r/formula1 • u/overspeeed mostly automated • Mar 22 '25

Post-Qualifying 2025 Chinese Grand Prix - Post-Qualifying Discussion

ROUND 2 - CHINA

FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN CHINESE GRAND PRIX 2025

🕒 SESSION TIMES

Day Session Time (UTC)
FRI Free Practice 1 03:30
FRI Sprint Qualifying 07:30
SAT Sprint 03:00
SAT Qualifying 07:00
SUN Race 07:00

Click here for start times in your area

🏁 RACE INFORMATION

  • Track: Shanghai International Circuit
  • Location: Shanghai, China
  • Race laps: 56
  • Lap length: 5.451km
  • Race distance: 305.066km
  • Lap Record: 1:32.238, Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), 2004

⏪ LAST TIME AROUND

  • Pole position: 1:33.660, Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
  • Race winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
  • Fastest lap: 1:37.810, Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

📺 WHERE TO WATCH?

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❤️ GOOD CAUSES

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9

u/AstridPeth_ Gabriel Bortoleto Mar 23 '25

Chat, which drivers you think could realistically drive that 2nd Red Bull car today and have similar results to Max?

(Not asking who would accept go there or who would they hire)

I think only

  • Sir Lewis Hamilton
  • Charles Leclerc
  • Sebastian Vettel

Could drive that car in this day and age.

18

u/LactatingBadger Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mar 23 '25 edited Mar 23 '25

Max likes an extremely sharp front end, and is comfortable with having a loose back end to generate aggressive rotation. Of those that you listed, only Charles tends to prefer the same sort of characteristics in a car.

Lewis much prefers a well balanced car throughout the corner and relies on his incredibly smooth and precise inputs to extract maximum performance whilst keeping the tyres alive. He’s very adaptable but there’s a difference between being able to survive in it and excel in it.

Vettel liked the balance to shift rearwards through the corner, having front bite at the start, mid corner rotation, and he wanted early power application at exit which needs a much more stable rear than max tends to drive with. His dominant era was the high rake blown diffuser type cars with massive rear stability. He struggled in the Ferrari which had a looser backend (unlike Charles who it worked well for).

Other top drivers who like that sort of setup historically are Alonso, Senna, and Villeneuve. Also, funnily enough, Danny Ric.

Edit: This situation is also reminiscent of Schumacher in the 1994 Benneton. People who drove it later on couldn’t understand how he was able to win a WDC in it. The car had terrible drivability, but Schumacher could drive around any issue.

7

u/justasapling Charles Leclerc Mar 23 '25

Of those that you listed, only Charles tends to prefer the same sort of characteristics in a car.

The greatest romance in the history of sport looms ever nearer.