2013 GP Great Britain...

Once again it looks like Mercedes is on pace for qualifying and Red Bull probably with the race pace. Alonso will fight his way in there somehow, and Lotus just doesn't seem to be developing enough to stay in the chase...


Any other thoughts?


eso

That Hamilton pole time was simply rude!
Unbelievable!

Yup - gotta agree with you Eso:
Before qually I dumped Kimi in favour of Nico.
I dumped Nando from the Captain's chair in favour of Finger-Boy.
And I dumped Sutil in favour of Ricciardo.

So far so good...although I daren't admit to having the Digital One as my Captain chez moi: she'll kill me!!!

Bugger...a lot!
Finger-Boy goes and DNF's for the first time this year - just as I move him into the Captain's Chair!
And Mrs. Gelert was whooping all over the house when he lost power and stopped. Then it all turned a bit frosty chez moi when I displayed my disappointment...
Looks like the atmosphere at dinner tonight might be as chilly as that at Paul Hembry's house.

Sounds like it was an eventful race. What was up with all the tire problems?

I slept through the race this morning so I haven't seen it. I think I can catch a replay tonight, so hopefully I'll get a clue.

How do you have a debacle like that when you have a single control tire. That was a joke. Hammy better be in Perrelli's motor home after loosing the race for him.

Damn it... No rerun of the race... preempted by the Tour de France for f*cksake...


eso

Henrik wrote:Sounds like it was an eventful race. What was up with all the tire problems?

Basically:
Perez had an issue during Free Practice (3?) when his Left-Rear "blew apart".
"Investigations" by Pirelli et al allegedly pointed to "a cut" on the side-wall / shoulder as the reason.
And kerbs / debris as the source....

Then, during the race: first Lewis, then Massa, then JEV, and finally Perez (again) all had Left-Rear Tyres let-go on them.
In an explosive way.
At the start of, during, or at the end of the Wellington Straight.
Some at full chat.

There was also evidence of "about-to-let-go-failure" on Rosberg's & Vettel's Left-rear - they both pitted for new boots JIT!!

Initial recommendations during the race included:
1) Stay-off the kerbs (D'oh - same kerbs / kerb-profiles for the last blah-blah years).
2) Advice to increase the tyre-pressures from circa 19 psi to circa 21 psi (this hasn't been necessary at previous 2013 races).
3) Pray.

Pirelli have been "invited" (read MANDATORY!) to attend a meeting of the Sporting Working Committee (FIA Technical Council), in Germany ahead of this weekend's race.
With such a short turn-around / leadtime available, there is no re-design / re-manufacturing option open to Pirelli.
And the "circuit characteristics" of Nurburgring versus Silverstone will no doubt be discussed / blamed / etc.

Personally, I quite like the idea of 5 or 6 "pre-conditioned to explode" tyres being thrown into the tyre-pot on a random basis, for a race-meeting...  
Goes nicely with Bernie's "sprinkler" idea...

Sky showed there was a lip to the outside of the kerb on the bend before the punctures happened. Looks very likely to be the reason for the punctures.

I'm not buying that curb excuse. The other support races didn't have a problem all weekend.

Also, they said no KERS. Brutal.

the FIA made them change the tyres for the 2013 season... and now look what happens. they made them to the orders, and this track proved their limits.

yes pirelli are taking the hits... but the FIA are responsible as well.

Remember Indianapolis 2005 with the Michelin tires...

I do, I was there. That race ruined any chance for F1 to be successful in Indy. Michelin- Gate, Bernie dogging Danica, a few bad rumors, and M$ gifted win to Rubens sealed the deal.

TC, when you put it like that, no wonder Indy was never going to be a success!  Pretty bad show by F1 to have those things happening there in such a short space of time.

Shambles of a British GP.