2014 Japanese Grand Prix (Oct 3 - 5)

Max Verstappen made his F1 debut this morning in the opening practice for the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix and did not disappoint:

[QUOTE=Practice 1]Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired Gap Laps
1 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:35.461 27
2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:35.612 0.151 26
3 14 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:36.037 0.576 19
4 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1:36.576 1.115 25
5 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:37.187 1.726 19
6 20 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 1:37.327 1.866 24
7 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:37.466 2.005 27
8 22 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:37.649 2.188 24
9 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:37.686 2.225 26
10 26 Daniil Kvyat STR-Renault 1:37.714 2.253 26
11 19 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1:38.012 2.551 22
12 38 Max Verstappen STR-Renault 1:38.157 2.696 22
13 11 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 1:38.324 2.863 10
14 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1:38.582 3.121 9
15 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:38.851 3.390 21
16 99 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 1:39.046 3.585 19
17 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault 1:39.097 3.636 26
18 21 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1:39.318 3.857 18
19 9 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 1:40.031 4.570 18
20 45 Roberto Merhi Caterham-Renault 1:41.472 6.011 24
21 17 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Ferrari 1:41.580 6.119 10
22 4 Max Chilton Marussia-Ferrari 1:41.757 6.296 15[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Practice 2]Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired Gap Laps
1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:35.078 28
2 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:35.318 0.240 27
3 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1:36.279 1.201 24
4 22 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:36.409 1.331 28
5 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:36.436 1.358 24
6 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:36.529 1.451 19
7 14 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:36.637 1.559 26
8 20 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 1:36.714 1.636 31
9 26 Daniil Kvyat STR-Renault 1:36.943 1.865 27
10 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:37.186 2.108 3
11 25 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Renault 1:37.219 2.141 19
12 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1:37.504 2.426 16
13 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:37.563 2.485 31
14 19 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1:37.700 2.622 18
15 11 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 1:37.786 2.708 8
16 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault 1:37.798 2.720 27
17 99 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 1:38.010 2.932 25
18 21 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1:38.365 3.287 9
19 9 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 1:39.069 3.991 22
20 17 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Ferrari 1:39.306 4.228 20
21 4 Max Chilton Marussia-Ferrari 1:39.333 4.255 24
22 10 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham-Renault 1:42.760 7.682 3[/QUOTE]

And then the bomb dropped. Vettel to Ferrari (replaced by Kyvat), and Alonso seemingly on the way out too.

Apparently Seb and Kimi get along somehow, so that's fun for them.

To be a fly on the wall in the paddock.

First of all, hope Bianchi gets well.

Secondly, the Safety Car nonsense in the start of the race was ridiculous.

Thirdly, I do not like 'Milton very much, but I've got to reckon he is a proper racing driver.

And finally, Vettel is a little momma's boy. Just race damn it! Will be fun seeing him in 2015 at Ferrari fighting for 8th.

PS. Also ironic Alonso breaking down before actually doing any racing.

[quote=Ferrer;1008960]First of all, hope Bianchi gets well.

Secondly, the Safety Car nonsense in the start of the race was ridiculous.

Thirdly, I do not like 'Milton very much, but I've got to reckon he is a proper racing driver.

And finally, Vettel is a little momma's boy. Just race damn it! Will be fun seeing him in 2015 at Ferrari fighting for 8th.

PS. Also ironic Alonso breaking down before actually doing any racing.[/quote]

I thought Vettel had a fantastic race. Is this not his best result all season? If there were no safety car at the start of the race, their very well could have been a Red Bull victory, I reckon.

[quote=Magnum9987;1009002]I thought Vettel had a fantastic race. Is this not his best result all season? If there were no safety car at the start of the race, their very well could have been a Red Bull victory, I reckon.[/quote]
On the safety car laps at the start of the race he complained on the radio all the time about not being able to drive fast safely because of the water on the track.

[quote=Ferrer;1009003]On the safety car laps at the start of the race he complained on the radio all the time about not being able to drive fast safely because of the water on the track.[/quote]

I've not seen the race so I can't say how bad it was. But driving at speed with standing water isn't fun at all....made much worse with poor visibility...

Tis true that aquapplaning is dangerous, just the other happened to me; I was doing 70 so nothing happened, but not pleasant indeed.

Nevertheless, Hamilton was saying everything was fine (had been saying so for several laps) and so were other driver.

And anyway this is supposed to be the pinnacle of motorsport with the best drivers in the world. Surely they can handle [I]a bit of water[/I]...

Always easier up front, and Hammy has the incentive since he is fighting for WDC, he needs the race going to score points...its not all racing, some politiking is involved also...

Up front there was no spray. As soon as the safety car went in, visibility for anyone behind Hamilton was at zero until enough water cleared. It's not the aquaplaning, it's not being able to react to the crash that's already happened and driving straight into it, as has happened at a few wet race starts in recentish memory.

It seemed mostly all right once the water cleared a bit, but having the tractor out there without a safety car in those conditions was a mistake.

Some wise words on the matter: [url="http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/racing-is-also-this/"]Racing is also this | joeblogsf1[/url]