pokerman wrote:
mds wrote:
While that average quoted might not be correct, the overall message remains the same though: lap 25-30 by very rough calculations gave an average of 1:55.6 while laps 31-38 he averaged 1:55.1. So that's half a second right there.
Using what Kvyat did to invalidate this theory is flawed reasoning. For one, because that half a second gain was effectively there. Secondly, Kvyat was on newer AND softer tyres, so it stands to reason he could come closer to Grosjean.
I'm curious why you left off laps 23 and 24, too fast maybe?
Also maybe the mode Grosjean was given was the same mode he was given to qualify in 4th place whilst Vettel qualified 9th, Grosjean had a 5 place grid penalty which then put him one place behind Vettel.
5 lap sample is plenty to make the point the Lotus guy was making and that's the sample he gave (25-30) so why change it?. Going further back from the point he got the mode isn't going to make the situation any clearer for anyone and we could be here all day.
Yes its the oil burn quali mode that's allegedly worth 15-30bhp extra so he'd have had it for 1 run in Q3 I'd imagine.
The problem is its not very good that the manufacturer can withhold performance from a customer until if or when it suits them to give them a little extra. So Ferrari's could end up fighting different Williams than the Mercedes do and so on.
There's nothing wrong with Manufacturers withholding something for themselves in my book, that's just perks of being the works team for me, but that should be a permanent situation rather than "Ooh you can have it when it suits us to mess with our competitors but you'll never have it normally or especially against us".
That's too far for me and another example of the power certain Manufacturers are wielding and the monopoly over performance that they have and the influence over results it brings. Getting stuck behind a Williams or FI should be as tricky for Mercedes as it is anyone else.
(This example is Mercedes but I'd be shocked if Ferrari didn't do it with their customers too)
I still find it very confusing, when exactly was this mode use, also upon scrutiny we seem to have gone from the hysteria of 8 tenths quicker down to 3 tenths quicker, you do acknowledge this had to be the qualifying mode which Grosjean used to qualify 4th, strange that it would be seen as a mode not previously been allowed to Lotus, also I believe it's generally known that such modes shorten the life of the engine and that's why they are used sparingly.