2010 Korean Grand Prix (October 22-24)

[ScionDriver]

I know Wouter usually does these posts and I hope he doesn't mind me stealing his thunder. If he wants he can make one and merge this thread with it or something. Whatever, let's get onto the grand prix!

Coming into the weekend, the 5-way battle for the drivers crown is still very much alive. Button, Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel and Webber are still duking it out for the title.
The newest circuit in Korea has been surrounded by much controversy coming into the weekend, like, would it even be ready for racing? Once it was given the greenlight by the FIA less than two weeks ago, there were still questions, would the track pavement be cured in time? Would the grandstands be finished?

Well now with both practice sessions in the books it looks like those questions have been put to rest.

In the first session the track, being so new, was very slick and the teams were slowly trying to get a feel for the track.

Free Practice 1 Times:
1 LC Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 1'40.887
2 R Kubica (POL) Renault 1'40.968
3 N Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1'41.152
4 S Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1'41.371
5 J Button (GBR) McLaren 1'41.940
6 M Schumacher (GER) Mercedes 1'42.022
7 M Webber (AUS) Red Bull 1'42.202
8 N Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber1'42.293
9 N Hülkenberg (GER) Williams 1'42.678
10 RG Barrichello (BRA) Williams 1'42.883
11 V Petrov (RUS) Renault 1'42.896
12 F Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1'43.054
13 K Kobayashi (JPN) BMW Sauber1'43.309
14 A Sutil (GER) Force India 1'43.602
15 F Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1'43.928
16 S Buemi (SUI) Toro Rosso 1'43.940
17 V Liuzzi (ITA) Force India 1'44.887
18 J Alguersuari (ESP) Toro Rosso 1'45.141
19 T Glock (GER) Virgin 1'45.588
20 J D′Ambrosio (BEL) Virgin 1'46.613
21 H Kovalainen (FIN) Lotus 1'47.115
22 S Yamamoto (JPN) HRT F1 1'50.347
23 B Senna (BRA) HRT F1 1'50.821
24 J Trulli (ITA) Lotus 1'51.701

[ScionDriver]

The second practice session saw the track pick up more rubber as more and more laps were completed. Times started free-falling throughout the session and Webber ended up topping the sheets. One corner for the drivers to look out for is Turn 16 where the racing line takes drivers right down into a dip in the corner and can get some drivers out, as it did to Sakon Yamamoto who got too much kerb and spun bringing out a brief red flag to the session.

1 M Webber (AUS) Red Bull 1'37.942
2 F Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1'38.132
3 LC Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 1'38.279
4 R Kubica (POL) Renault 1'38.718
5 J Button (GBR) McLaren 1'38.726
6 F Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1'38.820
7 S Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1'39.204
8 V Petrov (RUS) Renault 1'39.267
9 N Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1'39.268
10 K Kobayashi (JPN) BMW Sauber 1'39.564
11 N Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 1'39.588
12 M Schumacher (GER)Mercedes 1'39.598
13 RG Barrichello (BRA) Williams 1'39.812
14 V Liuzzi (ITA) Force India 1'39.881
15 A Sutil (GER) Force India 1'39.971
16 N Hülkenberg (GER) Williams 1'40.478
17 J Alguersuari (ESP) Toro Rosso1'40.578
18 S Buemi (SUI) Toro Rosso 1'40.896
19 H Kovalainen (FIN) Lotus 1'42.773
20 J Trulli (ITA) Lotus 1'42.801
21 T Glock (GER) Virgin 1'43.115
22 L di Grassi (BRA) Virgin 1'44.039
23 S Yamamoto (JPN) HRT F1 1'45.166
24 B Senna (BRA) HRT F1 1'46.649

[aiasib]

What's this I heard on the radio about drivers saying the pit lane exit was dangerous due to the difference in traffic speed for cars exiting the pits?

Or was it just publicity to get crash-fans to tune in on the new track? :P

[ScionDriver]

I'm not sure I understand that completely, but from what I am gathering, the pit lane entrance/exit is too close to the racing line for comfort, the fear seems to be that traffic slowing down/speeding up could cause problems.

[ScionDriver]

The Gird is set. An exciting qualifying session sets up what should be a good race with the four leaders in the World Championship in the top four positions. Vettel was able to squeeze out pole position literally at the last second to grab it from teammate Webber who starts second. It looked like Alonso would get pole after a blistering time and he even crossed with time for another lap but he pulled up, content with his time only to see it bested by the Red Bulls.

1 S Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1'35.585
2 M Webber (AUS) Red Bull 1'35.659
3 F Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1'35.766
4 LC Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 1'36.062
5 N Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1'36.535
6 F Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1'36.571
7 J Button (GBR) McLaren 1'36.731
8 R Kubica (POL) Renault 1'36.824
9 M Schumacher (GER) Mercedes 1'36.950
10 RG Barrichello (BRA) Williams 1'36.998
11 N Hülkenberg (GER) Williams 1'37.620
12 K Kobayashi (JPN) BMW Sauber 1'37.643
13 N Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 1'37.715
14 A Sutil (GER) Force India 1'37.783
15 V Petrov (RUS) Renault 1'37.799
16 J Alguersuari (ESP) Toro Rosso 1'37.853
17 S Buemi (SUI) Toro Rosso 1'38.594
18 V Liuzzi (ITA) Force India 1'38.955
19 J Trulli (ITA) Lotus 1'40.521
20 T Glock (GER) Virgin 1'40.748
21 H Kovalainen (FIN) Lotus 1'41.768
22 L di Grassi (BRA) Virgin 1'42.325
23 S Yamamoto (JPN) HRT F1 1'42.444
24 B Senna (BRA) HRT F1 1'43.283

[faksta]

I'm not sure I understand that completely, but from what I am gathering, the pit lane entrance/exit is too close to the racing line for comfort, the fear seems to be that traffic slowing down/speeding up could cause problems.

The problem is that there is a blind curve before the pit entry, and during the race it may cause problems when cars on fast lap have a risk to see a breaking car right in front of them.

[roosterjuicer]

is this going to be on SPEED? in the US?

[Farnsworth]

is this going to be on SPEED? in the US?

Yes.

*fivecharacters

[roosterjuicer]

Jeeze its on late here (12:30) thank goodness for DVR.

I haven't watched f-1 since i was in 8th grade or so, so im looking forward to this. I also want to see the new track.

During my DVR search i managed to find some GT-3 racing from "road atlanta" which i decided to tape too.

Besides the Daytona 500, its getting harder and harder to keep my interest in nascar going.

[Kitdy]

Jeeze its on late here (12:30) thank goodness for DVR.

I haven't watched f-1 since i was in 8th grade or so, so im looking forward to this. I also want to see the new track.

During my DVR search i managed to find some GT-3 racing from "road atlanta" which i decided to tape too.

Besides the Daytona 500, its getting harder and harder to keep my interest in nascar going.

Watch the road races - the Nationwide race in Montreal has been awesome.

[Farnsworth]

During my DVR search i managed to find some GT-3 racing from "road atlanta" which i decided to tape too.

The Patron GT3 races may not be what you are expecting. It's more compilation footagte than the actual race.

[ScionDriver]

Jeeze its on late here (12:30) thank goodness for DVR.

Amen Brother! I just moved back in with my parents, who have a DVR and it's so much better after living without a DVR. I was waking my butt up at 7am to watch races and qualifying (I guess I'm that hardcore a fan, I never thought I'd do that, lol).

[Badsight]

drama start to finish

the track definantly needed more time

adrian sutil showed his class (that of a teenager) that the wet can bring out of a driver

the maccas seemed to be going backwards & poor jenson again got the worst of luck

but it has to be nico rosberg that got cheated of a good finish the worst . he looked like he was on a great set-up only to run out of room by a rebounding red bull

[Dino Scuderia]

I'm for anyone but snot-nosed Vettel so the outcome was fine by me.

Looking forward to a dry race here to get a better impression of the track.

[pimento]

Seemed to be a pretty good track, once it was dry enough to race. Good race to watch, shame about Webber's cock up taking out Rosberg. Still, keeps the championship open.. here's hoping for a Webber/Vettel 1/2 for the last two races..