Can someone explain the logic (if any) behind Mclaren's "Tire Changes"??????????????????????

 

I think that McLaren was running a two stop strategy (well it would have been in the dry); they were quite a bit quicker than the Williams in the first third of the race. Notice how fast KR caught JPM and MS after he got around RS.

Then came the rain.

McLaren mistake #1 - left KR out one lap longer (and DC two laps) than the leaders to pit to intermediates. These problems were due to poor communication - the team's radios were experiencing interference from the digital TV feeds for some reason. Result: KR in eighth and DC eleventh - both over 50s behind the leading group. This is also where RB leapfrogged over everyone else. MS, JPM and RB pitted earliest (we didn't see this due to an inopportune break by Speed Channel - but you could tell by the times).

McLaren mistake #2/3 - two stop stragegy should have been altered by a longer refueling at second stop (first with refueling) also should have left KR on intermediates (he had clawed his way back to fourth) and if wanting to make a gamble with dry tires - only done this with DC he was 9-10th at this point and was essentially out of it why not gamble if they thought the track was drying.

McLaren miskake #4 - third pit stops necessary to put wets (KR) and intermediates (DC) back on

The McLarens then had to make a fourth stop (second refueling) when they also went back to dry tires - although by this time the damage was done.

All in all - very poor pit strategy. I find this to be more disappointing then simply getting beat by faster cars. With correct pit stops KR and DC should have been running third and fourth (with RB fifth) after the rain started, although it's hard to say where they would have finished - KRs engine would have failed anyway and DC was having brake problems (that's why he went off course a couple of times). At best he would have finished fourth.

A race to forget.

BT

 

I don't understand it either. The commentators say that the big teams have their own doppler radar displays available to the race directors. Assuming that everyone is looking at the same doppler screens, why would McLaren choose to keep DC out on grooved tires for two extra laps when everyone else pitted for intermediates or full wets? Later on, I think McLaren put intermediates on both DC and KR, while several other teams were swapping for full wet tires... another mistake.

This is just a guess, but I think two things were at issue. First, since they knew they would start behind both the Ferraris and the Williams, I assume McLaren gambled and set-up for a FULL dry race, ie not set-up for either intermediate or wet conditions (ride height, dampers, etc.) so, when it did rain, they assumed that going full wets would not help much.

Secondly, once it did rain, they might have figured to take the gamble and remain on the grooved drys, on the chance that the rain would clear and they wouldn't have to make stops and could thereby gain some free passes for position (the Rubens Barrichello trick from Hockenheim a couple years ago). In which case they read the doppler radar with alot of wishful thinking.

By comparison, it seems that Ferrari set-up initially for intermediate settings, which allowed them flexibility. You can afford to gamble with that when you're at the front of the grid.

In the event, Ron Dennis appeared to really have his head up his a$$ this time around. Other times he's right on the money. But not yesterday.

 

yeah...what a fiasco...they have to find out what happened to the radioand fix it!...hire a new weatherman...kick Michelin in the butt...

And pat Kimi on the back for some great driving...

RB and especially JPM put on a great show

 

The reason all of the Michelin shod cars came in and put full wets on their cars is because the Michelin intermediate tires are not as good as their full rain tire. Apparently Michelin screwed up once again. The Bridgestone shod cars all went for the supperior and appropriate intermediate treads when the rain started. The reason why DC went off(road) the track, I think about four times, was due to brake problems. Too bad for RS refuelling fiasco. As for KR catching MS and JPM early on, I think that MS had the much faster car (at least 1 sec faster), but was beng held up by JPM. As soon as he got by him that was it.

Probably the most exciting part of the Race was RB's race with JPM following their second pit. Again RB had the much faster car, once he found the way around he was gone.