So Singapore was a blip? Bollocks!!! Was hoping the others had actually caught up, if anything, they're just as far in front as they ever were.. Their long run pace looked good too!
Not how Nico would want pole but I bet he'll be very happy with that. Well done Bottas for third - wonder if he could put the cat among the pigeons. Bit of an anti-climax, really, but lots of little stories set up for tomorrow which is good.
Yeah, that one was kinda deserved. Kvyat will be starting from the pits after that crash too. Good news for Sauber I guess
Interesting, he was interviewed and said he lost all elec power, was stuck in 3rd, and clutch wouldn't disengage. Mind you 3rd gear must have been a reasonable speed to not stop where he did.
I've not seen it caught on camera but apparently Max lost power into the hairpin, coasted out on the left hand side (off the racing line), and then for reasons unknown veered for the racing line just in time to park the car, rather than just pull off onto the grass on the left.
I look forward to waking up early to watch some tyre conservation Jenson Button warns of ballooning F1 tyres in Japanese Grand Prix Jenson Button has warned of the prospect of tyres ballooning and overheating during Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix due to Formula 1 supplier Pirelli setting the pressures too high. Pirelli has opted for high pressures because it feels Suzuka is tough on rubber, yet drivers like Button feels the Italian manufacturer has gone a step too far. "It's going to be tough for everyone because the pressures are so high, the tyres are just going to be overheating after one lap," he said. "They end up being like balloons because the pressures get so high. "Everyone will have problems tomorrow, and we'll be included in that." Romain Grosjean added: "It's going to be [a problem] since the limits, the restrictions are really extreme. "It's difficult for everyone. There are teams that are going better than others, but [the pressures] are massively higher than what we would normally run." His Lotus team-mate Pastor Maldonado is also anticipating a "quite difficult" race given the tyres last for "only one lap". Maldonado added: "It's too late now, this is what Pirelli decided before starting the weekend, so it's going to be quite tricky during the race. "I understand on the safety side why they decided to go for those pressures, but on the other hand, the tyres are not performing well." Daniel Ricciardo acknowledged the tyres could be an issue in the race, but he is confident Red Bull will not be too adversely affected. "That's going to be the biggest challenge for everyone, tyre temps," said Ricciardo. "Not so much wear, just keeping the temperatures down in the tyres. "It's not an easy thing to do, especially round here you've got so many corners one after the other, so you can only keep them so low. "But the way I've felt with the car, it's underneath me, so I should have a bit more feeling on the long runs and hopefully a bit more ability to save the tyres than some others." Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery, meanwhile, acknowledged the drivers' concerns, conceding them to be "quite correct", but he sees no reason to make any alterations ahead of the race. Hembery said: "It's based on the most extreme performance levels, so there's a big gap of course between the frontrunners and the people who are a little bit behind. "The cars haven't stood still, there's been a dramatic change in performance and a dramatic increase in loads so that's necessitated some changes. "Suzuka is, of course, one of the most severe tracks of the season so it would be quite normal for us to be taking that approach."
I'm sure it's all Mercedes' fault. They manipulated the laws of physics at Monza, so Pirelli should be trivial.
But the more important question is did they break the laws of the FIA? I think we're supposed to learn soon whether Pirelli or Michelin (what a great choice) gets the tender for 2017... I want the tyre war back myself.
I prey we don't have a big bang. Kvyat was lucky today but if the Tyres BLOW On Some Of Those SECTIONS It Could Be Bad NEWS.
Verstappen was a little stupid to park where he did but I think a reprimand would've sufficed, unless they suspect he did it to prevent anyone else going faster than him in the remainder of the session.
Were they pumping up Rosberg's tyres there? Really think Mercedes are still flouting that rule, they need to start DSQing them for it. What deterrent is there for them to run their tyres illegally if the punishment for getting caught is that Pirelli pump them up to a legal pressure. ****ing ridiculous.
