2009 Japanese Formula One Grand Prix

[AirWolf]

Japanese Grand Prix - team and driver preview quotes


The mere mention of Suzuka sets drivers' pulses racing. This fabulous race track offers every type of corner in the book - from the spectacular esses after the start, to the challenging Spoon curve and the tight hairpin, all the way to the high-speed 130R. This weekend sees the teams return to the classic Japanese circuit for the first time since 2006. To say they are looking forward to it is something of an understatement…

Discuss.

Season calendar.

 

[killadoob]

O WTF another one damn, what time is it going to start got rage this weekend may be slightly Fked up .

 

[Creag]

http://www.supersport.com/content.aspx?id=11821&des=content&view=full

Quali: 06:50 - 08:00 SS2/Maximo F1: Japanese GP Qualifying

Race: 06:30 - 09:30 SS2/Maximo F1: Japanese GP Race

 

[killadoob]

Eish may just be able to make it.

 

[BigAl-sa]

That was one of the more exciting quallies I've seen. Unheard of so many prangs.

 

[milomak]

Can I take this opportunity to say F**K YOU MULTICHOICE and your crap PVR abilities. Because of the crashes they obviously didn't adjust the time that quali would finish on the EPG and the PVR obviously stopped recording when it thought quali was over.

I'll have to see whether which will come first, downloading quali or seeing/hearing the grid.

 

[Sting]

From Supersport:

2009 Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying Times
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Vettel, Sebastian Red Bull-Renault 1'32.160
2 Trulli, Jarno Toyota 1'32.220
3 Hamilton, Lewis McLaren-Mercedes 1'32.395
4 Sutil, Adrian* Force India-Mercedes 1'32.466
5 Barrichello, Rubens* Brawn-Mercedes 1'32.660
6 Heidfeld, Nick BMW Sauber 1'32.945
7 Button, Jenson* Brawn-Mercedes 1'32.962
8 Räikkönen, Kimi Ferrari 1'32.980
9 Kovalainen, Heikki McLaren-Mercedes No time
10 Buemi, Sébastien* Toro Rosso-Ferrari No time
11 Rosberg, Nico Williams-Toyota 1'31.482
12 Alonso, Fernando* Renault 1'31.638
13 Kubica, Robert BMW Sauber 1'32.341
14 Glock, Timo Toyota No time
15 Alguersuari, Jaime Toro Rosso-Ferrari No time
16 Fisichella, Giancarlo Ferrari 1'31.704
17 Nakajima, Kazuki Williams-Toyota 1'31.718
18 Grosjean, Romain Renault 1'32.073
19 Liuzzi, Vitantonio Force India-Mercedes 1'32.087
20 Webber, Mark Red Bull-Renault No time

* Afterwards, race stewards penalised a number of drivers for failing to slow down under yellow flags during the qualifying session. Rubens Barrichello, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Adrian Sutil and Sebastien Buemi were all dropped five places on the grid.

 

[BigAl-sa]

Final grid (with penalties) and weights

1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 658.5kg
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 655.5
3. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 656
4. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 660
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 661
6. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 675
7. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 684.5
8. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 686
9. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 650
10. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 660.5
11. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, 682.5
12. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 658.5
13. Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, 661.5
14. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 665.4
15. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 695.7
16. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 691.8
17. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 689.5
18. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 682.5
19. Timo Glock, Toyota, n/a
20. Mark Webber, Red Bull, n/a

 

[AirWolf]

Final grid (with penalties) and weights

No that is still incorrect:

Pre-race weights & provisional grid

For the 2009 season, the FIA are making public the weights of all cars ahead of the race start to help give an idea of relative fuel loads. The cars that made Q3 are weighed after qualifying, while the weights of the remaining cars must be declared by their teams shortly after the session.

Below is the provisional grid for the Japanese Grand Prix with each car's weight. Note - Brawn GP’s Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, Force India’s Adrian Sutil, Renault’s Fernando Alonso were all handed five-place grid penalties for failing to slow adequately under yellow flags. Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi received an identical penalty for impeding other cars and causing a potential hazard to other drivers.

Force India's Vitantonio Liuzzi and McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen both have five-place penalties for gearbox changes. Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Toyota’s Timo Glock will start from the pit lane after swapping to new chassis and hence have no fuel restrictions.

Note that the final starting order may change depending on the order in which penalties were deemed to have been applied. A final grid will be published by the FIA on Sunday morning.

1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 658.5kg
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 655.5
3. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 656
4. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 660
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 661
6. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 684.5
7. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 686
8. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 650
9. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 660.5
10. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, 682.5
11. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 658.5
12. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 675
13. Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, 661.5
14. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 665.4
15. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 695.7
16. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 691.8
17. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 689.5
18. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 682.5
19. Timo Glock, Toyota, n/a
20. Mark Webber, Red Bull, n/a

 

[thedutchman]

i've never seen so many accidents during qualli before. unbelievable.
hope sebastian vettel wins tomorrow. but daaaamn... 6:30 tomorrow, aaah

 

[BigAl-sa]

No that is still incorrect:

Yip, it's still incorrect:

1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 658.5kg
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 655.5
3. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 656
4. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 660
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 661
6. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 660.5
7. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 684.5
8. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 650
9. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 686
10. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 658.5
11. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 675
12. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, 682.5
13. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 665.4
14. Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, 661.5
15. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 695.7
16. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 689.5
17. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 691.8
18. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 682.5
19. Mark Webber, Red Bull, n/a

I wonder how many more grid changes there will be

Whatever happens, the weight on Rosberg's car is going to make it interesting with the lighter okes (read Button) behind him

 

[Willie Trombone]

This grid penalty issue is a stuff up....

With the FIA having worked out the application of the numerous penalties handed out after qualifying, the result is that Button will start the Suzuka race from 10th on the grid, four places behind Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

But worse than being so far adrift of his championship rival, is the fact that between Barrichello and Button are two one-stopping cars Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica.

Furthermore, Heikki Kovalainen's KERS-equipped McLaren will be starting alongside Button on the clean side of the circuit, so there is a chance that the Briton will lose a further place away from the grid.

Button needs to score five more points than Barrichello to clinch the title in Japan and prevent the battle being taken to the next race in Brazil.

The penalties handed out after qualifying are always applied in the order in which they were committed. The fact that Barrichello committed his offence of ignoring yellow flags before Button and Sutil means that he has lucked in to effectively losing just one place on the grid.

This is no more than an attempt to fix the final - it has happened this way for the past three years at least that I can remember. The 'rule' for this one is a total bos IMO. It's no use telling me that the season would be better off if Jensen didn't win before the last race - if that is how it pans out, then so be it. I would rather watch a fair and honest season than the one that the FIA fix. The vague rules are there to give them a tool to tweak the outcome.

I'm willing to bet that unless he stays out of the point, Button will get a penalty this race


Ouch Kovi... that was dedicated to button (hitting sutil) lol...

 

[wpswart006]

Aren't they racing already?
Who's infront?

 

[AirWolf]

Yip, it's still incorrect:


I wonder how many more grid changes there will be

Whatever happens, the weight on Rosberg's car is going to make it interesting with the lighter okes (read Button) behind him

Yep that is correct, with Glock not starting after the crash yesterday.

Aren't they racing already?
Who's infront?

On lap 24, and Vettel has remained in position 1 throughout.

 

[Willie Trombone]

So far a boring race... other than Kovi taking Fisi out of the pits lol!

OT - Brawn looks like he's going to be tight fisted with Jensen's salary...

Jenson Button has admitted that he is prepared to focus on securing this year's Formule One world title before returning to the negotiating table to secure his future with the Brawn GP team.

The Briton holds a 15-point lead over team-mate Rubens Barrichello with three races remaining, but neither driver has signed a deal to remain with Brawn, having agreed to help the team establish itself from the remain of Honda over the winter.

Button took a pay-cut to aid the rescue bid, but his management team is now pushing for a new deal commensurate with the Briton's status as title contender - and potential world champion. Richard Goddard, who overseas Button's business affairs, has confirmed that the least he is expecting is to see his client's salary restored to its previous £8m level - even though that would still leave him some way behind predecessors Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton.

Team boss Ross Brawn, however, is reportedly playing hard ball and offering only a minimal raise.

“I am shocked by the offer,” Goddard told Britain's Daily Star, revealing that Button has also been paying his own travel expenses in 2010, “We aren’t being greedy. When we signed the deal last year, we did so in the knowledge that, if all went well for the team, things would also go well for Jenson.”

Button, who won six of the first seven races of 2009, is known to want to remain with a team that has made him feel at home, but has vowed to put money matters to one side, at least until the title is secured. The 29-year old needs to score five points more than Barrichello to clinch the crown at Suzuka, but anticipates the battle going into the final two rounds, in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

“Money? That’s something I don’t want to talk about," he insisted, “I want to get the championship done and then I’ll look at the other things. Ross still values me – I hope.”

Brawn himself insists that no decisions have been taken regarding his line-up for 2010, but admits that losing either driver - particularly one that wins the world title - would be 'a shame'.

And this after bragging that their sponsorships are secure for the next three years...

 

[Willie Trombone]

Quali vs Race:

Quali Race
Vettel Vettel
Trulli Trulli
Hamilton Hamilton
Raikkonen Raikkonen
Rosberg Rosberg
Heidfeld Heidfeld
Rubens Rubens
Jensen Jensen

How exciting lol

 

[[OUPA]MrNutz]

i call it " kaskar circus "

 

[sand_man]

Quali vs Race:

Quali Race
Vettel Vettel
Trulli Trulli
Hamilton Hamilton
Raikkonen Raikkonen
Rosberg Rosberg
Heidfeld Heidfeld
Rubens Rubens
Jensen Jensen

How exciting lol

Damn it, would have been sweet if Superbru picks had been based on qualies!!!

 

[AirWolf]

Damn it, would have been sweet if Superbru picks had been based on qualies!!!

A little difficult when the grid was changed like 3 times.