2010 Chinese Grand Prix (April 16 - 18)

[Wouter Melissen]

In a very eventful first practice session many cars dropped bits and pieces but none more so than Buemi who literally lost both wheels under braking. Button was fastest:

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:36.677 15
2. Rosberg Mercedes 1:36.748 +0.071 17
3. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:36.775 +0.098 19
4. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:37.509 +0.832 14
5. Kubica Renault 1:37.601 +0.924 20
6. Petrov Renault 1:37.716 +1.039 17
7. Schumacher Mercedes 1:37.745 +1.068 25
8. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:37.980 +1.303 17
9. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:38.008 +1.331 13
10. Massa Ferrari 1:38.098 +1.421 19
11. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:38.161 +1.484 19
12. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:38.375 +1.698 21
13. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:38.421 +1.744 19
14. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:38.569 +1.892 20
15. di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1:38.618 +1.941 26
16. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:38.678 +2.001 17
17. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:39.939 +3.262 5
18. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:41.531 +4.854 22
19. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:41.779 +5.102 23
20. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:41.830 +5.153 20
21. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:42.181 +5.504 27
22. Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:43.875 +7.198 23
23. Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1:43.949 +7.272 20
24. Alonso Ferrari no time 6

autosport.com - F1 News: Button fastest in first practice

[Wouter Melissen]

This time it was McLaren's Hamilton who was fastest:

Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired Gap Laps
1 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.217 26
2 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 1:35.465 0.248 22
3 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.593 0.376 26
4 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 1:35.602 0.385 28
5 5 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 1:35.791 0.574 30
6 6 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 1:35.995 0.778 29
7 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:36.254 1.037 31
8 17 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 1:36.377 1.160 43
9 11 Robert Kubica Renault 1:36.389 1.172 29
10 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:36.604 1.387 33
11 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:36.944 1.727 36
12 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault 1:36.986 1.769 27
13 22 Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1:37.421 2.204 32
14 23 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1:37.431 2.214 33
15 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:37.657 2.440 30
16 15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:37.804 2.587 31
17 10 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:37.867 2.650 29
18 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:39.624 4.407 35
19 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:39.947 4.730 30
20 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:40.233 5.016 27
21 20 Karun Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1:41.008 5.791 32
22 25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:41.107 5.890 28
23 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:41.345 6.128 32
24 16 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari No time 0

[TheScrutineer]

Jeez, what a failure on Buemi's STR. Never seen uprights fail before.

[RacingManiac]

That was probably the worse case for design of an upright...5G braking + bump....not surprised that if it were to break that'll be the time...

[Dino Scuderia]

I wouldn't get back in that stinkin' chassis without great assurance that issue is solved.

[RacingManiac]

Supposedly the one that broke was a new design. They went back to the original now....

[wwgkd]

Anyone find a cip of it online? The failure was so spectacular I've been wanting to show people, but so far no luck finding it. Glad he was fine, but it does raise some questions. Front the video he seemed a lot more calm than I would have been, so do F1 drivers really have ice water in their veins, or are they just better at hiding the brown stains on the seats?

[charged]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJBB3tAzve0]YouTube - Buemi Crash FP1 Chinese GP 2010[/ame]

[kylekosir]

Are teams still trying to get flexible wings? Hasn't this been banned for quite sometime. Mclaren should straighten that out

[Matra et Alpine]

wwgkd ... it all depends how often they've come off in the past.
Usually you can tell a drivers early BIG offs as they'll jsut sit there with marshalls having to shout them back to reality.
Once "experienced" then an skillful race driver is aware of what's happening, can see the outcomes and prepare for them and if lucky enough to be uninjured, get out of the car and get back to team to discuss how to prevent it happenign again. Loss of both front wheels is no more "dangerous" ( and arguably LESS ) than carbon brake discs shattering

For REAL amazement go talk to a rally driver after rolling it in to trees.
My recent "favourite", was a brother driver/nav in a Mk1 Escort who went straight on at a right in forest and buried the car 40 feet down and 60 feet in. My notes had the corner as "fast right" .. so ~60mph
In their late 60s and they just climbed up smiling, telling everyone they're fine and has anyone a rope to pull them out .... were up for finishing, but sadly the two broken struts stopped them

[Wouter Melissen]

Fourth pole in a row for Red Bull:

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps
1 5 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 1:36.317 1:35.280 1:34.558 21
2 6 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 1:35.978 1:35.100 1:34.806 17
3 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:35.987 1:35.235 1:34.913 15
4 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 1:35.952 1:35.134 1:34.923 17
5 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:36.122 1:35.443 1:34.979 17
6 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.641 1:34.928 1:35.034 13
7 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:36.076 1:35.290 1:35.180 19
8 11 Robert Kubica Renault 1:36.348 1:35.550 1:35.364 21
9 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 1:36.484 1:35.715 1:35.646 21
10 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:36.671 1:35.665 1:35.963 23
11 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:36.664 1:35.748 15
12 17 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 1:36.618 1:36.047 17
13 16 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 1:36.793 1:36.149 17
14 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault 1:37.031 1:36.311 10
15 23 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1:37.044 1:36.422 16
16 10 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:37.049 1:36.647 14
17 22 Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1:37.050 1:37.020 15
18 15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:37.161 9
19 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:39.278 6
20 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:39.399 9
21 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:39.520 8
22 25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:39.783 6
23 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:40.469 10
24 20 Karun Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1:40.578 7

[pimento]

Good race so far.. the rain showing up some poor decision making by some teams and providing some nice overtaking. Some good form being shown by Kubica and Petrov (until the spin off).

[pimento]

Well.. some canny strategy on Button's side and some great overtaking on Hambo's side have given McLaren their 1-2 victory. Red Bull's poor decision to swap to inters early and a lack of overtaking ability have cost them dearly again. They'll be desparately hoping for no more wet races, given their qualifying this year some more processional races would serve them well. Renault again capitalise from Kubica's talent, and Schucmi again doesn't seem so confident. Etc etc. I could be a commentator at this rate...

[henk4]

Race saved by the rain again
Once more supporting my plea that all tracks should have the facility to be inundated..

[LTSmash]

Too much racing for one day. All I've done today is watch motorsports. Exciting race but I'll be on the bandwagon that says the races will continue to be boring in dry conditions. McLaren's 1-2 and Rosberg's dominance over Schumacher aside, I was impressed by Renault and Petrov especially.