Less than a week after packing all the gizmos and gubbins up in Malaysia everyone is setting up and planting their equipment over in China in preparation for the first session tomorrow morning. The transition from Sepang to Shanghai will be less complex than it was from Australia as the track in China is very Similar in format to that of Malaysia. All the way up to turn 11 is based follows the same format as the previous round with only the corner radius and length altered to feign variation.
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As previously suggested the track matches the basic plan of Sepang all the way up to turn 11, the opening sequence of corners is more frustrating than the bends the drivers were faced with last week with the most decreasing of all decreasing radius corners opening the lap. Overtaking opportunities here are rather limited the obvious chance coming into the back hairpin at turn 14, but chances are available into 6 or 11, depending if the car in front makes a mistake or has KERs problems.
To illustrate how all the corners do fit together and how things look, as with last week I have prepared a video showing me driving round the track in an Indycar painted up in the blog livery. This blog mobile was used as not to show bias to any specific contender - and until yesterday there was no F1 2011 mod for the simulator, still going to avoid using F1 cars though in future to improve variation.
So here is this event's offering - the timings are better than last week's Malaysia vid and gives you a look at the track in an alternative form than a map or some professional lap - because who wants one of them when you can have me messing it up instead.
Just in case the video failed - though I've gone for a different approach this week - here is the youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMTcQog11yY
So what to expect
In short most likely the same as last week given that the track is very similar and should reward the same cars it did in Malaysia - however with the long back straight being so vital in Shanghai if Red-Bull have KERS problems they are going to make it rather difficult for themselves. Because relying only on the DRS could leave them open to the opposition especially considering McLaren weren't too far behind last time out.
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Behind them Ferrari who have already pretty much written off these first races as 'damage limitation' until updates in Spain, will be stuck with Renault across the weekend, the latter likely to gain the advantage off the grid with the additional starting power they've attained.
The mid-pack will be as close as ever - headed by Mercedes and Sauber, rounded off by Force India and Williams with Torro Rosso sitting in the middle but not too far from either end of the spectrum. While things at the bottom of the pack will far more predictable with Lotus being the fastest of that division by a fair margin. Virgin will be second and HRT which we can assume will qualify, will only have the back row to look after.
Then there is the weather to contend with, over recent years the Chinese GP has been affected in some way by rain, the changeable conditions giving Jenson the win last year, and the same conditions trapping Hamilton-grumpy-face in the pit lane gravel trap in 2008, and was completely wet in 09. The forecast for this weekend however seems brighter with precipitation only scheduled for Friday.
KERS and DRS
Where will the toys the drivers get to play with come into effect this time, well considering this time I actually know where the various lines are on the layout, everything makes more sense ah the power of clarity. So then the DRS detection line is located on the exit of turn 11 on the approach to 12. The second of the lines is positioned on the back straight 907 metres before the only proper overtaking zone at 14.
The KERS on the other hand is available when and wherever the driver wants to apply his seven second per lap allocation which could open passing chances into turns one, six and eleven. As with Malaysia the system is of an high advantage considering it is essentially free lap time available to those who possess it. Should the system fail if it is installed on the machine then the consequences are more far reaching then lack of boost. As KERS is linked to the rear axle when it fails the breaking efficiency also declines as the device that collects the energy won't be slowing the car down which distorts the brake bias and costs lap time.
So overall look forward to what could turn out to be a very strategic race on a track where passing is not all too available. And if the showers do wash out the Friday practice sessions then the entire grid will have lost valuable set-up time and that could make the grid very interesting. And with the Renault team in possession of some form of start function turn one could be very interesting indeed.
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