***** The official Japanese Grand Prix thread *****

[longblackcoat]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 22 February 2017 at 15:39

[Vaud]

The RB's should be interesting. Down on power for the long straight, but they could be mighty in sector 1 and late sector 3.

Williams could do ok, not sure it suits their car 100%.

Lotus will be ok if the other teams lend them blankets, wheel, engines and a car.

I'll go with Hamilton / Vettel / Rosberg as well with Massa for P4, Kimi in P5.

All this and not a wheel has been turned.

[suffolk009]

I think we may well hear Jenson announce his retirement from F1 in Japan.

I suspect Ferrari may decline the opportunity to power Red Bull in 2016, that will leave them (as Brundle said) like Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. I expect Horner will say something like "yeah, no, we expect to be working with VW Audi next year". Audi will deny everything, and go and have a little bit of a cry whilst looking at their share price.

Lewis for a pole and win, Nico jogging round in third until either his car expires or he bins in.

Pastor to need spare parts for every session.

I forget is it Degna or Spoon that catches people out?

[RZ1]

I'm really really hoping that Ferrari were genuinely quicker then mercs, be nice to see someone competing with Hamilton.

[Jerry Can]

a massive mid race thunderstorm, and an impeccably timed opportunistic pit stop by Button sees him come through to win the GP and announce his immediate retirement from F1 whilst talking to EJ on the podium, Yessiree, you heard it here first.

[rallycross]

I always look forward to this race let's hope there is a close battle at the front- is this one on bbc or is it just the rubbish highlights again?

[suffolk009]

Jerry Can said:

a massive mid race thunderstorm, and an impeccably timed opportunistic pit stop by Button sees him come through to win the GP and announce his immediate retirement from F1 whilst talking to EJ on the podium, Yessiree, you heard it here first.

Another EJ "exclusive". I like it.

[2lefthands]

Pole followed by lights to flag victory for Hamilton, Rosberg to show his frustration at being shown up again and Vettel to threaten in the latter stages. That's if it doesn't rain! If the weather interferes then potential shaken up result - can I only dream of a Button Victory followed by a podium announcement of his retirement? Will be a fitting end to a good career, but the inevitable seems only to be waiting for the appropriate moment to be revealed. Vandoorne over KMag for replacement!

Will be a somber weekend because of last years events and the ensuing loss of Jules Bianchi. Expect fitting tributes from both Sky and BBC.

[IainT]

suffolk009 said:

I forget is it Degna or Spoon that catches people out?

Degna 1 & 2 normally, spoon good for a late-braking banzai overtake if the car in front has shagged its tyres.

Looking forward forwards to the race, will be interesting to see if Singapore was a blip on Mercedes season or a sign of an interesting end to the season.

[Scuffers]

Let's just hope we don't have a repeat of last years accident.

JB - RIP...

[IainT]

Scuffers said:

Let's just hope we don't have a repeat of last years accident.

JB - RIP...

Indeed, hopefully there will be some tasteful tributes and some cracking racing.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

IainT said:

Scuffers said:

Let's just hope we don't have a repeat of last years accident.

JB - RIP...

Indeed, hopefully there will be some tasteful tributes and some cracking racing.

that's exactly what we need, another weekend of grief porn from the sky team. Nothing says you're missed like a good old hashtag and a 3 minute montage of the one time you actually scored a point.

To the race....

Perhaps we might see nico pulling his finger out now Hamilton has had a touch of bad luck?

[iandc]

suffolk009 said:

I think we may well hear Jenson announce his retirement from F1 in Japan.

I suspect Ferrari may decline the opportunity to power Red Bull in 2016, that will leave them (as Brundle said) like Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. I expect Horner will say something like "yeah, no, we expect to be working with VW Audi next year". Audi will deny everything, and go and have a little bit of a cry whilst looking at their share price.

Lewis for a pole and win, Nico jogging round in third until either his car expires or he bins in.

Pastor to need spare parts for every session.

I forget is it Degna or Spoon that catches people out?

At least if VW provided the engines to RedBull they would pass the emissions test! Don't know how competitive the diesel engines would be and I guess they would run out of fuel before the end owing to dodgy mpg figures during the test.

[gruffalo]

I just hope and pray that it is more exciting than Singapore, worst race since Russia last year.

I would also like to see a proper send off for Jules!

[jingars]

Sainz and Verstappen to take each other out - team orders no longer count for anything...

[VolvoT5]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

that's exactly what we need, another weekend of grief porn from the sky team. Nothing says you're missed like a good old hashtag and a 3 minute montage of the one time you actually scored a point.

Careful - I got slated and then kicked off a previous thread for expressing a similar opinion, as apparently the only way to "show respect" these days is to engage in extravagant levels of public recreational grieving via social media. I really hope SKY manage to handle this weekend with more dignity, the last show was voyeuristic, self-indulgent and insincere.

I suspect much of the SKY coverage will be dedicated to Button this weekend - if he announces his retirement as expected they will be taking up his career like he was Senna or Prost.

For the race itself hopefully Ferrari can challenge again this weekend and I'm ever hopeful Raikkonen will take us back to the 'noughties' with a vintage performance as watching his career fizzle out with a whimper is disappointing..... I feel like he should be announcing his retirement alongside Button this weekend really.

Will be very interesting to see how Merc bounce back, or if the tyre pressure rules have genuinely hurt them. Two hardest compound tyres are in use this weekend which tends to favour Merc.

Edited by VolvoT5 on Wednesday 23 September 13:46

[paolow]

Well Seb has always been strong here - but do they have an answer for the Mercedes or a resurgent Ferrari?

I think it will take Mercedes to step on thier tails for a win from another manufacturer to take place so:

Final positions

HAM
VET
ROS

MAL to crash (obs)
BOT and MAS to still be handy and both be in the 5th - 8th range.
A Toro Rosso in the points also - semi wildcard - a Sauber

Mclaren?
A spirited show from Alonso that comes to nothing and Button will retire...

[Jasandjules]

I imagine the ring master will arrange it so Button gets in the points so he can announce his retirement from F1 from a "high"...

[IainT]

VolvoT5 said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

that's exactly what we need, another weekend of grief porn from the sky team. Nothing says you're missed like a good old hashtag and a 3 minute montage of the one time you actually scored a point.

Careful - I got slated and then kicked off a previous thread for expressing a similar opinion, as apparently the only way to "show respect" these days is to engage in extravagant levels of public recreational grieving via social media. I really hope SKY manage to handle this weekend with more dignity, the last show was voyeuristic, self-indulgent and insincere.

There's a big gap between tasteful memorial and what you two are hypothesising. Maybe judge after the fact?

Grief porn.
Public recreational grieving.

For fks sake, get a grip.

[glazbagun]

I know there's a lot of "anyone can win in a Merc/FW14B/whatever", but the fact that Seb is now routinely expected by many to finish ahead of Rosberg must add something to the "good driver brings 0.x sec/lap" idea. Rosberg wasn't exactly terrible against Schumi or last years Hamilton.

I wonder if having a kid has affected Rosberg, or if being single has just pushed Hamilton to an experienced veteran level where he's untouchable in his own mind. Makes you think about how Alonso must be feeling about his abilities trundling around until his car blows up. It's making Damon Hill's move to Arrows look good.