Official Formula 1 2012 thread

[naplesE30]

^yup that played a huge factor. I was watching the race and thinking how lucky vettel was that the 2 sc bunched up the field for him. Reminded me of MS in his hayday, when your good it seems the breaks go your way, but thats only because you are better at exploiting them than the rest.... Also it was a great strategy by rb to completly change his setup for the race and start him from the pit lane.

[Jand3rson]

^yup that played a huge factor. I was watching the race and thinking how lucky vettel was that the 2 sc bunched up the field for him.

He had already gotten up to 14th from 24th before the safety car even came out! Do you REALLY think he wouldn't have torn through the rest of the field like wet toilet paper, regardless? He still would have ended up on the podium, maybe even higher up!

And luck has nothing to do with it, racing's racing. Those are exactly the kinds of things that happen during races that turn the tide. As much as I hate Hamilton, he was putting down blistering laps, and qualifying before that, do you think Raikkonen would have won it if Hamilton's car hadn't given up the ghost?

[Jparkr]

He had already gotten up to 14th from 24th before the safety car even came out! Do you REALLY think he wouldn't have torn through the rest of the field like wet toilet paper, regardless? He still would have ended up on the podium, maybe even higher up!

And luck has nothing to do with it, racing's racing. Those are exactly the kinds of things that happen during races that turn the tide. As much as I hate Hamilton, he was putting down blistering laps, and qualifying before that, do you think Raikkonen would have won it if Hamilton's car hadn't given up the ghost?

No one would have touched Hamilton had his car not failed. It was in the bag for him from lap 4 on.

On Vettle though. It is easy for a top car and driver to slice though slower equipment and get up to 14th. Don't get me wrong he is a damn good driver, but the safety cars secured his amazing result. It was nothing else.
He would have been in the points, but outside of the top 5, maybe 7th or 8th. Without bunching the field up... twice, the gap would have been far too great for him to catch the front of the grid. You saw the way he struggled to get around Button at the end of the race, and remember Jenson was on lightly worn medium compounds and Vettle was on very fresh softs. He stayed out of trouble and pushed hard which makes him a top class driver, but it was luck that gave him such a good result.

I used to like him a lot, but he just come across as an arrogant prick now. The way he acted on the podium, you would expect that from a child, not a world champion.

[naplesE30]

Janderson i know your a vettel fan but read the whole quote. You take one sentence without the whole quote. Vettel ran a damn good race,, but its a little easier picking off the hrt's, marrussia, mercedes, and force india then the ferrari, lotus and mcmerc. If you dont think the sc helped him your are blinded by you adoration for him..... And he acted like an ass on the podium.

[z31maniac]

I used to like him a lot, but he just come across as an arrogant prick now. The way he acted on the podium, you would expect that from a child, not a world champion.

Same here. When he was driving for STR and even after the first WDC.

I'm hoping Lotus can give Kimi a great car from the start and he can put another WDC in the trophy case.

[Hick]

Second SC allowed Vettel to get 3rd. He was 14 seconds behind Alonso/Button with 15 or so laps left. As said before, attrition and SC's worked to his favor.

[pharow]

I can't wait to see the next race. So happy to have F1 back in the states. Is anyone going to the race in Austin?

[mammoth_e30]

I will be in Austin for the race. Got Turn 11 seats for Friday, and GA for saturday and sunday

[gkobez]

I leave tonight GA all weekend but I'm going with ten other people, so excited to go!

[Jand3rson]

If you dont think the sc helped him your are blinded by you adoration for him..... And he acted like an ass on the podium.

I didn't say I don't think the SC helped, it helped everyone, and does every time it comes out. I actually look forward to it coming out sometimes, because it can be an effective equalizer. And as far as the podium goes, I thought it was funny.

[James Crivellone]

I'm a Vettel fan, follow this racing career, and root for him at every race (plus all the redbull F1 crap I own)

That being said, I was annoyed at this podium performance, and his choice of words... although not being a fan of Coulthard I did laugh quite a bit.

In terms of his fight from last, SC did help a ton, and that played a huge role, however racing is racing.

In Pro3 I've been behind a safetycar, I've been in a full course yellow bunching the group up, and have always gained a position (and lost for that matter) due to a cleaner start on race restart.. its racing.

Now, Austin, been down here for a few days, went to COTA (Circuit of the Americas) today, and Vettel is currently fastest on track in Practice 1/2, tomorrow brings P3 / Qual and I'll be curious to see what happens.

Here are a few pictures I took at the track today.. I'll be sure to post more as the weekend unfolds.

[J3M93]

dam, that's a LOT of room, great pics btw

[tg318is]

Nice pics! Very excited for this race!

[Hick]

Hate < Vettel. Praying for another alternator failure.

[Jparkr]

Hey, which one of you guys gave me knucks on Friday while i was wearing my black r3vlimited shirt?

"OH R3VLimited, yeah!"
*knuckle bump*
*walk away before I can ask who you were*

hahaha