.:: 2011 Canadian GP - 10-11-12 June ::.

.:: 2011 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA ::.

Welcome to the 2011 Canadian GP Thread. cjek and mjk1 will keep the thread updated with the latest times as they happen.

RANDOM FACT

The 2011 Canadian GP will be the first time that there will be two DRS activation zones.

CIRCUIT STATS

2011 Race Number: 7
Circuit Event Number: 32
Circuit Length: 2.709 miles
Number of Laps: 70
Lap Record: 1:13.622 (R.Barrichello, 2004)

2010 Podium
1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2. Jenson Button (McLaren)
3. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

1. How do you think the double DRS activation zone will affect the racing?
2. Should red-flag tyre changes be allowed or not?
3. On a circuit with close proximity barriers, two drivers were injured in Monaco. Are there any potential danger areas in Canada, or do you feel the track is safe enough?
4. In the past two races in Canada, it's been a 1-2 finish for the winning team. Will it happen for a third time this weekend, and who would it be?
5. Do you believe Perez and Petrov will make it to Canada?

SCHEDULE FOR WEEKEND (All Times UK)

Friday 10 June: Practice one - 1500-1630; Practice two - 1900-2030

Saturday 11 June: Practice three - 1500-1600; Qualifying - 1800-1900

Sunday 12 June: Race - 1800

WEEKEND WEATHER

FRIDAY: Sunny Intervals, Max. 21 deg. cent.
SATURDAY: Heavy Rain Shower, Max. 16 deg. cent.
SUNDAY: Heavy Rain Shower, Max. 19 deg. cent.

PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

THURSDAY:Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Sergio Perez (Sauber), Vitaly Petrov (Renault) and Adrian Sutil (Force India).

FRIDAY:Eric Boullier (Renault), Pat Fry (Ferrari), Andrew Green (Force India), Paddy Lowe (McLaren) and Sam Michael (Williams).

QUALIFYING:Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) & Felipe Massa (Ferrari).

RACE:Jenson Button (McLaren), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) & Mark Webber (Red Bull).

BBC Presents: 2011 Canadian GP

PREVIOUS SESSIONS
FP1
FP2
Quali
Race
Forum (Cancelled)

4. No because Webber sucks.

5. Petrov is a wimp. (Highly racist) Perez was a Mexican drug runner, so if he can handle outrunning gringos with ten balloons up his whee-whoo for a month, he'll be fine.XSamFisherX

Geez, Sam.

1. [Insert comment criticizing the use of the DRS here.]

2. If they're allowed to fix a busted rear wing, they should be allowed to change tyres.

3. Racing will never be "safe", they're driving at an average speed in the triple digits competing against 20+ other drivers, just let them go out there and race, you wimps.

5. I hope at least one of them makes it to the race, or else I got some decisions to make.

1. How do you think the double DRS activation zone will affect the racing?
   
   This depends on where the DRS zones are on any given circuit, I imagine in Canada's case they will be placed on the main straight toward the pits and the second between the long right hander and the chicane running toward the hairpin. If this is the case it should allow for drivers to get close and attempt passes all around the circuit and for drivers to fight to re-gain lost positions. I guess the verdict is out as to whether two zones is a good idea or not. We'll see come Sunday.
   
2. Should red-flag tyre changes be allowed or not?
   
   Yes. At a red flag the race is effectively stopped completely. As if the 71 Laps in Monaco had been run. Finito. After a red flag comes in, effectively, an entirely new race begins and drivers largely have the choice of new tires at the beginning of a race. It's unfortunate that it kind of ruined the Monaco GP but it doesn't take much to ruin the annual snoozefest.
   
3. On a circuit with close proximity barriers, two drivers were injured in Monaco. Are there any potential danger areas in Canada, or do you feel the track is safe enough?
   
   Each and every track is a danger area and nowhere is safe at upwards of 200kph. That said, given the nature of these circuits they are almost as safe as possible. What happened to Perez and Petrov is hugely unlucky and (in normal racing conditions) highly unlikely.
   
4. In the past two races in Canada, it's been a 1-2 finish for the winning team. Will it happen for a third time this weekend, and who would it be?
   
   If it will be anyone it will probably be Red Bull. Ferrari and McLaren have had the top speed advantage over the first few GPs but given the way the Ferrari's and Red Bulls pull out of low speed corners I'd have to say McMerc may be at a small disadantage.
   
5. Do you believe Perez and Petrov will make it to Canada?
   
   Sure, will they race? Depends if Perez suffered from concussion and whether Petrov is still injured I guess.

Will Vitaly pull a move like this in Canada?

FP1 - RED FLAG (Length: 5 Minutes)

Sebastian Vettel (GER, Red Bull) crashes at Wall of Champions.

SOURCE: Twitter.com/CroftyF1

FP1 - RED FLAG (Length: 5 Minutes)

Sebastian Vettel (GER, Red Bull) crashes at Wall of Champions.

Redders1989

Another champion for the Wall of Champions!

FP2 - RED FLAG (Length: 11 Minutes)

Kamui Kobayashi (JPN, Sauber) crashed in to the wall at turn four.

DE LA ROSA REPLACES PEREZ AT SAUBER FOR WEEKEND

Pedro de la Rosa will race for the Sauber team in this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix after Sergio Perez was forced to withdraw from the event.

Perez had massive a crash during qualifying in Monaco and was unable to compete in the race.

The Sauber driver, who suffered concussion, was given the green light to race in Canada on Thursday.

However, the Mexican rookie felt sick following the first practice session in Montreal, and Sauber has decided to draft in McLaren's reserve Pedro de la Rosa.

The Spanish driver raced for Sauber last year before he was dumped with five races to go and replaced by Nick Heidfeld, now at Renault.

"Of course I wanted to drive and I had no doubt I was alright," said Perez. "But apparently this is unfortunately not the case. I am deeply disappointed.

"I spoke to the team after the session and told them that I'm not a hundred per cent fit. I only want to drive when I'm a hundred per cent well. I need some more time to recover."

Peter Sauber added: "This development hit us by surprise, because Sergio underwent thorough medical checks, first in the hospital in Monaco, then in a hospital in Zürich, and finally, the FIA doctors gave him the green light this Thursday in Montreal. Nobody could have foreseen that he would feel unwell. Maybe we are being overly cautious, but when it's about the health of our drivers we take zero risks.

"We want to thank Pedro de la Rosa and McLaren for helping us out in this situation."

SOURCE: Autosport

FP2 - RED FLAG (Length: 5 Minutes)

Jerome D'Ambrosio (BEL, Virgin) crashes into the wall at turn four.

FP2 - RED FLAG (Length: 11 Minutes)

Kamui Kobayashi (JPN, Sauber) crashed in to the wall at turn four.

Redders1989

[QUOTE="Redders1989"]

FP2 - RED FLAG (Length: 11 Minutes)

Kamui Kobayashi (JPN, Sauber) crashed in to the wall at turn four.

XSamFisherX

Will Vitaly pull a move like this in Canada?

KimisApprentice

Ok that was pretty epic. As was the steering wheel column detaching.

I doubt he will be doing that one again although saying that this weekend has had quite a lot of action and it has only been one day into the event!

FP3 - RED FLAG (Length: After Session Ended)

Pedro de la Rosa (ESP, Sauber) crashes into the wall at turn four.

D'AMBROSIO ALLOWED TO RACE

Jerome D'Ambrosio will be allowed to start tomorrow's Canadian Grand Prix despite having failed to set a time within the 107 per cent in qualifying.

The Virgin driver set at best time of 1m19.414s, with the 107 per cent time being 1m18.989s.

Despite not being fast enough in qualifying, the stewards decided to allow the Belgian to race, having taken into consideration the fact that he was using a new chassis today.

D'Ambrosio crashed heavily during second practice yesterday, forcing his team to build a new car around the spare chassis, as the rules don't allow for drivers to use the full spare car.

SOURCE: Autosport

Here's Canada this morning:

SOURCE: Jake Humphrey's Twitter

RACE - RED FLAG (Length: 124 Minutes)

Intense Heavy Rain.

YESSSSSSSSS! JUST UNBELIEVABLE!

I can't believe it - Button made Vettel crack under pressure! :D

What a mad hatter grand prix and it's topped off with Button taking it to Ubermensch Vettel and redeeming himself for his earlier mistakes.

Edit: Congratulations to Jenson Button, though he ruined my podium prediction.

Brilliant Grand Prix. I'm glad I stayed up (it's after 7am in Melbourne).

DotD: Button. Perhaps the best drive anyone's put in all year.

SotD: Schumacher. The closest he's looked to the Schumi of old since his comeback.

Can't disagree with the others.

DotD: Button.

SotD: Schumacher.

Well worth the wait :D Shame about Lewis and will be interesting to hear the decisions from the various incidents. Driver of the day is a no-brainer. For Star of the day one clear candiate was the marshall who kept falling over trying to clear the debris from Heidfeld's crash and another was the water clearing facilites at the circuit but......

DotD: Button

SotD: Schumacher - I so badly wanted him to hang on to a podium, for old times sake if nothing else!!

This race has, not surprisingly, broken records:

- Longest race in F1 history (4 Hours, 4 minutes, 39 seconds)
- Most Safety Car deployments (six).

Not certain, but I think Jenson is only the third driver in F1 history to win the race despite a drive-through penalty (Michael Schumacher being first, Mark Webber being second), and - I'll have to check pre-cancellation of Nordschleife, but may be the most pitstops made by the race winner (six).

DotD : Button

SotD : Schumacher

It's always 5PM GMT the following day, I'm afraid. Even if the race was stupidly extended forever.

Just found out Button made 34 overtaking moves during the race on Sunday. Bloomin' heck...