Webber's podium - will it ever come? - Page 3

Glen · 4 Apr 2005, 13:36 (Ref:1269855)

I don't doubt that they still would like to find that missing rear-end grip that is currently masked by running maximum rear wing - but I also suspect that their straight-line speed was also compromised by knocking the revs down later in the race. All in all, a very tough race - the super-hot conditions were hard for more or less everyone, and most likely we won't see the full consequences of that before the next race. Maybe it will transpire that Williams/BMW were right to be cautious and make the Webber's engine last.

Knowlesy · 4 Apr 2005, 17:54 (Ref:1270097)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glen

Those virtually inexplicable laps, to me, are an indicator of something potentially brilliant.

I'm with ya there.......it hasn't really been mentioned much, but I thought his lap on Saturday was an absolute joy to watch.

gfm · 4 Apr 2005, 19:18 (Ref:1270162)

Webber isn't the next Chris Amon is he?

Wrex · 5 Apr 2005, 01:49 (Ref:1270398)

Mark will get their, I'm sure of it.

Seems to me without any alternative explanation offered so far it must have been driver error. It happens.

Like all 19 other drivers, he's not perfect (though Alonso has been so far this season), but that speed he can pull in one lap, combined with his tough 'No BS' race craft will serve him well once polished.

Looking at the team-mate battle, the fact remains with 3 Williams retirments in 3 races, Mark has been ahead EVERY time. This is not a critism of Nick (quiet the opposite), as most would agree he is a very talented driver. But so far, Mark has had his measure.

The Button posts are intersting, sometimes the first is the hardest to get, then the floodgates open.

thejester · 5 Apr 2005, 02:06 (Ref:1270401)

I love Mark's bolshie racing style - aggressive moves to block (and warn) an attempted pass. It's good to get some heat back out there - remember Prost/Senna??

1200Datto27 · 5 Apr 2005, 12:44 (Ref:1270811)

Look at Hakkinen as well, couldn't buy a win for years, then was gifted one in the last race of the season, and won the WDC the next year.

marcel82 · 5 Apr 2005, 13:01 (Ref:1270833)

Quote:

Originally Posted by knowlesy

What caused the spin for Mark today?

Mark has shown what he's made of.....I thought his racecraft, aggression and everything was top notch today. He should have had a podium.

I hope his spin was down to technical problems.......because it was a pretty dumb error if it wasn't.

I don't think it was a dumb error. a lot of drivers had an off in that turn...

Glen · 5 Apr 2005, 13:07 (Ref:1270837)

I think it was just a case of pushing too hard - they were well short of top-end speed because cooling was a problem, so presumably one has to maximise the corners in that situation.

Knowlesy · 5 Apr 2005, 16:00 (Ref:1270980)

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcel82

I don't think it was a dumb error. a lot of drivers had an off in that turn...

Oh so that's OK then!

It was a silly error and it has thrown away a point or two. I'm sure he won't make the same mistake again!

Skam85 · 7 Apr 2005, 12:13 (Ref:1272428)

Webbers car was like one of those 20c rubber high bouncy balls you buy your kids. Not the most stable of cars to say the least. It will come. All he needs is to finish in the top 3, then the podium will follow naturally...

**Peter Mallett** · 7 Apr 2005, 12:15 (Ref:1272431)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skam85

All he needs is to finish in the top 3,

Really?

Skam85 · 7 Apr 2005, 12:24 (Ref:1272439)

Yes, that was a deliberate Freudian slip!!

Super Tourer · 7 Apr 2005, 12:27 (Ref:1272440)

I think he needs to slow down in order to speed up. He needs to step back a bit, the more podiums that slip away, the more he will try too hard for the next one.

BootsOntheSide · 7 Apr 2005, 12:28 (Ref:1272441)

Finishing in the top 3 is one way of getting a podium finish. It's not an easy way, but it's the most reliable method anyone has discovered yet, so it'll probably be what he has to do.

It seemed liek driver error in Bahrain, but both Williams drivers seemed to struggle for performance and handling in the race, and iot's quite possible that Mark was doing extrememly well to run at the kind of pace he did. He lost 11 seconds from the off, roughly 0.2seconds a lap over the course of the race, and he may've been mnore than 0.2 seocnds above his likely pace overall through his aggressive style anyway.

Rick · 7 Apr 2005, 13:50 (Ref:1272506)

couple of quotes from MW in Oz media -

"The Williams is designed around an absolute maximum of 38 degrees - it turned out to be 43 ambient on race day and we weren't quite prepared for it."

".. by lap 3 we had to pull back the revs pretty substantially - cost about eight-tenths a lap - and push as best we could..."

Mario Theissen said much the same after the race - the heat affected them more than most.

Glen · 7 Apr 2005, 15:27 (Ref:1272565)

That car has such absolutely tiny sidepods - I worried that this might happen. Webber will have to stick with this engine for the next race also - hope it isn't compromised.

Kicking-back · 7 Apr 2005, 15:33 (Ref:1272573)

Williams say they knew the small sidepods could be a problem for Malaysia/Bahrain, but believe the advantages over a season make it the best choice.

Glen · 7 Apr 2005, 16:24 (Ref:1272600)

That's what I'm hoping for…

hgmonaro · 8 Apr 2005, 06:25 (Ref:1273028)

article in MotorsportNews was interesting. Don't know if they have it on their website, probably not I guess, and too much for me to type out!

**Peter Mallett** · 8 Apr 2005, 07:10 (Ref:1273045)

Got to say that is a very interesting post HGM. Couldn't you paraphrase it for those of us unable to read it?

Gt_R · 8 Apr 2005, 09:54 (Ref:1273135)

It takes a very brave man to bet against Webber-Williams getting onto the podium.

N I Tram · 8 Apr 2005, 12:39 (Ref:1273275)

Mark's had 3 chances of a podium and wasted all 3. Nick's had 1 chance and took it. Mark should've been able to get ahead of DC's slower car (and thus stay ahead of Alonso and perhaps Rubens) at Melbourne, should've ceded the posiiton to Giancarlo in the certain knowledge that he'd have another chance (but Nick's presence seemed to panic him), and he threw it off the road in Bahrain. He's been fast, but wild, and I'm sure another chance will come - can he take it?

dsg · 8 Apr 2005, 14:39 (Ref:1273358)

Quote:

Originally Posted by N I Tram

Mark's had 3 chances of a podium and wasted all 3. Nick's had 1 chance and took it. Mark should've been able to get ahead of DC's slower car (and thus stay ahead of Alonso and perhaps Rubens) at Melbourne, should've ceded the posiiton to Giancarlo in the certain knowledge that he'd have another chance (but Nick's presence seemed to panic him), and he threw it off the road in Bahrain. He's been fast, but wild, and I'm sure another chance will come - can he take it?

Your right about Melbourne but the rest is garbage. He couldn’t do much in Sepang because Fisi lost the car beneath him and took Mark out. Some may perceive Mark as being too aggressive but at the end of the day Mark was in control of the car on the racing line and Fisi was not.

Bahrain was never a podium opportunity because the Williams were too slow, mainly because of the heat.

1200Datto27 · 8 Apr 2005, 14:44 (Ref:1273365)

Actually, Mark did pass DC, but then had to go into the pits straight after, meaning that he didn't get a chance to put in a fast lap or two, and then to compound it, he had a bad pitstop.

**Peter Mallett** · 8 Apr 2005, 14:49 (Ref:1273371)

[QUOTE=dsg] He couldn’t do much in Sepang because Fisi lost the car beneath him and took Mark out.
QUOTE]

I'll never agree that he should haved put his car where he already had experienced a problem previously so I agree that this may highlight a flaw in terms of anxiuosness.

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