Australian Grand Prix 2014, Melbourne - Race 1/19

[this_is_gav]

The engine noise in testing didn't bother me, but it's more of an issue when the commentators were talking over the top - you could barely hear them. I still (generally) like the sound they make, but the FIA need to turn the volume up. It was interesting hearing the sounds you don't often hear though - bottoming out was much clearer and you could easily make out the stones hitting the car as they ran over the kerbs, something (other than an off into the gravel) I can't say I've heard for a long time.

Have to say the McLaren and Williams sound very good and the Red Bull isn't too bad with its higher-pitch. The Ferrari sounds dreadful though - very wheezy.

I'll take the engine noise if it means we keep on seeing the cars move around so much - much more than I was expecting (but then many teams haven't had as much pre-season running as they'd like). The torque looked fun (very fun actually) more than a handful, but any wet running will be a wake-up call for many of the drivers.

The Red Bull looks *awesome* in the corners. They'll easily be up challenging Mercedes on pace before mid-season (I wouldn't put it past them being just a few seconds behind on Sunday). Given how much running they managed too, you have to think any talk of them struggling in the championship was very premature.

The Lotus looks appalling. Shocking. It's far, far worse than any Marussia, Caterham or HRT we've had. It looked undrivable, with the only surprise being how long Grosjean managed to keep it out of the wall. They're on par with Super Aguri when they first came in with bits randomly dropping off their car.

I maintain we'll get only get 5 or 6 retirements from reliability issues... but will the Lotus even make it out of the garage on Sunday?

Worrying that a couple of teams have already had to change one aspect of the power-units. Some teams will be taking grid penalties by Silverstone at this rate (Lotus).

There's no doubting the RB is a fast car. It has the most developed aero package of any car. The issue they have is simply making it to the finish line.

Well Ricciardo managed a race distance over the 2 sessions, and you can't change the power unit in the time between, so I'd say they're looking in "OK" shape reliability wise. Vettel had an eventful second session, but that was down to a couple of lapses of concentration on his part.

Looks like we'll have more retirements through spins than cars dying.

 

[Irish_Tom]

So all the pundits are saying the RB corner entry speed and stability is about the best, plus overall speed looks good (or much better than expected). Knowing how much they improve through the season, it's already pretty ominous

Good to see though that Hamilton missed an entire session pretty much, and still could put it top.

Lotus look absolutely awful, and Chipfat seems to like blocking people

There's no doubting the RB is a fast car. It has the most developed aero package of any car. The issue they have is simply making it to the finish line.

But of course, anyone with the audacity to suggest anything of the sort since the final test in Bahrain is misguided and a RBR fanboi.

 

[Shimmy]

Nifty look at the trick McLaren rear wishbones.

RBR engine cover and side pods off.

If you missed that funny bit from FP1 where Lewis got questioned at the turnstiles in full race apparel, it's here:
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/9212230/hamilton-stopped-by-guard

 

[Gambisk]

I had no doubt that redbull would be competative, but I thought with the lack of running on the Renault engines in general that they would perhaps be more off the pace than they are.

Has today cleared up the other big unknown of how thirsty the different power plants are?

 

[deuse]

So all the pundits are saying the RB corner entry speed and stability is about the best, plus overall speed looks good (or much better than expected). Knowing how much they improve through the season, it's already pretty ominous

I heard the same.......just before vimto went off

 

[~Mike~]

lol at the security guard

 

[Flibster]

What the flip is up with live timing? Why aren't I getting sector times?

Removed from the desktop app.

Now only appears on the android/ios app. Not entirely sure what you get in the free version, but yesterday the premium version was £7.49

 

[antijoke]

Looking forward to seeing the race this weekend what with all the changes and the new cars, should be a good race with lots of unknowns.

 

[alx]

I had no doubt that redbull would be competative, but I thought with the lack of running on the Renault engines in general that they would perhaps be more off the pace than they are.

Has today cleared up the other big unknown of how thirsty the different power plants are?

This is definitely a big question - who can sustain the most power for the race duration.

No point in being fast in quali if you have to turn down your engine massively just to finish the race.....

 

[smr]

Buttons first radio message of the year: "can we talk about balance?".

That's debatable as not all radio messages get aired

 

[smr]

Just finished watching P1 and P2... so Jenson's P2 time was set on Medium compound (the only driver to set his fastest P2 time on Mediums?)

 

[drunkenmaster]

This is definitely a big question - who can sustain the most power for the race duration.

No point in being fast in quali if you have to turn down your engine massively just to finish the race.....

Some of that is software though, Red Bull themselves are saying their software is, iffy. In terms of smoothing out power delivery and that is where I think Merc look so good and likely have a fuel advantage. Not sure why people are saying RBR looks most stable in to corners. Horner highlighted it and it was plain to see that Vettel and Ferrari in general were power sliding in to corners. With the software trying to harvest power the breaking isn't predictable enough, causing one actual fairly large off for Vettel at the start of a lap but he was ragged through loads of corners doing that.

Merc's(engine but team as well) smoothness in that same situation is what has them likely on the front foot during the race.

less ragged into corners, less power sliding, less locking up, better tyre wear and better power delivery all pretty much mean less wasted power.

Horner hinted the software is currently very aggressive in harvesting power, is that because it has to be for fuel, or just bad software and reducing it will actually improve fuel efficiency simply with less dodgy corners throughout a race.

Times are misleading currently, because Hamilton/Rosberg frankly looked so comfortable from what I saw of their fastest laps while Vettel was on the verge of putting it in the wall while still being 7/10ths down, Alonso was pretty much the same, on the ragged edge.

The long run pace looked impressive but without knowing what fuel was on board, who knows how good it actually was. I did find it funny that the commentators say a 1:42, up from a 1:33.5 and said, oh, it's okay he changed to the medium tyre... like a 9 second gap was a sensible change for a slower tyre. Then when he did a 1:33.5 the next lap they were acting like it was the best lap ever driven to shave 9 seconds off


I do feel like Merc can extend their lead at will at the moment while RBR/Ferrari can barely improve while managing to stay on the track. red/yellow flags in qualifying could be pretty important, anyone not setting an early time, frankly, before a Lotus goes out there, is risking a hell of a lot. Wouldn't be surprised to see at least a few drivers caught out by flags ruining laps and running out of time.

 

[Mr Jack]

Removed from the desktop app.

Now only appears on the android/ios app. Not entirely sure what you get in the free version, but yesterday the premium version was £7.49

Oh for word's-unsuitable-for-OCUK's sake. So the [redacted] little [redacted]s have made it so you can only get the proper timings on your phone and, probably, that you have to pay for it?

Are any of the mirror timing sites still up?

 

[Glaucus]

Merc just seem to have an all round balance. From grip, to reliability, to fuel usage.

Ferrari seem to have a very fast car, but a bit of a handful and a thirsty engine.

RBR aerodynamics and cornering speed look excellent. However have unreliability and an engine which is down on hp.

McLaren seem to be similar to Mercedes, but just a slower car.

 

[413x]

tbh lotus may as well call it a day now :/

 

[Skeeter]

Oh for word's-unsuitable-for-OCUK's sake. So the [redacted] little [redacted]s have made it so you can only get the proper timings on your phone and, probably, that you have to pay for it?

Are any of the mirror timing sites still up?

I've used the F1LT app for the last few years. Not checked if its still active though.

 

[dannyjo22]

Merc just seem to have an all round balance. From grip, to reliability, to fuel usage.

Ferrari seem to have a very fast car, but a bit of a handful and a thirsty engine.

How do you know fuel usage comparisons? Have they released starting weights etc from test days. Apologies I haven't been following testing.

 

[Glaucus]

Of course they haven't released such sensitive information, but this is what everyone in the paddock is summarising. Due to their lap times on long runs and the onboard showing common fuel saving techniques, like lifting off early.

 

[Skeeter]

Yeah it's been a widely reported "feeling" from testing. Nobody is admitting it, but a number of people have suggested it and nobody has made any real efforts to deny it.

It seems far more credible than the rumor that the Renault is 100bhp down on the others, which just seems a bit obscene.

Only time will tell though.

 

[Glaucus]

Agreed, Renault maybe down, but if they are, I think its due to them not running at max, due to there issues. Rather than actually down on power. And they are seeming getting a handle in their reliability extremely fast.

Can't wait for the race, this year more than any other is, wtf is going to happen. Will lotus make it past the first Pit stop,