It was too long? I wondered why Lewis was saying he needed a tow down the straight, wouldn't have made any difference if he was bouncing off the limiter. Quite a big gaff from McLaren, you'd think they'd have picked up on that during Free Practice. Weather: 80% chance of rain, 1-3mm predicted. Sounds perfect, enough to shake it up but not so much that they'll call the race off. Welcome back Mifune.
Ok, how's he going to get a decent tow if it's raining heavily. If he can't hit top speed in the dry he's got no chance to hit it in the wet with more fuel.
How is DRS availability decided during a wet race? If it's declared wet at the start and then dries up, will race control declare at some point that it's available like they do after two laps, or is it just not allowed at all?
Well you can't set your gear ratios for the wet because that would be a massive gamble. In the races drivers usually bounce off their rev limiter when they are trying to overtake another car in the DRS zone so I guess that Mclaren think it is worth the risk setting their 7th gear slightly longer because of the long straight and the two DRS zones so they have a big advantage overtaking in the DRS zones during the race.
I hope we don't get changeable conditions - which could mean the race winner just gets lucky because other teams make the wrong call. Chances of rain are high, so if we get a wet race I'd rather it was just a wet track with little-no rain during the race.
I think Lewis will win. He seems to conjure up something in Canada and I think he will take Webber at the start and the race pace is quicker than Ferrari and Red Bull. P1. Hamilton P2. Alonso P3. Massa P4. Vettel P5. Button P6. Webber
Lewis is quick here, but P5 while driving at his best is not good at all. It is dificult to see him winning now. My prediction If Dry. 1. Vettel 2. Alonso 3. Webber 4. Massa 5. Hamilton 6. Button If Wet. 1. Alonso 2. Hamilton 3. Button 4. Vettel 5. Massa 6. Webber
I think as long as its a normal race with no problems for anyone (like mechancial/engine problems) that Alonso will win. We could even get a Ferrari 1-2 as Massa is doing great. My predictions. Alonso Massa Vettel Hamilton Button Rosberg Webber Petrov Heidfeld Schumacher
I'm inclined to agree about Hamilton beating Webber at the start, especially as Webber has struggled off the line in 2011. For Lewis to then move from P4-P1 sounds unrealistic, but as always, not impossible. I do think however that Ferrari are better than McLaren here, so Lewis on the podium is the more realistic aim. Vettel and Alonso aren't going to be beaten unless it's on strategy. I predict: 1. Alonso 2. Vettel 3. Hamilton 4. Webber 5. Massa 6. Button