Heavy fuel load puts Webber in strong position (German Grand Prix fuel loads)
11th July 2009, 17:16 by Keith Collantine 57 Comments »
Mark Webber was carrying as much fuel as Sebastian Vettel in qualifying
Mark Webber is carrying more fuel than both the Brawn cars and the same amount as team mate Sebastian Vettel – putting him in a very strong position ahead of tomorrow’s German Grand Prix.
Here are the fuel weights and pit stop predictions for the German Grand Prix.
| Grid | Qualifying | Name | Weight | Fuel (kg) | First stint (laps) |
| 1 | 1 | Mark Webber | 661 | 56 | 21 |
| 2 | 2 | Rubens Barrichello | 647 | 42 | 15 |
| 3 | 3 | Jenson Button | 644 | 39 | 14 |
| 4 | 4 | Sebastian Vettel | 661 | 56 | 21 |
| 5 | 5 | Lewis Hamilton | 654 | 49 | 18 |
| 6 | 6 | Heikki Kovalainen | 664 | 59 | 22 |
| 7 | 7 | Adrian Sutil | 678.5 | 73.5 | 28 |
| 8 | 8 | Felipe Massa | 673.5 | 68.5 | 26 |
| 9 | 9 | Kimi Raikkonen | 674 | 69 | 26 |
| 10 | 10 | Nelson Piquet Jnr | 676 | 71 | 27 |
| 11 | 11 | Nick Heidfeld | 681 | 76 | 29 |
| 12 | 12 | Fernando Alonso | 668.2 | 63.2 | 24 |
| 13 | 13 | Kazuki Nakajima | 683.6 | 78.6 | 30 |
| 14 | 14 | Jarno Trulli | 683.7 | 78.7 | 30 |
| 15 | 15 | Nico Rosberg | 689.6 | 84.6 | 32 |
| 16 | 16 | Robert Kubica | 673.5 | 68.5 | 26 |
| 17 | 17 | Sebastien Buemi | 674.5 | 69.5 | 26 |
| 18 | 18 | Giancarlo Fisichella | 662.5 | 57.5 | 21 |
| 19 | 20 | Sebastien Bourdais | 689.5 | 84.5 | 32 |
| 20 | 19 | Timo Glock | 662.3 | 57.3 | 21 |
Other points to note:
- Adrian Sutil is the heaviest-fuelled driver in the top ten
- The Red Bulls are carrying the same amount of fuel, so whichever is behind will probably have to make the first pit stop. This is likely to put Vettel at a disadvantage
- Jenson Button will be first to pit for fuel
- Heikki Kovalainen starts behind team mate Lewis Hamilton with 10kg more fuel on board
- Pit stop predictions based on 2.501kg fuel used per lap with one lap’s worth of fuel for installation lap and parade lap
Read more
German Grand Prix pit stop predictions (click to enlarge)
Ace said on 11th July 2009, 17:21
Go Webber!
Tom said on 11th July 2009, 23:29
that’s pretty well all i have to say. hopefully he is faster than the brawns regardless of fuel load and they hold up vettel to ensure there is a significant gap towards the end of the race so vettel can’t do anything stupid. GO WEBBER!!!
Bigbadderboom said on 11th July 2009, 17:22
Red Bulls very quick!!!! Is the light fuel load a stroke of genius br Brawn as the race is likely to be broken up if the weather forecast is right, a long first stint may not be an advantage.
Journeyer said on 11th July 2009, 17:24
But if it rains between the Brawns and the Red Bulls pitting, that puts the Brawns in a heap of trouble.
Casino Square said on 11th July 2009, 17:58
Can anyone really guess what’s going to happen? The weather at the Nurburgring is seriously unpredictable. It could rain at any time during the race. Perhaps it might even snow?!?
Keith Collantine said on 11th July 2009, 18:16
That did happen at an F3000 race one year. Think it was 1985?
Casino Square said on 11th July 2009, 19:50
I was only joking, I didn’t think it could actually happen! It would be an interesing novelty to see F1 cars driving round with chains on their tyres. And mabye they’d let Kimi Raikkonen race his snowmobile!
Macca said on 12th July 2009, 7:36
Best posible outcome for tomorrows race is everyone from 2nd to 6th on the grid tangle up and crash on the first corner and we have a Webber – Sutil 1-2 at the end of the race.
Journeyer said on 11th July 2009, 17:23
7 7 Adrian Sutil 678.5 73.5 28
8 8 Felipe Massa 673.5 68.5 26
9 9 Kimi Raikkonen 674 69 26
10 10 Nekson Piquet Jnr 676 71 27
WOW, Sutil. WOW.
Keith Collantine said on 11th July 2009, 17:27
I know, I just guessed he was lighter than the Ferraris. Seriously impressive!
Patrickl said on 11th July 2009, 18:01
Raikkonen was complaining that he didn’t have tyres left for Q3. Maybe Sutil did use a set of fresh tyres. If so then he would suffer during the race.
mp4-19b said on 11th July 2009, 17:45
excellent job by adrian sutil. really he’s a driver to watchout. that force india is really impressive. btw i’ve blown my prediction. guess i’ll end up with 0 points
Luigismen said on 11th July 2009, 18:06
I always wish Sutil the best, I think he’s an excellent driver
Arun,India said on 11th July 2009, 19:32
seriously great job by sutil…..if he can keep both the kers powered ferraris behind him in the first corner…he should be in decent points…..
Spud said on 11th July 2009, 20:11
Delighted for Sutil and FOrce India bin a fan of theirs back since they were Jordan.
Brilliant stuff!
Chris said on 11th July 2009, 17:24
The Ferraris must be shocked to have been beaten fair and squarly by a force india with 2 laps more fuel.
Well Done Adrian Sutil
Bartholomew said on 11th July 2009, 17:26
Mark Webber is a good man and I wish him the best of luck tomorrow.
It will be a race where the true skills of a driver will be shown.
I hope Alonso passes Massa in the same place as 2 years ago !
Luke said on 11th July 2009, 17:27
Great work by Webber and Sutil. Sutil beating both Ferraris with the heaviest fuel load in the top 10. Nice work.
Lets hope for a good result for the Force Indias tomorrow and a better grand prix than the Silverstone one a few weeks ago!
Pat said on 11th July 2009, 17:38
Light fuel load hopefully means Brawns quicker off line and off into the distance !
Bookgrub said on 11th July 2009, 17:44
They haven’t shown that kind of pace – and if the weather is still cold, I can’t see them finding anything early.
If Webber is off the line cleanly and first after the first lap, poor luck is all I can see stopping him.
Which means it’s almost a certainty he’ll finish near the back.
persempre said on 11th July 2009, 17:41
Anyone wondering if they’ve filled Bourdais up to drive home?
(OK It was a joke, Damon – I’ve nothing against Sébastien)
Getting round Turn 1 & its’ lump may be interesting with the KERS cars as far back as they are.
John H said on 11th July 2009, 17:57
Well done Sutil.
Also, I think that Hamilton is third quickest fuel corrected.
Daniel said on 11th July 2009, 17:59
As many of you said, the one who was really impressive and who deserves all laurels is Adrian Sutil… 7th with the HEAVIEST FUEL LOAD… that means he was already satisfied with a 10th place and prepared himself for a long first stint, but was fast enough to outqualify both Ferraris!
persempre said on 11th July 2009, 18:29
Ferrari had no fresh softs for Q3.
I know, don’t ask. I have no idea why, either.
Arun,India said on 11th July 2009, 19:26
I don’t think so super softs would have put ferraris too much in front…..
persempre said on 11th July 2009, 20:20
Was that at me or at Daniel, Arun?
If me then Ferrari did, seriously, run out of fresh softs
“Then, in qualifying, we found ourselves up against rapidly changing conditions and it was therefore a good result to get both cars into Q3. At that point however, we no longer had any more new soft tyres available and that cost us very dear.”
F1Fan said on 11th July 2009, 18:57
The unthinkable may happen ! Webber may actually win a race. If he doesn’t now, he never will. Vettel will likely end up in 5th place by corner #1 (Lewis has KERS **and** starts on the clean side). Additionally Vettel has never won a race that he hasn’t started from pole. Additionally, Vettel will pit first. Additionally, the RBR is hugely faster than anyone else here too, and the 2 Brawns are at least 5 laps lighter. Additionally, Webber has been on the podium here before, so there is an experience factor in play here as well.
This can only mean one thing: if Webber doesn’t win this race, rain or not, he will validate in grand fashion my long-held belief that he is utterly useless.
Tom said on 11th July 2009, 23:41
i agree with all except the last comment. how is he utterly useless in the slighest???? he is easily one of the most consistent drivers in the current field. webber and button are the only two drivers i can think of that haven’t made any notable mistakes during a race. he’s put useless cars in awesome positions (more than you can say for hamilton). and you cant say his bad luck has been his wrong doing as rosburg in 06 and coulthard in 07 had nearly as many technical problems. i’ve always said put mark in a good car and he will be awesome and we are seeing that now. i think he is every bit as fast as vettel and has the consistency that comes with experience. i wish him all the best.
F1Fan said on 12th July 2009, 2:48
Webber, just like Button, has achieved nothing in his career. An occasional finish in the top 6 is no big accomplishment in 128 races. And, as I have said before, the reason he drives mediocre cars is that he is a mediocre driver. And that’s why none of the premier teams has ever been interested in hiring him. Same w/ Button.
Richard S said on 12th July 2009, 4:40
I do have the niggling memory of Webber crashing out of the British GP in the wet, the year Hamilton wiped the floor with everyone. Was that 2007 or 2008? Anyway, if it is wet, I hope Webber proves my doubts as being unfounded. Go Webber!
D Winn said on 11th July 2009, 19:01
Looks like Brawn could be on a 3 stopper.
F1Fan said on 12th July 2009, 2:42
If they are on a 3-stopper then the Brawn is really, really slow here at the Ring. With 5 laps less fuel they were over a tenth slower than Webber … **and** they will stop one more time ? Can’t be.
Arun,India said on 11th July 2009, 19:24
i am a die hard ferrari fan and not the biggest force india fan…….but tom i am cheering for them only…..GO sutil…Leave the horses crawling behind you….
Fer no.65 said on 11th July 2009, 19:30
Keith if you could check this one out:
I remember when FIA decided to change the qualifing system (once again) for 2006. The knock-out system was brought to F1 (appart from other facts) so what happened at Silverstone in 2004 (when many drivers deliberately spun off to avoid showers that didn’t come) or at Melbourne/Suzuka 2005 (where top drivers had to set a qualy time after rain appeared, leaving them with virtually no chances for Sunday’s race).
So the changing conditions would be the same for all drivers.
Is this the first time it happened?
Keith Collantine said on 11th July 2009, 20:51
Sorry I don’t understand the question!
StrFerrari4Ever said on 11th July 2009, 19:39
Wow amazing the Red Bull’s still have that much of an advantage over the field
& the Brawns aren’t that dangerous now if you look at the fuel loads the real danger for Mark Webber could be Vettel whose been known to be able to save more fuel than Mark so if Vettel can get past the Brawns early on he can mount a challenge for the lead. Hamilton if fuel corrected is 3rd fastest if im not mistaken which was a great effort from him in that MP4-24 and lets not forget Sutil amazing heaviest person in top 10 if it pours down he could shake things up a bit , oh yeah before i forget Piquet out-qualified Alonso which was amusing. The Toro Rosso’s well they can just pray for rain and i hope their prayer will be answered because that’s their only hope of getting in the points or even a podium and if it really comes down a victory which would be magnificent i’d prefer the victory to come from Buemi as the “SEABASS” isn’t deserving but thats me hoping.
Patrickl said on 11th July 2009, 19:50
The only reason Vettel is saving fuel is because Vettel is unable to overtake and thus gets stuck behind slower cars.
Vettel could show this “fuel saving” again when he slips behind Hamilton and Kovalainen at the start.
I wonder if the BrawnGP guys get their strategy together. Otherwise Hamilton and Vettel might actually still beat them to the podium.
StrFerrari4Ever said on 11th July 2009, 20:06
You could say he saves fuel because he can’t overtake but tommorow if he manages it and if it does rain he can run a few extra laps and we know in the rain his amazing so if that were to happen it would be very crucial for his chances of victory. I agree with you that Vettel & Hamilton have a chance of beating the Brawns to the podium but we don’t know what the weather will do if it rains at the start then i wouldn’t be surprised seeing a pile up at turn 3 or a Force India leading