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Grand Prix thread 2017 Not606 Australian GP Chat and Predictions

Discussion in 'Formula 1' started by EternalMSC, Mar 20, 2017.

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Who Will Manage to Manhandle These Beasts Around Albert Park?

Poll closed Mar 25, 2017.
  1. Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES

    61.9%
  2. Valtteri Bottas MERCEDES

    4.8%
  3. Sebastian Vettel FERRARI

    19.0%
  4. Kimi Raikkonen FERRARI

    9.5%
  5. Nico Hulkenberg RENAULT

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  6. Sergio Perez FORCE INDIA

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  7. Daniel Ricciardo REDBULL

    4.8%
  8. Max Verstappen REDBULL

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  9. Felipe Massa WILLIAMS

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  10. OTHER: PLEASE STATE

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. Number 1 Jasper

    Number 1 Jasper Well-Known Member

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    What about some races were the Friday is for testing? Maybe every 4 races or so? Then the fans that pay get to see some action all day on the Friday?

    Good point by the way.
     
    #221
  2. Smithers

    Smithers Well-Known Member
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    I've always argued for free testing on Friday, 2 official Saturday practise sessions with quali and then the race on Sunday. Alternatively open the Monday after the race fir free testing when there is no track advantage to be gained.
     
    #222
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  3. Smithers

    Smithers Well-Known Member
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    Thought Alonso was heroic.
    Palmer, KMag, Ericisson, Stroll & Van need a better race next time.

    Superb by Vettel even if the pit stops played into their hands.
    Bottas was definatley call off which indicates teams are already thinking the long game.
    Merc are great out front, or great recovering from the back. In a **** fight they look like headless chickens!
    This is not a track to judge future performance, but I don't think the Ferrari will fade.
     
    #223
  4. moreinjuredthanowen

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    So basically interest race but a bit dull too.

    1. Hamilton comment. Car only came to him at end? Does that mean on heavy fuel his cafe is harder on tyres or not as ferrari in Speed?

    2. Ferrari clearly decided to go long but it would have been wrong decision had verstappen turned off. Raikkonen needed to the park is car all but to ensure pit stop overtake if that happened.

    3. Overtaking was non existent. It is Street circuit but it's very serious indication for rest of season.

    4. Yes rookies all get need to do better mark.

    5. Perez in 7th interesting.

    6. Massa showed what a Williams with a decent driver can do.
     
    #224
  5. EternalMSC

    EternalMSC Well-Known Member

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    Loved the way Seb stayed on Lew. The overcut was similar to Sch/Hak Suzuka 2000. Sad day for Danny Ric and Grosjean. Perez made some excellent overtakes. Massa solid drive. STR can be proud of their boys. Alonso and Hulk outdriving their respective ****-box. Apparently Kimi already knew about his understeer issue in Qualy, and "know what they need to do" for China.
     
    #225
  6. Smithers

    Smithers Well-Known Member
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    Just a quick note on the 5 second gain. The current race pace was significantly faster than last year and even though the fastest lap delta was only 2.3 I think the average will be higher than that.

    Also with the increased drag and weight(*) a street circuit is less likely to yield greater returns than traditional circuits. All things considered I think the cars were pretty impressive and would expect crazy speeds at Barca compared to testing.

    (*) Minimum car weight is up 20kg from 702 to 722 and the Merc and Ferrari are a further 5kg overweight. In addition they are carrying more fuel (5kg or 10kg?)

    So an estimated 30-35kg weight penalty on last year which would equate to between 0.9 & 1.5 sec depending on track configuration and tyre compound.
     
    #226
  7. EternalMSC

    EternalMSC Well-Known Member

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    Ferrari Birthday and Christmas came at once this weekend. 100% reliability, reserve driver gets to make debut. Race win, leading WDC and WCC. Couldn't ask for more. Mercedes knocked off their perch.
     
    #227
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  8. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    I wish I'd held back my vote 'til after qualifying as I called a Ferrari win once I'd seen the times. Not going to read much into the result as a precursor to the rest of the season as Ferrari simply did what they looked like they were going to do here last season. Not sure why Hamilton stopped when he did, whether he'd done his tyres in trying to storm away, or if the mercs old tyre problem is back, but the fact when he had fresh tyres he couldn't pass Verstappen doesn't bode well for the on track action for the rest of the season.
     
    #228
  9. allsaintchris.

    allsaintchris. Well-Known Member

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    certainly better than a kick in the nuts!
     
    #229
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  10. EternalMSC

    EternalMSC Well-Known Member

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    I think what essentially happened is Lew made the call to come in, and it simply didn't work out for him. Just didn't get to grips with the car all weekend. What surprised me was Ferrari's capability in the dirty air behind Lewis. Was like a proper 00's dogfight. Who said these cars would be harder to follow nose-to-tail?
     
    #230

  11. SgtBhaji

    SgtBhaji Well-Known Member

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    That's the real stinker.
     
    #231
  12. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    yep, I thought he'd lose a little bit of time behind Verstappen, but I did expect him to get past within a lap or 2. I think Mercedes esign philosophy is the real problem. It seems to me that they go for quali pace and clean air driving, which is okay as long as you get pole and pull away, but if those conditions aren't met their performance drop-off seems greater than the others. I also think the Merc is harder on it's tyres, like it was pre '14.
     
    #232
  13. allsaintchris.

    allsaintchris. Well-Known Member

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    not many 00's fights ended up in overtaking though. Lots of close following,but the rules for changed to give less aero so dirty air became less of an issue.

    from that point of view F1 needs to make sure it hasn't gone backwards.

    early days though and Aus has never really been a major overtaking track so can't judge on one race.
     
    #233
  14. Smithers

    Smithers Well-Known Member
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    I think the issue for Lewis was that the Ultras weren't degrading and after the stop he was 2 compounds harder compared to Max.
     
    #234
  15. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

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    Definitely need to hold fire and watch a couple of other circuits to see how it goes.

    Also for me, loads of overtaking is not what I want to see- it's the quality of it that counts. The powerlessness of the defending driver in DRS these last few years is a real turn off for me. Watching someone defend is as thrilling as a pass if it's two super fast cars and great driving skill. I love to watch the battle and the build up that a good overtake requires so it might yet be brilliant to watch. The issue is whether the wake prevents the following car getting close. Let's hope not and let's hope the cream of the drivers rises to the top.
     
    #235
  16. allsaintchris.

    allsaintchris. Well-Known Member

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    RBR syndrome when they were always at the front as well though.

    design the car to dominate in clean air, but crap when in the pack.
     
    #236
  17. BrightLampShade

    BrightLampShade Well-Known Member
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    I don't really recall much overtaking today, so I guess that's very 00s F1. Australia has never been good for overtaking but it was definitely reduced again today. Time will tell how much things have changed.
     
    #237
  18. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    I'm hard pushed to think of any other than the Ocon and Hulk on Alonso.
     
    #238
  19. BrightLampShade

    BrightLampShade Well-Known Member
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    And I only think that happened because Alonso's suspension let go, and drs, and Honda.
     
    #239
  20. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    it was a shame, Alonso deserved a point I thought.
     
    #240

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