In the round-up: Lewis Hamilton is very confident of success in today’s Chinese Grand Prix, wjhich would be the first time he has won three races in a row.
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Lewis Hamilton celebrates China win is mine to lose – Hamilton (BBC)
“It is mine to lose. I just need to make sure I get a good night’s rest and focus.”
Nico Rosberg: “I’ve got my eyes set on Lewis…” (Adam Cooper’s F1 Blog)
“It will be a tough race, because the left front tyre is a big issue.”
Team mate beating me fair and square – Vettel
“Daniel Ricciardo is doing a very good job. He has not just had one good weekend … and so far he seems to be able to get the maximum out of the car.”
Exclusive Ron Dennis interview (Autosport)
“Sadly, it’s now likely that McLaren will have no alternative other than to pursue a High Court action against Red Bull, which will ask very serious questions as to that team’s integrity and sense of fair play.”
Tweets
Stewards rule Maldonado can start as he "has set satisfactory times in practice at this event". Second time that's happened this year. #F1
— F1 Fanatic (@f1fanatic_co_uk) April 19, 2014
Rear wing Vortex (RedBull – Ferrari) #ChineseGP Cc @SomersF1 @ScarbsF1 @antonioboselli pic.twitter.com/Qlna3AS1Pf
— Pius Gassó (@piusgasso) April 19, 2014
https://twitter.com/MarcoAndretti/status/457537124930428928
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
Another reason why it’s a pity we don’t hear more of Fernando Alonso’s radio messages:
That conversation with Alonso at the end of Q2 is exactly why I like him: he thinks about things himself.
@Andae23
From the forum
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On this day in F1
Phil Hill, the 1961 world champion, was born on this day in 1927. He died in 2008.
JCost (@jcost)
20th April 2014, 0:34
Daniel Ricciardo is doing as great job. He really can take the most out of the car and has shown that he wants to race in equal terms (“If something happens I want to be part of it”). When the “Kimi to Red Bull” rumor started, I was eager to see Kimi vs Vettel in intra-team battle but after 3 races and half I can’t see any wrong in Red Bull’s pick.
However, one must acknowledge that Seb is taking it very well and is not trying to find excuses. Very mature and positive, now he needs to step his game up before the army starts hitting his “legend castle”.
xjr15jaaag (@xjr15jaaag)
20th April 2014, 0:47
Agreed.
To be honest, I don’t really understand why people are starting to ridicule Vettels abilities (see PlanetF1); when senna got out-qualified by Hakkinen, people, as I gather, weren’t questioning Sennas abilities
BJ (@beejis60)
20th April 2014, 6:02
@xjr15jaaag Are you seriously comparing VET to Senna? Strong LOL here.
Patrick (@paeschli)
20th April 2014, 10:27
They are both great drivers. I don’t see any problem in comparing a four times and three times world champion.
Iestyn Davies (@fastiesty)
20th April 2014, 16:58
Arguably both are in the top 10 F1 drivers, Senna solid top 5. In time Vettel can get near that conversation, same for Hamilton.
xjr15jaaag (@xjr15jaaag)
21st April 2014, 12:20
Why not?
They are both multiple champions
They are both on roughly the same amount of wins (39 and 41)
They were both competing at a time when the level of competition was exceptionally high (Hamilton, Rosberg, Alonso, Raikkonen, Webber), and (Berger, Prost, Mansell, Rosberg)
If you look at it like that, then I return to my previous question; why not @beejis60 ?
Andre Furtado (@f1andy83)
20th April 2014, 0:57
I agree, Ric has been doing really good, and Vettel instead of pulling a webber and complain, is actually coming out and saying he himself (vettel) needs to do a better job. But one should always ask, did red bull always treat Webber fairly? and Why is that Red Bull allowed Riciardo to run over the fuel flow limit and not Vettel. I don’t believe we are seeing a straight fight, and I am betting Vettel will be moving to a different team next year, possibly Ferrari. So I do think Red Bull only backs up one driver at a time, Webber got the short end of the stick, and now I believe it will be Vettel.
Neiana (@neiana)
20th April 2014, 1:40
I think the reason they didn’t allow Vettel to run over the limit was because he wasn’t in the race.
Also it’s been said many times and asked as well: If you get more in return for a Constructor’s Championship, why are you going to potentially ruin that?
GB (@bgp001ruled)
20th April 2014, 5:11
do you have any evidence that vettel wasnt in the race? i believe you are jumping to conclusions…
Chris (@tophercheese21)
20th April 2014, 6:21
Umm… Because he retired after like 5 laps.
pastaman (@)
20th April 2014, 21:35
No, I think one should stop asking because it’s ridiculous
dragoll (@dragoll)
20th April 2014, 1:25
It is interesting to see certain sections of the media and other F1 forums jump all over VET at the moment. While I don’t deny that RIC has been very consistent, I still haven’t seen too much that would indicate that RIC is going to be a WDC in the future. Don’t get me wrong, as an Aussie, I certainly do want to see RIC do well, but its only a handful of races into the season, far too early to say VET has been beaten.
I certainly think that VET is struggling with the car at the moment. He hasn’t got his head around it, and I get a sense that there is a lot more that VET can get out of the car, and I believe his previous WDC’s suggest that he is good enough.
Regardless of the RBR teammate battle, Merc is running off with this years championship.
trotter
20th April 2014, 1:49
Media likes sensationalism. The title “The state of points and current form in Red Bull is nothing to get excited about since cars change and it can take time to get up to speed, plus there were some misfortunes on both sides, and there can’t be any concrete conclusion made from just 3.5 race weekends” wouldn’t sell. :) Although, everyone knows that this is true. At least those who actually follow F1.
bosyber (@bosyber)
20th April 2014, 6:33
I agree @dragoll, Vettel at the moment struggling with his car doesn’t mean he is beaten; in other years, 2012 for example, he also was having more trouble with the car than his teammate, but when the car is quick, and in the latter half, he has been virtually unbeatable. Ricciardo is doing a great job, but Vettel will probably find his stride, will be good to see a competition between the Red Bull drivers; I think (hope?) both might enjoy it. Perhaps it will even help to keep the WDC fight four horse race in the end.
JCost (@jcost)
20th April 2014, 9:37
Maybe Seb must is yet to consent his EBD is gone for good and his adaptation speed has been slower than RIC but I like his attitude when he compliments RIC and recognizes it’s him who needs to do a better job.
Iestyn Davies (@fastiesty)
20th April 2014, 17:02
Giving DR 5th for Australia, and 5th for Malaysia, I would place him on 44 points so far. Vettel would have 33 from 3 races (with the Malaysia podium), so they are pretty even at this point, despite Vettel struggling with the car. DR certainly has the upper hand at the moment, we’ll have to see how Vettel comes back. Horner indicated Vettel is not finding the speed at low speeds he was against Webber (probably in trail braking), whereas Webber would find more speed in high speed aero corners.
Neiana (@neiana)
20th April 2014, 1:44
If Vettel ever said a race was his to lose, people would be tearing him three or four new ones every five minutes. Also — Vettel manages to admit when he’s underperforming or when his teammate is performing well, something his previous teammate failed miserably at. He also pulled over when he was told to.
Granted, a lot of the hate has dwindled now that he’s not dominating. Kind of shows people never hated him so much as his winning. Let’s see what happens if nobody can touch Hamilton this year.
Chris (@tophercheese21)
20th April 2014, 1:55
I can’t see why people would tear him a new one just for saying what Hamilton said. Usually it’s Hamilton that takes the flak for saying stuff. So many people take his words out of context (not in this case) and use it against him to try and prove their hate.
If Vettel said last year from Belgium-Brazil that the races were his to lose, I wouldn’t critisise him at all, because it would be completely true. He dominated the end of 2013.
matt90 (@matt90)
20th April 2014, 10:12
Maybe if they don’t understand English. Other than that, I can’t see how or why anybody would react like that.
DaveD (@daved)
20th April 2014, 4:13
I’m a HAM supporter so I love to see him confident. But I worry when it starts to get cocky and he should know that people love to pick him apart and not give them the ammunition to work with with statements like that.
Oh well, I’m hoping he can back up the words and I’ll be pulling for him anyway. And as other’s have said earlier, I’m torn: I would like to see LH pull away to an easy victory so I don’t have to be on edge the whole time…but it’s much better for the sport if he has to fight for it like crazy!
Chris (@tophercheese21)
20th April 2014, 5:46
At least he didn’t come out and openly guarantee he would win this race. lol.
OOliver
20th April 2014, 7:15
It doesn’t sound like Hamilton. Now I won’t go as far as saying he didn’t make such a comment, but it is unusual, especially for this 2014 season.
pastaman (@)
20th April 2014, 21:38
Hardly cocky. I mean really, the race IS his to lose starting on pole with the fastest car in the field.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
20th April 2014, 5:36
Great quote Keith. This said by one of the most ruthless heads in the paddock. Ron Dennis has poached more people in 40 years of F1 than the South Korea boarder has been able to refugee North Koreans in more than a 1000 years.
Peter (@boylep6)
20th April 2014, 6:42
I know it is a joke, but we should be more sensitive to the history of the countries we watch races from!
Korea was divided by Russia and America at the end of WWII, and the present border (actually demilitarised zone) was formed in 1953 at the end of the Korean war.
Alberto Ascari was the 1953 champion, for Ferrari.
This is only 13 years before Ron Dennis joined Cooper Formula One.
Ron Dennis: 48 years
Korean border: 61 years
Iestyn Davies (@fastiesty)
20th April 2014, 17:05
When Korea re-unites (it must surely happen at some point), it’ll make the re-unification of Germany look like child’s play, economically (and probably socially even).
andae23 (@andae23)
20th April 2014, 6:59
Thanks for COTD – did not expect that :)
Klaas (@klaas)
20th April 2014, 7:37
@andae23
I missed that conversation. Can you please write what’s it about?
Klaas (@klaas)
20th April 2014, 7:39
Never mind. Found it.
Rahim.RG (@rahim-rg)
20th April 2014, 7:24
C’mon Raikkonen..
bujilog
20th April 2014, 7:26
While I’m on McLaren’s side here, this just reminds me so much of 2001 when Bobby Rahal of Jaguar announced they’d signed Newey, only for McLaren to somehow veto the deal.
Shawn_S
20th April 2014, 9:48
Anyone know where I can find that teal Mercedes cap Lewis has on in the first page?
pastaman (@)
20th April 2014, 21:40
Try the internet
OllieJ (@olliej)
22nd April 2014, 12:54
It’s quite funny to read Dennis’s complaints about Red Bull taking Fallows back mere minutes after reading his recounting of how he tried to tempt Senna out of his Williams contract in ’93. Wonder if ‘look, the one thing about a contract, you’ve got to prove loss’ still applies today?