2016 Australian GP Thread

[steveaki13]

Hi Guys

It must be time to open this thread and talk about the first race of the season.

Whats your expectation? Who will be awesome and who will be awful.

I expect one of the most reliable opening races ever. Maybe 20 cars of the 22 finishing?

[AndyL]

It's looking like a season of little improvements in lots of ways. A little more flexibility for the teams on tyre selection. The cars are a little louder. The Honda engine seems a little more competitive. We have a new team that is a step above some of the previous shoestring-budget new entrants. And most importantly, the F1 web site is a little more useful because they've brought back the feature that tells you all the session times in your local time zone.

So on that basis I'm expecting Ferrari to be a little closer to Mercedes - but not much :)

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I had a dream last night that Alonso got pole by 6 tenths of a second. The Mercs were in the lower reaches of the top 10.

Button only managed 4th because he couldn't optimise his tyres :dozey:

[Tazio]

Six tenths! :beer: :angel:

[henners88]

I think i'll get up early and watch this one. I haven't done that for a few seasons.

I hope Alonso wins in a surprise McLaren return to form lol.

[AndyL]

Honda was only running on 3 cylinders and 2 'D' batteries in testing apparently, Alonso's nailed on for victory :D

I'll watch the race live too, as long as my alarm clock works. Can't wait!

[N. Jones]

Has FP1 completed or am I off on the start time?

[driveace]

Hamilton, thinks that Ferrari are talking down their chances and thinks they will be fast out of the box

[The Black Knight]

Hamilton looking comfortable out there in FP1 and FP2 but given the conditions on track it's too early to tell anything yet. Rosberg binned his car so no valuable information gained from the first free practice sessions, except that the Honda engine still sounds rotten! McLaren looking great though!

[N4D13]

Hi guys,

How should I put this? Imagine that I could travel anywhere in the world to watch their TV online, as F1 is no longer being broadcast in free-to-air TV in Spain. Which country would you choose?

(There's also Rojadirecta.me and such sites, but I always prefer to go to a TV channel's website instead because it usually has better quality and is more stable)

[Rollo]

How should I put this? Imagine that I could travel anywhere in the world to watch their TV online, as F1 is no longer being broadcast in free-to-air TV in Spain. Which country would you choose?

Ironically - The United States of America.

You need to watch Univision or NBCSN.

[longisland]

The new quali format is a total disaster. The cars did 1 lap in the first 5 minutes, the slower cars eliminated because they are unable to start or complete a second run. Awful

[Roamy]

qualifying if a freaking joke

[Tazio]

What the hell did I just watch? This new quali system bro sucks, thanks Bernie :dozey:

[Rollo]

The new quali format is a total disaster. The cars did 1 lap in the first 5 minutes, the slower cars eliminated because they are unable to start or complete a second run. Awful

I love it.
Owing to the fact that Network Ten in Australia will be showing zero qualifying sessions for the rest of the year, I don't have to sit through any more.

Pay TV - you got your reward. I hope you enjoy it. Schadenfreude is wonderful :D

[steveaki13]

The show ladies and gentleman :rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao:

[zako85]

I absolutely loved the way the qualifying session went. I always thought that changing the rules of qualifying sessions was a very stupid idea to begin with, but after watching the show on NBC sports, I am glad that David Hobbs, Steve Matchett, and Leigh Diffey agree with me.

[gm99]

Hi guys,

How should I put this? Imagine that I could travel anywhere in the world to watch their TV online, as F1 is no longer being broadcast in free-to-air TV in Spain. Which country would you choose?

(There's also Rojadirecta.me and such sites, but I always prefer to go to a TV channel's website instead because it usually has better quality and is more stable)

Austria's ORF usually streams F1 on their web-site http://tvthek.orf.at/
The race broadcast is uninterrupted by commercials.

No more free to air F1 broadcasts in Spain? That's something I'll have to take into account when planning my next holiday...

[Stan Reid]

Same old Noah's Ark grid:snore:

[N4D13]

Thank you Rollo and gm99!

Thankfully, I slept through qualifying, which seems to have been a fine stroke of luck for me. But I'll sure have to put your suggestions to good use when the time comes. ;)

[Tazio]

One hour to race, what's up dawgz! Race time 22:00 over here.
Bottas has received a 5 place grid penalty for a gearbox change!

[steveaki13]

Morning guys :wave:

[Tazio]

DK already out! 'Sup Steve?

[Tazio]

Great start for Ferrari and Fred!

[steveaki13]

Ferrari's looking good.

Lewis struggling to pass Verstappen. Good start from that young guy

[Tazio]

Boss going for a one stopper

[steveaki13]

massive one for Alonso

[steveaki13]

Red flag

[Tazio]

Looks like Fred's fault!

[N4D13]

Looks like Fred's fault!
A lot more his fault than Gutiérrez's, obviously, but perhaps more bad luck than anything else. I don't think Gutiérrez was expecting to be overtaken there, so he returned to the racing line quite quickly, and Alonso was probably not expecting him to be braking so early.

Still that was an extremely nasty crash. I'm surprised that Alo could just walk away from it.

[AndyL]

That was a horrible accident for Alonso. Looks like there's nothing left of the car. Amazed and relieved to see him get out and walk away.

[keysersoze]

Tough to say at this point, because it does look like EG went for the block.

[AndyL]

Gutierrez' on-board appears to show his steering wheel steady straight ahead. But the road turns right so he is drifting left effectively.

[keysersoze]

Gutierrez had his left side to the right of the white lines, but drifts left as Alonso had a massive run. Either that or the Haas lost a lot of speed.

[N4D13]

By the way, this accident goes on to show the bad side of gravel traps. That very nasty flip wouldn't have happened had there not been such an abrupt difference between grass and gravel. If the run-offs were all tarmac, the crash would have been quite a bit softer, and probably front-first.

[AndyL]

Anyone else having problems with the f1.com live timing? Not showing any gaps for me.

[The Black Knight]

Fascinating crash! Reminds of Martin Brundle in 1996. There's no spare car Alonso can hop into nowadays though!

The race was awesome up to that point - I was really enjoying it. A shame we were robbed of how it would pan out - will see what the restart does!

[AndyL]

Either that or the Haas lost a lot of speed.

There was clearly a very big speed differential, I think the main cause was Gutierrez braked much earlier than Alonso expected.

[Tazio]

I'm surprised that Alo could just walk away from it. Amen brother.

[andyone]

same here it hasn't been working ok for me since practices

[The Black Knight]

Pictures of Alonso on a deck chair beside his smashed McLaren circulating Twitter already haha

[AndyL]

Gene Haas seems remarkably cheerful for a man who's just taken a big whack in the wallet :)

[steveaki13]

So what is the strategy from here? One stop more or no stops?

[AndyL]

Looks like pretty much everyone apart from Ferrari on mediums and not planning to stop again.

Torro Rosso and Red Bull also on softs so presumably stopping again I think.

[N4D13]

Can they still change tires freely after a red flag? Why is that? Is there a safety reason why they don't keep using the same tires? (I seem to remember that old tires don't warm up so well...)

[steveaki13]

Ferrari going for a one stopper. Mercedes being conservative and going for a no stopper.

I reckon Ferrari will win this one.

[AndyL]

Can they still change tires freely after a red flag? Why is that? Is there a safety reason why they don't keep using the same tires? (I seem to remember that old tires don't warm up so well...)

Yes looks like they can freely change. Hamilton is on the same tyres as he was already on his only set of mediums.

[steveaki13]

Hamilton looking quite screwed down in 7th. I reckon he should have attacked and gone on the soft tyre

[steveaki13]

Rosberg holding on well. Maybe I was wrong.

[AndyL]

Hamilton looking quite screwed down in 7th. I reckon he should have attacked and gone on the soft tyre

Button also using the supersoft and it appears to be working. Yes it does look a bit like Mercedes have taken a defensive strategy when they're already behind.

[keysersoze]

Hamilton was screwed before the red flag. At least he was able to gain back the distance he was behind. The best he can hope for is 3rd or 4th.

[steveaki13]

Kimi has inherited the one sided bad luck at Ferrari :(

[AndyL]

Kimi has inherited the one sided bad luck at Ferrari :(

Yet another opportunity to pull this one out...
http://hs10.snstatic.fi/webkuva/sarjis/560/1349761708947

[pino]

Bad luck for Kimi as usually :(

[AndyL]

Button also using the supersoft and it appears to be working. Yes it does look a bit like Mercedes have taken a defensive strategy when they're already behind.

Looks like I spoke too soon. Button's supersofts are fading already.

[AndyL]

Grosjean is running very nicely indeed in the Haas here.

[dj_bytedisaster]

so, Merc can f*** up every which way and still end up 1-2. Another lost season.

*sigh*

[N4D13]

so, Merc can f*** up every which way and still end up 1-2. Another lost season.

*sigh*
I'm not sure it's Merc that have fucked up here with their strategy!

[steveaki13]

Ferrari have thrown this one away.

Verstappen sounds very angry

[dj_bytedisaster]

I'm not sure it's Merc that have fucked up here with their strategy!

They certainly did with HAM. Saved by the red flag.

[dj_bytedisaster]

Verstappen sounds angry

Are you surprised? He drove one helluva race and the team effed it up with a botched stop.

[The Black Knight]

Are you surprised? He drove one helluva race and the team effed it up with a botched stop.

I can't blame him for being annoyed honestly - the team screwed up but these things happen in F1 and he'll have to learn to take these things on the chin.

Really good race. Lewis race was screwed after the start. Overall he drove a perfect race thereafter. This should be an interesting season it looks like :)

[Tazio]

Fell asleep but woke up in time to say " Rogro baby" :dork: '

[Stan Reid]

No surprizes other than Haas in the points already.

[AndyL]

It was interesting to see that everyone from 5th to 15th was running pretty similar pace for a lot of the race. I think that bodes well for competitive racing in the midfield this season.

Manor were close to the pace at times as well, but still a bit behind. And with their budget they will surely get further away, not closer. But who knows maybe there will be a track that suits their car and they'll be able to compete with someone somewhere.

[N. Jones]

I don't know if it has been said but, 40 years ago the talk would have been about the death of Alonso. I am still amazed at how well these cars are built. He walked away from a car that looked like King Kong crushed.

[airshifter]

That was a bad off by Alonso. I'm glad they showed him out before they showed the car, because I really wouldn't expect someone to walk away from that so quick, and looking at the car was a fine display of how much safety has improved. TBH it looked to me like Esteban was more shook up over it than Alonso was. Glad they are both ok.

Overall good to great racing. The start changed the game and gave Ferrari a chance, but I think strategy ruined it. I think just about everyone down to mid field and even below did what they could and drove hard. I don't understand a couple of the strategy calls but it's easy to second guess them after the fact.

Even though helped by attrition, I think it's great to see such a good finish from Haas at the opener. The last thing I would want to see is another team that can't at least have a chance at points. Improvements from McLaren, and Toro Rosso seem positive as well.

[Storm]

I was tired and slept (essentially forgot bout the race) after a very full saturday :s Looks like I missed a lot.

But yes Alonso was lucky to walk away from that shunt. Also good that Hamilton did not win, so he gets fired up for the coming races and we see some close fighting up next.

[dj_bytedisaster]

The SC and the red flag ruined it. The moment Merc were back on the tail of Vettel it was all over. Especially Hamilton profited massively, else his race could well have ended in the minor points.

[henners88]

I missed the race due to not wanting to get up early and found out the result so didn't bother watching the replay. Alonso was lucky, that's all lol.

[steveaki13]

In depth analysis Henners

Sent from my GT-I9301I using Tapatalk

[henners88]

Thanks, I try my best.

[Morte66]

Speaking as a Grosjean fan... ...I am quite pleased with this race. :)

Not a bad race. Merc 1+2, but it was interesting up to the last couple of laps.

It does look like Ferrari could perhaps challenge Merc on another day on different tyres. And the mid-pack looks to be interesting this year. I am cautiously hopeful that we'll see a better season. Hey, maybe Manor will sneak a point in one race...

[jens]

Okay... I missed the race... And to be honest, I have never had such an indifferent attitude to the start of the season, when anticipation should be at its highest! On Saturday checked the quali results - "ah same old same old", and couldn't be bothered for more. The downward spiral of F1, dwindling viewing figures, and endless domination has properly caught up with me as well.

Good to find out though that Grosjean finished sixth. Never expected it from Haas! But the opening race of the season has often brought an odd surprise. Like in 2015 Nasr finished fifth, and in 2014 Magnussen was second.

[N4D13]

Just came across this analysis in Autosport and I think it's quite interesting! http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/123488/verstappen-right-to-be-upset--with-himself

[airshifter]

Max is still young and subject to the stuff many drivers go through earlier on in their F1 careers. It's almost as if most of them go through it these days, and then at some point most of the really good drivers reel it in and things sort out some. I hope for his sake it's sooner rather than later, as for pure driving talent alone I think he is up there at a level that is uncommon today. There is a lot of potential there.