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

FIA Thursday press conference - Australia
Drivers: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Narain Karthikeyan (HRT), Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Mark Webber (Red Bull)

IU wont manage first practice, but I'm hoping to get up for the 2nd practice. Well I have intentions to anyway. Things look different when you are asleep.
 
Finally....after a delayed start, the season shall be commencing tomorrow morning.

Wouldn't it be a surprise if Mercedes walked away with this race...afterall, they finished the final test on top?

My money has to be on Vettel or Alonso. McLaren should be fighting in the midfield, though with the movable rear wing, I am expecting heroics from Hamilton, on race day.
 
McLaren will win the race with a 1 - 3, but result will be postponed until the FIA investigate an irregularity in some of the new parts that havent yet been tested.

The investigation will conclude that the parts are not within the spirit of the rules and therefore both cars will be struck from the results, even though Ferrari and RedBull are shown to have done similar and gotten away with it

The results will be published after Malaysia where McLaren run bogged down in the midfield without the new parts

:D:D:D
 
Clearly there will be a shock result as a splattering of rain a 3rd of the way into the race will catch a few drivers out when they deploy kers and the rear wings causing a large pile up and Williams to claim their first win since 2004...

Outside of the optimistic view of a random and fun gp its hard to look past Red Bull and Ferrari pushing for the front and all the good action being out side the top 3

Oh and cheers to AH for continuing the awesome gp thread's its always much appreciated :)
 
I found these bits interesting in James Allens lastest piece....

I spoke to one leading engineer who said that drivers need to understand that it’s okay to stay out on degrading tyres with your rival having pitted and catching you at 2 seconds a lap, if you save a pit stop by staying out doing a few slow laps. That would have been anathema to most drivers in recent years but it’s a reality they need to get their head around today.

Again confirming what Autosport said about drivers running seconds off the ultimate pace of the car and instead of driving flat out, driving to a predetermined pace.

BORING!

Hamilton will need to get his head round that fast.

Like many drivers, who have lost weight to allow for the KERS weight gain in the cars, Button looks stick thin, but he too is very positive. He knows that the tyres give him a chance; speaking this afternoon he said, “I said at the start that these are interesting, exciting tyres to drive and I’ve not changed my view.”

I don't like that such already fit drivers are shedding weight to allow for KERS and maintaining loads of ballast to move around. The weight limit should change more so this doesn't have to happen.

Although it’s giving something away to the Red Bull on raw pace, the Ferrari has been gentle on its rear tyres in testing and this will be crucial for Alonso and Massa’s hopes; their ace in the hand over the champion team, possibly.

No ones better on the rears than Alonso, It will be interesting to see how he is on the pirellis and how fast he adapts to new tyres in comparison to the rest.
 
I still don't believe that drivers will (on purpose), run 4-5s slower than the pace they are truly capable of. Certainly, Hamilton will not resort to doing this as he doesn't know any other way of driving, except for 'eye-balls-out' or 'balls-to-the-wall' (I love that phrase).

If anybody is capable of driving slow, it has to be Button, so I guess he will be the one to watch. If he does not resort to driving ultra slow (on purpose), then I can't see any other driver on the grid following the drive-slow tactic.

One thing's for sure, if some drivers on the grid choose to drive ultra-slow, Hamilton will rip past them and take the hit of an extra pit stop. It should make it exciting in that we will see 2 different strategies played out. This is bringing us back to the old days of 1 stop vs 2 stop refuelling strategies.

PS. The more I think about it, the more I'm wondering if Mercedes actually do have the fastest car on the grid. The last time we saw BrawnGP/Mercedes finish off testing in top spot, they won the World Championship. This year, Mercedes finished the last test in top spot. Ferrari certainly have the reliability, but Mercedes...I'm not sure. I can't believe that MSc is happy to finish another season as an also-ran.
 
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Just sat here ready to set off on my drive to Melbourne for the weekend. Cannot wait!

Bring on Sunday! Didn't rent a fancy lens this year but I'll try and put up any decent photos I get when I'm back...
 
megakid said:
Just sat here ready to set off on my drive to Melbourne for the weekend. Cannot wait!

Bring on Sunday! Didn't rent a fancy lens this year but I'll try and put up any decent photos I get when I'm back...
Click to expand...

Lucky sod, Il be at home watching it live in hd at mid night ;) practice is on in an hour, good old pluky brit who has an art exam all day tomorrow abf to sleep lol. :p:p
 
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