Australian Grand Prix 2012, Albert Park Circuit - Race 1/20

[~Mike~]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned.


I found it interesting with 4/5 laps to go, Lewis comes on the radio, but can't make out what he says,

His engineers reply is

"Ok Lewis, we still need to stay out, with four more laps to go we got to make it to the end, we are going to lose a lot of positions if we pit"

Watch/listen from 18:20ish

Seems Lewis thought his tyres had gone?

 

[Duke]

No other reason to pit unless there was wing damage, so yep expect so.

 

[TaKeN]

His engineer also tells him to press the blue button towards the end, which coincides with when he started to lose Vettel I think.

 

[MooMoo444]

Vettels luck continues with that SC

Good race though, I just hope McLaren arent the new red bull, they seem very quick

 

[GravyMonster]

I get the impression that McLaren had more pace than they showed, but were forced to hold back due to underfuelling the cars.

Button's fastest lap at the end proved they had time in hand.

 

[schumi84]

I felt it was well worth staying up all night to watch the race live, not massively action-packed, however not the worst season-opener there has been.

Really happy for Button to get the win, however I am a bit concerned with the Mercedes apparant lack of race-pace. Even without his issue I doubt very much that Michael would have challenged the top 3 and would have been hard pushed to get top 5. Glad it is only a week 'til the next race and hopefully they will have a bit more luck.

Season predictions are still up in the air at the moment, going to take at least a couple more races to see where everyone stands. Even if the front becomes a bit one-sided, the mid-field looks extremely competitive so should be an intriguing battle

 

[dannyjo22]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned.


I found it interesting with 4/5 laps to go, Lewis comes on the radio, but can't make out what he says,

His engineers reply is

"Ok Lewis, we still need to stay out, with four more laps to go we got to make it to the end, we are going to lose a lot of positions if we pit"

Watch/listen from 18:20ish

Seems Lewis thought his tyres had gone?

It's extremely weird how often you get these sort of messages between lewis and his team, being coaxed to stay with it when for some reason he want's to come into the pits.

It's as though when he's beaten he's head just goes.

I find it odd that as a rookie he dealt with Alonso's mind games far more than Buttons more subtle approach. Is that because he knew back then that Ron was 100% in his corner?

I'm going to find the battle between these two far more interesting than the title battle this season. First blood to Button.

 

[englishpremier]

Don't know why hami is getting stick. Bad start but got screwed by the sc. Would a hami of past 2 years try to over drive and crash like has happened before?

I think he was screwed by the safety car. Vettel was lapping faster than Hamilton, catching him hand over fist. Hamilton pits, and Vettel started putting in a stonking in lap. It's touch and go as to whether Hamilton would have maintained his lead.

 

[Kimi]

Im not to worried for Mercedes pace, Schumacher had gearbox problems pretty much from start so its not to bad that he was unable to keep pace, also remember this year they are not chasing the car, but chasing performance, the W01 was the wrong wheelbase and took until Spain to change it, from there they were chasing their tails again, the W02 had massive cooling problems until early mid season, this time, there are no 'massive' problems, so its good for the future.

Im putting a bet on Mercedes pole in Malaysia, the long straights will really suit it, predicting a strong race for Schumi there

 

[Overlag]

It's extremely weird how often you get these sort of messages between lewis and his team, being coaxed to stay with it when for some reason he want's to come into the pits.

It's as though when he's beaten he's head just goes.

I find it odd that as a rookie he dealt with Alonso's mind games far more than Buttons more subtle approach. Is that because he knew back then that Ron was 100% in his corner?

I'm going to find the battle between these two far more interesting than the title battle this season. First blood to Button.

This is why Jenson is a much better driver, he believes in his team and listens. Lewis just whines like a baby the moment something doesn't go his way and thinks he knows better. His style of driving 110% means he is overall slower than Jenson due to killing is tyres off. Jenson for Championship number 2

 

[dannyjo22]

This is why Jenson is a much better driver, he believes in his team and listens. Lewis just whines like a baby the moment something doesn't go his way and thinks he knows better. His style of driving 110% means he is overall slower than Jenson due to killing is tyres off. Jenson for Championship number 2

I've never hidden my early detest for Lewis but I've come round to enjoying how he used to race. Balls out and the tyres used to live with it. I think it's great to have that in F1 as well as all these drivers racing at 95% with a carefully scripted race plan.

Part of me misses the hammer and tongs of a MS and Mika trading fastest lap after fastest lap. Lewis would have been immense at that.

Jenson is supremely confident in himself and the team. Where as Lewis seems far more fragile, perhaps the teams and Rons doing when he knew every thing was for him.

I'd be over the moon to see Jenson do what everyone thought he wouldn't do once but another part of me would be happy to see Lewis win another because I feel he needs it. He needs to rebuild his confidence so we can all see the racer that didn't have so much self doubt. I feel if Jenson beats him to a title at Mclaren he will spiral downwards.

Both are great in their own way and that's why it works so well at Mclaren.

 

[Lunatic Dreyfus]

*waves Jenson Button flag and dusts of the Kimi one too*

Lewis seems a touch out of sorts again and his flakiness can't be going down well at McLaren. As for Di Resta, I wonder if he ever gets remotely excited about anything. Miserable so and so.

Cracking race though, even if I did miss the first ten minutes of the highlights.

 

[Kimi]

The difference is Jenson is a man, and Lewis is a boy

 

[Jono8]

As has been said in this thread, if Jenson beats Lewis to a title this season, it could be the end of Lewis.

 

[Skeeter]

As has been said in this thread, if Jenson beats Lewis to a title this season, it could be the end of Lewis a McLaren.

Corrected.

 

[Jono8]

Corrected.

well yes that, but mainly Lewis' mind/sanity

 

[Setroc]

I think he was screwed by the safety car. Vettel was lapping faster than Hamilton, catching him hand over fist. Hamilton pits, and Vettel started putting in a stonking in lap. It's touch and go as to whether Hamilton would have maintained his lead.

Looking at the 6 laps before Hamilton pitted, we have vettel catching by

1 tenth
0 tenths
3 tenths
0 tenths
2 tenths
3 tenths

and at the point of Hamilton's pitstop, he was still 1.6 seconds ahead of Vettel. Add this to the fact that the first person to pit is the one with the advantage during the pit stops, and it would have been basically impossible for Vettel to make up the gap.

Hamilton just doesn't seem like a happy bunny right now, so I think we'll see Button winning the inter-team battle again.

 

[dannyjo22]

Corrected.

Do you think though there's another team out there which could take him as an undisputed no 1 to rebuild his confidence if it did happen.

Certainly not Ferrari or Red Bull, maybe Merc depending on MS.

How about this, Indy? Better for his bint and maybe better for his style of racing. He would still get paid very well and his personality would make him even more money and fans.

As I say it's pure speculation, he could just as easily turn this round and beat Button over the season. As I said last year Button had his best ever season, Lewis had his worst and the gap wasn't huge.

 

[schumi84]

Im not to worried for Mercedes pace, Schumacher had gearbox problems pretty much from start so its not to bad that he was unable to keep pace, also remember this year they are not chasing the car, but chasing performance, the W01 was the wrong wheelbase and took until Spain to change it, from there they were chasing their tails again, the W02 had massive cooling problems until early mid season, this time, there are no 'massive' problems, so its good for the future.

Im putting a bet on Mercedes pole in Malaysia, the long straights will really suit it, predicting a strong race for Schumi there

I hope this is true, however Nico wasn't particularly strong in the race either and didn't seem to have any issues, other than late on getting smacked up a bit .

Going back to the McLaren situation, this season certainly could be the make or break for Lewis there if Jenson continues his great form. All the signs point to this season being one of the best of recent times not just at the front but all the way down the grid.

 

[3dcandy]

Merc do still seem to have a car that just goes off far too quickly...it has happened so much over the last 2 seasons you'd have thought they may have got a handle on it.
On a little side note, JA's site has a driver of the day poll, and Button is currently winning it, but you should see the amount of people whinging on about he had such a massive car advantage, yet Lewis isn't even in the poll. Some people are just never happy....will the same people be moaning how mclaren's car has made it boring in a few months time?