Strategies in Brazil?

[Roland Ehnström]

5th is 4 points right? so it's fifth or better for LH..

Yep, if Hamilton is 6th and Massa wins, they'll end up on equal points but Massa will be champion with 6 wins to Hamilton's 5. So Hamilton needs 5th to be sure to win the championship.

To those who say McLaren should go about things as in a normal race, I say they're better off focusing a bit harder than normal on qualifying (low fuel in Q3), because as mentioned the most dangerous part of the race is surely the start. And in the race, they should tune Lewis' engine right down, to make sure they do not have a failure. And in every pit-stop they should wait an extra second before lifting the lollipop, just to make SURE the refuelling hose has been released properly. Similarily, Lewis needs to be ultra-careful in the start and in the pit-stops. Espcially if Kimi or Fernando wants to pass...

Lewis' win in China means he and McLaren can AFFORD to be extra careful in Brazil, and it would be foolish not to use that advantage.

[MattF1]

If I was Ron I would ask Lewis not to take part in Quali at all and thus start the race last on the grid.

If you don't take part in qualifying you cannot race.

EDIT: apologies, my mistake - I have re read te rules and you can, as long as you take part in FP3

[mx_tifoso]

I only have to focus on winning the race on Sunday afternoon, hopefully with my team-mate second behind me. The only thing I am thinking about is winning. After that, the matter is not in my hands and we will have to wait and see exactly what and how much we have won.

Another plus for me is that I will have a huge following here in my home town. Brazilian people love Formula 1, love motor racing and it is really big passion for them. I really like to race at home and I think I race better at home. Do I need to say I'm very motivated?! I love this track, I grew up here and I know all its little tricks and secrets.

It is impossible to predict what will happen in the Brazilian Grand Prix, but I think our car has always been very good at this circuit, even if I cannot explain exactly why. We have always gone well here and I expect that to be the case at the weekend, whatever the conditions, in the dry or in the rain and in qualifying and in the race. For sure, Lewis will try and put pressure on me, but I have zero pressure, because I have nothing to lose. I have my people behind me and all the pressure will be on him, especially when you think about what happened at this race last year. I can't wait for the final Sunday of the season."

No frills nor holding back for the Scuderia, a 1-2 is the utmost important goal in Brazil.

[Rob W]

F1Technical News: Zero pressure- Massa...I think our car has always been very good at this circuit, even if I cannot explain exactly why. We have always gone well here and"

Yeah? Rubens had a did not finish here four years in a row in a Ferrari from 2000-2003.

R

[mx_tifoso]

As I understood it, he might have been refering to the teams performance while he has driven for them, as in both years they did quite well. And Massa managed to win in '06, and could have won last year too.

[ESPImperium]

Time for a wild card situation, im gonna throw Alonso into the mix as Joker #1.

Alonso will want to try and mix it alittle and try and force Hamilton off the track "posibly" by "accedent" take Hamilton out of the race completely.

Joker #2 and #3 a re DC and Rubhino, as i think there could be a Rubhino announcement before the race, i think the "R" word could be in there, and its already gonna be the last race for DC, and they could be going for a good points finish in the race.

However, i do think that Hamilton has made more than enough enimies this year that would want to get involved if given the slightest of chance.

But i see the Macca and Ferarri strategys going this way:

LH = Light in Q3 to get pole, with a forward thinking strategy pitting as early as laps 11 and 16 for the first stop, second stop being arround the lap 52 mark.

HK = Light-ish in Q3, not as light as LH, will probably be lighter than FM, pitting between laps 16 and 21 for first stop, second stop will be arround the lap 55 mark.

KR = Pretty mch the same as LH, but maybes a little hevier, pitting between laps 14 and 19 would be my guess, Second stop, will be simmilar to Massa last year in arround the lap 50 mark.

FM = Conventional and traditional 2 stopper, probably the exact same as KR last year to be perfectly honest, lap 21 for first stop and lap 53 for the secod one.

Might be worth looking at last years pit stop data to see what may be brought in to play when; http://www.formula1.com/results/season/ ... mmary.html

[Roland Ehnström]

ESPImperium, I agree with you, except I don't think Rubens or DC can get anywhere near the McLarens no matter how much they want to.

I also think that especially Lewis (and probably Kimi) will start on the softer tires, because he doesn't want to do any of his longer stints on the softs to reduce the risk of a puncture. Oh, I don't think he will go as far as lap 52 for his second stop, more like lap 42-45 I would guess (given that he makes his first stop after 15 laps or less). It wouldn't make sense to do more than 30 laps on the same set of tires on a 2-stopper in a 71-lap race, and making an earlier second stop reduces the risk of getting caught out by a safety car period like in Singapore.

[ESPImperium]

I was thinking about the tyres as well, id expect LH, KR and HK to start on the options with FM starting on the primes, but i also think that a majority of drivers will start on options looking on last years pit data.

All i need is the tyre data for last year and ill get a complete dossier for the race, i have 2007 pit data, 2007 quali results, 2007 race results and general info with all the permutations for both titles.

[Roland Ehnström]

Note that last year the super-soft and soft compounds were used at Interlagos, while this year the soft and medium compounds will be used.

Another factor we have not discussed is the weather. Here is the weather forecast for the weekend: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/b ... v_business

[axle]

Ignoring the threat of rain, it looks like being cool and the tyres are 1 step harder than last year.

This, in theory, plays into the hands of the McLarens. However I think it's too close to say that as Ferrari have made huge strides in cool conditions.

I'd be happy for Lewis to base his strategy on being behind the Ferrari's for the race and for HK to go light and control the race.