Is Mercedes sandbagging 2014?

[i70q7m7ghw]

The qualifying at Singapore was certainly the closest its been, and they definitely weren't sandbagging then. But the tyres did play a part in it I think.

Is that the first time we have seen a non mercedes car at the top of the sheets in Q3 after the first runs this year?

They also put new brakes on the cars for qualifying, and both drivers said it was hard to find a balance while the brakes were bedding in.

[Shrieker]

Is that the first time we have seen a non mercedes car at the top of the sheets in Q3 after the first runs this year?

Also, the others put on fresh options but Merc drivers did their first q3 runs on used options. Other people didn't improve in their second runs really, but both mercs did by a lot.

[spadeflush]

Only when there is a threat to victory is the true pace of the W05 unleashed. We have seen this a few times this season. The rest of the times they are just managing the gap to the rest and looking after the car. Is that sandbagging? From the rival's perspective it is! Fact is, they dont need to show their true pace in every race, so they might as well try to be reliable ( ).

[Sevach]

Their race pace is even better than their qualy pace.

The engine is more fuel efficient and maybe that info that said Merc can use it's eletric boost for longer was accurate.

[CBeck113]

I'd say that Hamilton's pace after the safety car was the real speed of the Mercedes - 2.5s per lap faster than the Red Bulls. I would like to believe that Alonso could have cut that gap a bit with his fresh tires, but the comparison is pretty much on equal ground (i.e. older tires) with RB...and they didn't have a chance.

[SectorOne]

I'd say that Hamilton's pace after the safety car was the real speed of the Mercedes - 2.5s per lap faster than the Red Bulls.

But you are forgetting two things.

1, Hamilton is on Super Softs flogging it around the track.
2, Vettel is trying to make it to the finish on Softs.

Apples and Oranges. I think a more realistic gap was the first stint which on average was 8 tenths per lap.

[xpensive]

Perhaps so, but I have this funny feeling of early 2009, when one team could stage the weekend on their own.

[turbof1]

I'd say that Hamilton's pace after the safety car was the real speed of the Mercedes - 2.5s per lap faster than the Red Bulls.

But you are forgetting two things.

1, Hamilton is on Super Softs flogging it around the track.
2, Vettel is trying to make it to the finish on Softs.

Apples and Oranges. I think a more realistic gap was the first stint which on average was 8 tenths per lap.

Agreed. Which still is a big margin of course on the red bull which was driving around the type of circuit it runs at its best.

It also tells that there was very little difference between the soft and super softs concerning wear and degredation.

[siskue2005]

Yeah even with a 0.8 sec gap per lap Lewis would have finished 40secs ahead of the next car
And I think they are at least 1 sec ahead at Singapore
And also the tires were very limiting factor especially the ss tyres...that's why others were close in quly

[xpensive]

Yeah even with a 0.8 sec gap per lap Lewis would have finished 40secs ahead of the next car
And I think they are at least 1 sec ahead at Singapore
And also the tires were very limiting factor especially the ss tyres...that's why others were close in quly

0.8 second ahead on a non-power track, imagine that, Honda have their work cut out for them.

[SectorOne]

Suzuka should be a great place to judge the difference between Red Bull and Mercedes.
See if they really have made any progress of closing the gap or not.

[siskue2005]

So in a non power track they are 0.8 sec per lap quick ....which shows their chassis and aero is much better than the RBRs

[basti313]

You miss, that Lewis was cruising around in the first stint. Everyone else had to pit due to tire problems, whereas Lewis was doing his Inlap 3sec faster than Vettel or 2sec faster than Alonso! No engine setting, only using his tires means 2sec per lap...incredible.
This car is the most dominant car since the MP4/4. The MP4/4 was stopped by big rule changes. The Merc will get faster and faster as they will wipe out their reliability problems more and more.

[dans79]

They are sandbagging for sure.

1) fuel usage is on par or better than anyone else
2) Aero is on par or better than anyone else
3) power is on par or better than anyone else

[dren]

The Mercedes uses the soft/medium tire better than the rest. This leads me to believe it makes superior DF at the rear, along with having a very good rear suspension set-up. The super soft seems to even the field up more. Perhaps Mercedes is able to regulate tire temps better than other teams. This team has struggled with tires for as long a I can remember. Maybe they finally figured it out?

The chassis is good. The PU is the best on the grid. The PU-chassis integration is top notch.

Mercedes will spank the field at Suzuka.