F1 2025 - Round 2 - China - Shanghai

rameire

Times.
Friday 21st
Practice 1 - 3.30am - 4.30am
Sprint Qualifying - 7.30am - 8.14am

Saturday 22nd
Sprint Race - 3.00am - 4.00am
Qualifying - 7.00am - 8.00am

Sunday 23rd
Race - 7.00am

Appletart Upsetter

This race has taken on added intrigue given the changes to rear wing flexibility introduced today. Will this bring McLaren closer to the pack?

Longing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123273599#Comment_123273599

I don't think so until other teams get to grip, pardon the punt to McLaren's brake duct. It's a must-have. Why. It's keeping the tyres cooler for longer stops them overheating which gives you more tyre life for longer.

If you saw the onboard footage of testing, you could see Lando double biting at the wheel to get heat into the tyres early on. But McLaren has adopted into their front suspension there’s much more going on at the upright, with the steering arm crossing under the lower wishbone to the front of the assembly, rather than being mounted at the rear now they have the steering arm sitting ahead of the lower wishbone. Indicates to me with a double bite with the wheel generates tyre heat way above any other team.

Look at the video when Lando goes off in the Australian GP. when ho comes back on track, you can see him aggressively turn the wheel twice to generated heat.

Now, I could be completely wrong. But when you put a total new suspension from last year on your car around their new brake duct they have something special.

Even CH said McLaren tyre wear was in a different league to other teams. Not exact words, but that's what he meant.

Appletart Upsetter

Very interesting, that's something I'll look out for.

It's unlikely to give the a huge amount of lap time though? Unlike the flexible wings/mini DRS they are currently exploiting, along with others.

rameire

Tyre details.

ongarite

I expect McLaren to totally dominate if it’s dry. Turn 1-3 corkscrew complex is a front tyre killer.
Their tyre wear advantage & best on grid low speed traction will help greatly.

dulpit

@rameire thanks for creating these threads!

On the topic of the flexi wings - how easy will it be for teams to adjust their wings in 4/5 days to be more rigid?

Jacovs

Saw a video just now claiming all of McLaren, Aston Martin, Mercedes and RedBull might not be ready to go for FP1 because their gear was stuck at the airport in Melbourne for about 2 days longer than usual. Im sure the teams will get it sorted and be ready in time though.

Andrew76

Morning folks. Sprint quali on now.

Itssoeasy

I’ll be able to watch twenty minutes of this maybe,

Andrew76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123283371#Comment_123283371

I’m lucky enough to wfh so will have it on the second monitor from 8am thankfully. Newly surfaced track they were saying, lacking some grip.

Andrew76

Lawson out in SQ1. Not just out but last. Jesus.

PsychoPete

Uhh P20 for Lawson is rough

Itssoeasy

ooof. Lawson dead last.

Jacovs

Not just out, but stone cold last.

Bortoleto in a Sauber through in P15. Bearman in a Haas through in P9.

Lawson will need to step it up massively or they might yet swap him and Yuki.

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123283396#Comment_123283396

I don’t know why it reminded me of top gear, but the worse Lawson does, he’ll see yuki standing in the back of the garage.

Itssoeasy

Right I’ll watch the rest later on.

PsychoPete

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123283396#Comment_123283396

I do think anyone from the pool of RedBull drivers is going to struggle in that car

pjohnson

Obviously early in season but since it IS Red Bull Lawson might be feeling some heat. Although since they loathe to use Yuki it may save him given RB have nothing else to alternate.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123283399#Comment_123283399

With the Jaws theme rising to a crescendo as Yuki stares onward unblinking.

PsychoPete

I thought Sainz would be getting more out of that Williams

thefa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123283408#Comment_123283408

Perez was very experienced and one of the best in the midfield when he got the gig and still had some struggles for consistency even in his better Red Bull years.

Looking more and more like a car that needs another top 5 or 6 driver in. Wonder how much will be reset in the reg changes.

Andrew76

Yes! Second for Max, I'll take that! Great lap from Hamilton, fair play to him.

PsychoPete

Great lap from Hamilton, Antonelli seems to have hit the ground running

thefa

HAM, VER, PIA, LEC, RUS, NOR

That’s an interesting, well-mixed starting grid. Shame the race is on at 3am

Wanderer78

nice to see hamilton back up there

Vicxas

Hamilton finding form in the Ferrari. Nice to see some competition

Vicxas

FIA “clamping down” this weekend on that back wing. McLaren saying they haven’t changed anything and they passed inspection in Australia. So what are they clamping down on?

PsychoPete

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123283489#Comment_123283489

The flex in the rear wing has gone from 2mm to 0.5mm with leeway of 0.25mm for Shanghai only as it was short notice

steinbock123

It’s to be expected obviously, but it’ll be wall to wall Lewis on Sky F1 now.
Pass the sick bucket.

Andrew76

Outside of watching the live sessions, I try to avoid Sky coverage anyway - just don't like most of their team. But credit where it's due, that Ferrari has potential and Lewis did a better job today than Charles - he's always decent around this track tbf.

It's going to be tasty down into that first corner with him and Max beside each other, big ole slip stream down that back straight too. Still think the McLaren's will finish 1 and 2 though.