I’ll admit that 2 weeks ago I didn’t think they’d run this. As it is, the place is raw.
That green stuff? Spray painted dirt.
It’s marshland they’re building an industrial/residential development on around the racetrack (like condos around a golf course) which is eventually going to integrate with the street grid so it becomes a true street circuit like Monaco. Artifacts of this include the non-existent elevation change and the high walls at 16 & 17.
They literally laid down the surface 2 weeks ago and had to use a fast curing asphalt. The track is really bumpy, especially in Turn 16 and in some sections they have *ahem* “low curbs”, which are essentially paved ditches where you can drop straight off the road.
Some fun eh?
There may be some logic to it that escapes the analysts, it’s 3.5 miles with just 3 straights none of which seems long. The rest is twisty bits. It’s very tight without a lot of obvious passing opportunities. Some drivers are complaining about the tightness of the pit entrance and pit lane. F-Ducts are reported to confer an advantage, but it’s not clear which teams will be running them.
In competitive news Mercedes is blaming its non-competitiveness on the inherited Brawn chassis and McLaren is not giving up and came with all kinds of fiddly new aero bits that all had to be replaced on Button’s car when it caught fire near the end of practice.
There’s a chance of rain which would wipe away all the rubbering in they’ve done. The track seems to be hard on tires, particularly the right front, so people won’t want to be out on Softs for long.
Observations and surprises below.
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is so far remarkably uninstructive.
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I hate video games.
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Evidently Vettel and Button skipped morning practice and the announcers are trying to make it sound like a good thing.
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they have an advantage in sectors 2 & 3, the twisty bits.
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Yet to run a lap with just 6 minutes to go.
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that if I had 8 engines, I’d run each one of them once to confuse people and so that I could get a read on their performance and wear.
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They’re having a conniption but he’s 11th so why worry?
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Plus the usual cast of 6.
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with the bumps at the braking points getting worse.
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Massa takes fast lap.
Ferrari 1 & 2.
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1:30 am tomorrow.
No huge surprises as far as I was concerned.
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Massa only has one fresh set of Softs.
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Vettel
Webber
Alonso
Hamilton
Rosberg