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Amazing result.

jacfan wrote:Amazing result.

................. ........................... .............yup

Alonso admits having to drive a car in qualifying that is virtually new so it was a big risk.

Referring to his new diffuser of course.

Just reiterating that Alonso isn't running KERS

Webber pleased to be in the top 3 especially after his accident.

No hints on the fuel load though

I suspect the top 3 being lighter than those behind them, the Brawns in particular. Webber is probably the heaviest of all three.

Wonder how many got the Pole pick right

Qualyfing report: Vettel scores Red Bull's first pole
Full Qualifying Results

I'll put money on the Brawns having the same if not less fuel than the Red Bull's. In quali two the Red Bull was 4 tenths quicker than the Brawn.

There is an interesting contrast in strategy between Fernando and Lewis, they were evenly matched in quali 2 but Fernando saved a set of the supersofts for quali 3. It is a fair guess he is fueled light and that Lewis has chosen to fuel heavy in the hope his KERS will propel him up the grid and assist him in being a mobile chicane for 20+ laps. It should be interesting to see how these two opposing strategies play out and whether or not they can be a factor in the race.

The Red Bull has made a significant step forward and whatever they have changed has swept under the radar and people up and down the pitlane were left scratching their heads. Some individuals - Jenson in particular - resembled rabbits caught in headlights when they were asked for their reaction to qualifying!

Here are the pre-race fuel weights (sorted by their order on the grid):

1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 644kg
2. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 637
3. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 646.5
4. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 661
5. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 659
6. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 664.5
7. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 650.5
8. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 673.5
9. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 679
10. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 673
11. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 679
12. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 697
13. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 690
14. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 682.7
15. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso, 690
16. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 697.9
17. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 659
18. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 648
19. Timo Glock, Toyota, 652
20. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India, 679.5

As expected, the top 3 are the lightest with Alonso the lightest of the 3. Interesting that Barrichello is actually heavier than Button even though he qualified higher.
Piquet is the heaviest of all with Kovalainen not much further back

Note that fuel consuption around this track is around 2.55 kg of fuel per lap

Related: Alonso has lightest car for China GP

Ed wrote:I suspect the top 3 being lighter than those behind them, the Brawns in particular. Webber is probably the heaviest of all three.

Wonder how many got the Pole pick right

That... Not me!

Thinking that selecting Alonso for pole would have given me points

That should be an interesting race start.

YoinK! I got that prediction totally a**e upwards. I would have thought since the supersoft is diabolical it would be a no-brainer to run light in the first stint and get them over and done with. That is obviously what Fernando intends to do. Lord only knows what Lewis is contemplating with 28 laps of fuel?

The Brawn's seem to run a lot better with fuel on board, so that should help them out in the race against Red Bull if they can keep in touch during the first stint.

Perhaps some people are counting on rain since they are carrying so much fuel.

Supersofts, a light load, go like a ferret in a rabbit warren, and hopefully a huge time advantage when pitting for rubber when the supersofts expire, chuck in heaps of fuel.....makes sense to me.
Then factor in safety cars, rain, mobile chicanes,..............I love my armchair position.

The Brawn GP cars seem to be more gentle on tyres and on the super soft they can go further than most giving them flexebility with their strategy. Renault and Red Bull on the other hand struggle on the super softs after a few laps.
Like Snowy and Julian, I suspect Alonso to be on the super softs at the start as he is on a short stint. One or both the Red Bull's would also be on the supersofts.

Depending on the start and the first few laps but I expect the race to be very close and the Brawns will still have a good chance of winning.
There are also question marks on the reliability of the Red Bull drive shafts and the Renault's new diffuser. It is a long race!

Weather forecasts at this stage is for a possibility of a few showers during the race with temperature around 22 degrees.

Ed wrote:The Brawn GP cars seem to be more gentle on tyres and on the super soft they can go further than most giving them flexebility with their strategy. Renault and Red Bull on the other hand struggle on the super softs after a few laps.
Like Snowy and Julian, I suspect Alonso to be on the super softs at the start as he is on a short stint. One or both the Red Bull's would also be on the supersofts.

Depending on the start and the first few laps but I expect the race to be very close and the Brawns will still have a good chance of winning.
There are also question marks on the reliability of the Red Bull drive shafts and the Renault's new diffuser. It is a long race!

Weather forecasts at this stage is for a possibility of a few showers during the race with temperature around 22 degrees.

Don't tell me we're going to have another wet race?.......
Julian's right, though.......it won't be surprising to see those running the softer compound tires doing short stints, even if some of them are heavier on fuel than those on the harder compound. Now that I think of it, is there a reason the FIA doesn't publish which teams are using which compound of tires to start the race, or is it something that is left to the teams to decide on prior to the race(and for us to guess at pre-race)?

Since the track seems to be wet, will the drivers change to rain tyres now? Alonso strategy will not work then