lap (Time)	Winner
Lewis Hamilton (1:36.303)	Lewis Hamilton (1:36.325)	Lewis Hamilton

Previous Winners

Year	Driver	Team
2007	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari
2006	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari
2005	Fernando Alonso	Renault
2004	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari

Useful Links
Predictions Competition
Fantasy F1

Don't forget to check out the 10-Tenths chat room- There will no doubt be a few anoraks in there for every session.

To log in through 10-Tenths, click here.

You can also access the chat using a dedicated client.

If you're using Firefox, download the Chatzilla addon as the best alternative https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/16

Else, download any other IRC client, e.g. http://www.icechat.net/site/

The IRC server is irc.phishy.net, and the room is #motorsport (type "/join #motorsport" without the quotes when you're connected).

BBC Broadcast Schedule

Date	Session/Programme	Time
Friday, April 17	Free Practice 1	0255-0435
	Free Practice 2	0655-0835
Saturday, April 18	Free Practice 3	0355-0505
	Qualifying	0600-0815
	Qualifying Re-run	1300-1415
Sunday, April 19	Race	0700-1000
	Interactive Forum	1000-1100
	Race Re-run	1305-1505
	Highlights 1	1900-2000
Monday, April 20	Highlights 2	0110-0210

**Born Racer** · 16 Apr 2009, 03:55 (Ref:2441911)

I can't wait. I haven't been this excited about Grand Prix racing for years.

5.05am. I appear to have become nocturnal again. I plan to keep this up for tomorrow night.

**Born Racer** · 16 Apr 2009, 04:31 (Ref:2441921)

Mike Gascoyne will be filling in for Eddie Jordan on the BBC this weekend.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumph...n_the_air.html

Lotusonpole · 16 Apr 2009, 07:17 (Ref:2441959)

Thanks Burnsie and Chatters
Great work compiling the 'Everything you need to know' tables.

I can only repeat Born Racers comments on excitement.

This year has really caught me hook, line and sinker.
And now with a great sigh of relief after the diffusser ruling, with only 29th April to worry about, I can just concentrate on enjoying China.

Here's to a stonkingly good race, rain or shine.

crmalcolm · 16 Apr 2009, 08:32 (Ref:2442015)

Apologies to non-UK viewers;

Is the BBC coverage a 1hr pre-race and an 0800hrs UK time start?

Sodemo · 16 Apr 2009, 09:18 (Ref:2442041)

Something which has surprised me, Bridgestone has brought the Super Soft and Hard spec tyres to China, which Alonso is not happy about, and has had a rant about it to the press saying "we cant race on the super soft".

Another tyre-storm brewing?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74491

fourWheelDrift · 16 Apr 2009, 09:34 (Ref:2442047)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Something which has surprised me, Bridgestone has brought the Super Soft and Hard spec tyres to China, which Alonso is not happy about, and has had a rant about it to the press saying "we cant race on the super soft".

Another tyre-storm brewing?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74491

I was surprised when I first saw the tyre choice too although I assumed Bridgestone knew what they were doing

.

I have to say I think Alonso may have a point different tyres is one thing but a tyre that will be shredded in a few laps is just silly. Even so blaming the tyre specifications for the Vettel/Kubica collision is just crazy of course. It is tantamount to argue that all the cars should go at the same speed so that there would be no 'dangerous' incidents where they get close together.

At the end of the day even if it is a bad call by Bridgestone the tyres are the same for everyone, as long as they are not going to actually fly apart the teams will do what they have to do in order to live with it and if it rains they won't have to race on them

crmalcolm · 16 Apr 2009, 10:04 (Ref:2442060)

If the tyres last 1 lap or 100, every car has to use them.
Alonso seems to be doing a lot of complaining about things lately, I feel he should shut his mouth a little bit and get on with the driving.

Knowlesy · 16 Apr 2009, 10:21 (Ref:2442076)

I love the competition on this forum to start the race threads.

Burnsie · 16 Apr 2009, 10:37 (Ref:2442095)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

I love the competition on this forum to start the race threads.

In case anyone else was wondering why there is so much information at the start of this thread, it seems that Chatters and I both had the same idea at the same time (well, technically I was 11 minutes earlier but that's splitting hairs

) and our threads were merged together. I'm not sure if this is a case of 'great minds think alike' or 'fools sledom differ'...

Quote:

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Is the BBC coverage a 1hr pre-race and an 0800hrs UK time start?

Yes, the telly comes on at 0700 and the lights go out at 0800.

**Born Racer** · 16 Apr 2009, 12:04 (Ref:2442174)

Quote:

Alonso seems to be doing a lot of complaining about things lately, I feel he should shut his mouth a little bit and get on with the driving.

I reckon that's unfair. He appears to say all the right things here for instance: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74466

Cougar · 16 Apr 2009, 12:05 (Ref:2442175)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

I love the competition on this forum to start the race threads.

Yeah I have given up on that! Good job though guys!

**Born Racer** · 16 Apr 2009, 12:17 (Ref:2442188)

Quote:

I'm not sure if this is a case of 'great minds think alike' or 'fools sledom differ'...

Ha, nice one Burnsie.

crmalcolm · 16 Apr 2009, 14:22 (Ref:2442274)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Born Racer

I reckon that's unfair. He appears to say all the right things here for instance: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74466

Agreed that he is saying the right things there. It's just some of his comments about other matters have been unnecessary.

Andy77 · 16 Apr 2009, 18:11 (Ref:2442452)

I gonna try to be up for session 1 tonite.
Not too easy though since there is football tonite too.

**Bononi** · 16 Apr 2009, 20:22 (Ref:2442532)

Let's hope for another exciting race !

ralf fan · 16 Apr 2009, 22:47 (Ref:2442617)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bononi

Let's hope for another exciting race !

If it is half as exciting as the 'intro thread starting' competition on tenths then we are set.

Burnsie · 16 Apr 2009, 23:10 (Ref:2442629)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy77

I gonna try to be up for session 1 tonite.

I'm going to try to get up for the first two practice sessions, although I wouldn't be surprised if I ignore my alarm clock for FP1.

The weather seems to be good at the moment - cool but dry.

**Bononi** · 16 Apr 2009, 23:47 (Ref:2442651)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralf fan

If it is half as exciting as the 'intro thread starting' competition on tenths then we are set.

A PM going into your direction...

Marbot · 17 Apr 2009, 00:05 (Ref:2442658)

A certain 10/10ths member in the Gulf area may be pleased to hear (or may already know) about this.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21367.html

Should also add that Ferrari are not using their KERS for "technical reasons".

Andy77 · 17 Apr 2009, 01:53 (Ref:2442677)

Coffee is set up and Premiere tuned in. They currently show Inside F1 and just 3 minutes until start of fp1 coverage

Burnsie · 17 Apr 2009, 02:00 (Ref:2442678)

Morning Andy, morning everyone...

The first 90 minute practice session is underway. Present air temperature 16°C (track temperature 25°C) which is much cooler than Melbourne, when the teams last used these tyre compound options - medium and super-soft.

Andy77 · 17 Apr 2009, 02:09 (Ref:2442680)

ahhh not alone

good morning Burnsie.

There are some quite nice circuit graphics at:
http://sponsoring.allianz.com/en/for...cuit_graphics/

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