Vettel Driving Style in the wet

[jamsbong]

I wanted to know why Vettel is so good in the wets. I watch the onboard footage of Shanghai Race. I can tell he is always adjusting the steering like Raikkonen in order to feel the available grip as he go around the corner. Unlike Raikkonen, Vettel would deliberately choose to go around in the biggest arc possible to minimise steering angle. another words, he uses minimum brakes and minimum steering.

Raikkonen seems to use the dry racing line with a sharp in and straight out.

Lewis driving style is more aggressive and he seems to flip between the dry lines and wet lines. He tends to be impatient and downshifts early to aid braking. He also don't use the steering to feel the grip.

Button's style seems understeery. He is always looking for the perfect line by approaching a corner with less understeering. thats why he end up pushing long into the straight when Webber overtook him.

I remember Michael Schumacher is always very good in the wets and one of his tricks is that he would use a completely different racing line to go around the track. He has to explore to finds out a new set of lines to drive for the wets.

[SoliRossi]

I dont think Vettel is a good driver in the wet as much as he is a good driver full stop. But you are probably right in that he carries over his pace in verying conditions better than most.

Both he and Webber are fast in the wet, the shanghi result was determined by SebVet having clean air and webber having compramised track position. Late in the race when they were both in clean air they were trading purple sectors, not only demonstrating both of their prowess in the wet but also the cars abilities.

In relation to lines that drivers take it always varies, but in the wet yoiu can take the outside line and get more grip than the racing line due to the marbles and grit. Basically the racing line is coarted in rubber, water then beads on this and makes it slippery, some drivers like to take an unorthadox line on the dirty stuff as this acts as 'grit' and gives them traction. Some drivers execute this better than others...ie Hamilton, Alonso, Webber all seem to use this method.

Buttons smoot driving style is good in the wet but probably not brilliant, its possibly slightly to beguine to feel the maximum amount of feedback through the wheel. Vettels much sharper or edgier style could allow him to 'feel' the track better.

As shown in the line comparisons last week every driver laps in a different fasion, chooses different lines etc... some drivers abilities allow them to consistently go well in the wet or be more on par with their wet pace...ie Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Button.... other drivers are great in the dry but not as high in the pecking order when its wet... Massa, Trulli, Kubica.

[jamsbong]

some drivers like to take an unorthadox line on the dirty stuff as this acts as 'grit' and gives them traction.

Unorthodox or not, I doubt that the drivers choose different lines in the wet randomly. They do with because they are exploring new possibilities to get around faster. back in 2006 Shanghai qualifying, Michael Schumacher clearly choose a very different driving lines. that's why He was miles ahead of anyone else under bridgestone tires. clearly it pays to explore new directions in the wets.

Both he and Webber are fast in the wet, the shanghi result was determined by SebVet having clean air and webber having compromised track position. Late in the race when they were both in clean air they were trading purple sectors, not only demonstrating both of their prowess in the wet but also the cars abilities

Webber is usually fast until he compromise himself by making mistakes. To me, Webber is courageous but do not have a clear feel of the limit and at times he can't recover from his mistakes.

I dont think Vettel is a good driver in the wet as much as he is a good driver full stop. But you are probably right in that he carries over his pace in verying conditions better than most.

Vettel has given 2 teams their very first wins on his first year of joining those teams. I do not think he is just another driver. I do have to say though, Vettel probably have not developed championship winning speed in the dry. I think Button, Hamilton and Alonso have the upper hand so far.

One other thing, F1 driver don't always do it but rally drivers always feel the grip from their steering. So you can always see their hands are busy on the wheels making little adjustments. These "adjustments" is not so much to correct the direction of the car but rather to feel the limit of the traction.

[Vasco]

I think this year the Red Bull seems to generate more heat than other teams and when it comes to wet/cold races they really do have the upper hand. Pretty much like the Mclaren last year.

[Nealio]

Vasco, that isn't Dave Vasco is it?