Australian Grand Prix 2011, Albert Park Circuit - Race 1/19

Australian Grand Prix - top three drivers
Podium finishers Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Vitaly Petrov give their reactions to the Australian Grand Prix and their prospects for the rest of the Formula 1 season.


The Australian Grand Prix
Jake Humphrey introduces live coverage as the eagerly anticipated 2011 Formula 1 season begins in Australia.
Last year Britain's Jenson Button took the chequered flag by 12 seconds in a race that began in damp conditions. The 2009 world champion gambled early on by switching his McLaren to dry tyres, it was a decision that moved him into second place, and when polesitter Sebastian Vettel's day ended in a gravel trap, Button inherited the lead and never looked back. The now-injured Robert Kubica finished second in his Renault, with the Ferrari of Felipe Massa completing the podium.
Martin Brundle and David Coulthard supply the commentary.
 
No great surprise that the arrogant tosspot that is Vettel wins another race...i guess Webber is still playing 2nd fiddle to the RBR golden boy:p.

Nice to see Hamilton get 2nd place....hopefully next race he can get some wins under his belt and make a real proper challenge for the race.
 
Interesting Flibster!

I fell asleep for some parts of the race, tbh.. I expected it to be more exciting. Pleased for Hamilton and Petrov though! :)
 
Word on twitter: "The Sauber cars contravened FIA Technical regulations with regard to dimensions at the rear of the car". Don't know whether that's true; seems a bit of strange thing to get wrong.
 
Disqualified for breaching regulations 3.10.1 and 3.10.2

The concave radius of sections of the uppermost rear wing element in contact with external air were under the legal minimum of 100mm

3.10 Bodywork behind the rear wheel centre line :


3.10.1

Any bodywork more than 150mm behind the rear wheel centre line which is between 150mm and 730mm above the reference plane, and between 75mm and 355mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between 150mm and 350mm behind the rear wheel centre line and between 300mm and 400mm above the reference plane. When viewed from the side of the car no longitudinal cross section may have more than one section in this area. Furthermore, no part of this section in contact with the external air stream may have a local concave radius of curvature smaller than 100mm.


Once this section is defined, ‘gurney’ type trim tabs may be fitted to the trailing edge. When measured in any longitudinal cross section no dimension of any such trim tab may exceed 20mm.

3.10.2

Other than the bodywork defined in Article 3.10.9, any bodywork behind a point lying 50mm forward of the rear wheel centre line which is more than 730mm above the reference plane, and less than 355mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between the rear wheel centre line and a point 350mm behind it.

With the exception of minimal parts solely associated with adjustment of the section in accordance with Article 3.18 :

- when viewed from the side of the car, no longitudinal cross section may have more than two sections in this area, each of which must be closed.

- no part of these longitudinal cross sections in contact with the external air stream may have a local concave radius of curvature smaller than 100mm.

Once the rearmost and uppermost section is defined, ‘gurney’ type trim tabs may be fitted to the trailing edge. When measured in any longitudinal cross section no dimension of any such trim tab may exceed 20mm.

The chord of the rearmost and uppermost closed section must always be smaller than the chord of the lowermost section at the same lateral station.

Furthermore, the distance between adjacent sections at any longitudinal plane must lie between 10mm and 15mm at their closest position, except, in accordance with Article 3.18, when this distance must lie between 10mm and 50mm.
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Lewis and vettel are going to be so very close.......so very very close....

I am amaized how quick that car is, even with a broken front, Lewis still managed to keep up a good pace. :) Mr Brightside:D
 
Flibster said:
The concave radius of sections of the uppermost rear wing element in contact with external air were under the legal minimum of 100mm
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Wow. That's an extraordinarily basic error. Someone's going to be in trouble. I wonder whether there will be an appeal?
 
So one rookie still gets points! Congrats to Di Resta, shame about the Saubers, but think their pace can be continued through to the next few rounds.
 
Kerming said:
Lewis and vettel are going to be so very close.......so very very close....
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They will not be, unless Mclaren do something amazing. The gap between them is artificial, Vettel maintaining a gap without going mad on the tyres.

They have plenty of time in hand when they require it. I don't think it's as close as the final times make it look.

Hopefully Mclaren can pull out a few aces to make it vagely interesting.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong. But the RBR will be very well balanced due to having no ker system constantly trying to recharge the battery? I can't say I've seen them lock a wheel yet under braking.
 
That overtake by Button was interesting to see. Is its *kers* use limited? (kinda a novice...)

Vettel ran an almost perfect race, just glad Hamilton stayed up there too, I'll take it having seen the great start Vettel had.

Bring on the next race!
 
dannyjo22 said:
They will not be, unless Mclaren do something amazing. The gap between them is artificial, Vettel maintaining a gap without going mad on the tyres.
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Don't forget that Hamilton was catching Vettel fast before the first pitstop. There was just 1.5 seconds gap when Vettel went in for tyres. If Lewis hadn't fluffed the start he might well have got close enough to take a punt at him.

Still, I can't help feel we're seeing the same thing that happened last time KERS was tried - the best approach is to build a damn fine car and sod the KERS. It gives you an advantage, sure, but it's not one worth compromising the rest of the car over.

And maybe one day the FIA will actually do something about Red Bull's flexing wings.
 
TaKeN said:
Correct me if I'm wrong. But the RBR will be very well balanced due to having no ker system constantly trying to recharge the battery? I can't say I've seen them lock a wheel yet under braking.
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Yep, as i said earlier it would be interesting to see a lap with kers on, I have an idea they would be slower than they are now. As long as you stay out in front kers is pretty pointless.

Also mclaren literally threw those parts together, will be interesting to see if they have some proper revised parts for the next race, that mclaren might have a a lot of raw pace now they have simplified it, just need to iron the simplified designs out.
 
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