[Race] Official Spanish GP 2015 Thread

[ECW Dan Selby]

Hello everyone,

Not a lot to write here as i'm at work, but here's a thread for the Spanish GP of 2015.

Looks like the usual Merc front row lockout. McLarens much improved. Williams still in the middle of nowhere and still suffering from 2nd season syndrome (they can never sustain their pace).

Let's hope the boys in red can do something strategically in the race itself to challenge the Mercs.

Lap data
Lap length 4.655km (2.892 miles)
Race laps 66
Race distance 307.104km (190.826 miles)
Pole position Left-hand side of the track
Lap record* 1’21.670 (Kimi Raikkonen, 2008)
Fastest lap 1’19.954 (Rubens Barrichello, 2009, )
Maximum speed 332kph (206.295 mph)
DRS zone/s (race) Pit straight and straight after Campsa
Distance from grid to turn one 730m

Car performance
Full throttle 67%
Longest flat-out section 1310m
Downforce level High
Fuel use per lap 1.7kg
Time penalty per lap of fuel 0.051s

Strategy
2015 prime tyre: Hard (2014: Hard)
2015 option tyre: Medium (2014: Medium)



Practice 1 summary - http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2015/05/0...entry-slip-up/
Practice 2 summary - http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2015/05/0...ises-in-spain/

Selby

**Thanks to F1Fanatic.co.uk for all the data**

[djinvicta]

Thank you! Youre doing an outstanding job now Frostie has fled the coop!

[Armco Bender]

I thought Susie Wolff did a pretty fine job for someone with so little F1 time.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

I thought Susie Wolff did a pretty fine job for someone with so little F1 time.

About 0.8 off Felipe, not too shabby.
It is high time that F1 brought in an extra practice session on Friday that only rookies can run in.
Would generate some interest back into the sport.

[stripedcat]

I think that Niki Lauda said that Ferrari now had the same amount of horsepower as the Mercedes. I suspect that the Mercedes still has a slight edge - but this might be a possible Ferrari win.

McLaren are supposed to be bringing upgrades(and not just their changed livery).

Let us not forget the really big news - the upcoming Christian Horner and Geri Halliwell wedding!

[canamman]

Quali time. Lets see who has what.

[frostie]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Thank you! Youre doing an outstanding job now Frostie has fled the coop!

I fly back in every now and then...Actually in Barcelona for the race this weekend, bit of a bus drivers holiday but still great to come back and get a couple of F1 races a year. I'll be down in Monaco as well.

Here's a few pics from Thursday and yesterday though for anyone interested...

[wolfhound]

I like those photos Frostie.I wonder how fast those Mercs are they seem to have a lot more pace than the others so far.

[steve nielsen]

Go Toro Rosso!, 5 and 6, well done!

[canamman]

There we go Nico. Sainz Jr. 5th! Just sick.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Finally, the start of the European season and just for a change, despite the usual Mercedes front row lock out, Nico Rosberg's on pole.

[stripedcat]

Good work from Nico. But - and this is the $64,000 question - can he win in the race? Will - he muck up the start(like he did in Abu Dhabi) or will Lewis overtake him in the race(which seems unlikely - as Spain is difficult to overtake on - in the dry and even with magical DRS)? It has sort of spiced the prospects up for tomorrow.

Well done to the Torro Rossos. There were superb.

The McLaren look to have improved as well.

[JeremySmith]

Lovely pictures frostie ! Thank you....

The cars are looking slow to me, does anyone else feel the same way?

[ECW Dan Selby]

Yeh, I thought the cars looked particularly uninspiring and plodding today.

I either want to see a load of downforce bolted back on to these things (as we'd be keeping DRS, anyway), or a lot less so they're slippery and tricky looking to drive.

Still, happy for the Toro Rosso boys. Excellent performance. And a congrats is in order to Nico. Should make things a little more exciting tomorrow.

Looking forward to a hopeful repeat of the Mansell/Senna duel down the straight, sparks a-flying!

Selby

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Rosberg on his first win of the season, makes a change. I missed most of the race, so it will be BBC highlights.

[stripedcat]

Yep - well done Nico! He got it done today. A superb performance from him.

[frostie]

Don't know how it was from the sofa but it was pretty exciting from trackside. Looked like it was probably a bit of a snoozer unfortunately but at least Rosberg got a win to show that he can get something done this year. It's not going to be easy but another strong result at Monaco and at least he'll have a bit of momentum

Few pics from today in Catalunya....

[djinvicta]

Cheers Frostie. With all dues to everyone elses intros.. We all miss yours!

[JeremySmith]

Thank you for your intro "Dan" its much appreciated...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by frostie

Don't know how it was from the sofa but it was pretty exciting from trackside. Looked like it was probably a bit of a snoozer unfortunately but at least Rosberg got a win to show that he can get something done this year. It's not going to be easy but another strong result at Monaco and at least he'll have a bit of momentum

Few pics from today in Catalunya....

[wolfhound]

Niki Lauda says there are rumours of some teams running an extra fuel tank.
The FIA have also tightened the rules regarding the fuel flow meters.
What I suspect is somebody might be putting an extra fuel container between the fuel flow meter and the injection pump(s) that is pressurised to the same pressure as that going through the flow meter.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns30787.html

[frostie]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Cheers Frostie. With all dues to everyone elses intros.. We all miss yours!

Thanks djinvicta, just don't have the time any longer! I've hardly had time to watch the races this year, I saw Australia and that was it until today! Have to focus on MotoGP these days but I'll be down in Monaco at another couple of races through the year

[mikuni]

It was a drab race, quite typical of Catalunya, however it was good to see a few battles through the field, and a win to someone other than Hamilton (from the season's perspective).

The race editors did a particularly good job of avoiding the Manors today. I think you got a tiny glimpse of them in the background while being lapped, but it was very obviously the are specifically trying to avoid them. Even the start replays cut them off.

[TrapezeArtist]

Two scary pit box incidents. I'm not normally one for layering on more rules, but should there be something to reduce the risks to mechanics?

• Much lower speed limit for the last few metres?
• All mechanics must stay inside the garage until the car is stopped?

I quite like the second idea. It would make stops slower and therefore discourage them. It would also make for some "interesting" mad-dash activity as the guys come running out.


Full marks to the Lotus jackman. It looks like that was a pre-planned escape: jump in the air and lean forwards, allow the jack to push you back.


Full marks to Alonso too. He was about to wipe out the entire righthand crew but took his foot off the brake, got some steerage and then had another go. Meanwhile the front jackman was somewhere near the Ramblas and still running, leaving his jack to be propelled to wherever.

[Lancsbreaker]

Definitely not non-stop excitement - for me the most fascinating (and puzzling) aspect of the race was how Lewis, after struggling to get on terms with Vettel on the soft tyres, bolted on the harder (theoretically slower) tyres and immediately started setting fastest laps, and dispatched Kimi's Ferrari with no problem at all....