Brian Lawrence wrote:>

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Brian:>

is it possible to state which lap was each driver's fastest?

Of course:

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Thanks.>

Now, notice that most of these drivers turned their fastest laps very> close to the end of the race. Logic would dictate that the fastest

drivers.>

Since they didn't, it seems clear to me that most of them were

Have they not had race-length testing> sessions on the new tires? Are the wear rates not known? I doubt I'm> thinking of something that nobody within a team hasn't thought of.

Brian Lawrence wrote:>

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Thanks.>

Now, notice that most of these drivers turned their fastest laps very> close to the end of the race. Logic would dictate that the fastest laps> should be set on newest tires and lowest fuel, which would have been> just before the first set of pitstops, around lap 15-20 or most of the> drivers.>

Since they didn't, it seems clear to me that most of them were probably> nursing their tires.>

This is not the optimal choice. It seems to me that the smartest thing> to do, in order to gain track position, is to burn up your tires in the> few laps before your last fuel stop and gain as many positions on the> stop as possible: since it is basically impossible to pass, a driver> could run on shagged out tires in the last race segment whilst holding> up all the cars with "preserved" tires.>

Either way, saving your fastest laps for the final 10% of the race> strikes me as rather suboptimal. Have they not had race-length testing> sessions on the new tires? Are the wear rates not known? I doubt I'm> thinking of something that nobody within a team hasn't thought of.>

Other possibility: they had less fuel in the last couple of laps of the> race than in the last couple of laps before a pit-stop, that is, they> pitted with a safe margin in the tank.>

Who knows?>

PS See you in June?

Brian Lawrence wrote:

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Thanks Brian. But I'm having trouble working out why the average> laptimes for those who finished the race aren't just in finishing> order. Surely <average lap time> * <number of laps> = <time to finish> the race> ? For the non-lapped people at least. Please can you point> out what I'm missing?

It looks as though Montoya slips below both Klien & Kimi, and JV below> Sato.>

I'll re-examine the numbers.

Laps Best Worst Average> ===================­====================­====================­==

6. C Klien Red Bull 57 1'26.627 1'47.380 1'29.409> 7. K Rдikkцnen McLaren 57 1'26.255 1'48.834 1'29.421> 8. JP Montoya McLaren 57 1'26.393 1'50.665 1'29.430

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With this being the first race and all, I think that the teams> didn't want to take any chances with the tires. What we saw at the> end of the race were tires that looked almost new. I expect them to> start pushing them very soon. But...>

Did you noticed Alonso being warned not to push the engine too hard?> Maybe that is much more a concern (to Renault at least) then the> tires.