Rate the Race - Australia 2015

[steveaki13]

I will open this up again.

Lets see how it goes.

So give me a review of the Ozzie GP and a rating out of 10. :)

[rjbetty]

9

I know the low cars ain't good, and it hasn't been the most euphoric weekend ever, but I think it's all been very interesting.

Also, the first race, especially at Melbourne, is my favourite by far.

So interesting to see Sauber do well, Manor actually turn up if not run any laps - a miracle. Toro Rosso drivers shining and being close to Snr team. Lotus looking better. Such a weird weekend with non-starters and all.

[longisland]

Race 3 + Governator 2 = 5

[steveaki13]

I will rate the race a 5.5

It was OK, but really Mercedes didnt fight much, and behind no epic battles. Interesting more than good.

[jens]

7.

First race of the season is always somewhat interesting due to uncertainties. If this was later in the year it would get a lesser number. So considering that I try to be conservative and not give "9" just because F1 is on again and it is so exciting to simply see cars on track regardless of whether race is boring or not!

I have to add that I also liked the attrition. More than last year in Oz despite all-new engines! Attrition was the main aspect. Otherwise not much. Mercedes cruising at the front, Vettel and Massa decided in pitstops and then some scrap in midfield.

[Hawkmoon]

3

Lackluster race with little going on. A positive is that the battle between Ferrari and Williams should be very good this season. There doesn't appear to be much between them and it's a great shame we didn't see Bottas and Raikkonen in a four-way battle with their teammates.

[Tazio]

1.9...... totally sucked

[Koz]

3 - It was rather depressing.


Manor actually turn up if not run any laps - a miracle.

If they knew there weren't able to run, why bother coming?
Surely there must be a better to spend their money, than travelling to Australia for no real reason.

[steveaki13]

3 - It was rather depressing.



If they knew there weren't able to run, why bother coming?
Surely there must be a better to spend their money, than travelling to Australia for no real reason.

Any team is only allowed to miss 3 meetings in a season. I don't know, but maybe this means they made this meeting. Just a thought.

[Tazio]

Worse race I've seen in many years. Worse than the 2005 USGP. I'll be back when F1 pulls it's head out of Bernie's narrow ass. I'm off to Rally Cross lads, it's been nice knowing ya''awl boys. :wave: :kiss:

[steveaki13]

Worse race I've seen in many years. Worse than the 2005 USGP. I'll be back when F1 pulls it's head out of Bernie's narrow ass. I'm off to Rally Cross lads, it's been nice knowing ya''awl boys. :wave: :kiss:

I can't quite agree it was worse than US 2005, although that was fun because of the farce.

However I do agree F1 sucks currently and is in danger of dying if Bernie is left around.

[dj_bytedisaster]

Any team is only allowed to miss 3 meetings in a season. I don't know, but maybe this means they made this meeting. Just a thought.

Nope, you can only miss 3 races in three seasons. They missed the last three in 2014. Had they not turned up, they would have lost 45 million of TV money. They pass scrutineering, so technically they had shown up and stayed eligible.

[zako85]

6/10.

Pros: mid-pack battles were ok. Some rookies surprised. Lots of team surprised: Ferrari and Sauber are on the same pace with Red Bulls or maybe faster. McLaren looking prostrate.

Cons: Processional racing in the front.

Like it or not, this race may be a preview of what's going to happen in the rest of season.

[COD]

Boring, a 3 at max

[journeyman racer]

5

I was neither enthralled or share the opinion of it being a boring procession.

[A FONDO]

Rather poor. Still as a first one of the season I give 5.

[Warriwa]

I will give it a 5. It only rates that highly because it was the first race of the season. Reminded me of Sochi last year. A five doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it though. I live and breathe this shizzat.

[Mia 01]

I would have give it a fiver but Kimis left rear wheelman messed up it for me. 3.5/10

[Doc Austin]

1.9...... totally sucked

Wow. That's pretty cold but totally understandable.

I'm going to go 6.5, and I think that is being pretty generous. Negatives begin with the Sauber/VDG dispute and court case and run through Botas being injured when he did not even hit anything, Mags blowing up simply leaving the pits, Kvat breaking on the formation lap, and an embarrassing 15 car grid, losing both Lotus on the opening laps, and the total hopelessness of the Renault runners.

Did I mention Renault is hopeless?

There was absolutely no battle near the front at all. The Mercedes cruised around, almost as if in formation, and made everyone else loo like a bunch of amateurs. They simply crushed everyone. It looked effortless.

Maybe the worst part was former World Champion Jenson Button running around in a hopeless last place and the commentators were joking around about it. To me it was more of an embarrassment than a joke. At least McLaren finally got in some miles.

I give this race a bit of slack because of the birazzo factor. They were dropping like flies before the race even started and we were down to 13 cars on the first lap. It looked like the entertainment for the evening was going to be seeing if anyone finished at all. I was waiting for something really weird to happen, like a tornado blowing down a tree across the circuit and stopping the race or something.

This race was really rescued by the performances of the new guys. Sainz was utterly brilliant and may have even beaten Nasr had it not been for the horiffic put stop. Verstappen was also really good, and his doubters don't have much to complain about. Between those two, Torro Rosso is going to put on a good show this year. Nasr backed up his preseason speed with a really solid result, which put both Saubers in the points!

It was also good to see Vettel back on form. It was good to see Kimmi running so strongly. It was good to see the force Indias have good reliability, and Sauber too.

There were so many negatives coming into the race that it was never going to be a 10, or even an 8. I think 6.5 is pretty generous, and even at that I am having to try to find reasons to rate it so high. Still, I stayed awake for the whole thing, so it did have some redeeming value. The first race of they year is often a little messy, though it's hard to remember one this disjointed.

Let's hope for a smoother outing in Malaysia.

[airshifter]

5 tops. Too many teams with only one car running for various reasons really left me wondering what cars have the pace, and what drivers are pushing the cars beyond the pace. The mid field battle was decent at times, but other than that most of the race was a bore fest.

[Tazio]

Steve, now that I've sobered up a little, I want to change my rating to a 2.9. It was actually quite suspenseful watching to see If McJense could bring the MP30 home :)

[steveaki13]

OK then :p

[Whyzars]

4/10 - nothing to get excited about.


Melbourne 2015 was just dull. F1 definitely needs 24 cars on the grid. I ended up playing Solitaire on my computer and looked up and saw 51 of 58 and then 58 of 58. Oh well.

The post race interview by Arnie was the absolute highlight of the day. Brilliant. Probably the best of this format to date.

Congrats to Mercedes for doing what they are doing so well. It was great seeing Ferrari closing on the pointy end. I'm quietly tipping Seb will see the top step more than once this year. Sauber gets kudos for actually getting their cars on the grid.


Closing point - With one of the leading teams effectively destroying their championship chances before the first round, when will the ridiculous engine count rule be done away with?