Nico Rosberg says Mercedes don’t understand the problems which left them almost one-and-a-half seconds off the pace in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix.
“Very frustrating to be so far back and so off the pace,” Rosberg told reporters after qualifying. “Unbelievable.”
“We don’t know what it’s about,” said Rosberg when asked if the problem was tyre related. “For sure I’m lacking a lot of grip, but who knows. If we know what it’s about then we would have solved it, but we don’t know.”
Rosberg described the lengths he has gone to find his car’s missing performance. “I made set-up changes throughout the whole weekend, in all different directions,” he said, “big changes.”
“I’ve gone full circle: started with something, went all the way around, and then came back to what I started with for qualifying, and that was the best, so that was OK.”
“We’re going to dig into it but of course now you can’t change anything [under parc ferme rules] so it’s not really going to help us for tomorrow.”
Digitalrurouni
19th September 2015, 15:57
Wonder if the tyre pressure mandates are hurting them more than anyone else!
Becken Lima (@becken-lima)
19th September 2015, 16:01
Although Lauda said they’re running the same pressure of last year, that’s what Lewis said after Tyregate in Spa:
“…In terms of putting the pressures up, I don’t think it’s the right thing,” the world champion said. “But I don’t think any of us have tried 5psi more because they are not designed to have 5psi more; they work in a range.”
“So we will be moving out of the optimum range of the tyre, we’ll be using a different part of the tyre, which means more wear, less grip. It’s going to be a disaster.”
Nase (@)
19th September 2015, 16:04
@becken-lima
Seriously?
zekeri
19th September 2015, 19:18
Yeah. The one in next race (Monza) is also called deflategate or deflagate.
Nase (@)
20th September 2015, 11:20
Oh my. Let me guess: FP2 and FP3 in Singapore are to be remembered as “Sandbaggate”, Qualifying as “Ohtheyweren’tgate”, followed by today’s “Racegate”, which will be discussed in the subsequent “Podiumgate”, followed by “Pressgate”.
pxcmerc (@)
19th September 2015, 21:31
InflateGate
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
19th September 2015, 23:36
InFlagrante
Kotrba (@kotrba)
19th September 2015, 16:15
Well I think we will figure out the reason later rather than sooner. Maybe the were runing low pressures before and car was used and set up around it, but 1.5 sec is massive. Let see how they cope with the race tomorrow but right now I cant imagine them fighiting with Ferrari and Red Bulls unlees SC happens.
Fishingelbow (@fishingelbow)
19th September 2015, 21:03
Perhaps they should bring in Tom Brady as a consultant?
Alex
20th September 2015, 10:18
Guys, do you believe that mercedes will be competitive as ferrari in today race?