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[vaptin]

Massa and Kimi didn't have a de-facto number 1 and 2 system, and I don't think Massa and Alonso have one either. Massa was required to move over once he was out of the championship race but Alonso wasn't.

Times change, Schumacher probably the most famous for wanting preferential treatment, has been driving on equal terms with Rosberg, even moved over for him a few times.

It's probably also better to be number 2 in a top team than number 1 in a lower team, where are Perez's other options? Redbull operate a number 1 and 2 system and have their own driver program, the McLaren drivers seem pretty tied up, and if Schumacher leaves Mercedes will probably go for a German driver (Hulkenburg?).

Ferrari don't but Redbull do

As for Perez he will go to Ferrari it's guaranteed.

Ferrari appear to have given Massa a chance to succeed,

Redbull seem to always back Vettel over Webber.

Admittedly, it might just be clearly because Massa's hardly ever competed with Alonso, so the decision was made for Ferrari.

[yamashek]

I think the back markers will make enough space this time.

[LewEngBridewell]

I think the back markers will make enough space this time.

Maybe not. Narain Karthikeyen will have even more reason not to yield to the grass, after what happened when he raced here for Jordan in 2005!

[BBCF1isBetter]

Looking forward to the race, and the fact that its back on the BBC Live!

Please get behind <- EDITED FOR CONTENT -->

Thanks

[zerrulp23]

More early starts for this third of four fly away races for the start of the 2012 season.

Lewis Hamilton won in spectacular fashion here last year.

Can he FINALLY turn a pole into a win? Will he even be able to get three poles in a row?

Red Bull will surely return to form but will Ferrari slip down again?

I'm excited already!!

Can't blame him for not converting his poles so far though, Button was on song in race 1, McLaren f**ked up his pitstops in Malaysia. He's in a good position in the WDC thus far which counts most. It's a different Lewis we see this year I think, his 2 major criteria for race weekends seem to be 1) Beat teammate, 2) Get good points. Clearly realizes the WDC is there for the taking, making race wins less mandatory.

Ferrari got a huge huge break here, I don't think they even dreamed of victory in the 1st half of 2012. They've made a good investment in Alonso for sure.

China is similar to Msia circuit wise, I'd put money on another McLaren front row lockout.

That is very true. I'm looking forward to this race. Hamilton i believe is taking his first win of the season.

[PartsaS]

I wonder if ever Seb goes to ferrari, who's gone be the number 2, cause I don't thing ferrari will ever have the ''race spirit'' to let their drivers compete. Thats why Massa is still in f1, he is a good dog for his master....

[Hammer278]

I wonder if ever Seb goes to ferrari, who's gone be the number 2, cause I don't thing ferrari will ever have the ''race spirit'' to let their drivers compete. Thats why Massa is still in f1, he is a good dog for his master....

He was a good dog, problem for Ferrari is he's now a lame dog which is also blind in 1 eye.

[vaptin]

Spirit of racing? Team orders are inherent in motorsport.

[spankyham]

Spirit of racing? Team orders are inherent in motorsport.

Got to agree with that.

I'd like to hear from team order critics when they think team orders began?

[bud]

Spirit of racing? Team orders are inherent in motorsport.

Got to agree with that.

I'd like to hear from team order critics when they think team orders began?

When Ferrari entered F1

End of the day you might like team orders because that's what a good tifosi is meant to do, follow the herd and all. But you cannot discount the critics view that racing should be racing and the fastest man wins. Not having a a driver sacrifice his own win for his team mate.

That's not racing that's choreographed driving.

[Hammer278]

Team orders are prevalent when it comes to achieving ultimate results within a team. What confuses Ferr...people is the spirit of racing where each and every driver on the grid is free to race each other. Ferrari is a team which employs drivers based on no.1 and no.2....when have you seen two great drivers in Ferrari together? I've started watching only from 1998 though but never have I seen this.

By 'great' I mean drivers who were at their top of the game in the previous season and brought into 1 team to compete against each other as well as the rest of the field.

McLaren as an example have had:

Senna - Prost
Kimi - JPM
Ham - Button

As for Ferrari, their strongest drivers Michael, Kimi and Alonso have never had a worthwhile teammate. Except that 1 year in 2007 where Kimi fell asleep and Massa showed unexpected pace.

[scotty]

Prost and Mansell in 1990, going back a little further Villeneuve and Scheckter? Hell, even Berger and Alesi were evenly matched, although perhaps not quite at champion level (another debate entirely!).

Even McLaren had the Hakkinen/DC dynamic where DC definitely became the assigned number 2 driver in the team.

[darwin dali]

Prost and Mansell in 1990, going back a little further Villeneuve and Scheckter? Hell, even Berger and Alesi were evenly matched, although perhaps not quite at champion level (another debate entirely!).

Even McLaren had the Hakkinen/DC dynamic where DC definitely became the assigned number 2 driver in the team.

You could go even further back like Ascari and Farina or Fangio and von Trips, etc.

[darwin dali]

Team orders are prevalent when it comes to achieving ultimate results within a team. What confuses Ferr...people is the spirit of racing where each and every driver on the grid is free to race each other. Ferrari is a team which employs drivers based on no.1 and no.2....when have you seen two great drivers in Ferrari together? I've started watching only from 1998 though but never have I seen this.

By 'great' I mean drivers who were at their top of the game in the previous season and brought into 1 team to compete against each other as well as the rest of the field.

McLaren as an example have had:

Senna - Prost
Kimi - JPM
Ham - Button

As for Ferrari, their strongest drivers Michael, Kimi and Alonso have never had a worthwhile teammate. Except that 1 year in 2007 where Kimi fell asleep and Massa showed unexpected pace.

Don't say, oh, I just started watching F1 in 1998 and have never seen, blah blah blah - but then you list Senna and Prost, thereby opening up the past beyond 1998. You go back further and you'll find all kinds of competitive pairings at Ferrari (see scotty's post, e.g.).

[mnmracer]

The accusations of #1 and #2 drivers usually start with sour grapes from the #2 driver's fans. I believe every team gives their drivers equal chances, but when it's become clear over time that one driver is simply faster than the other, it only makes sense to give them the edge in certain situations. Although it is often also blown out of proportions, whether it's alleged team favoritism in pit stops with McLaren when it's a simple matter of who's in front, or switching front wings that one driver wasn't even happy with.