2013 Spanish Grand Prix (May 10

2013 Spanish Grand Prix (May 10 - 12)

Fernando Alonso treated his fans to the fastest lap in a damp opening practice session:

[QUOTE=Practice 1]Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m25.252s 20
2. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m25.455s + 0.203s 20
3. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m25.667s + 0.415s 25
4. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m26.042s + 0.790s 21
5. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m26.212s + 0.960s 24
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m26.374s + 1.122s 19
7. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m26.456s + 1.204s 20
8. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m26.614s + 1.362s 21
9. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m26.621s + 1.369s 21
10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m26.755s + 1.503s 16
11. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m26.940s + 1.688s 26
12. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m27.061s + 1.809s 24
13. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m27.135s + 1.883s 6
14. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m27.250s + 1.998s 26
15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m27.576s + 2.324s 24
16. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m28.600s + 3.348s 19
17. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m28.887s + 3.635s 14
18. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 1m29.177s + 3.925s 14
19. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m29.457s + 4.205s 11
20. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m29.473s + 4.221s 21
21. Rodolfo Gonzalez Marussia-Cosworth 1m30.314s + 5.062s 12
22. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes no time 6

[url="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107297"]Spanish GP: Fernando Alonso leads damp first practice - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com[/url][/QUOTE]

Vettel went fastest in FP2, followed closely by Alonso and Webber:

[quote=Practice 2]Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m22.808s 34
2. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m22.825s + 0.017s 35
3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m22.891s + 0.083s 36
4. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m23.030s + 0.222s 32
5. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m23.110s + 0.302s 37
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m23.140s + 0.332s 35
7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m23.398s + 0.590s 45
8. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m23.840s + 1.032s 37
9. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m24.058s + 1.250s 31
10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m24.104s + 1.296s 25
11. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m24.175s + 1.367s 32
12. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m24.306s + 1.498s 35
13. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m24.854s + 2.046s 31
14. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m24.888s + 2.080s 38
15. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.167s + 2.359s 38
16. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m25.321s + 2.513s 32
17. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.441s + 2.633s 37
18. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m25.851s + 3.043s 35
19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m25.963s + 3.155s 30
20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m26.078s + 3.270s 31
21. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m26.930s + 4.122s 35
22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m26.970s + 4.162s 25

[url="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107304"]Spanish GP: Vettel edges out Alonso in second Friday practice - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com[/url][/quote]

Massa topped Saturday morning's final practice. It looks qualifying will be very entertaining with at least six drivers capable of grabbing pole:

[quote=Practice 3]Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap Laps
1. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m21.901s 13
2. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m21.907s + 0.006s 14
3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m22.044s + 0.143s 17
4. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m22.069s + 0.168s 13
5. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m22.229s + 0.328s 17
6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m22.254s + 0.353s 15
7. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m22.574s + 0.673s 11
8. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m22.729s + 0.828s 17
9. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m22.740s + 0.839s 24
10. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m22.759s + 0.858s 15
11. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m22.839s + 0.938s 26
12. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m23.151s + 1.250s 13
13. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m23.371s + 1.470s 21
14. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m23.373s + 1.472s 13
15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m23.385s + 1.484s 17
16. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m23.388s + 1.487s 18
17. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m23.660s + 1.759s 16
18. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m23.767s + 1.866s 17
19. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m24.775s + 2.874s 18
20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m24.793s + 2.892s 16
21. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m25.135s + 3.234s 17
22. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m25.250s + 3.349s 18

[url="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107335"]Spanish GP: Felipe Massa fastest for Ferrari in final practice - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com[/url][/quote]

Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton surprised the pundits and swept the first row:

[quote=Qualifying]Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap
1. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m20.718s
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m20.972s + 0.254s
3. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m21.054s + 0.336s
4. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m21.177s + 0.459s
5. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m21.218s + 0.500s
6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m21.219s + 0.501s
7. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m21.308s + 0.590s
8. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m21.570s + 0.852s
9. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m22.069s + 1.351s
10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m22.233s + 1.515s
Q2 cut-off time: 1m22.019s Gap **
11. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m22.127s + 1.126s
12. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m22.166s + 1.165s
13. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m22.346s + 1.345s
14. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m23.166s + 2.165s
15. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m22.389s + 1.388s
16. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m22.793s + 1.792s
Q1 cut-off time: 1m23.218s Gap *
17. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m23.260s + 1.532s
18. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m23.318s + 1.590s
19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m24.661s + 2.933s
20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m24.713s + 2.985s
21. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m24.996s + 3.268s
22. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m25.070s + 3.342s

107% time: 1m27.448s
* Gap to quickest in Q1
** Gap to quickest in Q2

[url="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107337"]Spanish GP: Nico Rosberg leads Lewis Hamilton in Mercedes front row - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com[/url][/quote]

Fernando Alonso deservedly won his home Grand Prix after starting fifth. Key in his success was a great start, which saw him overtake two cars around the outside of the long right hander in one fantastic move. The remainder of the race was dominated by the fragile tyres with all drivers more pre-occupied with preserving their tyres than their outright pace.

[quote]Pos Driver Team
1. Alonso Ferrari
2. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault
3. Massa Ferrari
4. Vettel Red Bull-Renault
5. Webber Red Bull-Renault
6. Rosberg Mercedes
7. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes
8. Button McLaren-Mercedes
9. Perez McLaren-Mercedes
10. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari
11. Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari
12. Hamilton Mercedes
13. Sutil Force India-Mercedes
14. Maldonado Williams-Renault
15. Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari
16. Bottas Williams-Renault
17. Pic Caterham-Renault
18. Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth
19. Chilton Marussia-Cosworth
DNF Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari
DNF van der Garde Caterham-Renault
DNF Grosjean Lotus-Renault

[url="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107372"]Spanish GP: Fernando Alonso takes commanding home win for Ferrari - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com[/url][/quote]

Pirelli's tires are crap, but the FIA and FOM have a hand in this, too. All because of a NASCAR-like gimmick of using tire strategy to "improve the show". Sort of pathetic IMO. If they want strategy, bring back refueling or at least let Pirelli make tires that are durable enough to withstand having a car that weighs over 300lbs heavier at the start of the race than at the finish.

^^ Really the examples of the failing of FOM to have joined up thinking.
By limiting the testing for teams then it has dramatically reduced the testing any tyre gets.
On top of that they are faced with having to determine compounds for tracks, rather than having say 4 standard the same for a whole season.
NO tyre manufacturer could produce reliable top performing tyres in those circumstances and so I'd say don't blame Pirelli or their efforts.
Either let testing increase so we get safe tyres, OR have tyres as proper season control (yuk) or preferably just let us get back to teams able to pick tyre supplier and compounds themselves :)

I don't mind controlled spec tyres, just as long as they're not the determining factor in the results. Races like this one show that the tyres just aren't durable enough. If they want to use such delicate tyres then they should bring back refuelling so that they can at least last a few laps longer. Also it ups the strategising, which I enjoyed.

TBH, I don't mind the current rule. The idea IMO is sound, the execution needs tweaking. The fact of having a high deg tire pushes team to think differently in how they use them. The problem is the rule of applying high deg tire is muddled in its philosophy. If the idea is to have the option of letting team who can have a car that is slower but having ability to stretch tire life, that is one way to go, The flipside of that is to have a faster car but needs to stop more often. Both option SHOULD exist, however they are also limited in amount of tires they can use in a weekend, which means the car that pushes the tires more are forced to conserve since they just plainly don't have enough tire. There are plainly teams that deals with the same cards that was dealt better than others. The teams that prevails seems to be the same guys, something they must to be doing right...

If this rant came out of Mercedes' plight. Tough s*it...they have NEVER figured out how to run in this Pirelli era, seems to be chasing their own tail for 3 seasons now. Something more fundamental is wrong with the team...much more than s*it tires...

Teams themselves don't want any more testing. They've vetoed the idea of adding more in-season testing, rookie testing, and even more tires for rookies on Friday. So its not exactly a FIA/FOM issue. The idea of having bespoke tire for each car is sound in theory, but in reality it never worked out. The era of Ferrari domination have the supposedly custom tires. In reality Bridgestone only make tires for Ferrari, and Michelin makes one tire that all Michelin team runs to the same spec. Every single series leading up to F1 have control tire, and the team that can use the tires the best with the best driver will win. Why should that be different in F1? Good tire for a shit car flatters that car, I don't see that as being a good thing...Also don't forget, Goodyear and Michelin quit....

If you want to hear about potentially f-ed up rules...the ideas floating around making WRC's last stage of each round being the decider IMO is much more stupid....

[quote=RacingManiac;995856]If you want to hear about potentially f-ed up rules...the ideas floating around making WRC's last stage of each round being the decider IMO is much more stupid....[/quote]

I.. what? Decider of what? What is left to be decided?

Re: tyres - I agree that for Merc it's up to them to build a better car for the tyres at hand, but when every team is struggling, every driver is going ag 80% for most of the time and the only thing spoken about all weekend (or so it seems sometimes) is tyres.. they've gone too far and must be stopped.

[url="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107262"]World Rally Championship in radical powerstage decider proposal - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com[/url]

Dumbest. Thing. I. Have. Ever. Heard.....

I guess this is on topic.

[IMG]http://livesniffpetrol.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/SPADPirellityres.jpg[/IMG]

[quote=RacingManiac;995856]If you want to hear about potentially f-ed up rules...the ideas floating around making WRC's last stage of each round being the decider IMO is much more stupid....[/quote]

[quote=pimento;995857]I.. what? Decider of what? What is left to be decided?[/quote]

[quote=RacingManiac;995858][url="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107262"]World Rally Championship in radical powerstage decider proposal - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com[/url]

Dumbest. Thing. I. Have. Ever. Heard.....[/quote]
Rallying at world class level stopped being interesting ages ago.

It stopped being rallying at all, for that matter.

[quote]Why should that be different in F1?[/quote]
For one very simple reason ... it purports to be the pinnacle of motorsport.

So let lower formulae and events have
- control chassis
- control engine
- control tyres

Or the natural conclusion of control tyres is control of all the above too :)

... and for the complex reason .... it puts ALL the control of performance and results in the hands of ONE SUPPLIER - the tyre maker. So Mercedes have a chassis that can do wonders BUT can't use the tyre well versus a mediocre chassis and driver willing to come 3rd 4th ? Is that a reasonable position or the supposed pinnacle of motorsport design to have ?

The testing argument is a self serving one. The premise on all of that is the clear message FIA gave about capping costs. So if you are to cap costs THEN the teams give the answers we hear. It's NOT what they WANT :) It's what they're forced to give up :( Again, not "pinnacle" thinking :( Soon it will be NASCAR without the ovals :(

[quote=Matra et Alpine;995862]

... and for the complex reason .... it puts ALL the control of performance and results in the hands of ONE SUPPLIER - the tyre maker. So Mercedes have a chassis that can do wonders BUT can't use the tyre well versus a mediocre chassis and driver willing to come 3rd 4th ? Is that a reasonable position or the supposed pinnacle of motorsport design to have ?

[/quote]

Thats a logical fallacy....Tire wars(and that is exactly what it will be without control tires) never work. Think back to 2005, when Michelin and Bridgestone are in F1. Ferrari was getting their asses handed to them by Michelin, not just Renault. Because Toyota, BAR, and pretty much anyone not running Bridgestone were doing better than Ferrari in a lot of races. Do you really think BAR, Toyota, or whatever midfield team had better car than the team that won the title from 2000-2004, when the ONLY rule that was changed between 04-05 was the one race tire rule? What was deciding the championship then?

Its a constructor championship, not a tire championship. They don't award the winning tires, they award the winning constructor. You hand out the same tires to everyone, the best team that can utilize the same tire wins. I don't see why that is an issue? Tire should not be the variable at all, at any level of racing. They already control the size of the tire, the weight of the car, no reason why the same tire can't be used on all cars. This is not like Formula Student/FSAE where those things are free...