F1 Fanatic

Yes but we’ll never know. There’s a chance they might have gone off the cliff, and there’s a chance they might have survived. Keith’s analysis has said he believes Vettel would have held on; as just before the safety car his lap times weren’t very different than they were after he first exited the pits.

It’s just one of those things we’ll never know

Eau Rouge is flat nowadays – there is no “traction” to speak of out of Eau Rouge; the cars are not limited by traction but rather by power on the exit of eau rouge.

About La Source, Vettel went through a compromised line through La Source as he had to defend his entry; as such his exit traction was compromised a lot; re-watch the start and you’ll see what I mean.

I think there’s a slight misunderstanding of terminology here – the tyres go “off the cliff” BECAUSE they are destroyed. They’re not two separate incidents.

I’m saying I don’t think Vettel would have pitted on his own accord in those last few laps. If he had been overtaken by both Jenson and Fernando then he would’ve pitted; as it was the safer option. But had that not happened, I don’t think he would have sacrificed the slight chance of victory provided by not pitting. For example; if you were in that Red Bull and had Fernando and Jenson behind you; and you’ve held them back for 20 laps. You’ve been on your tyres for 50 laps; but it’s Monaco. There might just be a chance you could just keep driving as wide a car as you can and they wouldn’t be able to overtake you. If they finally did overtake you then; fair enough. Let’s pit; get some fresh rubber, and just bring the car home (as I remember it he would’ve kept 3rd even if he pitted). Otherwise there’s a slim chance of victory.

He might have won it; he might not. Who knows? On lap 70 or whatever it was the SC came out, Vettel was lapping so consistently that he was doing the same lap time (give or take a tenth) he was doing on lap 17 (his first flying lap out of the pits).

I meant traction from La Source.

Actually yeah, i just saw that, i didn’t watch it properly. I also saw how Hamilton had a good start, but got eaten up the inside as he took a wider line.

@matt, everyone thought that these “blisters” were going to destroy the tyres. Those blisters didn’t. Vettel made a few fastest laps with those blisters. So I wouldn’t believe untill I would see that the tyres were really going to be destroyed in those few laps at monaco (6 laps if I can remember it correctly). Vettel made fastest laps with those blisters.

Tyres were and still are always the key in any race this year. BUT to defend against 2 champions with worn out tyres, with tyres being so essential AND with so much pressure (not only on the driver, on the tyres as well as the team)… That isn’t the key of tyres, that’s the key of skills.

true, that’s right, still, you need to handle those tyres well out of the corners and take good care of them…

Defending against another car on the Kemmel straight is impossible when the other car is that much faster. Had he been Senna, Schumacher before his comeback, Alonso, Button, Hamilton, Sato, whatever he wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it either. It is just impossible to do anything when the car has the straight line speed to pass before the breaking zone. They are only allowed to move once on the straight to defend, so he had no chance. No-one would be able to keep him behind.

Phenomenal race AGAIN from seb. From an AMAZING pole lap with half a sec advantage (ok hamilton’s lap wasn’t so good and button aborted his) to the fastest possible pitstop this season. And forget about that gorgious move around Rosberg. That overtakingmove around the outside of Alonso was pure CLASS! Brilliant, outstanding remarkable… I wanna ask Seb right now where the heck he come up with a move like that… I SERIOUSLY thought he would crash. I saw him already sliding going sideways when he touched the grass (and I truely said, aaaargh iiih, watch out!!! and peeked with 1 eye) but in the end he got that overtake together. I just can’t describe it how the overtaking, so spectacular it was…

I hope the cases of “Seb can’t overtake…” and “The crashkid” are now over and that ALL people’s who said this are now silenced by this move!

And you know what, he’s just 1-2 wins away from the championship.