The Official 2011 Australian GP Thread ****Spoilers!!****
Posted by mcdo
At last, after one of the best seasons in recent memory, the challenge begins afresh. With a new tyre supplier, a mix of modern and retro liveries and new additions to the driver line-up to chase the usual suspects, five world champions, no less, the F1 whirlwind is descending on Melbourne.
Commiserations to Bahrain (and Robert Kubica), but I'm glad the new season kicks off in Melbourne once again. The pre-season form book is not reliable, the results are usually surprising and a rainy start to the weekend is forecast. We're currently set for a mild and sunny race day.
It's a great track facing mounting doubts about its viability. Let's relish it while we can.
Here's to Webber taking out his home GP.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2011 12:06PM by mortal.
The two week long extension has made an already exciting prospect even more exciting. Oz and F1 season starts is PERFECT.
Should be an epic race, and whilst the teams and drivers are new to tyres in full race conditions, its our best chance for an odd result.
My only prediction is that on lap 1, turn 2 we will see an accident :p.
My hope - A Williams podium on genuine pace, failing that a top 6 would be good enough
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
Should be an epic race, and whilst the teams and drivers are new to tyres in full race conditions, its our best chance for an odd result.
My only prediction is that on lap 1, turn 2 we will see an accident :p.
My hope - A Williams podium on genuine pace, failing that a top 6 would be good enough
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
I think he'll do fairly well. If he's within 2-3 tenths of Luizzi here then he's done well IMO. I quite like him so hope he does well.
Its nice to know Mclaren spent the winter testing a brazilian exhaust solutions only to copy RedBull come Australia because their ideas didnt work
. And I love MW's PR to say they went for a simpler solution.
Basically, they f*cked up, RedBull got it right so they copied them. I did like MW alot but if he continues with this RonSpeak then ill just grow to hate him i think. I liked MW because he seemed genuine... MW's favourite sentence last year was 'unlock the potential'. I hope he's changed his tune this year and will just admit RedBull and Ferrari have built better cars, again!
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
Its nice to know Mclaren spent the winter testing a brazilian exhaust solutions only to copy RedBull come Australia because their ideas didnt work
. And I love MW's PR to say they went for a simpler solution.Basically, they f*cked up, RedBull got it right so they copied them. I did like MW alot but if he continues with this RonSpeak then ill just grow to hate him i think. I liked MW because he seemed genuine... MW's favourite sentence last year was 'unlock the potential'. I hope he's changed his tune this year and will just admit RedBull and Ferrari have built better cars, again!
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
chet Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think he'll do fairly well. If he's within 2-3
> tenths of Luizzi here then he's done well IMO. I
> quite like him so hope he does well.
>
> Its nice to know Mclaren spent the winter testing
> a brazilian exhaust solutions only to copy RedBull
> come Australia because their ideas didnt work.
> And I love MW's PR to say they went for a simpler
> solution.
>
> Basically, they f*cked up, RedBull got it right so
> they copied them. I did like MW alot but if he
> continues with this RonSpeak then ill just grow to
> hate him i think. I liked MW because he seemed
> genuine... MW's favourite sentence last year was
> 'unlock the potential'. I hope he's changed his
> tune this year and will just admit RedBull and
> Ferrari have built better cars, again!
Better to copy a system that work's until they can sort their own system out.
Teams copy each other all the time, it's nothing new?
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think he'll do fairly well. If he's within 2-3
> tenths of Luizzi here then he's done well IMO. I
> quite like him so hope he does well.
>
> Its nice to know Mclaren spent the winter testing
> a brazilian exhaust solutions only to copy RedBull
> come Australia because their ideas didnt work
.> And I love MW's PR to say they went for a simpler
> solution.
>
> Basically, they f*cked up, RedBull got it right so
> they copied them. I did like MW alot but if he
> continues with this RonSpeak then ill just grow to
> hate him i think. I liked MW because he seemed
> genuine... MW's favourite sentence last year was
> 'unlock the potential'. I hope he's changed his
> tune this year and will just admit RedBull and
> Ferrari have built better cars, again!
Better to copy a system that work's until they can sort their own system out.
Teams copy each other all the time, it's nothing new?
mika19b Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Better to copy a system that work's until they can
> sort their own system out.
>
> Teams copy each other all the time, it's nothing
> new?
Oh, I agree, but for Mclaren to test 4 exhaust options, struggle, then turn upto Oz with a direct RBR copy and claim a 1 second improvement is pretty funny, no?
I love their enthusiasm in that they tested these 4 options. I love how they looked at pretty innovative procedures and materials, its nice to see in F1. But I perhaps love more that they have copied RBR and claimed a 1 second improvement, YET claimed that they had to for a "simpler" option. It just doesnt add up to me. IMO they saw RBR's exhaust copied it, found it was an improvement and had MW talk some PR BS to the press about a simpler option. I dont buy it. They have their current setup because its better. Not because its simpler.
Now I dont profess to be a Mclaren fan. As people know, I am pretty much in love with Button and anything he touches, but I am no fan of Mclaren. I like Martin Whitmarsh but still maybe my opinion is slightly biased against them?
Then again, I dislike Horner and Vettel. Purely because they are so awesome at what they do, yet I admire RBR for the team they are. They are F1's best all round team by a loooooong way and probably will for at least 3-5 years.
I guess it comes down to me not liking Mclarens approach of image beats everything. They couldnt turn upto Oz and say RBR's idea was better than ours, therefore we have copied it. They had to think of an excuse or alternative.
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
-------------------------------------------------------
> Better to copy a system that work's until they can
> sort their own system out.
>
> Teams copy each other all the time, it's nothing
> new?
Oh, I agree, but for Mclaren to test 4 exhaust options, struggle, then turn upto Oz with a direct RBR copy and claim a 1 second improvement is pretty funny, no?
I love their enthusiasm in that they tested these 4 options. I love how they looked at pretty innovative procedures and materials, its nice to see in F1. But I perhaps love more that they have copied RBR and claimed a 1 second improvement, YET claimed that they had to for a "simpler" option. It just doesnt add up to me. IMO they saw RBR's exhaust copied it, found it was an improvement and had MW talk some PR BS to the press about a simpler option. I dont buy it. They have their current setup because its better. Not because its simpler.
Now I dont profess to be a Mclaren fan. As people know, I am pretty much in love with Button and anything he touches, but I am no fan of Mclaren. I like Martin Whitmarsh but still maybe my opinion is slightly biased against them?
Then again, I dislike Horner and Vettel. Purely because they are so awesome at what they do, yet I admire RBR for the team they are. They are F1's best all round team by a loooooong way and probably will for at least 3-5 years.
I guess it comes down to me not liking Mclarens approach of image beats everything. They couldnt turn upto Oz and say RBR's idea was better than ours, therefore we have copied it. They had to think of an excuse or alternative.
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
Ha! 45 seconds into the 1st practice session of 2011, Chandohk wrecks! Clearly money does not buy talent...
GPGSL Team Owner Debut - Melbourne, Season 8 - present
GPGSL Test Debut - Hungary, Season 4. GPGSL Race Debut - Adelaide, Season 5.
GPGSL Team Owner Debut - Melbourne, Season 8 - present
GPGSL Test Debut - Hungary, Season 4. GPGSL Race Debut - Adelaide, Season 5.
23mins to go...
Still no HRT time. What a joke.
_______________________________________________________________________
Still no HRT time. What a joke.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wow! See the chunk out of Vettels front left tire after just 8 laps! Apparently caused by too much front wing? Horner just said it was damage from hitting a kern...?
Either way, after P1 it appears that it is Red Bull by how far this weekend...
GPGSL Team Owner Debut - Melbourne, Season 8 - present
GPGSL Test Debut - Hungary, Season 4. GPGSL Race Debut - Adelaide, Season 5.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2011 04:11AM by shep34.
Either way, after P1 it appears that it is Red Bull by how far this weekend...
GPGSL Team Owner Debut - Melbourne, Season 8 - present
GPGSL Test Debut - Hungary, Season 4. GPGSL Race Debut - Adelaide, Season 5.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2011 04:11AM by shep34.
I think interesting is the word.
RBR very active with their rear wing. Seems strange though. Mclaren looked to have used it in a more race specific sense, but Vettel was opening his wing at every chance. Surely that gives a skewed picture?
I think RBR used a fresh set of rubber at the end too whereas I dont think Ferrari, Mercedes or Mclaren did.
With so much going on, hard to get a picture on DRS/KERS/Tyres. Still too many variables. I was disapointed in the lack of KERS graphics too.
Nico slowed on his best lap for some reason.. Couldnt see why, but looking okay for Mercedes!
edit - Kobayashis engine cover. Did the same happen in testing? I remember pics of sauber with a chunk missing at one point...
edit 2 - Button's times against Hamiltons in that final run were interesting, caught the attention from some on autosport forum. Only FP1 but there was a clear difference in pace favouring Button ranging from 0.5 - 1 sec / lap (i think!). FP2 will tell more, and it's likely they treated this entirely as a test session rather than focusing on times.
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2011 04:18AM by chet.
RBR very active with their rear wing. Seems strange though. Mclaren looked to have used it in a more race specific sense, but Vettel was opening his wing at every chance. Surely that gives a skewed picture?
I think RBR used a fresh set of rubber at the end too whereas I dont think Ferrari, Mercedes or Mclaren did.
With so much going on, hard to get a picture on DRS/KERS/Tyres. Still too many variables. I was disapointed in the lack of KERS graphics too.
Nico slowed on his best lap for some reason.. Couldnt see why, but looking okay for Mercedes
!edit - Kobayashis engine cover. Did the same happen in testing? I remember pics of sauber with a chunk missing at one point...
edit 2 - Button's times against Hamiltons in that final run were interesting, caught the attention from some on autosport forum. Only FP1 but there was a clear difference in pace favouring Button ranging from 0.5 - 1 sec / lap (i think!). FP2 will tell more, and it's likely they treated this entirely as a test session rather than focusing on times.
"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2011 04:18AM by chet.
> I think RBR used a fresh set of rubber at the end
> too whereas I dont think Ferrari, Mercedes or
> Mclaren did.
Horner confirmed this in an interview with OneHD here in Australia, straight after the session ended....
GPGSL Team Owner Debut - Melbourne, Season 8 - present
GPGSL Test Debut - Hungary, Season 4. GPGSL Race Debut - Adelaide, Season 5.
> too whereas I dont think Ferrari, Mercedes or
> Mclaren did.
Horner confirmed this in an interview with OneHD here in Australia, straight after the session ended....
GPGSL Team Owner Debut - Melbourne, Season 8 - present
GPGSL Test Debut - Hungary, Season 4. GPGSL Race Debut - Adelaide, Season 5.
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