Clicky

Jump to content

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

HandyNZL

The Qantas Australian Grand Prix Official Race Preview Thread

Recommended Posts


Just caught the rebroadcast on SPEED. News International doing some sharing; we got a lot of the same footage from the Sky intro in the SPEED teaser and while I'm on the subject, I think Bob Varsha is one of the best play-by-play guys out there for auto racing, but man, the whole SPEED crew were so sloppy today. I realize they call the race from Charlotte, NC from a TV screen and are subject to whatever the FOM director shows, but come on, Toro Rosso ≠ Red Bull and you can tell by their pit uniforms (Toro Rosso is a little darker, for one), so don't say Webber's pitting when it's Ricciardo's crew out there, and I'm still trying to decode "last year, there were no Formula One drivers in Formula One, this year there are three." You're better than that, boys...

...but this is better than I remember F1 being. Cool race, I was satisfied. As soon as the safety car came out, I said Vettel's going to dive in, get soft tires, and win the race. He didn't do that. Button can manage more than just tires. Manages his pace, too, and damn, does he have a lot of pace when he needs it. Which is partly nice to watch...and partly boring because you know he can just open it whenever he needs to, same as it ever was...

Still, I determine the value of races based on whether or not Vettel won, and whether or not the pole sitter won. Neither did, so it couldn't have been too bad! :P

Did you know there were six past champions on the grid today?

Cam Kobayashi continues to impress me. He's just relentless.

What happened to Jean-Éric Vergne on the final lap? He was in position to score points on debut when Maldonado made a forty-five-million-dollar-move on the final lap there and then he ends up eleventh. Did he blow it? Anything to do with Rosberg's trouble? His teammate Ricciardo deserves a mention for taking points after that first-lap mess, though I wouldn't call it a tremendous drive as much as just kind of sort of being there.

And I want to mention, too, that I was watching this race and it dawned on me, there are six past champions in the field! Isn't that something?

Alonso, he's a better driver than Massa. Massa lost a lot with his head injury, now he's lost his confidence, then he gets frustrated, and then he just makes a Felipe Messa. Augh.

Räikkönen will be on the podium before we go back to Europe. Vettel will win a race before then, too.

Don't overlook the fact there are six past champions racing this year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What happened to Jean-Éric Vergne on the final lap? He was in position to score points on debut when Maldonado made a forty-five-million-dollar-move on the final lap there and then he ends up eleventh. Did he blow it? Anything to do with Rosberg's trouble? His teammate Ricciardo deserves a mention for taking points after that first-lap mess, though I wouldn't call it a tremendous drive as much as just kind of sort of being there.

Both Ricciardo and di Resta got by him. It was an amazing job by JEV to somehow manage to NOT score points considering Rosberg's and Maldonado's last lap problems.

I joke, I rate both Toro Rosso guys, but yeah, JEV got unlucky.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

He just was too cautious driving around all the debris. It was the wise thing to do despite missing the points. He got his priorities right, he needed to secure a race finish.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Even Bourdais has scored points in Melbourne, nearly had a podium at Spa...send Vergnehardt to NASCAR, then he won't be so scared to plow through debris.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I must say after 2 seasons Button definitely made the right choice going up against Hamilton and joining McLaren. It has done him the world of good, he seems happy and most importantly I think people now realise he really is an excellent driver and just as good as Hamilton and easily ranked with Vettel, Alonso and Hamilton (on a good day) as the best driver!

The Ferrari looks like crap and Alonso did a great job getting it home 5th but he did have some luck along the way

The Mercedes is quick but over race distance is lacking somewhat and I would currently rank them 3rd behind Red Bull and Mclaren but just in front of Lotus, and Ferrari. I think we have a good season on our hands people! :-D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wonder where Hamilton's head is. He says this is the best shape he's been in mentally...are the team still behind him, or do they prefer Button, or are they truly neutral?

I've been saying for years, so you know it's wrong, that Hamilton's next contract not with McLaren is a NASCAR one. He's only going to keep driving his own value down here if he lets Button beat him; there are a few executives in Florida who couldn't care less about that. To them, his value couldn't be higher.

I just get the feeling he's not the fighter Button was. He won't stick out years of being beaten by his teammates, being beaten by the media, and being beaten by himself to look for redemption. Maybe he digs deep and proves me wrong, maybe he goes and rattles off ten race wins in a row now while we're all declaring Button the champion, but I just have a feeling Hamilton's time came and went. In 2009, his career looked a lot like Villeneuve's...second as a rookie in a close fight with his teammate, first the following year, a distant fifth the third with an interest in making a musical album. Wonder if it ends the same way...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

People seem eager to beat Lewis up, but I don't feel he did a whole lot wrong today, he was just really unlucky. Wheelspin cost him the lead, coming out behind Perez cost him his place to Vettel, and the safety car cost him any chance of getting it back.

I still believe he'll come good, we're one race into the season and people are already eager to write him off.

What was more interesting, however was that for the first time since the new regs, the rear of the Red Bull just didn't look anything like as planted. Evidently the loss of the EBD has hurt them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Without the EBD, teams are really wearing out the rear tires, too. Obvious, though, that Red Bull had the best diffuser since they gained the most from it. But they aren't in a bad place at all, and I think they'll keep McLaren honest.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My rating of Alonso goes way beyond today and was an overdue accolade from me. I accept what you say but he can still wring the neck of a dog far more effectively than any of his rivals might.

you can say that but there's no real way to know if this is true or not as they all drive different cars and each driver has a personal set up and driving style that may o may not suit a car or even a track, the same way I could tell you that Kimi's last Ferrari was worse than this one and he manage very good result even when that car wasn't being developed any more, he even managed to win at Spa, so this an arguable point that we will find out which way it really goes.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

People seem eager to beat Lewis up, but I don't feel he did a whole lot wrong today, he was just really unlucky. Wheelspin cost him the lead, coming out behind Perez cost him his place to Vettel, and the safety car cost him any chance of getting it back.

I still believe he'll come good, we're one race into the season and people are already eager to write him off.

What was more interesting, however was that for the first time since the new regs, the rear of the Red Bull just didn't look anything like as planted. Evidently the loss of the EBD has hurt them.

you are right about this but I am still amazed but the lack of speed on Hamilton's car, Button was far superior right from the start and this have nothing to do with tire management or anything like that, Button's car was just a lot faster the whole race, even when Jenson was complaining about tire vibrations all that Lewis could do was to match Jenson's speed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wouldn't beat up on Hamilton too much, tbf, the race could have gone the opposite way had he made a slightly better start. And now I will continue this post by beating up on Hamilton...

I just wish he'd been less built up by everyone before he came onto the F1 scene. The parallel with JV can be made but there's a difference, Hamilton is a better driver than JV was. JV winning one title was fair enough, if Lewis wins one it will be a disservice to his talent. In 2007 we saw what he could do, brilliant racing moves, raw speed, but consistent too. We've seen it a few times since but he also mixed it in with plenty of stupid incidents. What happened? I guess he started to believe his own hype and got distracted by the things that come with success. Easy done for a young guy. I wonder if it's fair to say that Mclaren should have controlled it all a bit better, or maybe that's unreasonable. I think Button went through a similar period and eventually came out of that a much stronger guy. Let's hope Lewis does too, maybe he already has and we'll see that this year. One thing you can say for sure is that over your career, to match an idol like A. Senna, and to beat guys like Alonso and Vettel, who all absolutely live(d) to win, you have to live to win also.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't see what's the big fuss against Lewis (probably because I didn't saw his post race interviews). This is the way I see it:

He had a poor start. That's one mistake, and not a career breaker one. One mistake can be costly, of course, Maldonado can atest to it, but so can Alonso at qualy. Or Vettel. Or Kimi. Or Webbo. So, the number of mistakes is not much of a guide. The quality of them, though, is. His bad start perhaps shows a certain lack of focus, or maybe he was just unlucky, hard to judge. Hittting Kimi at Montreal was one mistake, but that was HUGE. That time he deserved all the beatings in the world and then some. This time? Not so much. He drove calmly through the end, which is good, and pushed without losing his head, which is a nice touch coming from him.

I bet that what worries him is the fact that he couldn't keep the same race pace as Jenson, and that's another thing entirely. He didn't lock his tires every other corner like he usually does and even in clean air he was no match for Button. So, what happened there? That is what will keep him awake the next few nights until Sepang.

Is he getting the "number 2 curse" now? Will his car start having all the problems, his pitstops being all botched up while Jenson's will not? I never understood how that curse works, but it exists, and if that is the case, certainly he haas nobody else to blame but himself for putting himself into a number 2 position with all his antics from last year, the smallest one not being flirting with RBR in public mid-season.

He needs to make as many dramatic faces as he wants, like Nando does. But, like Nando, he should also know when to shut up and drive. Nando learned quick from his mistakes after 2007. Button is a slow learner but is moving forward. Lewis must follow the same path fast or slowly, but he must.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Look, I just want to fire everyone, okay? It's a lot of fun to manage racing teams, television broadcasts, and United States Grand Prix contracts from the comfort of my own home, but it gets kind of boring when everyone's doing a good enough job and we should all be patient and fair about it. Instant gratification! Deliver NOW! Send the home, start the buses, saque la basura... :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't think it's super fair to really pile it on Hamilton, but I just think if he can't match Button's pace, even when he drives cleanly, he's going to have problems keeping his value high, and his interest in F1 on an equal level. He strikes me as someone who wants to be a celebrity, and as long as he's in the public eye, he'll do something outside of F1 if he's not winning. Maybe he feels he can win at another team. But does another team feel that way? I wouldn't if he runs two kinds of races: ones where he makes huge mistakes, and ones where he's slower than a guy more known for steadiness and tireless care than outright pace.

He's got 18 more races to tell me I'm wrong. Get after it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hamilton

First race of the season, tires sliding in Melbourne at the start, we've seen it hundreds of times, he lost P1. Button was unbeatable today, Hamilton lost 2nd against Vettel because Petrov parked the car on the main straight. He finished 3rd.

Simple.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't think it's super fair to really pile it on Hamilton, but I just think if he can't match Button's pace, even when he drives cleanly, he's going to have problems keeping his value high, and his interest in F1 on an equal level. He strikes me as someone who wants to be a celebrity, and as long as he's in the public eye, he'll do something outside of F1 if he's not winning. Maybe he feels he can win at another team. But does another team feel that way? I wouldn't if he runs two kinds of races: ones where he makes huge mistakes, and ones where he's slower than a guy more known for steadiness and tireless care than outright pace.

He's got 18 more races to tell me I'm wrong. Get after it.

I don't think you are aware that there are 6 WDCs on the grid. And that means A LOT! It's like JV plus 5 identical brothers, all singing together.

Think about it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't think you are aware that there are 6 WDCs on the grid. And that means A LOT! It's like JV plus 5 identical brothers, all singing together.

Think about it.

Sounds a bit like the Jacqueson 5.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sounds a bit like the Jacqueson 5.

Ba da BOOM!

That was very cleverly put.

Go have a lollipop to celebrate :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ba da BOOM!

That was very cleverly put.

Go have a lollipop to celebrate :D

You were laughing out loud, admit it!

Giggling?

Smiling?

Ok, just give me my candy. :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

very enjoyable race (now I've seen it).

just can't stand the noses.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

very enjoyable race (now I've seen it).

just can't stand the noses.

Couldn't pick one, huh?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't see what's the big fuss against Lewis (probably because I didn't saw his post race interviews). This is the way I see it:

He had a poor start. That's one mistake, and not a career breaker one. One mistake can be costly, of course, Maldonado can atest to it, but so can Alonso at qualy. Or Vettel. Or Kimi. Or Webbo. So, the number of mistakes is not much of a guide. The quality of them, though, is. His bad start perhaps shows a certain lack of focus, or maybe he was just unlucky, hard to judge. Hittting Kimi at Montreal was one mistake, but that was HUGE. That time he deserved all the beatings in the world and then some. This time? Not so much. He drove calmly through the end, which is good, and pushed without losing his head, which is a nice touch coming from him.

I bet that what worries him is the fact that he couldn't keep the same race pace as Jenson, and that's another thing entirely. He didn't lock his tires every other corner like he usually does and even in clean air he was no match for Button. So, what happened there? That is what will keep him awake the next few nights until Sepang.

Is he getting the "number 2 curse" now? Will his car start having all the problems, his pitstops being all botched up while Jenson's will not? I never understood how that curse works, but it exists, and if that is the case, certainly he haas nobody else to blame but himself for putting himself into a number 2 position with all his antics from last year, the smallest one not being flirting with RBR in public mid-season.

He needs to make as many dramatic faces as he wants, like Nando does. But, like Nando, he should also know when to shut up and drive. Nando learned quick from his mistakes after 2007. Button is a slow learner but is moving forward. Lewis must follow the same path fast or slowly, but he must.

Maybe he has learnt? It could well be the case that this was just Lewis driving the percentage game and making sure he got some points on the board at the first race? Of course, it was more than likely be that he just didn't have the pace of Button or Vettel, for whatever reason. Start was not great, but not horrendous. The sc incident was just one of those things, sometimes you are the statue, sometimes you are the pigeon.

Anyway, my real point is one swallow does not a summer make. I know that has a whole different connotation to you, baldy, but bare with me.

There have been quite a few times a team winning the first race can then go on to struggle through the season. Yet to listen to the media at the moment you would think McLaren are going to walk away with it. Obviously, I think McLaren will be there or thereabouts, as they have been the last few seasons, I just think talk of dominance is a little premature.

By the way, no particular reason why I replied to you (aside from the fact that I love you more than life itself), just a post mentioning swallow, dominance and premature it seemed appropriate to pick you :whistling:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...