[fz_rider]

Raikonnen looked so strong all weekend. Vettel just snapped it in Q2 Q3. It looked like one record will be broken; Riciardo always outpaces the team mate at this circuit. Verstappen looked stronger all weekend, but just binned it in Q1. Thankfully for him he had a time good enough to qualify Q2.
The race pace already looked very close, the qualifying pace too came quite close at the end. Would be really interesting.
Very very happy for Toro Rosso. Some genuine pace there. Even Hartley who is not that quick, qualified P11. Those guys at Honda will be breathing sigh of relief. After strong testing, Australia was total disappointment. Hope they keep up. Good effort by Force India too. Williams are going to struggle.

[shibujp]

Another engrossing qualifying session. Ferrari kept up their strong showing all through the end locking down the first row at Bahrain. It was a real shame that Raikkonen could not nail pole. Vettel's mistake on the last turn in his first timed lap on Q3 clearly demonstrated that there was time to be had if he managed to navigate that corner cleanly which he did on his final qualifying run and pipped Kimi to pole.

For Mercedes it looked like a tough weekend. Last week Bottas and this week Hamilton. Mercedes races were built on them being one, two and then controlling the race. This must be quite unfamiliar to them. I expect Hamilton's setup to make following and overtaking cars much easier tommorrow.

The star was me was Pierre Gasly slotting his Toro Rosso in 6th. Great achievement and I hope they have not gremlins tommorrow. Niether of the McLarens could make it past Q1. Haas have made a strong performance with Mangussen qualifying in 7th ahead of both the Renaults. Looking forward to have Haas complete a race tommorrow.

The Red Bulls looked strong until Verstappen put his car into the wall. I think this year is crucial to him in terms of building character as a driver. Riccardo did good to end up 5th.

Originally Posted by fz_rider

The race pace already looked very close, the qualifying pace too came quite close at the end. Would be really interesting.

Not sure that we got a fair idea. Depends on whether Mercedes were able to improve their ability to follow cars.

Very very happy for Toro Rosso. Some genuine pace there. Even Hartley who is not that quick, qualified P11. Those guys at Honda will be breathing sigh of relief. After strong testing, Australia was total disappointment.

+1 to that. I would like to see a strong engine from Honda that can challenge Ferrari and Mecedes.

Drive on,
Shibu

[fz_rider]

Originally Posted by shibujp

Niether of the McLarens could make it past Q1.

Small correction, both made it to Q2.

[da_lowrider]

I realise that these are extremely extremely early days but, we might just see all of Alonso and Mclaren's posturing come back and bite them hard!

[shibujp]

Mercedes sent Hamilton out on softs at the first stint in Q2 in which he was quite competitive to Vettel's time beating Raikkonen to P2 in this session. He did return to super softs towards the end of the session. This might point to a potential strategy on the part of Mercedes to have an early first stop and have Hamilton go long in the second stint on softs. Perhaps a one stop strategy?

Originally Posted by fz_rider

Small correction, both made it to Q2.

Yup. Mixed up my sessions. Thanks for the correction.

Originally Posted by da_lowrider

I realise that these are extremely extremely early days but, we might just see all of Alonso and Mclaren's posturing come back and bite them hard!

Their constant cribbing and antagonism towards Honda during the latter part of the 2017 season was in extremely bad taste.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[SilentEngine]

Originally Posted by shibujp

Mercedes sent Hamilton out on softs at the first stint in Q2 in which he was quite competitive to Vettel's time beating Raikkonen to P2 in this session. He did return to super softs towards the end of the session. This might point to a potential strategy on the part of Mercedes to have an early first stop and have Hamilton go long in the second stint on softs. Perhaps a one stop strategy?

Lewis will be starting on Softs so he will be going long in first stint. Unless something dramatic happens, it should be one stop race for the front runners.

[fz_rider]

Originally Posted by shibujp

This might point to a potential strategy on the part of Mercedes to have an early first stop and have Hamilton go long in the second stint on softs. Perhaps a one stop strategy?

Hamilton will start on softs, as he qualfied on softs in Q2.

[shibujp]

Originally Posted by SilentEngine

Lewis will be starting on Softs so he will be going long in first stint. Unless something dramatic happens, it should be one stop race for the front runners.

Originally Posted by fz_rider

Hamilton will start on softs, as he qualfied on softs in Q2.

But as per the classification below didn't Hamilton have supersofts on for the last stint in Q2? So wouldn't he have to race on supersofts too?



Edit: It's fine. Just read this:

Drivers who make it through to Q3 must hand back the set of the softer compound tyres nominated for Q3, and start the race on the tyres with which they set their fastest time in Q2. All other drivers will be able to use the set that is saved for Q3 during the race.

Link

Further Edit: Most of the teams in 2017 opted for a 3 pit stop strategy.

Link

Drive on,
Shibu

[jraj]

Sebastian Vettel take a bow. The guy didn't just beat Bottas today, he beat the mighty Mercedes

[sourav9385]

Lovely drive by Vettel. Very well managed race. Bottas, like I said before, IMO doesn't have what it takes to be a world champion.

What a horrible stroke of luck for Kimi and the Red Bulls. Hope that pit crew dude is ok. Good drive by Hamilton. But I fear this year belongs to the prancing horse & Vettel. Unless Mercedes really amp up their game.

[fz_rider]

Wow ! Wow ! Wow ! That was heart pounding. It almost looked undoable for Vettel. What a drive by him. Hope the mechanic is okay. Sad for Kimi. That guy just can't catch a break.
This pit stop menace is going out of hands. That was scary today.
Good job by Hamilton. He looks so frustrated. As Rosberg said, strike Hamilton when he is not the most stable.
Exceptional job by Gasly. What a drive by the lad.
Special mention for Ericsson. Brilliant strategy by Sauber, enabling them to leapfrog Force India and Williams.
First points for Toro Rosso, Force India and Sauber. Good job

[da_lowrider]

Originally Posted by sourav9385

Lovely drive by Vettel. Very well managed race. Bottas, like I said before, IMO doesn't have what it takes to be a world champion.

What a horrible stroke of luck for Kimi and the Red Bulls. Hope that pit crew dude is ok. Good drive by Hamilton. But I fear this year belongs to the prancing horse & Vettel. Unless Mercedes really amp up their game.

Fantastic drive by Vettel

Yeah totally agree about Bottas, he currently reminds me of a 1999-2001 Coulthard - as much as he, desperately, wanted to, he just wasn't good enough to compete with Schumacher & Häkkinen, good support driver though, or for that matter Eddie Irvine in 1999.

As much as I want them to, still not completely convinced that Ferrari have a sizable advantage, to be honest.

Pity about Kimi and the poor mechanic, really hope he isn't very badly injured, DC called it on air as a possible broken leg - which will be really unfortunate.

Have to feel for Kimi too. That having being said, he is really looking way more competitive this year, like he has gotten some mojo back! I'm thinking he might be contemplating retiring at the end of this season and that's just given him a little it of his edge back or just taken some of the pressure off.

Exceptional job by Gasly. What a drive by the lad.

Oh yeah, amazing performance by Gasly, superb performance. Tell you what Honda might be starting to prove a point here.

On a different note, WTH is Verstappen doing? Another opportunity thrown away, there was no way that was Hamilton's fault! He keeps this up he will really develop a reputation!

[SJM1214]

A win on his 200th start. Great going Vettle. Now Sebastian Vettle has two wins in two races and looks in command. Mercedes will need to work out how to respond to this.

[arun_kun]

Great drive by Vettel. He has shown his experience of a 4 time champion. Great drive by Gasly too. I was expecting a good result from Kimi too but alas he can not catch a break.

One quick question though, was there any issue with the tyre fitting with Kimi or they just stopped because crew was injured?

[da_lowrider]

Originally Posted by arun_kun

One quick question though, was there any issue with the tyre fitting with Kimi or they just stopped because crew was injured?

Little bit of both, the left rear never came off, and once the man went down, nobody -including Kimi - really seemed to care about the race -